The Schedule of Events for the 3 Day Fall 2008 'Tail of the Dragon' Crossfire Meet:

(the Most Important Events are on Saturday & noted in Blue).

Friday October 31

Members will be arriving throughout the afternoon.
Some may hang out and greet others coming in or some may want to do a quick run on the Dragon before dinner.
The section of road known as the Tail of the Dragon (US129) is only 9 miles from the Fontana lodge.
Just take Hwy 28 (left) from the lodge to US129.
Turn right on US129 and you are on the Dragon.
Sunset is at 6:40 pm

The Dragon US129
US129 & Hwy 28 (circled in red)
Click on maps to enlarge

Drinks available at the The Bear's Den Lounge in the lodge from 5 PM to 9 PM
Dinner at the Mountain View Bistro in the lodge open 5 PM to 9 PM
Dinner Reservations Recommended at time of check in.

After dinner:
Gather in the Large Comfortable Lodge Lobby in front of the Fireplace for more conversation etc.
The lobby is furnished with a lot of comfort for sitting and visiting and alcohol is allowed.
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Saturday November 1
(The Big Day)

Sat 8:30 AM Breakfast at the Fontana Village Mountain View Bistro in the lodge.
(10 min from the Dam Meet).

Sat 10:00 AM (leave)

Be ready....
Line up and leave the lodge in a group and head for the Fontana Dam Visitors Center PHOTO SHOOT
(10 minutes away)

Turn right out of the lodge onto Hwy 28
Go 3 miles from the Lodge to Fontana Dam parking lot.
Entrance to the parking lot is on your left.
Parking lot is in front of the Overlook Gift Shop.

(We will probably be there until 11:30 AM so take your time at breakfast if you wish to leave slightly later than the group)

Professional photos have been arranged for this meet with US129 photos
They will be at the Fontana Dam visitors center from 10:00 to 11:30 am Saturday morning for our group pics.
He also will take individual pics upon request at the meet that morning.

Sat 11:30 AM (leave)
Lunch Run to Robbinsville - Hwy 28 to Hwy 143 right (18 mi, approx 30 min)
Lunch in Robbinsville at Sweetwater BBQ or McDonald's or Wendy's or Subway. (You pick, all within a block of each other)
An hour and a half is planned for this lunch stop.

Sat 1:30 PM (regroup and leave)
Big Loop Run Robbinsville back to Fontana Village....


"Big Loop Run" click-on it
(118 mi, 3.5 Hour drive)

Leave Robbinsville on US129/143 north and watch for US143 fork off to the left to
Cherohala Skyway (NC. hwy 143 & TN. hwy 165) (5,200 ft @ 45 Mph)
Just before the town "Tellico Plains" take Hwy 360 north right

Pit-Stop at Hardy's in Venore.
Hwy 360 and Hwy 411 intersect here about 74 mi into the Big Loop (restrooms & gas available)

After leaving Venore continue on hwy 411/72 north to hwy 72 right back to US129 -The Dragon
(318 Curves in 11 mi @ 30 Mph)

Then left on Hwy 28 and go 9 miles back to the Fontana Lodge on right.


Sat 4:30-5:00 PM (arrive)
Most will have arrived back at the lodge by now and will have a couple of hours to stop back in their rooms or simply hang out or gather in the lobby before dinner.
Drinks available at the The Bear's Den Lounge in the lodge from 5 PM to 9 PM
Dinner at the Mountain View Bistro in the lodge open 5 PM to 9 PM
Dinner Reservations Recommended at time of check in.

After dinner:
Gather in the Large Comfortable FV Lodge Lobby in Front of the Fireplace for more conversation etc.
The lobby is furnished with a lot of comfort for sitting and visiting and alcohol is allowed.
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Sunday November 2

Sun 8:30 AM
Breakfast at Mountain View Bistro in the lodge.
Goodbyes to some and for others a short meeting in the Lodge lobby prior to the events beginning around 10 am.

Sun 10:00 AM
A short drive to the lower dam for another quick photo session
Then a drive to Cherokee (lunch) and up through the Smokey mountains to Gatlinburg then on over to Townsend and back around through the foothills parkway and back through the 'Tail of the Dragon" and back to Fontana lodge
As like Saturday....
Most will have arrived back at the lodge and will have a couple of hours to stop back in their rooms or simply hang out or gather in the lobby before dinner.
Drinks available at the The Bear's Den Lounge in the lodge from 5 PM to 9 PM
Dinner at the Mountain View Bistro in the lodge open 5 PM to 9 PM
Dinner Reservations Recommended at time of check in.

Sunday Drive Highlighted map below