Fall Colors Tour 8!

[WestCoastSVX]

That's right, this will be number 8, can you believe it?

2nd only to Reading as the longest running continuous annual SVX event.

Saturday November 14th - one last blast before we get into the busy holiday season and freezing winter months.

9:00am Tacoma Mall parking lot - Krispy Kreme Doughnuts.
4502 S Steele St. Tacoma, WA 98409
From I-5 take the 38th St. exit (Exit 132)
Head West on S 38th St.
Take a Left (South) on S Steele St. (2nd traffic light from I-5)
Mall is straight ahead at the end of S Steele St. Drive straight in past Pier 1 Imports and take a left towards Sears. Drive through the underpass at the Sears Auto Center and Krispy Kreme is right there in the northeast corner of the parking lot. Doughnuts, coffee drinks, and restrooms.

Come earlier if you need to get gas (strongly suggested). There is a Costco gas station a couple blocks up on Steele St. to the Right (North), or there is a Shell and Chevron a couple blocks further down on S 38th St. The tour is around 130 miles on backroads (ie, gas guzzlers depending on your driving style) and there isn't gas immediately available at the ending point.

At 9:15am we will have a driver's meeting and at 9:30am sharp we will leave on the tour. (If you are prone to being late, please plan on coming much earlier so you can be there on time. We are dealing with ferry schedules and other factors on this tour and can't afford to wait.)

As usual, this Fall Colors Tour is a great combination of scenery and fun driving, featuring some roads and locales that may be new to some.

From Tacoma, we'll head Northwest across the infamous Tacoma Narrows bridge and onto the Kitsap Pennisula. We'll jump from highway to backroad to highway as we make our way along the waterfront of various canals, inlets, and bays.

An hour into the tour there will be a rest stop at a waterfront park with great views of Hood Canal. Then back into the cars and due south through some twisty backroads to Shelton for a 11:30 lunch stop at the classic A&W Drive-In.

After a short meal, we'll head Northeast out of town and then take a detour onto a small island for another rest stop at a scenic park. Then it's straight on to the North as we race against time to make the 2:50pm ferry crossing at Southworth.

More time to stretch our legs, enjoy the scenery, and talk cars as we relax on the 40 minute ferry crossing over to Fauntleroy in West Seattle.

Once back on dry land, we'll head north along the beach to Alki Point. From there a short drive up around the point until the Seattle skyline comes into view across the harbor.

We'll end the day at the Alki Crab & Fish Co., famous as "The Best Fish 'n' Chips in Seattle". For those ready for an early supper we can enjoy one more meal together. At the end of the day, I-5 is just a couple miles away.


Quick Facts:

Who: Anyone with a SVX is welcome - or former SVX owners, future SVX owners, or general SVX fans. I just ask that you RSVP on the sign-up list if possible, thanks!

What: A 130 mile scenic tour of Washington's south Puget Sound region, featuring great people, great cars, great food, great scenery.

Where: Starting in Tacoma, WA. Ending in West Seattle, WA.

When: Saturday, November 14th, 2009. Tour starts at 9:00am and ends around 4:00pm.

Other: The only mandatory cost for the day is the ferry crossing, which is $9.15 (1 car, unlimited passengers). The two food stops are both reasonably priced, if you wish to participate. Don't forget to pack for changing NW weather conditions, and bring your camera!