What’s happening in Spring?

[billjam]

I will become a tourist mid-April and will be spending about six weeks roaming around the US countryside. Apart from the first week or so that wife and I will be spending with friends near Carson City, we will be spending four weeks from April 26 just roaming around on the east coast – absolutely no itinerary except catching up with a few Pelicans here and there and maybe the May 14 shuttle launch.
I am really p!ssed off that I will miss Hershey by a couple of days, but if there is anything else interesting happening anywhere in the east, let’s know where and when.

We’re planning a loop from NY to Florida and back to NY again by May 25, so we’d love to hear of any interesting events (not necessarily car-related, my wife is with me!), any sights “not-to-be-missed”, top driving roads and cool (inexpensive) places to stay along the way.
I will be off the net at a company love-in for the next three days, so don’t expect feedback from me for a few days, but please post your suggestions here or email me ... bill.james@clough.com.au

Looking forward to some interesting ideas.

[ddbach]

If you haven't been to Washington DC it's worth a stop.
Take a nighttime tour of the monuments, quite different compared to daytime.
Smithsonian Museums are free. Many different choices if you like museums. The International Spy Museum was fun, not free but not too $$. The Holocaust Museum is well worth the stop, very intense experience, don't plan for much after it. Take the Metro rather than drive in DC.
Lots of historical sites to see with interesting drives nearby as well.

Are you looking to do things or see things?

[9dreizig]

hey I'm in Tahoe , close to Carson City.. Drop me a line and we'll toss a couple back!!!

[GH85Carrera]

Are you going to drive across the country? If so what route? Carson City is not far from Las Vegas & the Grand Canyon. There are lots of things to see in on the back roads of America. If you have the time drive across the country on Rt 66.

[Jim Richards]

Some motorsports activities to check out...

New Jersey Motorsports Park:
May 7 - 9
SCCA Pro Racing (Thunderbolt)

SCCA Pro Racing will hold their first event at NJMP this year. This event will feature the long anticipated Trans-Am Series. Support races will include VW TDI Cup, Spec Racer Pro, Formula Enterprise Pro, and a special Vintage Trans-Am Race.

Also look into vintage racing:
2010 SVRA Vintage Car Racing Schedule

[Jim Richards]

also the Jefferson 500 vintage racing at Summit Point Motorsports Park, WV.

JEFFERSON 500 AT SUMMIT POINT, WV: Grassroots Motorsports Magazine

[The Gaijin]

Nice time of year to go to east coast track events.

[Jim Richards]

...or sailing in the bays, kayaking/canoeing on some of the easy rivers, or whitewater rafting on the more exciting rivers like the Nantahala, in NC.

Also, the mountains out east are fun for easy-moderate day hiking.

[David in VA]

Rolex Grand Am race at VIR on April 24th is definitely worth going to. If you find yourself in or near Richmond, VA drop me a line.

David

[Jim Richards]

Oh yeah. VIR is a great track.

[jwasbury]

Bill,

During your stay in the NYC area, if you're interested, I'd be happy to take you and your spouse out on my sailboat for a NY Harbor tour. Perhaps in the evening...a little sunset booze cruise, take a look at the Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island, etc. You need to experience NYC from the water. If I can round up a few NYC area Pelicans as crew...even better.

[Teutonics]

Walter Mitty historic races will be at Road Atlanta 4/30-5/2. Barber Motorsports park near Birmingham is a destination in itself with one of the best motorcycle museums in the country (if not the world).

Savannah, Charleston, and St. Augustine can also be good places to visit as a tourist.

If you come through Atlanta, I can take you to some "local" spots.

I lived in Australia for a year and was very fortunate to experience the graciousness and hospitality of many people there... I would be happy to return the favor!

[billjam]

Thanks guys.
I am on a three day company love-in at present and can only squeeze in a few minutes of internet time in the friggin hotel lobby on a break!
Where appropriate, I will respond in a few days when I get back home.
Keep those ideas rolling in.
This could be a fun holiday!

