Category: News

Schedule of Events

Thursday, Sept. 25

• 4:00 pm:  Event Check-In Opens – mingle with other Porsche 914 addicts. Snacks and soft drinks will be provided.
• 7:00 pm: Check-In Closes – if you will be arriving late, just let us know.

Friday, Sept. 26

• 8:45 am: Drivers Meeting – be sure to have your car gassed up by now!
• 9:14 am: First car off for All Day Drive – encircling the Smoky Mountains. Dubbed “der Nebelbergring” and including Foothills Parkway, the Dragon, Moonshiner 28, Great Smoky Mtn National Park, and Little River Road
• 10:30 am (approx): arrive at Deals Gap – shopping for Dragon stuff
• 11:10 am (approx): arrive at Fontana Dam – restroom break; get out and stretch; enjoy the views
• 12:10 pm (approx): Arrive in Bryson City, NC for lunch break  Map will be provided with all the local food fare.
• 1:45 pm:  Leave “After Lunch Meeting Spot” – Location will be on Bryson City Map provided
• 3:00 pm (approx): Arrive at Sugarlands Visitors Center – restroom break, get out and stretch
• 4:00 pm (approx): Arrive back at Talley Ho Inn
• 6:30 pm: “BBQ Dinner” – evening meal back at the hotel. After the day long drive, wind down and relax with a cold brew (bring your own adult beverage of choice) and BBQ with all the fix’ns. Weather permitting, we will light up the fire pit and gather for some good times.

Saturday, Sept. 27

• 9:00 am: All cars should be parked on the field for Car Show
• 9:14 am: “Peoples Choice” Car Show – to be judged by attendees; Awards given at banquet.
• 10:30 am: Car Show voting Ends – begin staging for Group Photo
• 11:00 am: Group Photo
• Lunch – on your own for lunch.
• Free Afternoon – do as you wish – we will have several drives mapped out. Run the Dragon again; shop in Gatlinburg; visit Cades Cove. Your choice.
• 6:30 pm: Banquet with Awards and Door Prizes – all you can eat buffet with 5 meats, selection of veggies, salad, desserts and drinks. YUM!

Swap Meet: for those interested in bringing 914 related items to sell/trade, there will be an area reserved for you to set up on Saturday morning. Please bring any tables, ground cloths, EZ ups, etc that you may need as these items will not be provided. No time limit on how long you can stay and pretty much unlimited space. There is no extra charge for event registrants.

The host hotel is booked full.
Hope the few people who already had a room before we booked the place for Okteenerfest enjoy the show happy

Not sure on room availability in Townsend but try these places:
• Best Western Cades Cove 865-448-9000
• Tremont Lodge & Resort 865-448-3200 (formerly Valley View Lodge – site of last year’s event)
• Headrick’s River Breeze Motel 1-800-879-0047, (865) 448-2389

Lodging in nearby Gatlinburg, Wears Valley, and Pigeon Forge should be plentiful.

If you are trailering your car, there is plenty of trailer parking at the host hotel whether you stay there or not.

Talley Ho Inn
314 State Hwy 73, Townsend, TN 37882
Phone: 1-800-448-2465 or 865-448-2465
Fax: 865-448-3913
Email: info@talleyhoinn.com

We have 40 rooms blocked on a first come, first serve basis. Ask for “Porsche 914 Group”. Once these rooms are all taken, they will direct people to other local places that they work with. We have basically the entire place except for a few rooms already booked…They will release the block of rooms on August 25.

Standard Room: have microwave, frig, coffee maker
$68 for Thursday night (Sept 25)
$109 for Friday and Saturday nights (Sept 26 – 27)
(Plus tax)

“Original 8” rooms: VERY basic, smaller rooms, no frig or microwave.
$56 for Thursday night
$93 for Friday and Saturday nights
(Plus Tax)

They also have some that are jacuzzi rooms for $83/$124 prices.

This is the all-day drive scheduled for Friday, September 26th.

The term “der Nebelbergring” was originally coined for the 2013 route but, due to government shutdown at the time, nearly the entire route was inaccessible for driving. As a result, we were unable to run the route.

