VA-MD Fall Foliage Tour -- October 29-30

[Ron Hickey]

The VA-MD VCA Fall Foliage Tour will be held Saturday-Sunday, October 29-30. Lousy weather and a scarcity of hotel rooms caused us to reschedule this event from the weekend of October 8-9. Join us for a two-day tour over some great roads and through some very scenic countryside. If you have a garage queen and you don’t like to put any miles on it, this excursion is not for you. We’ll be driving about 250 miles each day, and nearly all those miles will be on quality two-lane roads with a high “fun-to-drive” quotient. Our route will be similar to the route we took last year, with some variations. Everyone who participated in this event last year loved the roads and had a great time. Our itinerary is as follows:

Saturday – Meet in Leesburg, VA at 10 am. Drive to Staunton passing down the Shenandoah River Valley. Dinner and overnight stay at the Holiday Inn in Staunton, VA.
Sunday – Head west from Staunton into West Virginia, traversing three mountains on US Route 250. This challenging road has quite a few 2nd gear switchbacks and some impressive drop-offs on the other side of the guard rail. Much of the first 100 miles will take us through the Jefferson and Washington National Forests. We’ll then turn north and work our way back to Strasburg, VA, where the tour will end in mid-afternoon.

If you can’t do both days, joining us for only one of the days is just fine. You can even just join us for dinner Saturday night in Staunton. RSVP me as soon as possible for more details, especially if you plan to join us en route. (We’re not sure exactly where we’re meeting in Leesburg yet.) If you’re planning on staying overnight in Staunton, make your reservation at the Holiday Inn now! (540-248-6020 on online at www.holiday-inn.com)

PM me with any questions, RSVP's.

 

[Leslie]

Hi Ron, count me in

anyone else?

let's get the vipers out one more time before the snow hits

 

[ViperJohn]

I'm in, hotel reservation has been made. This two day cruise was a real blast last year.

 

[Mach500]

I've been waiting all summer for this event! If we're as fortunate as last year (traffic-wise), it should be a loads of fun. Thanks, Ron.

 

[ViperJohn]

I've been waiting all summer for this event! If we're as fortunate as last year (traffic-wise), it should be a loads of fun. Thanks, Ron.

You just want to come so you can hear some Lynyrd Skynyrd at the bar.

 

[WANTED]

I'm in, hotel reservation has been made. This two day cruise was a real blast last year.

wow this sounds like fun, john i would attend but then i would have double the
miles on my car

 

[Leslie]

I'm in, hotel reservation has been made. This two day cruise was a real blast last year.

wow this sounds like fun, john i would attend but then i would have double the
miles on my car

hahhaa! are you SERIOUS????

 

[WANTED]

I'm in, hotel reservation has been made. This two day cruise was a real blast last year.

wow this sounds like fun, john i would attend but then i would have double the
miles on my car

hahhaa! are you SERIOUS????

hi leslie, it would double the miles but no it would not stop me from going,lol.
i have plans next weekend but am planing on attending johns cruise on nov4th.

tom

 

[ViperJohn]

Tom, the cruise wouldn't double your miles. It may double how many miles you put on the car though.

I have an idea.... buy an open trailer. We can put your car on it and pull you while you sit in the car. Then you could smoke, drink coffee and read the paper while still enjoying the open roof experience of your Viper.

Sorry, I couldn't help but bust your chops a little.



See you next Saturday for the Western MD Cruise.

 

[WANTED]

Tom, the cruise wouldn't double your miles. It may double how many miles you put on the car though.

I have an idea.... buy an open trailer. We can put your car on it and pull you while you sit in the car. Then you could smoke, drink coffee and read the paper while still enjoying the open roof experience of your Viper.

Sorry, I couldn't help but bust your chops a little.



See you next Saturday for the Western MD Cruise.

rotflmao - now that was funny

 

[Leslie]

now THAT I want a picture of hahahaa!

