We're heading down the last weekend of April to make a full week of this event with two other couples. Made reservations for a three room cabin the day we left MOTD05

 

GREAT NEWS!!!!

There are only ONE HUNDRED AND EIGHTY EIGHT days before the Welcome dinner at the dragon!!!! YIPPEE, YAY!

Counting down the days.

I booked the cabin that we had last year at Fontana, about a week after I got home from the event last May!!!!

Just got the winter to survive now before we go!!!

 

Cabin booked at Fontana Village Resort. Can't wait. Sounded as if they still have plenty of units left. You also get a discount if you're with "the MINI group.

 

Hi, I live in Athens, TN and we motor the dragon every time I get bored with regular mountain driving . We are only 30-45 minutes from TOTD by way of the Cherola Skyway or Hwy 411. The Skyways wonderful sweeping drive starts in Tellico Plains then takes you to the top of the Smokies and close by the Joyce Kilmer National Park. The last uncut forest west of the Mississippi .

There are lots of hotels in Athens, we're right on I-75 and like I said we can be on the dragon on 45 minutes. It's a real blast to drive early Sunday mornings when traffic is at a minimum, then eat at the Tapico Inn for lunch. The Foothills Parkway is a easy shortcut from the Townsend-Gatlinburg area and a great ride by itself. Just don't get caught speeding it's a federal ticket.

North Carolina really doesn't provide much in the way of lodging, Knoxville, Maryville, and Athens, TN all provide great lodging and food.

Happy Motoring and Welcome to the Volunteer State.

JessMini

 

A few pics on the dragon. My favorite place to play.

 

jess, there are many events planned for each day, making a 45-minute drive to the Dragon a bit far off for most folks.:smile:

Anyone wanting to check out Dragon-close lodging, check the TOTD website and click on the lodging links:

www.tailofthedragon.com

 

I know we have some from our group going down - would you mind picking them up as you come through Minneapolis? We also have one in Minot too. I'm not sure when he's coming down, but it would be cool if you could all hook up and head down.

Adam

 

I hope i don't get lost :/ i'm terrible with directions... but i'm not sure when anyone's heading down, and if there's a caravan passing through a place i can get myself to

 

I've spearheaded the charge for a small-ish group of us in the PittStop MINI Club to come down from the Pittsburgh, PA area. The count is currently at 12 (6 MINIs) - but looks to be growing. Some of us will be arriving on Thurs, May 4, and some Friday May 5. All plan to leave Sunday May 7. All staying at Fontana.

I haven't even looked at a route yet, though - and I have no idea where Bumpass, VA is to know if we will pass anywhere near you.... so, in answer to your qeustion - maybe?

 

Add 2 more to the Pittsburgh contingent. Pam and I went last year, we hooked up with a group from the NE Ohio club, then we met with the Detroit, Cincinnati, and Lexington clubs. at one point about 50-60 cars in the caravan.

From Pittsburgh:

I-70 West to Columbus (pick up NE Ohio cars)
I-71 South to I-75 South (First rest stop in KY, pick up Detroit, Cincinnati, Lexington clubs)
I-75 south to Knoxville
On to the Dragon.

I will be happy to coordinate our club with the others for the caravan.

Steve

 

We are traveling from Pittsburgh also this year. We are going down on Wednesday morning though. We will be happy to join you on the way back to the Burgh on Sunday however

 

Let us start this new 4th MOTD now. It is barely 6 months from now.


I can't wait.

Herbert

 

I wouldn't mind being a roomate for someone, but I snore like hell. I couldn't do that to any of you


Count me in

 

The wife and I are in. This will be our first trip to the Dragon. Booked a room at Fontana this AM and will probably come up with a group from Tarheel Minis.
-G

 

We'll be at the Dragon in the spring. We're staying at the motorcycle cabin as usual. Heck we get to the Dragon any chance we can. We spent three weekends running through there in October.

 

We are leaving New Jersey on the 2nd if anyone wants to caravan down.

 

I've got a Dogwood cabin reserved for 3 nights (4th to the 7th), which is two bedrooms. One with a full-size bed, and one with two twins. I am accepting roommate applications for the room with the twin beds. I think the total cost is $67 a night, so it'll only be about $100 each for all 3 nights.

One disclaimer... I am a night person. I am also a courteous person, but I'll have guitars with me and I'll probably be up late. I get up early, too.

So, I reserve the right to fry up a mess of food at 2 AM, and even whistle drunkenly as I do so.

 

Dang, i should have had you as a roommate.

 

All these people i want to meet, how shall i ever find everyone in the huge crowd?

 

That is a great point! We should have some way to identify each other by our NAM username as well as our real names. My license plate happens to also be MINI2Go, but not everyone has that. I wonder if there is some way that the official registration process can include an identification badge/cling/sticker for the car and/or person correlating to our NAM username?

 

What, you all haven't gotten your official Dragon Name Tags yet?

Hmm, have you registered yet?

 

Although i like to think it'll be easy to figure out who i am with my height and excessive pink wearing, i'll figure out some other way to stick out.

Then i sure hope everyone comes up and says hi, and lets me know who they are.

 

Many of us have name buttons that provide the info you are suggesting. We were able to order them thru NAM. Hopefully they will be available again for this coming year.

Lois

 

Wait, did I miss something? Is there a place to register for MOTD 2006?

 

see the

Nope. word I got is after January. I believe our local club is making up the packets (maybe).