Graind Tour 2021: Part Four

This is Part Four of the 924S944.com Grand Tour 2021.  The tour includes three weekends of Porsche events in a 5,000 mile trip.  Catch up with Part One here, Part Two here and Part Three here.

We have participated in the Appalachian Region PCA “Appalachian Adventure” for the past two years, and this year it was added as the last leg of our epic 924S tour.  This year, instead of North Georgia we went to Blowing Rock, North Carolina for our adventure.  Staying at the Meadowbrook Inn, we met other Porsche owners for a great weekend.  Of course we had the only 924S, and only one 944 turbo and one 928 made the event – the rest were 911’s, Caymans, Boxsters, one Panamera and one SUV.  Quite a collection of beautiful cars.

The Appalachian Region is one of the fastest growing PCA Regions in the club.  With the apparent flight from the northeast, Florida and other areas, the mountains of North Carolina is a popular destination.  And they bring their Porsches with them when they come.  We have participated in the Appalachian Adventure for the past two years with the previous two “Adventures” taking place in Northeaster Georgia near Blairsville.  The change for this year to Blowing Rock was a great change of scenery.  And this year we brought some of our own Florida Citrus Region PCA folks with us.

Blowing Rock is a small but bustling town nestled about eight miles from Boone, NC.  With the Blue Ridge Parkway close by and lots of great twisty roads to drive, it is the perfect venue for a Porsche event.

We checked in on Thursday afternoon and unloaded Moe, our 1988 924S Special Edition.  Slowly more and more Porsches showed up at the Meadowbrook, soon filling the parking lot with new and older Porsches.  There was one 912, but no 356 or 914’s represented.  Happy hour was a fun way to check in for the event and meet old and new friends.  Since our previous participations involved 924S’s, all we had to say is, “We’re the 924S people” and could instantly reconnect.

Friday morning was an opportunity to go on one of three drives.  We chose the drive on the Blue Ridge Parkway which included a lunch stop, and our group of about twenty left the hotel, got right to the parkway and enjoyed some relaxed driving through the mountains. With lunch along the way on Parkway, we returned at about 4:00.  What a day!

On Saturday we had a Peoples Choice Concours in the parking lot of a local church in Blowing Rock.  Organized in classes, there was a pristine white 928, a pristine 951 and our own Moe in Class 7, which was won by the 928.  Quite a beautiful car to say the least.  The highlight of the concours show was a Porsche Junior Tractor and a perfectly restored 1951 356 owned by Chip Perry, a local car nut who you may remember was associated with Auto Trader when they went digital.  Plenty of wonderful cars on display!

After the concours we went to Chip Perry’s “Car Barn” where he keeps his private collection of Porsches, VWs and some British vintage cars.  The place was much more than a “barn” and more like a luxury meeting hall.  Words cannot describe it – see the photos below.

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After the “Car Barn,” we had a little rest and then the closing banquet where stories were told and awards given.  Chip Perry spoke about the ties between VW, Porsche, Dr. Porsche and of all things, the Nazis in WWII Germany.  Interesting stuff.

The Appalachian Adventure was another great weekend with PCA.  It is on the list for next year, too.  Should be on your list, too.

After loading Moe on the trailer, we make the almost 600-mile trip home.  The Grand Tour 2021 totaled 5,100 miles on the truck, almost 600 miles on Moe, and twenty-two days on the road.  Unforgettable.

Now for our next extended road trip…Grand Tour 2022?

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