Preparations are being made for the Tail of the Dragon 2007 in Deal's Gap, NC. A group will be leaving from Denver, CO and the Front Range to enjoy the Dragon. Here are the basic details:

• The event is scheduled for May 3 - 6, 2007 (Thurs. evening thru Sat. evening)
• Location is Deal's Gap, NC (on the TN / NC border, S of Knoxville). The nearest NC town is Robbinsville.
• Yes, it is a long way from Colorado. About a 2 day drive, depending how you do it. About 2 days back also.
• What is the Dragon? 318 curves in 11.2 miles of twisty, turny, two lane mountain roads. Not to mention the miles and miles of runup and runoff, plus the western NC roads and byways like the Cherohala Skyway.
• Lodging information: www.fontanavillage.com
• Dragon information: www.tailofthedragon.com
• Area information: www.grahamcountytravel.com (click on Introduction then Events to see all the car club GTG's thruout the year...)
• Discussion and information: www.northamericanmotoring.com
• If you have not been in this area of the country, it is gorgeous. Imagine places like Firescald Ridge, NC and Bee Cove ***, NC and Hickory Bottom, TN and Little Shuckstack Mountain (3080') and more.
• This is the area of the Appalachian Trail, the Great Smoky Mountain National Park, the Cherohala Skyway and more.
• Dragon Pictures 2005, 2006 can be found at, among other places, this link: https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...t=MINIs+Dragon

Block your calendar now, and plan to join us. There has never been more fun than at the Dragon...

JPS

 

What activities/events are planned? And, how to sign up? We already have a cabin in Fontana Village...this is our first time.

 

Once the organizing begins in earnest (probably fairly soon), I'm pretty sure that NAM will provide a Dragon Forum with information about the schedule for MOTD-2006, along with sign-up information. Having rented a cabin is a great first step! I understand that the cabins are already booked, but there are lodge rooms still available. :smile:

There is usually a Welcome Dinner Thursday, a parade/photo opp Friday morning, several organized drives both Friday and Saturday, Chili Cook-Off Friday night, and a Farewell Dinner Saturday night, followed by the famously fun Midnight on the Dragon, which MKO will sponsor in '06. I didn't attend the planning meeting held at the end of this year's Dragon. Perhaps someone who did has more detailed comments about the rest of the event.


Clover

 

BTW, what are you up to on Oct 15 and 16? MINI5280, New Mexico MINI Motoring, and various pp from AZ and UT are meeting at the 4 Corners (R4tC "Run for the Corners")

Please see info in our MINI5280, Rocky Mtn and New Mexico Forums.....and join us if you can. It would be a nice, very long days drive..

Jonathan

 

I hear tell of one at MOTD06......sounds like more than a rumor...

JPS

 

I’m not sure about a Cabin Decorating Contest, but I do know where the party cabin is.

 

AtlantaMINIS stepped up and offered to do the chili cookoff dinner but as I recall, no other clubs have stepped up to do the welcome or farewell dinners.

So, all you MINI clubs out there, come on, make a difference, get involved!

 

woohoo!!! MOTD 06!!! YEA!

 

The Great Denver to KC to St Louis to Dragon Caravan starts HERE!

Hear ye, Hear ye! The 2nd Annual Denver to Dragon Caravan is announced. Here are the preliminary details, subject to change. Please POST here if you will be joining our caravan this year.

Tuesday, May 2nd - Leave Denver approx. 6 pm to Hays, KS.

Wednesday, May 3rd - Leave Hays to KC, lunch with the KC MINIacs (BBQ of course??) then on to StL to meet the StL MINIs. Dinner. Overnight just East of StL.

Thursday, May 4th - Leave StL early with StL MINIs, via Memphis, to the Dragon. ETA 4 pm give or take.

Return: Leave Dragon Sunday AM, May 7th headed Westerly. Route TBD.

Please join us. If you can, anywhere along the way, please post HERE.

Need more information? www.TailoftheDragon.com
Need more information? www.fontanavillage.com
Need more information? Subscribe to the MINIs on the Dragon Forums here in NAM

Jonathan Souza
www.MINI5280.org

JPS

 

Hi Ho Silver (me)
JimDaniels (in Denver)
Radinator (thru Denver via CA)
Zyamfier (in NE, meet somewhere in KS or MO)

Are you in?

