Link to more pictures

I've uploaded all my photos for the 11-day MG2012 NC Border Tour to Snapfish - Click here-Pat's pictures on Snapfish

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Kitty Hawk to Home - last day

Today, Thursday, June 14, is the last day of the North Carolina Border Tour.  We are all wishing we did not have to say goodbye.  It's been a great time traveling together.

Today's weather was very windy as you can see from the picture of the Atlantic Ocean from our hotel room.  We traveled with our tops up as it looked like it would rain.  It did not rain, as it turned out, but there were a few sprinkles on the windscreen a couple of times.

Of the group that went to Kitty Hawk, the first to leave was Trip and Georgia at 8am.  They traveled north and made it home to New Jersey the same day.  Next, Dick, Beth, Steve, and Paula left at 9am.  They traveled south down Hwy 12 to Hattaras and Oracoke to take the ferry to the North Carolina mainland.  Dick and Beth then traveled home while Steve and Paula continued their journey to states further south.

The last group left about 9:30am to continue the NC Border Tour by traveling Hwy 158 from the hotel. We all stopped at Diggers just to see the monster trucks and the shiny diner.

Cars: Dennis, PJ, Gary, Ron, Paul

Then PJ left the group to head north to Virginia.  The rest of us drove north around Elizabeth City to Murfreesboro where we had lunch.  Then Gary, Wayburn, Dennis and Pat split to head home. Ron and Paul and the truck with Jordan driving headed home to Rolesville.  We waved goodbye as the Paul, Kimi and Jordan continued south to Raleigh to home.  We all had a safe trip home.

On the final leg home we all, those with CB's, were serenaded by Dennis & Pat.  It was a lively tune that had all of us smiling and LOL.  Pat and Dennis wrote the words to the tune of "Cover of the Rolling Stone" by Dr. Hook and the Medicine Show fame.  At the monthly MG breakfast on Saturday, a group of us serenaded the gang with "Cover of the Road and Track."  Next time you see Dennis & Pat ask them to serenade you!!!


STATS:  Drove 213 miles on Day #11.  Total Tour Miles = 1,728 for Ron and Pat.
SPECIAL THANKS TO:  All the participants on the tour and all of the MG Clubs along the way that provided more fun!  Thanks also to our sponsors Moss Motors, Hendrix Wire Wheel, and Classic MG Magazine.

New Bern to Kitty Hawk

Today is our last day of the North Carolina Border Tour.  Tomorrow morning we head home.

It was a good traveling day.  We split into two groups as Dick, Beth, Steve and Paula wanted to go to Bath, NC, and then travel Hwy 264 to Manteo.  The rest of the group elected to travel Hwy 64 to Manteo.  One of our comfort stops was at Pocosin Lakes National Wildlife Refuge.  Stopped mainly so that Trip could purchase Bertie county peanuts that Ron had introduced to him.  There was no car to fix so the guys thought it would be good to give me a "butt" shot for the blog - even though their butts were not bent over an engine.  I took the pic and here it is!

The guys posed for an obligatory "butt" shot

Our second mission today was to get a picture of the car at the Manteo sign to record our having reached the sea.  We took the Murphy (mountain) picture on Day #3 and here we are on Day #10 with our Manteo (sea) sign - SUCCESS!  I thought this state highway sign was on state property.  But....the driveway that allowed our little cars to drive to the sign was NOT on highway property.  However, we were able to very quickly get our individual pictures and a group picture before we scurried off the grass (as the homeowner came out of his house to say something to Kimi) and back onto the road to drive over the bridge to Manteo. Whew!

Pat and Ron at the welcome to Manteo sign

Cars:  Ron, Gary, Dennis, Trip, PJ, Paul

We had lunch in Manteo at a restaurant on the intracoastal - windy and sunny day.

View from our table at lunch

Gary, Dennis, Pat, Gerogia, Trip, Wayburn, Jordan, Ron, Pat, PJ, Kimi, Paul

Just as we finished lunch, the rest of the group caught up to us.  They had been delayed to make a fix to Steve's car.  We all headed back on the road, drove ver the bridge to the Outer Banks and to the Wright Brother's Memorial and Museum.  Here we are lined up in front of the Memorial. 