Knowing what a fantastic drive this loop is, it was decided to hold the second Okteenerfest once again in Townsend. With a minor change from the original route (bypassing Robbinsville completely and instead traveling further along Moonshiner 28), the drive encompasses 145 miles and elevation changes from below 1000′ to above 5000′

Stage 1: Foothills Parkway
Starting Point – Talley Ho Inn
E Lamar Alexander Pkwy
Townsend, TN 37882
1. Head west on TN-73 W/US-321 S/E Lamar Alexander Pkwy toward Chestnut Hill Rd 8 mi
2. Turn left toward Foothills Pkwy 0.2 mi
3. Slight right onto Foothills Pkwy 16.8 mi
4. Turn left onto State Hwy 115/US-129 S/Calderwood Hwy
5. We will regroup at a pullout on the right side of road to prepare for Stage 2: The Dragon

Stage 2: The Dragon
This is the 318 curves in 11 miles so many people rave about.
Simply follow the road up the mountain to the TN/NC state line.
Do not push it on this run, especially if you have never driven the Dragon.
Enjoy the drive and get a feel for the Dragon’s variety of curves and elevation changes.
Saturday you will have a chance to return and drive the Dragon as many times as you’d like.
After passing the state line, we will come to Deals Gap about a mile down the road.
TURN LEFT on NC-28 South just past the motorcycle resort on the left.

Stage 3: Moonshiner 28, part 1: Fontana Road
We will stop to regroup at Fontana Dam.
Get out, stretch, enjoy the views, take a bathroom break.

Stage 4: Moonshiner 28, part 2: Fontana Road to Hwy 19/28/74
Speed limit is 55mph much of this route

LUNCH in Bryson City
1.5 hours – variety of restaurants from which to choose
Parking is not plentiful so may need to park and walk
No restaurant is large enough for all of  us so we will be breaking up into small groups
Meet about 1 mile down the road to regroup for remaining drive

Stage 5: Cherokee / Great Smoky Mountains National Park
GSMNP is federal land. If you speed, it is a federal ticket. Don’t speed. This drive is not a race.
Oh… and don’t get too frustrated if you get behind slow moving traffic. In fact, stop at the next overlook and enjoy the beauty of the Smokies.
We will quickly regroup at Sugarlands Visitor Center just before Gatlinburg.
At this point, you may head to Gatlinburg/Pigeon Forge for dinner, shopping, etc or return with the main group to Townsend via Little River Road.
Please let your group leader know what you plan to do so we are not left wondering if you got eaten by a bear.

Stage 6: Little River Road
Still on federal land so DO NOT SPEED! You have come this far without incident (you have, haven’t you?), so don’t mess it up this close to “home”.
See you back at the motel; nap a bit, clean up, and see you at the BBQ dinner.

SUMMARY:
Thousands of curves in 145 miles.
Well over 13000 feet of up/down elevation changes (for a total of over 27000 feet)
You will be able to tell your friends you drove the Foothills Parkway, the Dragon, Moonshiner 28, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, and Little River Road with dozens of other mid-engine gokarts.

If you have never experienced the 318 curves of the Dragon, now is your chance to do so with a group of 914s. This 11 mile stretch of twisting, turning mountain road will challenge any 914 driver and is guaranteed to put a grin on your face.

As the second leg of Friday’s all-day drive, “Der Nebelbergring”, we will travel south “up” the Dragon and then further south and east into North Carolina. If you desire more time on the Dragon, you will have a chance to return on Saturday afternoon during “free time”.

As a bonus, you will have to drive the Foothills Parkway to reach the beginning of the Dragon. Yeah, I know… nearly 15 miles of scenic sweepers to reach 11 miles of insane twists and turns. Such torture.

Just remember, the Dragon is known to bite those who lose their focus.

OK, so it looks like the Lodge at Valley View didn’t hold enough rooms as originally arranged and the place is booked full.

No worries… next door at the Highland Manor Inn there are some rooms available (though not too many last I heard).

