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"THE" Official 2010 Fall Dragon Run...Oct 7th thru 10th!

Here's our simple plans for the extended weekend:

-Thursday (around 4:30-5:00 p.m.) the majority of the group will arrive. Some will be there the day before, waiting for us already. We'll un-pack, relax and then head out for a little drive out on the Skyway, going to the N.C. border and then turning around.
Still trying to decide what to do Thursday... I think I'll stay with the group to the cabins Thursday and then when the evening run on the skyway starts I'll head for Pigeon Forge. Just need to determine if I take the "fast" way (no skyway/dragon) or the fun way (skyway/dragon). (probably fast way this time)

-Friday: stagger our breakfast arrivals, eat breakfast, meet by the "Entering Cherahola Skyway" sign/and or get gas and split up the groups into PHOTO and NON-PHOTO groups and head out. Everyone will meet at the end of the Dragon (as we call it) hang out and get ourselves together and head for dinner. Once dinner is over we'll split up into those going back to the cabins and those runnin' the Dragon at night. Campfire set up by the group going back to the cabins.

I'll run the Dragon at night, but split from the group when we get to the north end of it and continue on to my resort instead of turning back south...

-Sat: stagger our breakfast arrivals, get gas and meet by the sign and everyone head out together (faster cars first, slower cars last) Run it straight through and meet at the end. Head back to the Tellico Plains for dinner at The Tellica Cafe'. Campfire set up once again!

After dinner Saturday sounds like the perfect time for system demo's if anyone is interested. I'll enjoy the demos/campfire a while with the group before departing since I can sleep in on Sunday.
 
That all sounds good to me Bob, your car all ready to go? Have you checked everything/done any upgrades lately?

BTW, everyone seems to be getting pretty good about the radio's but let me remind everyone again, especially those who haven't chimed in in a while, if you've got 2-way radio's, bring them.
 
That all sounds good to me Bob, your car all ready to go? Have you checked everything/done any upgrades lately?

The car is basically cleaned up and ready to go. Had a car show on the 19th I had to clean it up for anyway. The car went on its diet yesterday and lost 100+ pounds when I took the sub enclosure out of the trunk. Brake pads look to still have plenty left, even though they have been on the car for 5 years now (not many miles though) and been to a few track days. I may bleed the brakes this coming weekend, but they still feel really good. I use the ATE Super Blue/Type 200 alternating combo for fluid and already have the SS lines installed. Last oil change was less than 1500 miles ago, before going to SZ, so that should be good to go as well.
 
Another thing to pack if you've got one is a folding chair. If you plan on spending any time around the camp fire, you'll want one. They don't have a lot of chairs up there for us to use, so if you've got one bring it. And just like with the radios, some won't have one, so if you've got two and you're a super nice guy, then share the wealth!
 
Yeah cuz I ain't bringing crap! :crazy: Really though I'll just come up Saturday and limp home that night. I'm hoping to be off work outright, but I might have to work until 2. :cry:
 
Yeah cuz I ain't bringing crap! :crazy: Really though I'll just come up Saturday and limp home that night. I'm hoping to be off work outright, but I might have to work until 2. :cry:

Didn't you put in for this advance or is the boss just a jerk?

Speaking of the run this year, just a couple things to bring up and throw out there. One is the breakfast situation. Since the place is so small, we'll just stagger our times of going there. Once your done, hit the gas station/carwash and head to the ENTERING CHERAHOLA SKYWAY SIGN. Its better to park there than hang out in the area of the restaraunt or in the parking lot of the gas station, our group is just too big to take up all that space, especially at the gas station, don't wanna piss of the people that work there or the people coming in.

Once we're all lined up by the sign on Friday, we'll split up in to the PHOTO GROUP and NON-PHOTO GROUP. This way, there's no hard feeling about having to stop all the time to take pics, I know there's some who don't want/need to do this anymore, so this will take care of that. We'll all just meet at the end, most of us know where that is. Once there we can relax a bit, talk about the run, check out all the cars a bit more, check things out on our cars, etc. From there, we'll head to dinner, somewhere in Robinsville more than likely. Once we're done with dinner, we'll figure out who's going on the night run and who's not. I'm sure there's someone in the group who's not doing the night run that can lead the group back to the cabins and/or has a GPS. Speaking of GPS, if you've got one, mark the location of the cabin on your GPS, this way, no matter what, you'll know how to get back to the cabins. Once back at the cabins hopefully you guys get the campfire going and the rest of us on the night run will join you afterwards.