Cars:  Dennis, PJ, Paul, Gary, Steve, Trip, Ron, Dick

Ron and Pat at the Wright Brothers Memorial

View from our hotel balcony

Then we headed to the hotel.

View from the hotel pier

After walking on the beach and the pier and kite flying, we went to dinner at Rundown Cafe.  Great place to eat.  My cohorts, Dick and PJ on behalf of the group, presented me with the Tour banner.  What fun!

Dick, Pat, PJ (photo by Dick)

Paul, Jordan, Pat, Kimi, Ron, Wayburn, Gary, Pat, Dennis, Paula, Steve, Dick, Beth, Trip, Georgia, PJ - (photo by Dick)

STATS:  Drove 165 miles on Day #10
SPECIAL THANKS TO: The hearty travelers for presenting the Tour banner to me.

Pinehurst to New Bern

The day dawned overcast and it stayed that way almost all day until late in the afternoon when we drove into New Bern.  It was a light mist when we left the hotel in Pinehurst.  We left the tops up as it seemed to threaten rain.  And then, when it rained, it rained hard.  We drove into the rain at Wilmington and Wrightsville Beach.  The rain let up for about 3 minutes when we got to the museum in Wrightsville Beach and then rained again when we were in the museum.  We checked the weather forecast and saw that it was not going to let up so after touring the museum we leaped into our cars and drove to lunch where we leaped out of our cars, dodged the puddles, and went into the restaurant.  The rain let up again after we ate so that we could get a group photo at the dock.  Then it rained again as we drove to New Bern.  It stopped raining when we got to the hotel in New Bern - how lucky for us!  But we are a hearty bunch of MG (and Triumph) drivers so we still had a good day and made it safely to all of our events.  (NOTE:  We said goodbye to Tom and Laura.  They left the tour at Pinehurst.)

Members of the British Motor Club of the Cape Fear (Edie, Pam, John, Jacq, Carl) met us at the museum where they had prepared a bagel and juice break for us on the museum/house front porch.  Cute house and well presented history of the beach area.  We recommend it as a stop the next time you are at the NC beach.  Two cars joined the tour - Edie in an MGTD and John & Jacq in their Triumph TR3.

We visited the Wrightsville Beach Museum of History

PJ and Ron inside the museum

We drove to lunch at the Bluewater Grill in Wrightsville Beach which was located right at the dock.  We couldn't sit outside on the deck as it was raining too hard.  Then after lunch the skies cleared just enough for us to dash outside and gather for a group photo in front of one of the yachts.

Kimi, Jordan, Paul, Pat & Dennis, Pat & Ron, Gary & Wayburn, Trip & Georgia, Edit, PJ, Paula & Steve

After lunch Paula and Steve took a side trip to visit the USS North Carolina Battleship.  The rest of us drove to the hotel in New Bern.  It was another wet (read drippy in the cars) ride.  The sun came out as we got to the hotel.  We had a place of honor to park our cars. We have received many fine compliments from the staff at the hotel about how good the cars look.

View from our room at the hotel in New Bern

We all had a great time at the Manager's reception in the hotel lounge.  We put the tour banner up on the wall and asked more people to sign it.

That's John adding his name to our tour banner

While we were all at the hotel lounge and restaurant having a grand time, Paul and Ron were solving an MG problem on Paul's car.  Seems that at Dillard Paul noticed the valve adjusting screw was loose.  Tried tightening it a couple of times.  Finally looked at it in detail and saw that it needed to be replaced.  Got out the trusty MGB Register book of members willing to offer help.  Found a local person with the part, Paul and Ron picked up the part, then installed it.  Another fine example of members helping members!

Ron and Paul working on a Paul's MGB/GT (photo by Dick)

Working on the rocker arm adjusting screw (photo by Dick)

STATS:  Drove 247 miles on Day #9

SPECIAL THANKS TO:  British Motor Club of the Cape Fear for the arrangements to visit the Wrightsville Beach Msueum of History and selecting Bluewater Grill for lunch.  Also, thanks to Douglas Walling of New Bern whose name we found in the MGB's Mutual Aid Directory as he had the special part Paul needed to fix the MGB/GT.

