From the Vice President
December 2013
The Allante’ Atlanta Car Club is on a roll!!! Within the last year we have welcomed seven new members to the AACC. Some joined due to referrals from other members, or to our new website (yea! Thomas); or having recently purchased their first Allante’. Our new members are: Phil and Jeanette Waldrop from Big Canoe, Steve and Lisa Crossgrove of Deerfield Beach FL, Bill Corn of Duluth, Tom and Linda Faber of Canton, Larry and Sari Johnston of Monterey TN, Dick and Beverly Moran of Atlanta, and Bill Winkler of Sarasota FL. Welcome to the Allante’ Atlanta family. You all have joined a truly fun and active Club.
And referring to activities…..well our Fall Cruise through Highlands, Sapphire Valley, on the Blue Ridge Parkway, the Cherohala Skyway and overnight stay in Cherokee, NC was fun, fun, fun. The Atlanta group met at McDonalds in Buford for a quick breakfast before driving on to Highlands for a late lunch. We joined up with Sweetie and Darlene Armstrong, Thomas Boyland and son Shaun in Highlands for lunch at the Main Street Bistro. Budd and Darr Neidig met us at the hotel in Cherokee after playing in Gatlinburg. Unfortunately, Norman and Linda Penfield left our caravan in Highlands due to Linda’s motion sickness. We found them again in Cherokee, NC with Linda slowly recovering.
From Highlands we traveled on curvy Highway 64 East through Cashiers and Sapphire Valley to NC 215. Hwy 215 was a beautiful drive with NO traffic and little motorcycles chasing or passing us. We stopped at a scenic overlook for pictures and met the 4 motorcyclists behind us. None of us could believe this beautiful highway had not been discovered. It was a true off-the-beaten path road!
All of us agreed that this year, the leaf color was spectacular! It is truly hard to describe the brilliant colors and breathtaking vistas we experienced. Our Fall Cruise is one of our more popular trips and this year, Mother Nature outdid herself which added so much more to our enjoyment! We arrived in Cherokee around 5:30 pm. We checked in, unloaded our beverage cart, and suitcases, and hooked up with Darr and Budd, Norman and Linda. We got a chance to freshen up, and schedule the shuttle to transport us to Harrah’s Casino and Ruth Chris for dinner. The shuttle was a perfect transport; $1/person, pickup at our hotel’s front door and drop off at the front door of the Casino. The restaurant had the table for 15 ready and the fun started. We enjoyed a cocktail or two, some wine appetizers, wonderful entrees and desserts and lots of laughter and conversation.
After dinner, a few eager souls explored the Casino’s slots and games; others headed back to the hotel for rest. Most of us met for breakfast around 9 am before heading out. Some stayed to explore the area. Our adventure ended after a good BBQ luncheon in a little town somewhere in NC. Then it was pedal to the floor to get home after hugs and goodbyes. Our next adventure was our Christmas cruise to Helen, GA. We stayed overnight so we could enjoy good German beers, food, retail therapy, wine tours and being tourists in this little Alpine village beauty in North Georgia. A relaxing Christmas cruise. With Tennessee well represented on the trip!
Be sure to highlight on your Allante’ calendar those events you will participate in for 2014 and be certain to check of for updates on Facebook or our website. The schedule has been created, the Allante’ pinup cars have been identified and the Calendar will be published for your personal planning of the year to come. Next year will be a year of exploration visiting some local or nearby areas for daily cruises and some new overnight(s) trips to new locales. 2014 will be busy for the AACC. Here’s hoping you will join us. Our events give us many pleasures: always our Allante’s, our Allante’ family and the joys of new and seasoned friendships. Come join us and add new memories.
Paula Vopelak - Vice President AACC
