Blue Ridge Parkway Tour 2010

Hard to believe, but the Tar Heel MINI Motoring Club is gearing up to host the third annual Blue Ridge Parkway Tour.  In 2008 approximately 22 MINIs journeyed from the north end near Waynesboro, VA to the south end of the Blue Ridge Parkway near Cherokee, NC, over a three day period.  In 2009 the journey took place from the south end to the north end with 40+ MINIs participating.

For 2010 and our third journey, we once again will make it from end-to-end starting from the northern terminus.  The Blue Ridge Parkway is one of the most unique and magnificent national parks in the US stretching 469 miles from end to end.  It is surely one of the best motoring roads in all of America.  Seeing a caravan of MINIs traveling down its lanes is something that will give chills to any MINI enthusiast.

We will gather in Waynesboro on Thursday, June 17, 2010, for a welcome dinner and some fellowship.  Then on Friday morning we’ll be wheels up.  Our Friday night stop will be in Sparta, NC, and Saturday night will be just outside of Asheville, NC.  Sunday morning we’ll make the run down the final bit, ending in Cherokee, NC about lunchtime. From there, it’s off to home.  Along the way we’ll work in a variety of stops at some of the interesting locations along the BRP.

We hope you can join us.  We will add more info to this web site shortly with information on how to get registered, how to make hotel reservations, etc.  Thanks for your interest and keep on motoring!!!

For those looking to get to the Waynesboro, VA, area for the start of the Blue Ridge Parkway Tour 2010, check out the links below to some feeder drives.

Triangle caravan from Graham, NC – 5/17 @ 1pm

Skyline Drive Excursion from Front Royal, VA – 5/17 @ 12:30pm

Winston Salem early bird departure – 5/17 @ 7:30 am

We’d also like to send a shout out to all the sponsors who are helping support the BRP Tour 2010.  We encourage you to support them back with your business if you have the opportunity.  Check the link below for information on who is helping sponsor this year’s event.

BRP 2010 Sponsors

Interested in being part of the 2010 Blue Ridge Parkway Tour with the Tar Heel MINI Motoring Club?  Only one week left to get registered, so be sure to get signed up!

Wondering what the T-shirt design for BRP Tour 2010 will be like?  Here you go.  First the back:

And a pic of the front and back:

As you might be able to tell, we went with something a little bit different for the front this year.  A little bit of fun to help put a smile on your face while you motor down the BRP.

OK End-to-Enders, the 2010 BRP Tour gets closer and closer.  I’m pleased to announced that we have been working on an on-line registration process for this year’s BRP Tour using the motorsportreg.com site.  Just go to the site using this link:

THMMC 2010 BRP Tour Registration

Hopefully everything is self-explanatory.  There are options available to buy participation packages that include a whole bunch of goodies.  Or, if you want extras, there are a few items you can purchase as individual items.  Remember – a portion of the proceeds will be donated to charity (we are still working on identifying which one).

One important thing to note – the bottom half of the registration form includes options for the different days.  Please check the box for each day that you plan to attend ANY PART of the day. When you do that, it will give you choices as far as attending lunch and dinner and how many.  This will help the planners keep the restaurants up to date on the number to expect.

Please note – if you purchase any items (registration packages, t-shirts, badges, etc.), payment must be made by May 15, 2010.  This deadline is extremely important so the vendors have enough time to produce our stuff and get it shipped to us in time for the event.

If you have any trouble or need assistance, please feel free to post here or PM me.

Thanks for participating – looking forward to seeing you in June!!!

THMMC member MacLeod is coordinating our hotel space for this year’s Blue Ridge Parkway Tour 2010. Below is a summary of the arrangements she has made.

Thursday Night – Waynesboro, VA
(meet here on Thursday night so you are ready to go first thing Friday morning)

Hampton Inn Waynesboro
Date of Arrival: Thursday, June 17th, 2010
Date of Departure: Friday, June 18th, 2010

Rate: $91.00 per room per night
Number of Rooms: 30 (once we fill these, they will add more)
Cut off Date: May 16, 2010

Reservations may be made on the website or by phone.

Alleghany Inn
Sparta, NC
Date of Arrival: June 18, 2010
Date of Departure: June 19, 2010
Rate: $62.95 per room per night
Number of Rooms: 50

The manager will be setting up the website in the next few days so that we can make reservations online. Our group code is MINI10. It will ask for a zip code as well. Enter 21409.
(888) 372-2501

Biltmore Quality Inn and Suites
Arden NC
Arrival Date: Saturday June 19, 2010
Departure Date: Sunday June 20, 2010
Rate: $89.00 per room per night Rooms held: 50
Cut off Date: May 20, 2010
(828) 684-6688

MacLeod is not compiling a list of reservations for these blocks, so please make sure you identify yourself as part of the group when you call for your reservations. Reservations will be first come first serve, should not require a deposit, and will no longer be available after the specified cut off date. If you have any problems or questions, please visit the THMMC forum thread to contact MacLeod or e-mail Jeff Causey, VP for THMMC.