JPS

 

would i be safe to presume all the accomidations are already arranged?

 

Hi Jonathan, saw your post and the STL gang will be waiting your arrival. Dan

 

was just linked to in another Forum. In the event you missed it, check it out here:

http://www.tailofthedragon.com/drago...ory_story.html

<lrn=http://www.tailofthedragon.com/dragon_history_story.html><Tail of the Dragon History>

This is interesting reading...

JPS

 

6

 

It gets closer everyday. The teardrop is being picked up this Friday.
Planing on meeting the 5280's in KC at the dealer. I may need to have my 10,000 mile service done at Baron.
James

 

Baron MINI is our meetup location on Wednesday afternoon, on the way to StL for the evening. Time will be firmed up closer to the event.

See you then, and at MitM in August!!

Jonathan

 

I'm going to the Dragon as well.... posting in this thread so I can possibly tag along with you.

Do you have a proposed route after St. Louis to the Dragon?

Bentley

 

Last year, we stayed on Wed night just east of StL in Illinois. We took Interstates all the way - 64 to 57 to 24 thru Nashville then east on 40. From Knoxville, S thru Maryville the cut off to US 129, the Dragon.

Please join us. Group leaders are Doug and Donna Travis and those of us coming from CO and NE will be overnighting near his place on Lackland Rd.

We do plan to meetup at Baron as noted, and leave from there. My guess is that will be from Noon to 1 pm or so, depending on the size of the group. Easy drive to StL then dinner and a good bed.

Thanks, glad to have you along.

Jonathan

 

The 2nd Annual Great Denver to KC to StL to Dragon Caravan is ready to go. Logistics:

• Hi Ho Silver, JimDaniels and Radinator will leave Denver on Tuesday afternoon, May 2nd about 5 pm
• Overnight in Hays, KS at the Comfort Inn, 2810 Vine St., 785-628-8008
• Wednesday am, leave 7 am to KC and Baron MINI. Arrive eta 12:30 local time, meet with Gabe Rojas MA and the Regional MINI rep from Chicago, lunch.
• 2 pm, leave KC to StL. Overnight at the Red Roof Inn on Lackland Rd (Westport Area). Make your RSVP at 1-800-RED-ROOF. There is a Hooter's and dozens of other restaurants nearby. 11837 Lackland Rd., StL, 63146 314-991-4900
• Leave RRI at 5:30 am headed eastbound to Illinois...meetup spot at 6 am sharp, with you or without you, is the Hardee's at Interstate 64 and US 50. This is in Illinois, the next exit AFTER Fairview Heights, Exit #14, O'Fallon Exit. Be there early, group leaves at 6 am.....
• ETA Fontana is 4 pm local time. If the group is large enuf, we will split up into smaller pods.
• The route is 64 to 57 to 24 to 40....to the Dragon.
• Please join us.

PM me if you need more details or logistics....

JPS

 

Great,

I'll be meeting you at Baron sometime after 1:00 PM on Wednesday.

Bentley

 

I would have posted in the KC MINIacs site, but it is down. Can you see about letting the others know the details?

If anything comes up, call me at 303-807-9483 that day and we will wait. Otherwise, you can be in touch with Gabe Rojas at Baron, he is our contact. I was with Gabe this week - he says his Regional MINIUSA rep will be there too.

Thanks,

Jonathan Souza

JPS

 

I did post this on the KCMINIACS site so between there and here, hopefully everyone will see.

http://www.kcminiacs.org/forums/viewtopic.php?t=608

Bentley

 

Hi JPS, want to make sure I meet you at the Dragon.

 

in the meantime, there ARE some Dragon pics posted of a few of your MINI5280 members at

www.killboy.com

ON the front page, under the weekly report, scroll down. Pic #2 is yours truly pulling into Tapoco Lodge for the Chile Cookoff, and #16 is Jim Peterson pulling the gorgeous Dragon Wagon on the Dragon. That thing got lots of attention.

We will post links here when the rest of the pics are up...

Thanks,

JPS

 

orange, in the same location. What a nice looking one-off of a car...

JPS

Yes, the horn is authentic.