Fall Foliage Drive to the Poconos - a Leaf-Peeper's Special!

(NOTE - Walter will pre-run the route for this drive on Thursday, October 22, and he is inviting LVMOC members to join him on that date.  Here's a LINK to the pre-run thread.) 

When -                   Sunday, October 25, 2020

                                  Arrive: 9:30 a.m.

                                  Drivers' Meeting: 9:45 a.m.

                                  Depart:  9:55 a.m.

 Where -                Sheetz

                                   5001 MacArthur Road

                                  Whitehall, PA    Location

Event Leader -  Walter Cramer

Walter is hosting a tour to view the Autumn colors of the southwestern Poconos.  The drive will leave from the Sheetz station in Whitehall, at the intersection of MacArthur Rd. (PA Route 145) and Chestnut St., and head north toward Jim Thorpe on a blend of curvy, Miata-favorable roads and scenic touring roads with plenty of colorful Autumn views.  Weather permitting, we will enjoy a picnic lunch at the Blue Mountain Lodge picnic area (Be sure to bring your camping chairs and a picnic lunch or snack).

We will pass through Jim Thorpe and head north on PA Route 93, through Weatherly and up the route of the Weatherly Hill Climb to enjoy its tight switchback curves (for videos of past action at the Hill Climb, click HERE).  The route continues north through the Lehigh Gorge area, via Lehigh Gorge Road, and reaches our rest stop at a WAWA on PA Route 940 at the intersection of I-80 and the PA Turnpike.

En route to our lunch stop, we will visit the Francis E. Walter Dam, on the upper Lehigh River, to enjoy the beauty of that area, before continuing south through the Lake Harmony region and State Game Lands.  The route then will take us south, along scenic PA Route 534, to the Kunkletown area, through a covered bridge and finally to Blue Mountain Lodge for our picnic lunch.

This event will follow the current Pennsylvania rules for COVID-19 safety.  We will require that all participants maintain six-foot social distancing, and we will require masks to be worn when not in our cars.  To avoid common handling of materials, we will email the directions to participants, for home printing, and we will eliminate the usual paper sign-in sheet.  Since the sign-in confirms your agreement with LVMOC’s standard Waiver and Release, we will now consider your post to this event thread, indicating that you intend to participate, to be your “electronic” signature, indicating your agreement with said Waiver and Release (copy available on request).

This drive will be limited to 15 cars, including the leader, with priority given to paid LVMOC members.  If the 15-car limit is not met, we will open the drive to non-members.

We will use FRS radios for communications.

Attending:

1. Walter & Nancy
2. Janice & David
3. Annette & Jim
4. Louie and Justin
5. Corrina and Tara
6. Jerry and Wanda
7. Edwin
8. Carlos
9. Eddie and Ivette
10. Jeff
11. Jim and Melissa
12. Alex 
13. Joe Annette's guest