Springtime in the Smokies - April Meet

[svxter]

I just wanted to inform anyone who hasn't seen this on Yahoo, or remind you if you have .......

Springtime in the Smokies

April 20 - 22, 2001

A meet for SVX owners and aficionados, to be held in beautiful East Tennessee. Our meet headquarters is Oak Ridge, TN. From there, we will take drives to scenic locations, as well as have social events.

The headquarters hotel will be the Garden Plaza in Oak Ridge. We have been offered a special rate of $62.00/night, but reservations will have to be made relatively soon. If you are interested, please contact me ASAP, so I can finalize reservations, and get back with information about how to reserve your room.

Tentative Agenda

Friday, April 20, 8:00 pm. Reception and social hour, including the Great KY-TN Whiskey Taste-off. You may get picked to judge which is best - Kentucky Bourbon, or Tennessee Sour Mash.

Saturday, April 21 - Drive to Smokey Mtn National Park, and ascend to the lofty heights of Clingman's Dome. Tour of Cade's Cove, which is the largest collection of 19th century log buildings, still on their original sites. (Time permitting).
Saturday Afternoon - Cookout at Earl Duff Subaru, Harriman, TN. SVX friendly dealer, sponsor of this event.
Saturday Evening - Informal social hour(s).
Sunday - Another scenic drive, probably to historic Rugby.

If you're interested, please e-mail me (moorej@marshall.edu) or use the Private Messenger function on this site to let me know. I have to make final arrangements for rooms within the next week.

Hope to see you there.

[svxter]

Here's the hotel information for the meet.

King size rooms (1 king size bed) at the Garden Plaza Hotel, Oak Ridge, TN. $62.00/night + tax. For reservations, call 1-800 3 GARDEN. To get the above rate, mention the Subaru SVX Meet. Reservations must be secured by no later than three weeks prior to the meet, in order to receive these rates. Some doubles MAY become available at $67.00/night + tax. After the cutoff date, rooms will be released back into inventory. You may be able to get reservations for these rates, subject to availability. You will be able to begin making reservations sometime during the day of April 7, once they have the rates entered into their system.

Hope to see you there.

[svxxx26]

<<You will be able to begin making reservations sometime during the day of April 7>>

We have to wait that long?

[svxter]

Please excuse the brain bubble. The reservation information will be in their system today, March 8. I meant to say you could make them AFTER March 7. Sometimes the brain just doesn't know what the fingers are typing. Did I also put April 7 in the e-mail I sent out? I hope not.

[svxter]

Just to be sure that nobody is misled. If you're planning on the April 20-22 meet, make your hotel reservations now. Call 1-800 3 GARDEN, and say you're with the Subaru SVX Meet.

[svxter]

We went out today to drive the route for the main tour. Drove to the top of the mountains, Newfound Gap. It was really beautiful - the trees were covered with frost, and there was still a little snow in spots. The final 7 miles to Clingman's Dome is still closed, but will open April 1. On April 21, there probably won't be any snow or frost, but the dogwoods should be in bloom. It's going to gorgeous. If you haven't made up you mind, do it now. Drop me a line and let me know you're coming.

Here are other hotels in Oak Ridge, in case you can't get in on the block reservation at the Garden Plaza. All are withing a few blocks of each other. All telephone numbers are in the 865 Area Code. I've posted local numbers, since you can usually do better dealing with them directly, rather than with a centralized reservations office.

Comfort Inn
481-8200

Days Inn
483-5615

Hampton Inn
482-7889

Jameson Inn
483-6809

Oak Ridge Inn & Suites
483-4371

Ridge Inn Plaza
482-9968

Super 8
483-1200

Any other questions? Please let me know.

[svxxx26]

Can't wait for the Meet! Made my reservations last week.
Would you happen to know the location(s) of a good coin-operated car wash in the area of the Garden Plaza?

[svxter]

Jerry

I'm assuming you're going to take I-64 toward Lexington, cut over to I-75 at Winchester on 627, then I-75 south from there.

Exit at mile 122 (Clinton Oak Ridge exit), proceed into OR. As you enter the city limits, you'll go through a railroad underpass. Trun left at the first traffic signal (Melton Hill Drive, Melton Hill Lake on your left.) Turn right on Emory Valley Road, just past the marina. Stay on Emory Valley until you see a commercial district with a Food Lion grocery store on the left. Turn left at that light, there's a coin op wash in that shopping center. When you come back out, stay on Emory Valley until it make a major intersection. (2nd traffic signal, first one only allows right turn). Turn left, follow that until you get to Illinois (another major intersection) Turn right, and stay on Illinois until you get to the G.P. Or, there is a car wash on the O.R. Turnpike at an Exxon station, but it's not do-it-yourself.

