YET ANOTHER East Coast gathering poll....

Even better, Cindy wants to go to Mt. Veron & Montecello as well as the new Native American wing of the Smithsonian for our vacation this year.

Would be nice to combine that with a F* get together...

 

I would think most of the folks who voted to stay in NY would not want to travel to Vir. or NC

 

I might be interested in meeting up with you guys, but in the daily driver.

 

i've brought up the raleigh/ durham question on the north/south carolina forum with a few positive responses. we do need to try to keep the distances as equal as possible. 600 miles or 12 hours on the road is rough no matter how you cut it. driving in va is always daunting as the police are zero tolerance on speeders and if you even look fast you will be ticketed. expect to pay at least $150. that has been about average for me. radar detectors are illegal in va. i've been stopped everywhere from winchester to norfolk and never gotten a by. moving the location north from vir into va is asking for trouble. do we really need a major attraction? aren't the cars the reason for this event. we are really talking about one day, saturday, anyhow. most folks will be arriving late on friday and leaving after breakfast on sunday. so it's breakfast on saturday, maybe a cruise to a spot then dinner then back to the hotel. that doesn't leave a lot of time for sightseeing. the size of the turnout will probably allow all of us to stay at the same hotel. the carolina forum could be a resourse for a nice hotel/ resort/ b&b spot. one of those antebellum deals would be nice and shouldn't be to hard to find.

 

I believe you're right.

 

Heather and I made it to Mount Vernon during our trip to DC last year, but didn't make Monticello or UVA. DC to Charlottesville remains a drive we would like to do. May even tow the 328 to DC and drive the rest if we have to. Much like Dr. Tommy Cosgrove, however, if we get into September before this happens, may have to take a pass depending on the weekend...

Troy

 

This event was just west of DC and very close to FoW. It looked like a very nice event, maybe we can piggy back on to this if they have it this year or use the same venue in late summer.

http://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/showthread.php?t=101273&highlight=Town+Center

 

Birdman, any chance of a T-shirt run for this gathering?

 

We need either southern VA or northern NC

 

Ugh, I have a headache . Plus, my car isn't running right, so please read my posts .

Okay, I truly, though biased otherwise, cannot recommend "northern" NC. Outer Banks, yes (eg Nags Head). Mountains, yes. Piedmont, NO.

So, some ideas for VA: Roanoke Inn & Conference Center in Roanoke, VA. The Peaks of Otter on the Blue Ridge Parkway in VA. Richmond, VA. Or, as suggested earlier, Williamsburg, VA.

The suggestions for West Virginia made earlier are also good in terms of location and good roads.

Another idea is to pick a yankee-style venue now (eg Lancaster, PA) and then next year or two years from now go to VIR!

Seamus

 

I have never been to Williamsburg, good choice though lots of history there, it's very close to I 95 and only driven through Richmond which has the advantage of being right there on I 95, where would you recommend we meet in either town? Is there a hotel & resturaunt in Williamsburg that would suit us?

Doug

 

I was asked to post here by Tatcat...

I'm a 360 Spider guy in Greenville, NC. I'm not sure that this is the right place for the event but we're within range of the Outer Banks for a drive and its really about the cars anyway...

As far as a meeting spot goes, my parents have a Bed and Breakfast that might be a nice backdrop for the event...

http://www.bentleybedandbreakfast.com/

Its in Kinston, NC, about 45 miles or so off I-95. The town doesn't offer much but I think it'd be a nice meeting place if y'all decided to do something low key...

As far as accomodations though, it only has 4 guest rooms.

Just a thought since I was asked to post...

 

Glad you dropped by form the 360 group,
Are there other hotels/B&B's in town, and would the hotels be in an area for the cars to be secure? How are hte resturaunts there? a place large enough for several of us to gather?

Doug

 

That looks like a great location!

 

In Kinston where the B&B is, there aren't many restaurants but there is one nice restaurant that would be very suitable. In fact, my ex-g/f is the owner/chef who worked and went to culinary school in Manhattan.

As far as places to stay, there is a Holiday Inn Express and a Hampton.

Where I live, Greenville, is 25 miles away...it is has a lot more going on, lots of restaurant choices, places to stay, etc... I don't have as good a gathering place as the B&B there though...

How many people would likely be getting together?

 

Birdman has been one of the key people in the eastcoast gathering, he would be a better person to ask how many people. I am looking forward to having a gathering, here to assit if the key people ask for assistance and will most likely attend.

Doug

 

Perhaps because I haven't made many events in the last two years? Life (ok, mostly work) has gotten in the way and the only event I have made in the last two years was the FCA Church Street Festival in Burlington last summer.

 

Was hoping maybe someone from VA might respond.

My recent personal experience with Richmond was at the Omni downtown and the Jefferson downtown. Both good -- the Jefferson has great history. The city is not *too* big so downtown isn't as bad as it sounds. Did a bunch of TSD rallies there many years ago so there are good roads, plantations, and a NASCAR track not too far away.

Williamsburg is pretty zooey in the summer. Last experience there was at the Best Western Patrick Henry. Good value, but not exactly what I think folks here have in mind. From it you can walk to restaurants and there are a variety of things to do. A lot of traffic, though, and restaurants are often very crowded in the summer. Plus, lots of families and what not due to Busch Gardens.

Seamus

 

I feel like I'm too new here to step up .

You have lots of data. And, you probably have an idea who will actually show up.

I think if you make a decision, then you will find there are others who will help with logistics.

This one could be the "first annual". Another location can be picked from the list next year. Whatever is picked, someone will be upset. And of those who actually show up, someone will have a terrible time, no matter how nice it is.

As I recall Norman Schwarzkopf said, "You always know the right thing to do. The hard part is doing it."

Seamus

 

Ok, fellows. I've been to Annual Meets since 1985, been the organizer of a ton of Regional meets for a long time and the secret to success is to have something for everyone.

It sounds to me like no one is stuck on doing the track thing, but everyone wants a secure, relatively centrally located, pleasant (or very pleasant) accommodations with good digs for spousal units and plenty of "bar time" in the evening to swap a bunch of lies! A nice "communal" drive through the country is a plus.

I'd be glad to call Berry Hill tomorrow and see what the real story is. It's still a pleasant place to be and there are good roads around. Plus, it's not that far off I-85/I-95 near the NC/VA border.

What we really had a lot of fun doing for nearly a decade is to go the the Pinehurst Hotel and Country Club. For one, it was secure (the right crowd and no crowding), two, they liked having us, three, it has a great bar and the whole family enjoyed it. We even had a nice concours on the putting green next to the hotel. It's not too expensive, either.

This place is a "destination" that everyone recognizes. The village offers less expensive accommodations, although we'd get a break if we asked them to put together a "package" for at least ten cars (couples?). We might even get some of the "Brotherhood" 348/Mondial t folks to come along and there is a good local base of people that would help put together a nice weekend. It's awfully late to get something going before Memorial Day, but we could try...

The idea would be to travel there on Friday, have a nice welcoming reception (drinks and finger food), get up and meet for breakfast in the dining room, go for a short drive (rally?), come back and wash up (cars, too?), set the cars out on display and have cocktails while we look at the cars and enjoy each others company. Then, have a nice dinner together and meet again for breakfast in the morning, taking off for home mid-day.

Just an idea...

-Peter