From: | Bob Nicholas | e-mail: | bobheci@hotmail.com |
Subject: | RE: Road Run - We Need Your Input - How About Peaks of Otter | Date: | Tue Apr 5 19:37:26 2011 |
Response to: | 364 |
All, If you get a chance, please contact us regarding last Friday's e-mail. We know how busy everybody is, but we really need and appreciate your input. We believe, from the responses at February and March meetings that there is sufficient interest in a Road Run this fall. However, it might make sense to get a potential head-count for the event. That would help us in preparing possible alternatives for your vote. Please let us know if you hope to attend the 2011 Road Run. The Road Run committee has been telling the various resorts that we would need between 15 - 20 rooms. That count was based on previous year's participation. If we are going to need more rooms or less rooms, we'll need to know. It could end up being a big factor in choosing the venue for this year's Road Run. Here is a new option since last Friday's e-mail: Mike, Rollo and I have started checking out Peaks of Otter in Bedford County, VA. (Both Hodge and Rollo have ridden in this part of Virginia and said that the countryside is great). Peaks of Otter is about 4 hours away from Northern Virginia and is located near Milepost 86 of the Blue Ridge Parkway. We've found out that over 50% of the hotel's business is from motorcycle riders, so we know they are biker friendly. Currently, they do have enough hotel rooms for us mid-October. (For example the weekend starting Thursday October 13th, Friday 14th and Saturday 15th is still available). Most of the rooms have two double beds. Some king bed rooms are available, as well. The room rate should be about $135 / night. That is a few bucks higher then the $125 / night we discussed at the March meeting. The hotel does not offer group discounts. The hotel manager told us that their rooms get booked up quickly in late October and early November. That is the peak-time for the fall foliage. The rooms look nice, but do not have TVs, phones or Internet connection. In addition, cell phone coverage is spotty near the hotel. Looks like we'd be on our own for entertainment. From our initial review, the hotel grounds and surrounding countryside look like a fine place to hold a road run. Please take a look at their website and let us know if you would like us to continue researching this location. www.peaksofotter.com Whatever place the club chooses, we'll need to commit to a group of rooms in the very near future. Fall is a popular time to head to the mountains. If a place like Peaks of Otter is to your liking (or disliking) please let us know. We will need to vote for the place and dates for the 2011 Road Run at the next meeting. Any input you would share before the meeting is greatly appreciated. We are definitely open to any suggestions you may have. Thank you, in advance, for your responses, suggestions and interest. Best Regards, Bob Nicholas (2011 Road Run Committee - Tom Hardy, Mike Mueller and Bob Nicholas) ----- ORIGINAL MESSAGE FOLLOWS ----- Hi Guys, Mike, Rollo and I have been working diligently to come up with a venue for this year's Road Run. We're finding that most of the places are already booked up for weekends in September and October. So far, we've researched over 20 places with only small amount of luck. We wanted to get your feelings regarding a few options that might open up some additional possibilities: 1) Would it be OK to start looking at Weekdays? (Sunday Night through Thursday). This would mean you would miss a few days at work. 2) Can we start looking for places in August as well as September and October? 3) Can we look at hotels/motels in addition to the lodges and cabins we've been checking out? 4) There is one weekend that Smoke Hole Cavern Resort has plenty of cabins available one long weekend in late September. All of the other weekends in September and October have been booked. Would you like to go back to Smoke Hole again this year? 5) Are you opposed to going back to Natural Bridge? (We have not contacted them, so far). The Road Run Committee needs your input. Please let us know your thoughts. You can contact any one of us us by e-mail or phone if you'd like to voice your opinions in private. Otherwise feel free to respond through the Highlands Exchange. I did speak with Hodge this morning. He would like to put these issues to a vote. We should do this at the meeting this month. In the meantime, please let us know your thoughts. If you have any suggestions on locations and lodging, please, let us know. We'd be happy to check out any of your suggestions. Thanks for your input. Bob Nicholas |