Hameed

I would like to contribute in some small way for this meet - if nobody has volunteered yet to create the website I would like to do that if that's ok with you you all.

Let me know. I would like to start planning for this and will definitely come if everything works out on my end!

LexFather

I am personally shooting for 30 Lexus cars. 30 The Acura NSXs just had a meet in Cali, 43 NSXs from 3 countries...

bitkahuna

iTrader: (20)

Thanks for the consideration Dave - appreciated. With trying to get a new huge project under way (building a home in Florida) I will be visiting down there quite a bit, but no current plans to be in Florida that weekend so count me in!

DaveGS4

iTrader: (2)

Cool, we're a GO for the date! I spoke with Hameed earlier today & sent him materials and he's building our website (thanks Hameed).

Next we need to make a decision on lodging. I do not want to stay in Cherokee again (and I'm sure it will be seconded by many)...

I've done a fair amount of research I suggest we choose between the following two lodging choices:

1) The Tapoco Lodge

More info --> http://www.tapocolodge.com/index.html
Restaraunt -->http://www.tapocolodge.com/dining.html

This is the place right at the start of the run at the Dragon. We are lunch there last year and it seemed to be a pretty nice place. Definitely country, not much of anything else around. They have both cabins and lodge rooms. No one is going to break into your car here unless it's a racoon looking for that Snicker's bar you left in the back seat. Limited parking (at least where we tried to park).




Pros
VERY close to the main Tail of the Dragon drive
Decent food
Car-club friendly
Other outdoor activities for those interested (possibly those that come with families)

Cons
Will be hard to find for first timers or at night
Way out in the middle of nowhere
Only one restaurant (at the lodge itself) nearby
Probably a little pricier

-----------------------------------------------
2) Jameson Inn
206 Corporate Place
Alcoa, Tennessee 37701
865-984-6800

More info -->http://www.jamesoninns.com/Hotel_Detail.asp?ID=3
Map -->http://www.jamesoninns.com/Map_Detail.asp?ID=3



This is the place the Honda S2000 club stays at for all of their Dragon meets.. A typical rate they get is about $63 per night (don't hold me to this, I haven't called them to negotiate yet). This is much more of a real town with lots of (chain, likely other local varieties) places to eat and drink within walking distance of the hotel - MashTaters, Texas Roadhouse, O'Charley's and Up the Creek. In addition to these, there are some other restaurants within a 3 or 4 mile drive (Cracker Barrel and Pizzeria Uno) just to name a few.

Pros
Easy to find
Stuff around to do other than provided hotel amenities
Car-club friendly
Lots of restaurant choices
Probably will be a little cheaper

Cons
Still have to drive almost an hour to get to the main Dragon run
More of a generic place to stay

I have NOT called either place to confirm group availability or rates yet and will do so on Monday. I'd like to get some opinions on which to pursue (or continue to look into both), or if there is another option to throw into the mix. If you want to PM me with thoughts rather than post, that's cool too.

Hameed

My preference is the second choice, however the hour long drive to the dragon is not sounding too attractive, especially after the very long drive from Canada (I will do my best to come).

KayGee

I vote for the Jameson Inn. Gotta be close to a car wash. The hour long drive will be a good warm up.

///MDex

Ditto. Staying in a more populated area allows for some flexibility when it comes to meals and shops if anyone needs to pickup anything. Maybe see if anything is closer though.

JJ found a MicroTel in Robbinsville

Take a look at: http://www.microtelrobbinsville.com

Looks like $54-$80/night. Looks also like hotels are more expensive in August, than in September.

Microtel Robbinsville Hotel
111 Rodney Orr Bypass
Robbinsville NC 28771

Voice: 828-479-6772
Fax: 929-470-3819
Toll free: 999-771-7171
stay@microtelrobbinsville.com

Wunderground: Robbinsville, NC

Daddy-O

Here's a map of the area.

Tapoco lodge is at the foot of the dragon.
Microtel is 19 miles south of Tapoco Lodge.
Jameson Inn is 40 miles north of Tapoco Lodge and 29 miles north of the head of the Dragon.