Highland Manor Inn

For the ultimate experience, head south on the Dragon and, once in North Carolina, make your way towards Robbinsville where you can then enter the Cherohala Skyway (maps and directions will be provided). The 36+ mile long Skyway offers breathtaking vistas as it runs across the mountains from N. Carolina into Tennessee, ending at Tellico Plains.

Beginning at Santeetlah Gap on the North Carolina side (at elevation 2660 feet), the road quickly twists and ascends to Santeetlah, an overlook at the highest elevation of 5390 feet. Along this section you will drive the mountain top for another seven miles to the Tennessee state line. At the state line the descent starts into the Tellico River basin. There are more spectacular scenic vistas on the Tennessee side.

Once you reach Tellico Plains, you can turn around and head back or head north towards Vonore and then east/south to Maryville and Townsend. This is a l-o-n-g drive from Townsend so plan accordingly if you decide to drive this during the Saturday afternoon “free time”.

For those of  you who just can’t pass up shopping in “tourist towns”, you will be in heaven. Both Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge are shoppers’ paradises with an abundance of gift shops and outlet stores. Directions to both towns will be provided to those interested.

A drive on Little River Road will take you to Gatlinburg. Following the Little River for much of the way, this stretch of road (driving from Gatlinburg to Townsend) is the last leg of Friday’s all-day drive.

The road to Pigeon Forge takes you through Wears Valley. This scenic road has one or two sections of twisties. Enjoy the drive.

If either one of these two towns beckons, maps and directions will be made available so you will be able to easily find your way back to Townsend.

If Friday’s all-day drive was enough “spirited” driving for you, you may want to spend your Saturday afternoon “free time” leisurely navigating Cades Cove Loop.

The eleven mile tour through Cades Cove begins at the Cades Cove Parking Area, where informational signs give the first description of this scenic valley. The loop follows many of the curves and courses that settlers forged years ago. Along the way you will likely come upon wildlife.

Traffic is one way on the asphalt surfaced Loop Road. Much of it is an old roadway with its natural grades and turns. Fords across streams have been retained but are surfaced with concrete aprons in order to make them passable when streams are high.

Though this is a driving trail, you must get out of your car and experience the tranquil beauty of the trails, wildlife and scenery. Please remember on your visit that the wildlife is wild and it is unlawful to attempt to feed animals. For your safety and the safety of others, do not climb over fences or leave gates open. And please do not drive on or in the fields.

If you are interested in this drive, there will be maps and directions made available at Okteenerfest.

If you have never experienced the 318 curves of the Dragon, now is your chance to do so with a group of 914s. This 11 mile stretch of twisting, turning mountain road will challenge any 914 driver and is guaranteed to put a grin on your face.

As the second leg of Friday’s all-day drive, “Der Nebelbergring”, we will travel south “up” the Dragon and then further south and east into North Carolina. If you desire more time on the Dragon, you will have a chance to return on Saturday afternoon during “free time”.

As a bonus, you will have to drive the Foothills Parkway to reach the beginning of the Dragon. Yeah, I know… nearly 15 miles of scenic sweepers to reach 11 miles of insane twists and turns. Such torture.

Just remember, the Dragon is known to bite those who lose their focus.

A variety of awards will be given out such as:

• Farthest Distance Traveled (driven or trailered)
• Youngest Owner
• Oldest Owner
• Earliest VIN
• Latest VIN
• Newbie Award (newest to 914 ownership)
• Old Timer Award (owned their 914 the longest)
• Jack Stand Award….self explanatory??
• Other awards the staff can come up with

The Car Show will be Peoples Choice judging. There will be three classes: Stock, Improved and Modified. Again, this is not a concours or show event, it’s a driving event so there is less emphasis on “Q-tipping” your car than some events.

• Stock will be as noted – stock. Minor modifications can be made (radio, wheels, etc) but basically a stock car.
• Improved: Must be street legal, all basically Porsche parts
• Modified: Full race cars and conversions with other non-Porsche power plants (V8, Subie, etc)

Depending on the number of cars in each class, we will award 1st, 2nd and 3rd place, PLUS an overall People’s Choice award.  Classes will be at the discretion of the event Chairs and all decisions are final…but they do take bribes… 🙂