A run through the TWISTIES is
just like an autocross; that is, if the autocross was held on a course that was tilted randomly at 20-degree angles,
AND you could only see one corner at a time,
AND the cones were replaced with a rock wall on one side, a guard rail (if lucky) or the abyss (if not) on the other side,
AND obstacles were occasionally on the course (like a bicycle, or a bus). Yup,
just like big, fast, manic, everyone-on-the-course-at-the-same-time, don’t-hit-any-cones type autocross!
We flew towards the first turn in our Guards Red CS. The yellow diamond road sign showed an S-shaped arrow and a speed of 25 mph. The brain put out an urgent call for advice: now what? Past experiences come to mind: other autocrosses, driver’s instruction,
articles, chats with the lads, lines from some movie….something…anything!
Brake hard – turn – get on it – 10 mph right – watch the wheel spin – 15 mph left – breath – ease into the corner – late apex – squeeze on the power – accelerate – relax – that’s good – 25 mph S – be smooth – a little early that time – that’s better –push it – easy now. After ten or so intense minutes of going up and over the mountain, the incredible video game that was playing through our windshield was over.
Now, a little bit about our “leader”. Bill Koff is no ordinary driver;
spindoc is not a boy racer, nor stop-light hot-shoe or an AX junkie. I didn’t inquire as to his credentials; I only overheard bits in conversations over the weekend, such as:
yadda, yadda, yadda, driving instructor.
Yadda, yadda, yadda, hill climbing champion.
Yadda, yadda, yadda, retired racer. Who knows? What I do know is that only two, maybe three of the twenty-plus drivers at the R’n’C including those in the track-ready Lotus Elises, could keep him in sight… not
catch him, not
push him, not
pass him, just
see him at the end of each run.
After the first run, the drivers piled out of their cars clearly excited – big smiles, high fives, whoops of joy, heads shaking in amazement. The navigators also piled out of the cars, albeit a bit slower. They were excited, too; but for many of them NOT in the same way as the drivers. Some were shaken, some were sullen – alcohol and meds were discussed as some regained their composure.
Those in the navigation seat are mere spectators and commentators – no steering wheel, no brakes. The action comes fast and furious, appearing 10 mph faster to those riding along. Very early in the planning stages, participants were warned that they may wish to leave their potential passengers at home if they were not participating as a co-driver: Valid advice, but advice that was hard to comprehend fully until after the first run. At that point the “advice” became “sobering reality”, as there were still three more runs to complete before day’s end.
And so the day continued: Balsam Grove TWISTIES, lunch in Waynesville, “Baby Dragon” TWISTIES, an unscheduled “scenic tour” of Franklin, Thunder Road TWISTIES, then ending at Cheoah Dam for pictures. This dam appeared in the film “The Fugitive”, where Harrison Ford’s character jumped off the dam in order to avoid capture. After a brief photo session, everyone set off for the evening and prepared for the featured run scheduled for early Saturday morning on the Tail of the Dragon at Deal’s Gap.
Throughout the event, each participant made their own arrangements for lodging. Unfortunately, with concurrent Ferrari and “Z” car events in the area, our group was housed in different hotel properties. For those of us in the Fontana Village Resort, a group dinner reservation allowed us to learn more about each other – and we all liked what we learned. Our group varied in age, background, means, and profession; we learned in just one day that our vehicle of choice, the Cayman, was capable of more than we could have ever imagined.
Day Two: Enter the Dragon
I woke long before the six o’clock alarm the next morning in anticipation of the day’s itinerary. Friendly faces were trolling the lodge for coffee – we all had the same thought swirling in the back of our minds – “the Dragon”. Without the weight of luggage, and many without passengers, we knew our cars would be quicker and more responsive than the day before. The group quietly rolled out of Fontana at dawn to meet up with the others at the “Crossroads of Time” gas station and curio shop, and began the climb up the beast.
The road was, in a word, “perfect”. Fresh, smooth asphalt that was banked through each corner; the lanes were generous in width and the scenery, when one could catch a glimpse, breathtaking. After a dozen and a half minutes of continuous curves and compound corners, the road descended towards a bridge marking the end of the run. We all gathered in the parking area to share our impressions of the drive, take a group photo, survey passers-by, and prepare for the return trip. Another dozen and a half minutes or so and 11 miles of rhythmic braking, turns, and acceleration, and it was over. What a road!