Hameed

I just did one of those Internet Trip things and this is what came up:

From : Mississauga, Ontario
To : Rodney Orr Bypass, Robbinsville 28771, North Carolina

Total Distance : 911.0 miles (1466.1km)
Total Est. Time : 15 hrs., 30mins.


Map : Overview

Mississauga, Ontario to Rodney Orr Bypass, Robbinsville 28771, North Carolina
Distance: 911.0 miles (1466.1 km)

1. Start out heading SOUTHEAST on DUKE OF YORK BOULEVARD towards BURNHAMTHORPE ROAD W. Drive for a short distance.
2. Turn RIGHT onto BURNHAMTHORPE ROAD W. Drive for 0.7 miles.
3. Turn LEFT onto MAVIS ROAD. Drive for 2 miles.
4. Go STRAIGHT on STAVEBANK ROAD. Drive for 1.9 miles.
5. Turn RIGHT to get on LAKESHORE ROAD E heading SOUTHWEST. Drive for 0.7 miles.
6. LAKESHORE ROAD E becomes HIGHWAY 2. Drive for 19.6 miles.
7. Turn SLIGHT RIGHT to get on QUEENELIZABETH WAY heading SOUTHEAST. Drive for 36.6 miles.
8. Take HIGHWAY 405. Drive for 5.8 miles.
9. Drive a short distance into the United States.
10. Continue heading EAST on I-190 S. Drive for 27.7 miles.
11. Take exit number 54-61 to get on I-90 W towards ERIE. Drive for 93.9 miles.
12. Take exit number 22A to get on I-79 S towards PITTSBURGH. Drive for 139.5 miles.
13. Take I-70 E towards I-70 E / I-79 S / NEW STANTON / MORGANTOWN. Drive for 3.6 miles.
14. Take exit number 21 to get on I-79 S towards MORGANTOWN. Drive for 192.9 miles.
15. Go STRAIGHT on I-77 S. Drive for 128.1 miles.
16. Take exit number 40 to get on I-81 S towards US-81 S / US-52 N / BRISTOL / US-21 S. Drive for 147.5 miles.
17. Take exit number 1B to get on I-40 W towards KNOXVILLE. Drive for 34.4 miles.
18. Take exit number 386B to get on ALCOA HIGHWAY towards US-129 / ALCOA HWY / AIRPORT / SMOKY MTS. Drive for 7 miles.
19. Go STRAIGHT to get on US-129 S heading SOUTH. Drive for 13.9 miles.
20. Keep LEFT to stay on US-129 S.
21. Drive for 50 miles to reach the destination


911 miles! Yikes - I will have to break this down into two days. I don't think my boys will let me live if I put them through 15 hours of driving in one day!

Is anyone else taking this route (partway of course)? Maybe we could meet up and go in a convoy at a speed faster than the legal limit and thus reduce the 15 hours of driving time. Radar detectors are illegal to own in Canada, so I don't have one and would rather not speed in the US unless I was following a CL member who has one.........

Hameed

Here's the graphic of the map from Canada to the Microtel Inn, maybe one of you with a radar detector is taking the same route

Daddy-O

Hit 401W, hang a left at Detroit MI.

800 Miles

Daddy-O

Need directions? See attached.

mumbles

Looks like the Microtel in Robbinsville might be the best compromise... closer than the Jameson, yet should still have more conveniences than the Tapoco... it's got my vote.

Hameed, how old are your sons? I'm thinking of bringing one or both of mine, ages 12 and 14.

bitkahuna

iTrader: (20)

I guess I'm in the minority, but my vote is for the Tapoco lodge. Why do we always have to stay in a chain hotel? Independent places can be nice and we've already seen this place and it looked decent and SO much closer to the Dragon.

Daddy-O

I vote for Microtel, Robbinsville.
Four-holer Jet-Spray Wand car wash nearby. Ten restaurants in town.

BTW, it was dipstick that originally suggested these digs.

Great tune up drives from Microtel before the dragon:

57mi: 129S to 19N/74E to 28W to Deal's Gap
or
45mi: 129S to 19N/74E to 28W to 143S, loop back to hotel...then 19 miles up 129N to Deal's Gap
or
30mi: 143N to 28W to Tapoco Lodge and Deal's Gap.