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:
- Walter & Nancy
- Janice & David
- Annette & Jim
- Louie and Justin
- Corrina and Tara
- Jerry and Wanda
- Edwin
- Carlos
- Eddie and Ivette
- Jeff
- Jim and Melissa
- Alex
- Joe Annette's guest
Silver 2011 NC PRHT Grand Touring (actually Janice's car)
I, as President hopeful, have already considered this, and is why I offered a drive on Saturday, and the following day. I was curious to see the response. As in today, there were as many here as yesterday. There will be more Sunday drives next year.
Louie
2014 Club 2.5L "Punisher Edition", 2017 RF GT
Thanks again Walter for putting this together! It was great to finally get a chance to enjoy seeing the Dam and the Weatherly Hill Climb had Haley giggling in the passenger seat! 🙂 She also loved seeing the F-14 and as a former sailor, so did I. It was also nice to see some new faces even though I didn't really introduce myself. Hopefully this run can become an annual tradition for the Club?
On a side note, when Haley's mom showed up to pick her up, they got into her Pathfinder. Haley then asked her mom to lower the roof! 🤣 Her mom told me that every time she sees a convertible she asks if it is a Miata. She is only 10 but I have a good feeling that in six years, she will be looking for a used Miata as her first car. 😊
2016 ST Ceramic Metallic GT aka Ghost
As a father, Miata is the answer. No back seat. Too small to make out in. Fuel efficient so she can afford it. And super reliable, so she wont get stranded anywhere.
2014 Club 2.5L "Punisher Edition", 2017 RF GT
As a father, Miata is the answer. No back seat. Too small to make out in. Fuel efficient so she can afford it. And super reliable, so she wont get stranded anywhere.
another great argument for a Miata as a first car to go along with the no back seat is can only take one friend at a time anywhere--no car full of teenagers to distract a new driver.
More good points for a first time driver is how easy the car is to drive because of its handling, and with RWD, a good excuse not to take it out in snow (just don't tell your kid how good the car is in snow).
Plus, the two of you can bond over the Moss Miata Catalog when it comes! And you can bond over modding her car! It is hard to bond over a Town and Country...
2014 Club 2.5L "Punisher Edition", 2017 RF GT
Thanks, Jeff, and YES, I am planning on having this as an annual ride at a minimum. So glad you and Haley enjoyed stopping at the F-14. You can appreciate it as a Navy man and I as an Air Force man. I know Steve appreciated it as an Army man.
Haley is a sweetie. Fun to chat with her and hear the stories of her giggling on the rides.
You may not have heard Joe's story about purchasing his 1990 Mariner Blue Miata. Joe and his wife, Tina, reside in New Jersey and joined us yesterday on the Pocono Fall Foliage Drive. Joe purchased his Mariner Blue eleven years ago - somewhat by accident.
The previous owner grew tired of the car and took it to a salvage yard and sold it. Joe's boss mentioned it to Joe and he went and bought the Mariner Blue for $1,000. Absolutely nothing wrong with it. He jumped in and drove it home. What a find, right?
I told Joe he could double his investment dollars, however, he turned down my offer of $2,000.
Haven't had my Miata out today. Firewood delivery and yard work took precedence.
However, Sunday, a very chilly Sunday, I might add, I and several others had our tops down for the Pocono Fall Foliage drive all the way to the lunch point. While at Blue Mountain Resort, rain drops frightened most of us to put our tops up.
Those are very good reasons for a new driver to have a Miata. All the same reasons I used to try and convince my wife to let our son get one. She preferred something a little bigger though so he got a Mazda3 hatchback. Not only a backseat but a backseat that folds flat with access to the cargo area! 🤣
@rthelaw
That is some great news! Haley will be very happy to hear this too.
Oh he77 yeah! Dropped the top when I left the house at 6am. A scarf under my jacket, gloves, seat heater on and heat blowing out of the vents + windows down = a perfect morning drive. 😊
2016 ST Ceramic Metallic GT aka Ghost
Literally every day it isn't raining. I will drive in the snow, top down if it isn't a blizzard.
I hate roofs.
2014 Club 2.5L "Punisher Edition", 2017 RF GT