 

[WANTED]

now THAT I want a picture of hahahaa!

leslie only if your the one pulling me with that nice gts of yours.

 

[Leslie]

you got it WANTED

what ARE you wanted for btw? hahaa!

should we be concerned about you cruising with us????

 

[Leslie]

anyone staying in Leesburg, Va on Fri night

I booked at a Hampton Inn there, (703)669-8640

see you guys Sat morning!

 

[FrankBarba]

did i read somewhere that some were meeting in winchester VA

 

[Ron Hickey]

We've got 7 Vipers plus one other car so far. There's still room for a few more.

I thought that starting from Winchester would work out well for those coming from points west (Ohio, WV). Those of us in the northern Virginia area will come out through Leesburg, so we can easily pick up Leslie on the way. We'll meet Leslie there at 8:30 am and head on out to Winchester. By the way, I noticed that the Hampton Inn & Suites in Leesburg is no longer showing any availability for October 28.

Official starting point will be the Shoney's Restaurant at 1359 Berryville Avenue in Winchester, VA (directions below). My recommended place to stay in Winchester Friday night is the Hampton Inn North, at 1204 Berryville Avenue (540-678-4000). There are two Hampton Inns in Winchester, the other one (which you don't want) is at the Apple Blossom Mall. Leslie is staying at the Hampton Inn in Leesburg. We can all have breakfast Saturday at Shoney's in Winchester, at 9:00 am.

We will depart the Shoney's Restaurant promptly at 10:00 am. Please be sure your tank is full. We've got 255 miles to cover Saturday, with lunch scheduled around 12:30 in Harrisonburg, VA. If you gas up in Harrisonburg, you should not need to refuel until we get to Staunton. We should arrive at the Holiday Inn in Staunton around 5:00 pm. Our excursion Saturday will take us from Winchester through Wardensville WV, Baker WV, Broadway VA, Harrisonburg VA, Franklin WV, Monterey VA, Warm Springs VA and Staunton VA. I'm not sure yet where we're going to eat Saturday night; I'm working on finding a place.

Sunday morning we'll leave Staunton at 9:00 am (breakfast in the Holiday Inn dining room). The early morning departure is so that we can take on the mountain roads of US-250 with minimal traffic. Our route Sunday will cover about 210 miles and will take us from Staunton through Monterey VA, Thornwood WV, Judy Gap WV, Seneca Rocks WV, Petersburg WV, Moorefield WV, Wardensville WV and wind up in Strasburg VA around 3:00 pm. Lunch is scheduled in Petersburg WV. Those of you heading west will probably want to turn off at either Seneca Rocks or Petersburg.

Those of you who traveled with us last year will remember the fun we had on Route 55 in eastern WV (the expressway in the middle of Nowhere). I've planned this trip so that we can enjoy this road on both Saturday and Sunday. We will also include a short blast on Old Route 55. Our route Sunday is exactly the same as last year. Saturday's trip will take us on some different roads, however, and we'll tackle twisty US-33 between Harrisonburg and Franklin. (Hopefully the other traffic will cooperate.)

If you have a Motorola Talk-About (FRS) please bring it. I have several for loan. If you haven't already made reservations for Saturday night at the Holiday Inn in Staunton, please do so soon.

PM me if you have any questions. Watch your email for another email Thursday night.

Directions to Shoney's Restaurant in Winchester, VA:
From the north via I-81, take exit 315. At the exit, you want to turn right onto Route 7 West toward the town of Winchester. Shoney's will be on your left immediately after you turn onto Route 7.
If you're coming on I-81 from the south, you will see Shoney's on the left side off I-81 just before you exit the interstate. On the exit ramp, stay to the right to take you onto Route 7 West. Once you cross over I-81, you will see Shoney's on the left.
If you're coming from Leesburg, Berryville or points east on Route 7, when you cross over I-81, you will see Shoney's on the left.

 

[Mach500]

I've been waiting all summer for this event! If we're as fortunate as last year (traffic-wise), it should be a loads of fun. Thanks, Ron.

