Group photo from last year's event.
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Like last year, this event is for Volvos ONLY. Previous event attendees who no longer own Volvos are the only exception. I know this sounds rude, but the majority enjoy keeping it exclusive. This also helps limit it to our tight community where we can meet new people with similar interests.
MyNameIdeasWereTaken - C30
adamyeti - S40
Trivolvo - C30
redneckitengineer - C70
tchnprgrmr - S60R
TheBelgian - C30
Thasten - V60
prancingmeese - C30
macthias - C30
When? Saturday September 3rd is the official date of our meet, but some of us will be arriving Friday night and staying for the whole weekend.
What is Volvo Dragon Slayers? This is a one day meet at the Tail of the Dragon. This is not a full weekend like C30s Conquer the Dragon and is not in competition with the scale or quality of the C30s CTD event. This is just an opportunity for local Volvo owners to satisfy that desire for another run of the dragon.
The Saturday trip will consist of a scenic drive to Clingman's Dome, a run of the Tail of the Dragon, concluding with a visit to Fontana Dam. This is not a race! It's a scenic drive for the whole family to enjoy. At most, we may be doing 10mph over the speed limit on highway sections. For those planning to stay late or spend the weekend, there will also be a night run of the dragon.
8:00AM - Breakfast at the Mountain View Restaurant at Fontana
8:45AM - Meet at the Fontana Village Resort General Store
9:00AM - Departure for Clingman's Dome. We will stop at a gas station about 20 miles from Fontana Village Resort
2:00PM - Lunch at the Dragon Pitt Inn & BBQ
3:00PM - Group Photo along the Little Tennessee River and drivers briefing
3:30PM - Tail of the Dragon concluding with a stop at the KillBoy store
4:30PM - Visiting the bottom of Fontana Dam
5:30PM - Visiting the top of Fontana Dam and history museum
6:30PM - Dinner the Wild Wood Grille at Fontana
8:30PM - Meet at the Fontana Village Resort General Store and drivers briefing
8:45PM - Departure for the Tail of the Dragon night run
*This schedule is optional, but what the majority in our group will be doing.
*We will be departing the General store strictly at 9:00AM. If you are not with our group at this time and wish to join us later, please use the schedule for an idea of where we will be.
*Please note at that aside from the departure time, these times are not set in stone. We may run a little early or a little late.
*While the roads we are driving are free to access, you are responsible for your own meals and gas.
Clingman's Dome is located in a State Park and the speed limit is strictly enforced. There are multiple stops along this scenic drive for opportunities to stretch your legs and take pictures. We will stop at the Clingman's Dome visitor center for about an hour. Here, you may hike the .5 mile paved trail to the lookout tower. This is the highest elevation point in the Smoky Mountains at 6,643 feet.
The Tail of the Dragon is a public road with 35mph speed limits and occasional cops. Slay the dragon at your comfortable pace! This is not a race! No one will judge if you intend to hold back and drive slow. Some of our group will lead and intend to drive fast, others will stay back and enjoy the curvy road at the speed limit.
The dragon is a completely different beast at night. There will be designated leaders for the night run, each with aftermarket lighting to help guide the way. As with other runs of the dragon, drivers will be encouraged to drive at their comfortable pace. The group will be divided between those who want to drive fast and those who simply wish to take a calm evening stroll.
If you want alcohol, bring your own! There is a bar at the resort, but this is a dry county with a 30 mile drive to the nearest liquor store.
Do not drink and drive.
It is advised that everyone brings walkie talkie radios for communication while driving. We will be using Channel 3 sub channel 0. Radios are a great way to communicate upcoming turns, rest points, and friendly chatter.