Chimney Rock to Pinehurst

It rained most all day today - but....we had a very exciting adventure!  There was a light rain when we started out this morning at the hotel in Chimney Rock.  It stopped raining at our first event which was at the famous Speedway Club for lunch.  The Speedway Club is an elegant facility in the Smith Tower with a ringside seat to the whole racing field - the Charlotte Motor Speedway for NASCAR racing at its best.

Parking at Charlotte Motor speedway

Walking into the Smith Tower

View from my table at the Speedway Club for lunch

We hoisted the tour banner at the Speedway Club.  It is getting more signatures at every stop.

View of the racing field

View of the stands and straightaway in front of the Speedway Club

Then the big surprise!  Permission was given for us to drive onto the racing field and get pictures of our cars.  An even better surprise is that it stopped raining and the sun came out.  We entered through tunnel #2.  We each had to sign a waiver before going through the tunnel.

View of MG in front and MG's behind us as viewed in the side mirror

Kimi was riding with Dick as we went onto the race track

 

Cars: Dennis, Ron, PJ, Gary, Tom, Trip, Steve, Dick, Paul - to me it seemed like the stands were full of people cheering our MG's...but...actually it was an illusion created by the different color seats!

Ron with our MGB parked in the pit area

Pat and Pat in the pit

Here we are in the Winner's Circle:  Paul, Kimi, Jordan, Trip, Georgia, PJ Wayburn, Gary, Pat, Dennis, Ron, Pat, Steve, Paula, Jim, Laura, Tom, Jim's grandson, Dick

Then we went down the road to Hendrick Motorsports Museum

Jordan in a mock race seat

Then the rain came down hard as we traveled to the hotel in Pinehurst.  But once we were at the hotel, the fun started again - per all the happy faces.

Paula, Steve, Trip

Georgia, Kimi, Wayburn

Laura, Pat, Pat

Playing L-C-R dice game - Kimi, Laura, Tom,Wayburn

STATS:  Drove 207 miles on Day #8
SPECIAL THANKS TO:  Dick for arranging the lunch at the Speedway Club and thanks to the Charlotte Motor Speedway and Manager who gave permission for us to drive onto the track for pictures of our cars in the Pit and for pictures of us all in the Winner's Circle!  Fabulous!

Dillard to Chimney Rock

Today's weather, Sunday, dawned with a light rain and turned to a medium rain that lasted most all day while driving.  The rain stopped in the late afternoon.  But still a good day.

We met at the hospitality house for coffee, driver's meeting, and group photo

Nelson & Sally, Beth & Dick, Jordan, Paul & Kimi, Dennis & Pat, Gary, Laura, Steve, Wayburn, Trip & Georgia, Tim, Terry, Steve & Paula, Pat, Tom, Don, Ron

Our next photo op was at Bridal Veil Falls where you can drive under and behind the falls.

Cars:  Dick, Trip, Steve, PJ, Ron, Tom, Gary, Paul, James, Dennis

We had lunch at Dugan's Pub in Brevard.  Good food and service.  We then presented the manager with our rallye license plate (number 113) that they are going to mount on the wall.

Pat, Dick, Manager, PJ

After leaving Dillard, our chase vehicle was Paul's truck. The caravan ahead is our MG's! (photo by Dick)

After checking into the hotel in Chimney Rock, we went to Chimney Rock State Park where we took the elevator to the top.  It stopped raining.  Scenery was spectacular!

That's Lake Lure as seen from the lookout of Chimney Rock

Dennis, Trip, Pat, Pat, Kimi, Laura, Ron

Paul & Jordan taking pictures from the rock

After dinner at the hotel restaurant, we adjourned to the 2nd floor game room where we played all kinds of games, had lots of fun, drank beer and wine, ate more junk food, played more games.

STATS:  Drove 110 miles on Day #7
SPECIAL THANKS TO:   The Hospitality Ladies at Dillard who kept us (and everyone else) filled with good coffee and eats, especially the fresh and local fruits and homemade treats!  We had a fun time at the MG2012 Hospitality House and front porch.