You just want to come so you can hear some Lynyrd Skynyrd at the bar.

You are absolutely correct, John. I also hope to blast some LS while flying past you on our private 4-lane highway in WV.


Tom, what could be so important to keep you away from this event? You're not playing golf instead, are you? Any holes-in-one lately?

 

[Leslie]

do we have a roll call?

don't want to be the only viper showing up!

let's CRUISE!

 

[Ron Hickey]

Of course, I'm in. All you others, please post here or email me if you're still in.

 

[Leslie]

yes please post if you want to go.

just want to know if I am heading out tomorrow or not, will take me 5 hrs to get to Leesburg Fri

 

[Ron Hickey]

Roll call as of 6:30 pm Thursday -- 7 Vipers have confirmed. Frank B, are you still in?

 

[Leslie]

awsome!

3 or more is a cruise to me

I just talked to a friend up in NE West Virginia, she said they have had sunny skies and dry streets for the past 2 days

 

[FrankBarba]

Still waiting.My daughter called me this morning. SHe became ill at school. Took her to the doctors, ran some tests. results will not be available until tomorrow. I will know by evening time.

 

[Leslie]

it was an AWSOME weekend, perfect weather, great hotel, killer vipers and most of all-a great group of people to hang with

here's some pics I took more in my gallery

got sandwiched in btwn the yellow vipers, I was in rough company

here I am playing copilot in Ron's SRT, taking pics from the side mirror

Ron did an outstanding job navigating us through the West Virginia mountainside

here's the gang

 

[Mach500]

Leslie,

It was a pleasure cruising with you and the rest of the gang. I hope you had as much fun as I did (or more). Thanks for the pictures and hope to see you soon (maybe next Saturday, by which time we all should be fully recovered from 400+ miles of excitement).

p.s., Did U call Bill P. about a Gen III yet?

Soo.

 

[Lee00blacksilverGTS]

Leslie, don't forget we now consider you a member of the VA/MD club! How do you like your official chair? And for everyone on the cruise I thought I would share this EMail from an F Body owner I got today. I guess she picked up my EMail address from the regions officers contact info. Maybe some of you would want to shoot her an EMail.


Nice show of Vipers!! Inbox

Jackie Mathias <[email protected]> to me
More options Oct 30 (1 day ago)

Hi, just wanted to let you know I saw a nice little caravan of 7 Vipers in Leesburg on Friday and on Saturday I saw another small group of 4 pulled off on an I-81 on-ramp in Winchester and 3 more pulled over at the next exit. It was an awesome sight. I'm an f-body owner (94 Firebird Formula) and enjoyed the showing of Vipers. I must tell you, those Vipers were so much more awesome than the Fall Foilage!
Viva la Viper!!!
...Jacquelyn

 

[Leslie]

hi Soo-I've been cruisin' the "for sale" sections ever since I drove that SRT! Ron created a monster

hey now that's awsome somebody saw us cruisin' and emailed about it. what's NOT to like about seeing a half dozen vipers enjoying the countryside

 

[ViperJohn]

The cruise was fantastic again this year, despite all that happened. Here are a few of the pics I took.

 

[Ron Hickey]

Guys & Gals,

It was a great weekend. I calculated that we covered 457 miles Saturday and Sunday -- certainly not an event for posers and garage queens. This is the second year we've done this excursion, and I'm always amazed that we rarely encounter any traffic (aka "moving impediments"). I can't believe we got to charge up three mountains on two-lane roads with no passing zones and didn't have any vehicles in front of us. I also can't understand why the state of West Virginia would build an expressway in the middle of nowhere which carries virtually no traffic -- but I'm not complaining. I'm sure those of you who saw a buck-fifty on that road aren't complaining, either.

Thanks for your cooperation and good will.

 

[ViperJohn]

I'm sure those of you who saw a buck-fifty on that road aren't complaining, either.

It wasn't me....and I can prove it.