Saturday we'll repeat our morning plans from the day before, but when we meet up by the sign after getting gas/cleaned up, we'll meet by the sign and the faster cars will head out first, again, this keeps the chances higher of having a good run and not having a weezing 117 hp/109 ft/lbs of torque car slowing anyone down. Meet down at the end again, relax and then head back towards Tellico Plains to have dinner at the Tellica Cafe' for our annual dinner. I will make reservations for our group on Thursday night, assuming we'd go there that night for dinner. I know others wanted to go to other places like we did last year and seeing that our group is so big and people know their way around down there, we all don't have to go to the same place. I just don't want people to not go where they don't wanna go for dinner. I for one like the place because its local, they know our group, the food is good and we don't have to go to far and we're supporting the local economy down there.

Another thing, last year people were standing around and looking at each other about when to get back on the road and to that I say this. If your ready to go and your know where we're going, just head out nobody is stopping anyone from doing what they wanna do. Because of the size of the group this year its probably for groups to go back out in waves than one large group, we don't wanna "LOGJAM" our own group, its bad enough there's probably going to be other groups out there as it is. I don't mind taking the leadership role, but if others wanna leave earlier instead of hangin' out a bit too long, just head out then, nobody's going to be mad or anything. This is where the GPS comes into play and knowing the way around down there.

Getting your gear at Wheelers, another thing. I say we do this on Friday since we're going to be split up anyways. Besides, getting a good size group to park and stop there takes up alot of space, space we don't have at our disposal. Last year we had cars in his little parking lot and cars on each side of the side of the road. I feel Friday is less busy as well too, so plan on getting your gear, stickers, etc on Friday.

I expect this run to go alot smoother than last year and with a little cooperation, planning, understanding this monster we've created will be a good thing, a thing we can all enjoy and appreciate. I for one have been looking forward to this trip for some time now. After moving to a new city this year and trying to start my life over again I for one really NEED this trip and I'm sure alot of you out there make sacrifices to do this, I know I do and I for one appreciate every single one of you guys for joining us every year, or every other year, whatever.

So, if you've got any late suggestions, comments, etc please feel free to share with the class, thanks!
 
Hey Rodger, I am going to call you tomorrow, around 7:00 I would like to have a discussion where I will meet up with everyone plans etc.
 
Just wanted to let you all know that I have a last minute addition to the group. A friend of mine from RI is going to fly down and join us for the Tail of the Dragon. His name is Gabriel.

In regards to folks not wanting to sit around, I felt we did a bit too much of that last year. I'd volunteer to lead a group of folks willing to spend more time driving, but my sense of direction stinks. It would be like the blind leading the blind. Just throwing that out there in case we already want to start setting up groups.
 
Just wanted to let you all know that I have a last minute addition to the group. A friend of mine from RI is going to fly down and join us for the Tail of the Dragon. His name is Gabriel.

In regards to folks not wanting to sit around, I felt we did a bit too much of that last year. I'd volunteer to lead a group of folks willing to spend more time driving, but my sense of direction stinks. It would be like the blind leading the blind. Just throwing that out there in case we already want to start setting up groups.

That sounds like a good idea, we will be coming all the way out there, we mine as well get as much time as we can, and lot so video footage. Chad and I will have 2 or 3 mounted cameras on my car, we have been testing locations too.
 
Sorry about that Bob and yeah, the meeting time would be 11:30 EST to meet for lunch, give or take a couple minutes.

Randy, yeah I know what your saying about that for sure but you don't really need a sense of directions out there. Going out there we make all lefts, 165 to 143 (N.C. side) to 129, turn left and follow it around. After a while you've got the river on the left, the Dam on the right, that steep uphill right there, a little further up the hill and BAM, there you are! As far as the restaraunts though, well, one of us can find a place in Robinsville to meet at using our GPS and go there.

