Thank you Will wagnbat for taking care of the Dam Picture.
I, too, heard the same comments that Chows4us heard. In any case, the picture is happening again this year.

FYI

We at DCMM and the ones involved with the Dragon Committee are working really really hard to make MOTD 06 a memorable, safe and FUN experience for all. Our group (about 10 people is taking care of coordinating events - printing guides with all events, creating logos for the nice, cool items for the swag bag, discussing with vendors and with people who could contribute door prizes, going back and forth with catering companies to agree to good food at a cheap price, so that we can enjoy a Welcome and a Farewell Dinner. This Saturday we are getting together not to motor but to work and prepare the Welcome Bags.


You don't have thank us just, enjoy yourself as much as you possible can at MOTD ..but please ... be gentle to us.

Happy and Safe Motoring see you and your MINIs at the Dragon.

Marina L. Martin
a.k.a La Strega
DC Metro Minis Treasurer
MOTD Committee Liaison to the Board

" Streghina "
GS 22
Motoring ID OPEN 22

 

Well, I'd like to order the two framed pictures as well, and participate in the picture taking...It sounds like a great idea to hang in our family room.

 

I'd like to be in the picture and purchase a copy as well. I have a new office in June and will need something to put on the wall .

 

I would like to be in on this picture also. Do we need to preorder?

 

No pre-orders at the moment. Still working on a few details, and will check on pre-order potential.

 

Yes thanks to "Wagnbat" for spearheading it for this year
I want another one


Scott

 

Well, there's still 1 show stopper we need to overcome. There was an issue with Fontana Dam last year, so the photographer assumed he could use another locale... That locale is where all the MOTD06 vendors are setting up, so the photographer is all frustrated, and doesn't really want to use the dam again. Regardless, we have 2 weeks to find another location... If we don't, there may not be a pic.

From the photographer:

 

I'm in for one - hang it right next to last years... It was a great shot (even in the third row)... You better find a football field for the #'s this year.

 

I was wondering if this would be the case....bummer.
I'm wracking my brains to try to think of another place...but I can't think of any that are big enough. The dam has the biggest flat spaces for miles. The only other large space I can think of is the parking lot of the grocery store in Robbinsville, and that's even less feasible than the dam.

 

We tossed around the football field at the High School in Robbinsville, however there was some concerns about being allowed to bring that many cars onto the grass...

The other option is to look towards Knoxville...

 

There are a number of large parking lots on 129 north of Tabcat bridge along the lake.

Steve

 

They're not big enough to accomodate the arch needed and leave enough room for the photographer...

 

And then there's the cherry picker needed for the photographer to get his perspective, right? I'm betting Fontana wouldn't be real keen on someone driving theirs to Knoxville, right?

 

Fontana has a new bucket truck, and the photographer has used it many times for other car groups. He usually uses the baseball field @ Fontana, but thats where the vendors are setting up.

 

I just caught this thread this morning and wanted to send a HUGE THANK YOU to Wagnbat for his initiative on this one. I missed the dragon last year only because I had started a new job and had to take time off the week before the event to pick up my Kathy (live in MI, purchased in CT) and didnt think it would be a good idea to take more time off the following week. One of the things that I was really looking forward to this year was being in the pan shot, specially since im dumb and didnt register for the welcome or farewell dinners or ice cream social in time (it was in my cart I swear!! but then i got distracted and forgot until today ) To all those involved in planning this and other events this year, thank you.

 

The vendors are going to be using the field all day, every day?? No one group/person should be able to monopolize a resource. We all need to share.

 

Seems so... There are going to be more than a few vendors doing installs all day in their own tents. M7 has their (40 foot?) "M7 Club" tent. Basically, the field will be tied up from about wednesday of next week, until the end of the weekend.

Working on submitting a permit package to TVA to use the Dam, but I doubt we'll be able to fit all the cars that want to go, down there... So it may be first come first served. Hopefully I'll get the final pieces I need to submit the package today, and we'll hear back sooner than later.

 

The whole point of having a place for the vendors to set up is so that people
will know where to go find them. They are going to be setting up tents and
some are going to be doing installs all day, every day.

I think either the issue at the base of the dam has to be resolved. There is
no other place nearby to do the picture.

 

Remember too, the vendors have paid to be there. We are paying them to do installs, etc...This was something planned far ahead for them. We can't expect or ask them to move.
Lets hope that Will can get the Dammmm Dam stuff accepted, because that is probably the best place for the amount of cars anyway, right? And it is a great picture. Just sit tight and wait, that is all we can hope for.
And Will, he is doing EVERYTHING he can to get this picture for all of us, so don't blame him if we can't get it done.

 

http://www.atlantapanorama.com/special_groups.htm

150 cars there. We have 580 people registered at the moment... There is a 2:1 car ratio, thats 300 cars. Assuming 100 of those cars do not participate, thats 200 cars. Can we fit another 50 cars into that picture with those assumptions in mind?

I'm not worried, we'll get it done. The only thing that bothers me a bit that if/when we get permission, and go to get people lined up, it's going to be extremely tight and possibly chaotic.

But that's what makes these things memorable, no?

 

We can't expect the vendors to take their stuff apart and put it all back together again for the sake of a few hours of using the ballfield.
If the pic is going to happen, it will. If not, no bitching and moaning, please! Will is to be commended for all the time and effort he expended. 3 cheers, Billiam!

 

sheeeesh guys. I never said vendors should take their tents down. I was merely asking if they were always going to be there and thinking that there may be a window of time. I thought that the Drive-In Movie was taking place on the baseball field... suggesting that, at some point, it's going to have to be cleared out regardless and that the Vendor set-ups have to be reasonably mobile.

 

Vendors will not be setup on the ball field. Space required for the picture would require ball field plus vendor area. Vendors will not be mobile. Let's not make the vendors or the Movie sponsors nervous.

 

I think that is a really great attitude Will. Everyone who wants to be a part of this picture coming together at this late hour needs to be prepared to honor Will's efforts with patience and flexibility when the time comes to line up. The fact that it almost didn't happen will make it a more special souvenir.

 

Has anyone called the Dam, to get permission to park on the grass?

828-498-2226

or checked with the location of the autocross, or a local High School football field?

Robbinsville High School- http://www.graham.k12.nc.us/rhs/rhspg1.htm

Heritage High School - http://www.blountk12.org/HHS/index.html

William Blount H.S - http://www.blountk12.org/WBHS/wbhshome.htm

...or called the Graham County Tourism Authority and asked about a suitable location?

1-800-470-3790 or 828-479-3790

Steve