You can register in Marion before the start if you have not registered yet between 8:00 and 8:30 at the corner of Logan and W. Henderson Street. I hope to have a few more cool cars on the tour!!!!

Hello my name is Scott Coley and I am the tour coordinator for Touring Joara 2011. Thank you for participating in the tour. While driving in the North Carolina Mountains and Foothills, you will see beautiful scenery and find wonderful winding roads. As the majority of the tour is rural, please keep a few things in mind:
• The tour route is self guided. You can proceed to the stops in any order you wish or follow the turn by turn directions provided with this mailing, which starts in Marion NC at the corner of W. Henderson Street and Logan Street.
• Cell phone coverage is slim in many areas but usually your signal will return just around the next corner.
• Gas stations are easiest to find in Marion and the Quaker Meadows area in Morganton but there is a gas station at Lake James, on Hwy 221 and past Little Switzerland near the Walmart off of Hwy. 226 and Halltown Road.
• Some curves are blind, almost “hair pins,” so please do not drive on the center line because of oncoming cars.
• Mind the speed limits (local law enforcement knows we are out here).
• Hotel space is limited. Some of the hotels available in the area are:
1. Switzerland Inn: P.O. Box 399 86 High Ridge Road Little Switzerland, NC 28749 Toll-free: 800-654-4026 or 828-765-2153
2. Hampton Inn: 115 Bush Drive Morganton, NC 28655 828-432-2000
3. Quality Inn: 2400 South Sterling Street Morganton, NC 28655 828-437-0171,
4. Days Inn and Suites: 100 Burkemont Ave Morganton, NC 28655 828-430-8778
5. Hampton Inn: 3560 US 221 South, Marion NC - (828) 652-5100
6. Days Inn Marion: 4248 Hwy 221 South I-40 & Hwy 22 Marion, NC 28752 US 828-659-2567
• If you wish to have breakfast at the Switzerland Inn, their breakfast is served from 7:30 AM - 10:30 AM and lunch is from 11:30 AM - 2:00 PM. Convenient locations for lunch in Morganton are Yiannis Restaurant at 112 W Union St, Murray’s of Morganton at 150 S. Sterling St, and Friday Friends at 315 Sanford Dr. There are many other restaurants to choose from in the downtown area as well and in the Quaker Meadows area.
• Directions to the Catawba Meadows Park:
From Hickory (I-40 West Bound) 23 miles, 25 minutes
Exit I-40 at #103 (Morganton/Rutherfordton) - go 0.2 miles to end of ramp.
Turn Right on Burkemont Avenue (US-64) - go 0.7 miles (beside stop light at
NCSD football field).
Turn Left on W Fleming Drive (US-70) - go 1.1 miles.
Continue straight onto Sanford Drive (US-64-BYP) - go 1.9 miles to park
entrance on the Left (Catawba Meadows Blvd).
From Asheville (I-40 East Bound) 50 miles, 55 minutes
Exit I-40 at #100 (Jamestown Road) - go 0.2 miles to end of ramp.
Turn Left on Jamestown Road - go 2.0 miles (in front of KFC).
Continue straight onto Independence Blvd - go 1.5 miles.
Turn Right on N Green Street (NC-181) - go 0.6 miles (over Catawba River
Bridge).
Turn Left on Sanford Drive (US-64-BYP) - go 0.7 miles to park entrance on
Left (Catawba Meadows Blvd).
• If you need road side, service one contact I would recommend is: Scott Farris - Burkemont Service Center in Morganton NC (828) 439-5557 or 828-439-5558. He has towing services available and has an extensive background working on European automobiles.
• The tour route is primarily fun, curvy, paved roads although at the Joara archeology site you will park basically in a field just off Henderson Mill road. We have parked over 400 cars there during field day over the summer without incident but proceed slowly. It would be smart to follow others at some distance if you feel the road surface is at all questionable.
• Stops will be open rain or shine starting at 9:00am with the Camp Lake James Stop and the Bear Creek Marina stops closing at 12:00 noon and the other stops closing at 2:00 pm. Your arrival at the Catawba Meadows Park should be between 2:30 and 3:30 pm.
• Catawba Meadows activities will end at 4:30 pm.
• In the June issue of Classic and Sports Car Magazine there was a supplement called 101 things to do with your classic before you die (or it does!) Out of the list of 101 there are several that you might be able to accomplish on Touring Joara like, 6) Go topless in the snow; even if you are driving a convertible it probably will not snow on October 1st in North Carolina, but we might get a surprise. 12) Drive it all year round; you could start this on October 1st through. 19) Help a stranded Classic; I hope this is not needed. 20) Wear branded gear, but don’t own the car; I know you have a shirt from a car brand that you once owned or would like to own. 28) Take a superb photograph of your classic; there are many beautiful locations on the tour route so don’t hesitate to pull off the road and take a photo. 29) Squeeze into a Mini; I am not sure if the owner would mind but this could be fun! 36) Be part of the local club scene: There will be several different types of car club members on the tour, so ask around. 44) Get your car in print: We will be taking photos of the cars on the tour and please send us your photos after the tour and your car just might end up in print. 49) Celebrate your cars birthday: My Fiat Spider 2000 was built in October 1979 - Happy Birthday! 50) Drive a pre-war car: I know there will be a few on the tour. 58) Share it with the family: Bring a family member with you on the tour. 61) Raise cash for charity: You will be doing this one – Thanks. 74) Race against a locomotive: Don’t do this. 75) Buy an eBay basket case at 12 am after 6 pints: This will be for after the tour. 78) Properly clean, polish and ‘detail’ your paintwork: If you are like me this is done quite often anyway. 81) Collect period accessories: Someone will win a Ford model T wrench with their poker prize – it could be you! 82) Drive across the USA from coast to coast: This could start with Touring Joara and end in LA. 85) Drive someone else’s car: You might have a friend that would like to trade for awhile. 91) Take dad to the pub: This one you will also have to do after the tour. 92) Subscribe to C&SC: This you can do from anywhere and I was "shocked" they included it in their 101! 100) Own a massive American classic: I know of at least one that will be on the tour and it meets the #50 as well.
Thanks again for being part of Touring Joara and I hope you have a great time on the tour!
Scott Coley
Tour Coordinator - Touring Joara

 

Touring Joara is just around the corner and if you have been waiting to see how the weather is going to be to register wait no more. Saturday is going to be dry and beautiful according to Ray’s Weather forecast and the Weather Channel. So plan to come to Marion for the start and register from 8:00 till 8:30. We will be gathering at the corner of Logan and W. Henderson Street in down town. It is going to be a great day to drive!!!!
Scott Coley

 

I have now put together all of the 10 prizes for the poker run and I am very pleased with them. The First place “best hand” is an amazing piece of art using aluminum to recreate my poster design in 3-D and it is truly first class. It was designed and made by Rodger Carter who was challenged to create it by Don Haugen. Don had purchased a Ferrari laser cut aluminum statue at the Ferrari National Event in Savanna and Rodger meet the challenge very well. We also have a piece of NC art pottery, a Night Rider GPS system so that you can relive the days when” KIT” was on T V. A framed 2011 Touring Joara Poster, a case of oil, and lots of car cleaning stuff.
The weather is going to be beautiful so if you have not registered come over to Marion at the corner of Logan and W. Henderson street from 8:00-8:30 am and register. I hope to see you there it is going to be fun!!!!!
Scott Coley