When are you planning on leaving WV? I was planning on coming back from Huntington possibly on Thursday evening, but if you're planning to leave early enough Friday morning, I could hook up with you in Huntington and we could caravan down (assuming you don't drive more than about 5-10 over the limit ) I just need to be here in time to get things ready for the Friday evening reception and Great Southern Whiskey Taste-Off.

[svxter]

Coming on I-40 from the East (NC, etc.) - Continue on I-40 through downtown Knoxville. Be careful, especially on the east side of town - traffic is insane at times, and there's consturction going on. Please be alert and use caution. Continue west on I-40 (joined by I-75 in downtown area). Exit at the Pellisippi Parkway (exit 376, if I recall correctly - will check later). Exit is marked Oak Ridge. Continue on P. Pkwy, cross Clinch River. Continue into Oak Ridge. Pellisippi Pkwy becomes Illinois Ave. Gardgen Plaza is on the right after the fourth traffic signal.

On I-40 from the west. (Nashville, W. KY) Exit at Gallaher Road, exit 356. You're now on TN route 58. Stay on this until you reach O.R. After you cross the Clinch River, note the site of the K-25 plant on your left. This was the uranium separation/enrichment facility during WWII. A mile or so later, TN 58 becomes TN 95. Continue on into town until you reach Illinois Ave. (First major intersection) Turn right on Illinois, the Garden Plaza is on your left after the next traffic signal.

On I-75 from the South (GA, etc.). Take Lenoir City exit (Exit 21). Turn left onto US 321, stay on 321 until you intersect I-40. Go under I-40, 321 becomes TN 95. Stay on 95 until it bears right to Oak Ridge. Warning! Curvy Road Follow remainder of directions for I-40, from the west, as given above.

On I-75 from the north (E. KY, OH, etc.) Exit I-75 at exit 122, Clinton/Oak Ridge. Stay on route 61 into Clintion, through Clinton into Oak Ridge, 61 becomes Oak Ridge Turnpike as it enters city limits. Stay on Turnpke as it goes through town. Look for Civic Center on the left, followed by park. Turn left at the signal on the west end of the park - Badger Road. Garden Plaza is at the intersection of Badger and Illinois.

If anyone needs any further directions or information, please let me know.

[svxxx26]

Bill, I guess I'm going to just play it by ear on my travel route plans. There has been some discussion about hooking up with SVXphile & Molar Marauder coming down I-77, but Don is not sure about his schedule at the moment and Earl hasn't been able to commit just yet. Sooo, yes I may be coming through KY! I may do that anyway since we're going to be coming back up to Lexington, VA on the Parkway on Sunday. I will definitely talk to you beforehand.

[svxter]

Well, just let me know if you want to take the I-64/75 route. I'll send you an email next week, when I get back to MU, and we can coordinate that way.

[svxxx26]

Great - I'll be looking for it.
BTW, do you have a count/list of attendees for the meet?

[svxter]

Jerry

So far, the list of people who have definitely committed to coming:

You and Don, Randy and Huck, another KY owner, John (NC), and Colin Reily (WI). Of course, I will be there, and Tim Duff (blue 96 LSi) is going to join us for as many activities as he can. We may have as many as seven locals, other than myself. There is a list of about five or six maybes in addition to this. So, we may have anywhere from 8 to 20 cars. I'm beginning to need a pretty firm head count, as I need numbers to plan the Friday evening reception, and Tim needs to plan for the cookout. In the next week or so, I'm going to begin counting noses. I know Roni is coming, so I have you down for two. BTW, I hope you were able to make satisfactory housing arrangements.

Also, we're going to have a nice goodie bag for attendees, in the form of Subaru stuff - possibly caps, koozies for your cold frothy beverages, etc.

Do you, or anyone else attending, own a digital camera, and be willing to be the official meet photographer? I want to document this, and get some photos on the net. But I don't have a camera

[Aredubjay]

Bill,
My wife will be with me if the grandbaby doesn't show up late, so, I'm down for two. From eight to twenty, huh? That's a pretty wide "maybe." Nonetheless, if it's two or twenty, wherever SVXers get together, it's sure to be fun! Looking forward to it.

[svxxx26]

<< I know Roni is coming, so I have you down for two. BTW, I hope you were able to make satisfactory housing arrangements.>>

Yes, thank you for reserving the HC room with your block.