If you liked Cannon Beach, don't miss the FCA trip to Victoria Aug 3-5, 2007

Dave T runs an exceptional trip to Cannon Beach every year and I've been working with him to learn the secrets that make his events so fun and easy to apply to my FCA club trip to Victoria, Canada on Aug 3-5, 2007.
You must be a member to attend but don't need to own a Ferrari to join. There is plenty of time to join the FCA-NWR, go to http://www.nwrfca.org/ for more info

Dave always starts his planning with defining the major goals,
here are mine:
- Make it fun for both the driver and passenger
- Maximum 4 hours seat time
- Maximum 3 day event
- Highlight socializing, fun and activities
- Ease of border crossings (no passports required on this trip)
- Safe ferry loading (no negative tides all weekend)
- Unpack once for three days and two nights
- Make it easy for the Oregon and Canadian groups to attend

Please consider joining us as at the peak of our fine weather season. The NWR-FCA has invited the Lamborghini Club to embark with us south for a meeting place that will make it easy for our Oregon members to join us. From there we'll drive just 90 miles to the Ferry crossing. There are no negative tides all weekend and the outbound/inbound sailings have a +3/+4 ft tide which will make it easy for low clearance Ferraris to safely board the ferry. Upon docking, our hotel is just blocks away from the ferry terminal and is the only 5 star waterfront hotel in Victoria where every room has a balcony and A/C . In addition we are getting a club rate discount of $100.

After checking in, cooling off and washing the cars, we'll have a reception with a group dinner in the Grand Ballroom of our hotel where we'll meet the members from the Ferrari Club of America - Western Canada Region (http://www.fca-westerncanada.org/) and Lamborghini members for socializing. Saturday morning will start us on a drive of the countryside to several local viewpoints and wineries culminating in a gourmet international lunch. The afternoon will be open to explore back roads on the return route. Afterwards we will return to Victoria with several options for our afternoon activities including shopping, strolling on the waterfront, visiting a local exotic automobile restoration shop, touring the Craigdarroch Castle (http://www.craigdarrochcastle.com/), viewing the Undersea Gardens (http://www.pacificunderseagardens.com/ ), and having high tea in the Fairmont Empress Hotel. Each of these are just footsteps away from our accomodations. Saturday night's group dinner will highlight more socializing with our Canadian hosts and our traditional raffle. Sunday will be a gathering time to say goodbyes to new and old friends for our departure. Those who choose to stay later on their own will be treated to Victoria's Symphony Splash on Sunday evening in the Inner Harbour.

Space is limited and the trip is already over half full after appearing in only one of our club newsletters. All reservations must be made by the closing date of July 3rd or whenever it sells out. It is first come/first serve and when these are gone there will be no more.

The Jaguar Club is holding its National Meet (http://www.jcna.com/clubs/events.php?club=nw61&Vref=nw61 ) with 150+cars/350 people that same weekend and their overflow is taking the available rooms. They will hold an Art Gallery of Greater Victoria reception on Friday evening, an all day show and sanctioned Concours d'Elegance and evening awards banquet on Saturday, and a wine tour and a slalom on Sunday.

 

The Hotel's underground garage will block off an exclusive area for our cars
and each participant will be issued a magnetic card to access the gated
parking entrance after hours. In addition, there will be a roving guard to
oversee the security in the evening.

 

Until yesterday our roster included the newest of F430 Spyders, the oldest of two Dino Spyders, and even had the roadworthy supercars; two 575 SuperAmericas in attendance.

Ted has found that his lovely blonde copilot (she was wearing the tiger fur earmuffs on the Cannon Beach drive) has scheduled another activity and they won't be able to make it, so we are down to one 575 SA.

Perhaps this will open a space (or desire) for someone else to sign up?

The driving route for this trip was designed to facilitate our Oregon members to join us and is the shortest route for them, just 90 miles from our meeting place to the destination.

 

For those people wishing to stay another day in Victoria, there is a VERY special, free event on Sunday evening called the "Symphony Splash" which is akin to the Sydney, Australia's Harbour music festival.

The harbour completely closes down to boat and auto taffic and sets the stage for a symphony barge to play upon it. The sound quality and the setting are superb for this rare event.

All this is just footsteps away from our hotel.
Please see these websites for photos and layout, truly an event of international stature!

PHOTOS:
http://www.victorialodging.com/victoria/symphony_splash.htm

http://www.victoriasymphony.bc.ca/concerts/splash.html

"The highlight of the August long weekend is the Symphony Splash. Victoria's Inner Harbour is transformed to a concert venue of gargantuan proportions. The orchestra and guest performers are set up on a barge directly in front of the Parliament Buildings. Powerful speakers carry the sound to the thousands who ring the harbour to listen. The concert traditionally closes with The 1812 Overture, complete with guns and the carillon. This free event is not to be missed."

 

It would be great to see you.
The drive is intended to make it easy for Oregon members to attend and several from Oregon have already signed up, like Tony C, who is going.

 

One late joiner was able to get a room just a few days ago, so the Hotel may still have rooms. There are still spots remaining for the Friday Night Welcome Dinner and the Saturday Countryside Drive with Lunch at the winery.

If you've signed up but haven't made your meal selections for Sat Night, please let me know ASAP.

Thank you

 

Can you be near the Peace Arch, or on one of the first three overpasses of 99 at 4:30AM?