G85 Carrera asked: Are we driving across? I would have liked to, but we are flying across to NY and spending more time on the east coast. My dearest wife wants to see more of that side, and I'm just the driver!
As long as I can squeze in some nice roads and interesting car and technical stuff in between the old buildings and historical stuff, I'll be happy.

9dreizig: I'll be in touch.
Likewise Jacob.

[Jim Richards]

VA and NC have some nice twisty roads.

[Taz's Master]

If you can swing it a baseball game at PNC Park (Pittsburgh, PA) is worth the time/money. A stunning venue for a sporting event.

A trip through rural VA, WV, and/or PA can make for a great drive. Cheap lodging and food, great scenery and minimal traffic.

Rent the movie Gettysburg watch it one night, and then stop at the battlefield for an afternoon.

And seriously a stop at Washington DC is a great idea. Free museums, significant monumets, and lots of history.

[deanp]

Newport, RI, Cape Cod, MA, Boston, Northern NH are all great during that time of year. "Tourist" season really starts rolling mid-May and picks up is non-stop on the Cape from Memorial Day weekend on (5/28->)

All kinds of historical sites on the east coast - concentration of Civil War sites in the mid-Atlantic, Revolutionary War sites in the northeast, plenty of great museums in DC, NY, Boston, etc.

Driving Roads:
Blue Ridge Parkway (Blue Ridge Parkway - Directions (U.S. National Park Service)),
Tail of the Dragon (Tail of the Dragon at Deals Gap and Cherohala Skyway, Graham Co, NC)
Vermont State Route 100
Kancamangus Highway (Lincoln to Conway, NH) + Mt. Washington (highest peak east of the Mississippi in continental US, home to highest recorded wind speed.

[Jim Richards]

Originally Posted by Shadetree930

If driving south from DC, take the Skyline and Blue Ridge Parkways. Absolutely worth the effort. If in the SC area, and coming thru Greenville give me a heads up. We can host you in the area.

The downside of Skyline Drive is the 35mph speed limit enforced by the National Park Service cops.

[billjam]

Just squeezing in a few minutes in the resort lobby again while no-one's looking - keep those ideas rolling in.
Some interesting places to stay (that don't cost the earth) would be useful.
As I said earlier, I'll be in touch on the weekend.

[Seahawk]

Be happy to host you and your wife for a night...we're 60 miles south of DC.

We have kayaks and other water toys

I've been to Perth a few times and would enjoy returning the hospitality I experienced there.

Best.

[billjam]

Things are gradually coming together for our trip and we have a few offers of drinks, meals and beds from fellow Pelicans that we will endeavour to fulfil.
My biggest problem at present is time, or lack of, to respond to everyone, but I'll get there! Unfortunately, PP is blocked at work, so I have to try and fit in this stuff at home.
If you are trying to contact me, please do it by email, as it is much easier (bill.james@clough.com.au).

Just to allay fears, we are a fairly normal bunch as you can see in the tribal photo. I know it's a bit of a risk offering to spend an evening with someone sight unseen, so rest assured, as well as looking normal, we don't bite, spit, smoke or do drugs! My P-car addiction is more than enough to keep me in trouble and debt. And we even speak real English!
My wife Toni is a nurse/manager and I am an engineer with an oil and gas construction company.
We'd love to catch up with as many of you as we can along the way, so drop me an email.

To recap, we will be around Carson City with friends for a week from April 20, then we will be on the east coast from about April 27 to May 25. We will be starting and finishing in NY and plan to get down to Florida and back in a rental car, so anywhere in between can be on the agenda.

Still looking for ideas for places to see on the east coast. We'll hit all the usual places with a bit of history and heritage, but don't want to miss out on some of the back-country places that might have a bit of character.
Let's know your favourite places to stay. I can't promise we'll get to them all, but we'll sure try.



OOPS, wrong file. Try this one.
They are all ours except for girlfriend in red (not mine!)