June 2008 BRP MINItrain

[TWISTER]

Just a heads up on the workings for an event for the last part of June 2008.

Like in the old days of wagon trains, I'd like to take a small adventure and traverse the ENTIRE Blue Ridge Parkway.

The plan at this time is to take 4 days and see the entire BRP. We start in Greensboro on a Thursday around noon and head to Waynesboro, Va which is the beginning of the BRP. Friday morning start down and end up near the NC/VA border and stay the night. Saturday morning see the bottom half and end up near the Georgia border. Sunday head home via I-40 east.

The plan is to take it slow and see the sights along the way.

This info is just the start of an adventure that I hope a lot of you will enjoy.

Post your questions now and I'll try to answer them all.

The schedule at this point is: June 19-22, 2008
Thursday drive to Waynesboro, Va
Friday Drive to mile marker 241 near Sparta, NC
Saturday drive to Asheville, NC
Sunday have a group breakfast, then head to Cherokee, NC and the end of the BRP.

[BlimeyCabrio]

"Take it slow and see the sights along the way"...

Wellllll...... everything's relative.....

You won't be taking in many of the scenic hiking trails, etc. in a two day full length drive.... Overlooks, sure.... hiking, not so much....

But I am NOT bashing... :)

There's just so much pretty stuff to see, you can spend 5 days on the BRP and still not do most of it... spent MUCH of EVERY summer on the BRP when I was a kid - and have hiked almost all those trails... :D

... but I've never driven it in two days before. And never in a MINI. So that will be COOL.

Still - would be cool if we could figure how to schedule in a couple of good leg stretchers each day to break it up...

By the way - for anyone wanting to look at the BRP in more detail... maps (http://www.blueridgeparkway.org/maps.htm)

[BlimeyCabrio]

Dunno about July - I'm planning to drive to MITM in August next year, though.

[Nascar Mini]

I'm with Minimark,lets do the Skyline Drive,my home's in Front Royal,the northern entrance,from there to Waynesboro and on down.I'm in,just let me know the dates.
Bill

[minimark]

With WSCRUISER....By my count that makes 10 characters Midnightdave...

[TWISTER]

I'm with Minimark,lets do the Skyline Drive,my home's in Front Royal,the northern entrance,from there to Waynesboro and on down.I'm in,just let me know the dates.
Bill

We would have to add a 5th day to do skyline.

I'll be posting more info on the hotel spots soon.

[doodlez]

This sounds like a great event! If anyone else would be interested in camping perhaps one or two nights that could be fun as well.

[jdavidson]

I found this helpful link today of BRP Lodging, Restaurant, and Gift Shop information. It's listed in milepost order.

http://www.virtualblueridge.com/parkway/general/concessions.asp

Anyone else have useful links to post?

[TWISTER]

I think doing the Skyline would add another day. For those of you that want to add that to the trip, lets discuss it as a 5th day. If you would like to do it before the folks that drive up on Thursday, then plan on meeting that group for dinner in Waynesboro.

[TWISTER]

Here are the 2 weekends I was shooting for
June 19-22 or June 26-29

Please post if either of those dates are good or bad for you

The tentative schedule at this point is:
Thursday drive to Waynesboro, Va
Friday Drive to mile marker 241
Saturday drive to Cherokee, NC
Sunday have a group breakfast before heading home or other locations.

Hotel location for mile marker 241 is the Blue Ridge Resort:
http://foreverlodging.com/lodging.cfm?PropertyKey=74

Still looking for a place to stay in Waynesboro, Va

[minimark]

I think doing the Skyline would add another day. For those of you that want to add that to the trip, lets discuss it as a 5th day. If you would like to do it before the folks that drive up on Thursday, then plan on meeting that group for dinner in Waynesboro.

Sounds like a good plan to me.. Just to see: Who would want to do the Skyline and leave a day earlier, Wednesday? This far out either date could work for me Mark.:cool:

[RudyT]

+1 to minimark... This far in advance, I am not sure it matters which weekend since we all have time to coherse our bosses to give us the time off from work or other matters... I am open to either date and also open to the idea of doing the Skyline... Game On or Motor On for what ever you all shall decide...

[WindyCooper]

This sounds great..unforunately that is the height of budget season and since that is my job..well.. it would kind of be like the tax man taking off the week of April 15th.

[jdavidson]

It's looking like I won't be able to make this event now (scheduling and money wise)
Really gonna try to make it to the dragon this year though!

[Chuffed2Bits]

This all sounds awesome and totally fun. We just need to figure out logisics on this end....time off from work, the monetary part of the equation and what we would need to do with our two dogs. :-( Still thinking on it.

~Lyn

[Jerseygirl]

Gotta say this has definitely got me thinking. We enjoyed the portion of the BRP that we drove last year on the ice cream run and it would be great to get to drive the whole thing.

I voted in the poll for the longer trip. We found last year that in order to really enjoy the drive, stop at the overlooks, etc. you have to budget more time than we had, unfortunately. We had to skip a lot of overlooks if we were going to make it to our evening destination 300 miles away. I think Alternative #2 with about 200 miles per day would give you the extra time to stop along the way without being rushed. :)

PLUS, your first night in Waynesboro is a hop, skip, and a jump from one of our favorite ice cream stops from last year's run, so it would be a good excuse for me to get back there! ;)

I'm going to mention this to some other NEMINI folks who might be game for such a trip.

[wildcrazy442000]

I'll try and make it. Sounds like a fun trip.

[Honness]

I just wanted to let you know that there is a major car show in Roanoke VA (right off the parkway) on June 27th and June 28th. On the 27th over 15,000 cars will be cruising in town and on Sat the 28th there is a car show with over 400 cars. You are veryuwelcome to join us. If you have it another weekend I will be able to join you with my 03 Cooper S.
David......

[TWISTER]

David,
This event is scheduled for the weekend before
June 19-22

[Honness]

Twister,
I will hopefully be joining you. You are all still invited to attend out cruising and car show on the 27th and 28th

David......

[MidnightDave]

Just came across this on another car board and thought I'd share it...BRP FTW!

http://travel.yahoo.com/p-interests-22859295

[TWISTER]

Yes, Dave, I can't wait to go!

[MidnightDave]

The wifey has decided NOT to go, so if there's somebody who "would" go, but hotel rates and gas prices are an impediment, let me know, and I can change my reservations, if they're not already, to two twins and you're welcome to be my roomie, (I promise, I'll shut up at night so you can sleep ;-0 ).

Rich is usually my roomie, and he bailed on me; he can also be a reference I really do shut up, once in a while, and ever since I stopped drinking, I don't roll in at 4am and thrash around any more! ;-)

[TWISTER]

Dave,
Rooms can be changed when we get to the hotels.