Take a parade lap of the Dragon with hundreds of your closest Mini friends. We will leave from the base of Fontana Dam at 8am on Friday May 2nd. Please follow the directions of traffic controllers there, and we will roll out, in mass, for a leisurely drive of the Dragon.

This event has been added to the Event Planner. If you are planning on attending, please click on the event and then select "I am attending this event" so that we can get an Idea of how many cars to expect.



Please note, we have been asked by the TVA to stay off the grass this year. We are still able to line up as in years past, but we will need to keep our wheels on the asphalt. When you arrive please drive to the turnaround at the end of the road before coming back to line up, this way we can maintain traffic flow and keep from damaging the TVA property.

 

We would, except that we're signed up for a Day Drive that morning, just like the morning of the Group Photo. So much fun & cool stuff, so little time.

Edit: Now that it's been scheduled for 8am Friday, we'll be there.

 

The day drive to Gatlinburg (one of the ones that I am interested in that day) go through the gap on the way, right? So if a parade were to take place a the same time that drive left (9:00), those people could just keep on going instead of turning around. For those turning around, they could still make the 10:00 drive to Highlands (the other drive I am considering).

Just a thought.

 

We definitely want to do a dragon parade! I was disappointed to see it not on the event planner.

 

If someone will coordinate it and manage traffic at the dam (ie - keeping people off the grass) and get them lined up we can add it in. It will also require permission from TVA to do it given the number of cars. snooter can probably help provide the intro with the TVA people to get this ok'd.

Its not something that I'm able to coordinate this year so it wasn't added to the event planner.

Mark

 

If enough people are interested in doing this, I might be interested in cooridinating it.

 

Probably do-able but would depend on what time the parade starts.

For it to work well, the people going on the drive to Gatlinburg would probably need to be together in the parade or find somewhere further down to gather so no one gets caught in parade traffic and left behind.

We're signed up for the Highlands Run and are concerned about doing the parade and getting back to the base of the dam in time. Depending on start time for the parade, that could be an issue. At the speed limit (35), a round trip on the Dragon will take about 40 minutes, plus drive time from/back to the dam.

I'm not trying to be negative, but if someone wants to take on planning this, it's something that needs to be factored in to allow the folks who want to take part in the drives to be able to attend.

 

Too bad the Dragon Parade could'nt happen on the first day of MOTD (Wednesday) and start at the Dragon
and end at Fontana Village just in time for the Welcome Dinner.
You know, kind of a symbolic parade welcoming the start of this years MOTD.

 

Space could be saved at the front of the parade for the two driving groups, Gatlinburg first, to continue on at the Tabcat bridge, Highlands run second, to turn around at the parking area at Tabcat to be the first ones on the return trip. The rest could be directed to the big gravel lot on the left one mile or so past the Tabcat bridge, or at least until all Highlands cars have cleared and are on the return run.

I could certainly help organize at the Dam, but likely will not be driving the parade, as I will have much to do to get MINI Monte Carlo Night setup.

 

It looks like we may be able to use the dam provided that everyone stays parked on the asphalt, and keeps one lane open for emergency vehicles. The TVA is concerned about the possibility of damage that could occur if we park on the grass like last year.



So... My first thought was 9:00 on Thursday, but considering the two drives that morning 8 or 8:30 might work a bit better. We could do it on Friday morning at 9:00 as in years past, but I think tradition has it that the parade is on the morning of the first full day of events. What's everyone's thoughts on the subject?

 

I'm not sure when everyone else is arriving, but due to schedule limitations, I'm not arriving at Fontana until Thursday afternoon. I know most people get in earlier but Friday might have more people. So for selfish reasons, Friday morning gets my vote.

 

We registered for our stay @ Fontana before it was known that there would be an extra day, so we aren't getting there til Thurs. afternoon. Wonder how many are in the same boat. I hope the parade will be Friday.

 

Me likes the 8am start, I could then lead my drive at 9am with no problem.

 

Ok I'm changing my vote .. I do believe as others have said that there will be more people there on Friday.
And 2 out of the 3 runs start at 10am on Friday making easier to squeeze in.

But if someone else comes up with a better idea I may change my vote yet again...

 

How on Earth can you have a MOTD without a Dragon Parade?

 

If the parade could start at 8am SHARP and reserve some space in the front for drive participants (Highlands and Gatlinburg), it's possible to pull it off and for folks to do the parade and make it back to the base of the dam in time for the run.

I asked this question 5-6 months ago and I thought that there was a logistics reason for not doing it this year... can't remember the reason, though.

 

you guys better start sweet-talking the TVA (Tennessee Valley Authority..they run the dam) ...like now. The TVA can be a little...cranky Ask snooter....poor soul. Be prepared to possibly have TVA police there, or at least some LEOs.



good luck

 

Already working on it... Snooter is helping out.

 

cool beans..have fun

 

We are planning on doing the Gaitlinburg run and would love to kick it off with the parade if that can be worked out.

That keep off the grass thing could be a little problematic. Even a MINI can't make a U-turn on the dam road. Everyone will have to drive to the dam to turn around. Hope everyone cooperates.

 

like I said...good luck

 

Last year they had the cars park on the side of the road with the passenger side tires in the grass.

As for driving to the dam, that's the way it has been done. Otherwise you have people trying to turn around with traffic backing up behind them. We were really close to the front last year and driving to the dam to turn around wasn't a big deal. As the line gets longer driving to the dam becomes less of an issue.

 

I beg to differ. That may have been the plan, but that is not the way it turned out.

 

True-I just said what we were told-I didn't say that is what everyone did.

 

so, who's up for it?