After picking up luggage, navigators, gasoline and souvenirs, we started the long passage towards our lunchtime destination over 100 miles away. The caravan, now totaling 20 cars, drew a lot of attention along the way including a group of rescue workers and state troopers who were completing paperwork after a fender-bender involving a semi trailer on I-40. They all stopped, stood and stared as one-by-one the parade of colorful dream cars passed slowly by. Soon, we were challenged by the Candler Mountain TWISTIES – the navigators who had been nervous the day before were nervous again, and this time with good reason – this run had the narrowest roads of them all, the sharpest turns, no shoulder, no guard rails and lots of oncoming traffic.
Several tense minutes later, we emerged onto the broad Blue Ridge Parkway and lunch at the Pisgah Inn. The 54-room Pisgah Inn is perched at the 5,000 foot elevation along the Parkway and has unfettered views from its large dining room and rocking chair-equipped porches to the surrounding mountains. In the parking lot were a few Ferraris, including a new 599 GTB Fiorano. The crowd of automotive admirers and onlookers milling about the lot appreciated the addition of our fleet for their inspection.
The stretch on the Blue Ridge Parkway after lunch was paced at the Parkway’s speed limit of 45mph – speeding here is a federal offense as the Parkway is managed by the National Park Service – and included several tunnels where our Lotus friends could rev the ear-splitting, 1.8 liter, 4-cylinder engines through their tuned exhaust. We slipped onto I-40 east of Asheville and began descending down the face of Old Fort Mountain. During the long stretch of sweeping s-curves dropping thousands of feet, the pack broke into a three-lane wide formation and coasted down the hill for miles – the group had bonded – the images of that run will remain with us all forever.
The Mount Mitchell TWISTIES were gentle and ended back on the Parkway for a reflective drive to Little Switzerland – the day’s final destination. The Switzerland Inn has been in operation along the Parkway since 1910 and offers large rooms in its lodges or individual cottages. At dinner that night, we were a group of friends that happened to own cars rather than a group of car owners. Conversations were warm and personal as we reflected upon the ground that we had covered: physically, emotionally and interpersonally. We also began to think about our journeys home.
Day Three: The Final Runs
The final morning, a small group drove the Sandy Gap Loop TWISTIES, a very nice road that both started and ended at the front door of the hotel. One last group breakfast, hugs and well wishes before the Crocsters began to disperse; and some recognition for our gracious rally master through a couple of impromptu ceremonies. In a selfless gesture, Helmut Zodl awarded
his new Cayman Club logo shirt and hat to Bill Koff on behalf of the PCA and The Cayman Registry. In a less-serious “dramatic reenactment” from the previous evening, I presented
spindoc with the soon-to-be-coveted “Golden Croc Award”, which in reality is neither a
crocodile, nor
golden, but reflects the spirit of this event that we all hope will characterize the R’n’C’ Rally in the future.
Afterwards,
Booster quietly started his journey home – another marathon drive west to the Rockies and north almost to the Arctic Circle. We headed south towards our condo in Florida. Less than half of the cars continued on a spirited run through Loafer’s Glory TWISTIES and then, due to shall we say “unforeseen circumstances”, took a revised routing into Blowing Rock, NC for the final lunch and goodbyes.
Now, a day after the R’n’C, most of us are home – Stafford and Joy are almost back in Canada, but still have a day and a half’s drive ahead of them; Joel and Karla were returning to New England at a relaxed pace along the Parkway. We feel fortunate and grateful, knowing that we were all part of something very special during this, the first R’n’C Rally. Pictures have been posted online and the accolades have just begun. Those of us who had the pleasure to experience the Rock’n’Croc Rally offer our most heartfelt thanks and appreciation to Bill Koff, Martin Salas, The Cayman Registry (
www.planet-9.com), and the Porsche Club of America. The PCA has said many times, “it’s not about the cars, it’s about the people” – there is no truer statement.
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