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Junior Member
 
Group: Forum Members
Last Login: 12/9/2010 10:42:12 AM
Posts: 19,
Visits: 48
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Hi guys and gals,
This ride looks fantastic; I've been a looking for a nice fun ride in the new baby! Is there any more information for the event such as:
- Entry fee?
- Do we need to RSVP anywhere or just show up the day off?
- Any plans on what to do once we are in Fredericksburg?
- Any plans to run back home together as well in a group?
- Is this a scenic cruise or more of a 10mph over the speed limit is a must?
Anyway, more info would be appreciated. I'd love to join for this event...
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Forum Member
Group: Forum Members
Last Login: 5/2/2011 11:25:51 AM
Posts: 42,
Visits: 510
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| I've only done one short run with Marc and the rest of the road trip crew, but I doubt there is an entry fee. You take care of your own hotel/fuel/food costs. The other question I can answer is that speeds can go high, but most everyone is in contact with a CB Radio, and the lead car usually has a radar detector, but you still need to pay attention to the road! I found a CB radio+antenna+12v plug @ the truck stop next to Cabelas on I-35W. The nearest Radio Shack to me was a no-go for a CB radio. The Radio Shack employee said the Radio Shack in Weatherford or the Outlet on Blue Mound Rd in FW may have them.
-Doug BMWCCA #368196
 
'11 E92 335i EuroDelivery in Jun'10 pics
'07 E92 335i EuroDelivered Jun'07 blog pics
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Forum Guru
Group: Forum Members
Last Login: 1/7/2012 2:28:54 PM
Posts: 60,
Visits: 526
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Here are some tour answers. Sorry this is after the fact. I just signed up for the board. Tours are a lot of fun. I just counted up. My wife and I have been on 10 in the 11 years we've been in the club. We've been to Big Bend twice, Taos, Eureka Springs twice, Big Cedar, The Hill Country 3 times, and on some day tours. In that time no one has gotten a ticket, one person clocked a deer (after dark), and one person slid into a fence after failing to negotiate a low speed turn.
General Tour Info:
* There is no entry fee.
* It's good to let the tour organizer (usually Mark Leediker (marc3509@sbcglobal.net)) know you are coming.
* Once at the destination, the tours are often very free form. Usually a group dinner is planned. This time Mark organized a dinner reservation at a local German food Restaurant. It's your choice whether you want to participate in any of the group activities.
* Often, the drive in both directions is planned. Depending on timing, there can be planned drives on the roads in the vicinity of the tour destination.
* Speeds are normally non-attention getting on main (highly patrolled roads). Less well patrolled roads are driven for comfortable (& safe) entertainment. Generally speaking, the closer you are to the back of the group, the faster you are driving (to keep up). Get the short book "The Goal" by Eliyahu M. Goldratt and Jeff Cox and read about Herbie and the the hike if you don't understand how this is the case. I've been told that the local Mercedes club tours "at the speed limit" if that's your thing.
* The routes to and from the destination are usually not direct, and are chosen for entertainment.
* The tour organizer almost always negotiates rates with hotels that he choses. It's then up to you to call the hotel or hotels and make your reservation (at the negotiated rate (almost always by a specified date)). You are free to do your own thing at another place. Usually everyone stays at the arranged location.
* The tour regulars have CB radios. You can get by without one, but they work very well for chatting and maintaining communication on the road, but are getting harder to find. Radio Shack still has them online and there are specialty sites online (Copper Electronics and The CB Shop.com are a couple). I have a handheld Radio Shack radio with a wired handheld mike and an external magnet attached antenna that works fine. You need to get a good antenna. Radio Shack and good antenna don't fit together. You want a K40 or a Wilson. Blue painters tape does a great job of protecting your paint from the antenna base while still allowing the magnet antenna base to stay attached to your car.
Mark is hoping to organize a different Saturday morning drive every other month. One of these trips would be a good way to find out about how the driving part of a tour works and to talk to people who have gone on tours in the past. Watch the club calendar, or better yet, send Mark an email and ask him to add you to his tour email list.
Here's a pic of the Zur Autobahn Restaurant where we had lunch on Saturday (the red wagon is a '91 Opel that belongs to the restaurant owners):
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