| July 22-25
MIATA's AT THE GAP XIV
Sponsored by Gray & Candace Sands
Say you've heard about the Dragon, but never have had the opportunity to meet the "Old Boy" in person ? Say you've heard a lot about some Fire Breathing Monster that straddles the Great Smoky Mountains, just south of the Great Smoky Mountain National Park ? Say you think you've been on some great Miata roads in the past ? Say you really don't believe there could possibly be 318 curve on any road, just 11 miles long. Say you've never in your life eyeballed over 400 Miatas in the same place at the same time ? Say it has to be blown totally out of proportion by a bunch of Miata zealots ?
Well, there's only one way to answer all these questions. And that is to make the annual Pilgrimage to the Miata Mecca of the U.S. of A, Deals Gap. And, we'll shake hands with the "Scaly Reptile" himself. And let him introduce you to the best little Miata road east of the Mississippi River.
Every year the Music City Miata Club joins hundreds of Miataphiles from as far west as Texas, as far south as Florida and as for north as Canada to celebrate this little stretch of asphalt with the BIG
REP. The old timers are usually joined by a new flock of greenies, non-believers, if you will. And every year, we return to Nashville with a whole 'nother perspective and appreciation for having that Monster out our back door.
This year will be no different. We'll start off with breakfast at the Mt. Juliet Cracker Barrel at I-40 Exit 226 at 7:30am CDT. Following breakfast, we'll pull out for points east at 8:30am, with a full belly, a full tank and an empty bladder. We plan on taking nothing but great Tennessee backroads cross country to Tellico Plains, where we'll catch the Cherohala Skyway up to 6,000 feet, then down into Robbinsville, NC. We have standing annual reservations at the Microtel at 111 Rodney Orr Bypass, (828) 479-6772. Room rates include $73.46 for a single Queen and $82.46 for a double Queen, plus tax. No need to call the Hotel. Rooms will be held in your name, unless cancelled 48 hours in advance of check-in.
We have planned for dinner at the Mountainview Bistro (800) 849-2258
at Fontana Village at 8pm EDT on Thursday evening. On Friday morning, the early birds can take a shot at the "Dragon". We'll catch a light breakfast at the hotel, then hookup at the Phillips Hotel at 10am for a traditional run to Fat Buddies in Franklin NC for a great BBQ lunch. Upon returning to base, we'd suggest you take another run at the "Old Boy."
Then for dinner on Friday night, we'll run down the street to PaPa's Pizza around 7pm for some great Pizza.
Saturday morning at 8:30am, MCMC will take off on for a (250 mile) Loop Run out of Waynesville NC, which also doubles as a popular Motorcycle route. We'll take U.S. 74 into Waynesville. Currently planning on a 10am visit to the Mast General Store. It's today's version of the old-time General Stores of your childhood.
At 11:30am, we'll follow Hwy 276 southeast out of Waynesville, across the Blue Ridge Parkway, down into and through Brevard NC. We'll stop for lunch around 12:30pm in Brevard. Staying on Hwy 276 down to Caesar's Head State Park in South Carolina, where we'll pick up Hwy 11 through Table Rock State Park to U.S. 178. Then we'll take (U.S. 178 / U.S. 64 / Hwy 215) due north back to the Blue Ridge Parkway, then onto the Blue Ridge west to U.S. 19, then south to Bryson City for dinner at Pasqualino's Italian Restaurant at 5pm. Then back into Fontana/Robbinsville, by way of Hwy 28/Hwy 143. After freshening up, some of us may head back to Fontana Village and participate in the The Beer Swap / Wine Tasting that begins begins at 7pm.
Following Breakfast at the Microtel on Sunday morning, we'll saddle up at 9am EDT for our final run through the Dragon on the way back through the Foothills Parkway and Maryville to Nashville. We plan on stopping for lunch in Cookeville, with an ETA in Nashville of 3:30pm CDT.
There you have it, the 14th Edition of Miatas At The Gap. The "Old Boy" just keeps enticing us back year after year to meet some old friends, do a bit of jousting and just enjoy the natural beauty of the Tennessee/North Carolina Mountains in late July. We do hope you can "Join the Fun". Just RSVP to Gray Sands at graype@bellsouth.net or (615) 794-0852.
ZOOM ! ZOOM ! ZOOMIN !
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