With the group size being what it is, nothing wrong with splitting up into a couple groups, I mean we'll all be together at breakfast (for the most part), the meeting spot at the end of the Dragon, dinner and ofcoarse, the campfire.

I'm glad we've got the open discussion here, this way we can get this out of the way and execute the plans and have a great time, a time we've been waiting for one year now!

Igor Larinov number of days to go!
 
That sounds like a good idea, we will be coming all the way out there, we mine as well get as much time as we can, and lot so video footage. Chad and I will have 2 or 3 mounted cameras on my car, we have been testing locations too.

2 or 3 camera's! Maybe one should be a LIVE feed for the internet, that would be cool!

Yeah Eathen, give me a call tonight and figure out a good time for you to leave your house to try and meet us on time. I think its going to be best to try and meet us right at that restaraunt in Kentucky and if you happen to be near us on the freeway, we'll join up, if not, just use your directions or GPS to get there. It looks like its going to be around 11:30 a.m. EST for our arrival time.
 
Sorry about that Bob and yeah, the meeting time would be 11:30 EST to meet for lunch, give or take a couple minutes.

Randy, yeah I know what your saying about that for sure but you don't really need a sense of directions out there. Going out there we make all lefts, 165 to 143 (N.C. side) to 129, turn left and follow it around. After a while you've got the river on the left, the Dam on the right, that steep uphill right there, a little further up the hill and BAM, there you are! As far as the restaraunts though, well, one of us can find a place in Robinsville to meet at using our GPS and go there.

With the group size being what it is, nothing wrong with splitting up into a couple groups, I mean we'll all be together at breakfast (for the most part), the meeting spot at the end of the Dragon, dinner and ofcoarse, the campfire.

I'm glad we've got the open discussion here, this way we can get this out of the way and execute the plans and have a great time, a time we've been waiting for one year now!

Igor Larinov number of days to go!

Roger, my sense of direction is soo bad I get lost in the mall. When I walk out of a store I have to look left and right to see where I came from so I know where to go.
 
8 days left!!

8 days left!!

I just reserved Cabin #2 for Thursday - Sunday :laugh:! (Thanks for reporting it was open, Roger.)

Dixie said Cabin #8 (2 bedrooms) is open!
She said $79/night, but if there are only 2 people, it's $69/night.


I also changed our car to our 2002 Cougar. My 1999 still needs work, so we're running stock this year.

Anyone caravanning in from the south on Thursday?
 
I just reserved Cabin #2 for Thursday - Sunday :laugh:! (Thanks for reporting it was open, Roger.)

Dixie said Cabin #8 (2 bedrooms) is open!
She said $79/night, but if there are only 2 people, it's $69/night.


I also changed our car to our 2002 Cougar. My 1999 still needs work, so we're running stock this year.

Anyone caravanning in from the south on Thursday?

Ah, there you are! Well even though your bringing the stock Cougar its not REALLY stock, is it? Plus, with your track experience, its going to be just fine. Any pics of the stocker going? Is it a stick?

I think the last time you were out with us was back in 2006 IIRC.
 
Ah, there you are! Well even though your bringing the stock Cougar its not REALLY stock, is it? Plus, with your track experience, its going to be just fine. Any pics of the stocker going? Is it a stick?

I think the last time you were out with us was back in 2006 IIRC.

I'm afraid it probably has been that long. We've run through the Dragon every year, but that's the last time we made it the same weekend as everyone else.

The Cougar we're bringing is a black 2002 I got just last winter, and we've really only brought it up to par... It's 2.5L MTX with just about all the bells and whistles a Cougar came with - much to Margaret's delight as it will be hers when she can afford to own it. She's really excited because this year she gets to drive, not just ride along. (She's been to the Dragon every year since 2004.)

Pics in CougarDB, reminded me that it does have changes: K&N air filter, Mintex C-Tech brake pads, smoked sidelights, rear '99 bumper cover, and tint.
Pic of my 2 Cougars in our driveway.
 
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