posted 05-12-2001 08:33 PM               

The Blue Ridge Miata Club and Central Va Miata Club are planning a trip to the memorial on Sat, June 16. We were hoping to do a picnic lunch if there were facillities available. We anticipate 30-35 cars. Is there an offsite area we need to park at and is there a shuttle available? Also I read a newpaper article recently that there was going to be a parking charge initiated in June of $10 /vehicle. Will this be in effect on this date? If so, is there any kind of discount for a group of this size? That's a lot of money for one club to pay.
Any info, suggestions or accomodations you may have for this event would be greatly appreciated. I am the coordinator for this gathering.

Thank you,
Jeff Dodson

Dear Mr. Dodson,

Thank you for your interest in the National D-Day Memorial. I hope to
answer a few of your
questions here, but please feel free to call me if you have additional
questions. 540-586-3329.

There is a $10.00 parking fee per vehicle which will be in effect at the
time of your visit. The
parking fee is crucial in maintaining the 88 acre site. Though we do not
offer discounts
to groups towards the parking fee, I can offer you a group guided tour at
no cost. I normally
only offer this to motorcoach tours, but because you are bringing such a
large group, I think
you would find the guided tour especially beneficial. The guided tour is
normally $55.00 but if
you decide to come, I will provide this for you at no charge. The tour
lasts approximately 45 minutes
to an hour.

Ample parking is available on site. We do not have off-site parking and
thus no shuttle buses.
Also, as a note, we do not allow food on the premises. At this time we
simply do not have the facilities
to allow for picnicking on site. Only when the Education Center is built
in 2003 will this be available.
If you are interested, I can give you a contact at Bedford Co. Parks and
Recreation where
you could arrange to have a pavilion for use that day at one of the nearby
parks.

If you definitely decide to come, please let me know. I'll have to
schedule to have a tour guide for
you and would need to mail out a confirmation letter. Our guided tours
are being booked
up very quickly, so I would need to know as soon as possible.

Please let me know if I can be of further assistance.

Sincerely,

April C. Cheek
Coordinator of Educational Resources and Outreach
National D-Day Memorial
540-586-3329

I need to know everyone's feeling on this. The fee is high but I guess for the purpose it's reasonable. If this is a problem we need to know. Also if we can't eat there do we want to book a shelter at a nearby park. I understand there are some very nice ones nearby. Also we need to coordinate a time to arrive. Roger, is Capital still planning to come? With people coming from different areas maybe it would be best to meet at a park, have lunch, then caravan to the memorial. After that I thought we'd do the 43 to Eagle Rock run then to Fast Freddys. Also, are we interested in the guided tour.

Lots of info/questions but am trying to make this a "memorable" event. Thanks for your input/suggestions.

posted 05-12-2001 10:57 PM               

Great job in finding out all this info. $10 doesn't really sound all too bad, since its going to be used for the park. It would be nice if the club could pick up the parking fee, but considering that we pay for our own food when we all get together anyway - I really don't expect the club to pay.

I like the idea of meeting up at a park, eating our picnic lunches and then caravan over to the Memorial all together.

posted 05-13-2001 07:42 AM               

As for lunch, we could just eat somewhere in Bedford. They have a Golden Corral and a place call the Station I think. I know you will need reservations at the Station.

posted 05-18-2001 11:30 PM               

Thanks,

posted 05-19-2001 08:56 AM               

Central is planning on around 10 cars, so guys lets try to match their number!!

posted 06-19-2001 11:20 AM               

Leaving the Memorial, we all went to the nearby Golden Corral for lunch(a first-rate all-you-can-eat establishment), where we were again treated quite well. Some of the members had to leave from here, but most, along with most of our Richmond guests, enjoyed a quick blast down VA 43, especially enjoying the "Rollercoaster" from the Parkway down to Buchanan. After regrouping in Buchanan, others had to leave, but before doing so, Warren and Sue directed us on a short detour on Mt. Joy Road, before we rejoined rt.43 for the drive up to Eagle Rock. At Eagle Rock, 11 cars chose not to depart via US 220, and took VA 615 through the woods back toward New Castle and VA 311.

It was a few miles out of Eagle Rock on a tight downhill section of 615 that we had a mishap. One of our CVMC cars went off the outside of a lefthander, impacting a ditch and embankment, with resultant damage. The passenger, the driver's wife, suffered minor injuries, although the extent was not known at the scene. As Roger notes in the other post, some evidence points to a suspension failure, possibly due to unknown damage suffered in an earlier life accident. Speed was not excessive, certainly not a cause in itself. A frustrating side note: From this remote spot, out of numerous cellphones on numerous services, no one had service to call out, and one car had to be dispatched to a landline location to call emergency services!

The victim was ultimately transported to Roanoke Memorial, and the other 4 CVMC cars returned via 220 to go there also. Roger helped make arrangements with the Trooper to have the car towed, and alog with others of us, returned to Roanoke via 615/311. I met other club members at Fast Freddy's and advised them of the happenings, and Roger joined the Richmond folks at the hospital, helping with some contacts there. The lady was released later that evening, following X-rays, and the couple spent the night in a Carillion Hospitality room, while the others returned to Richmond.

Roger has received a nice note from Ron Marchand, of the Richmond group, and all were very pleased with the trip, save the mishap.

posted 06-19-2001 08:36 PM               

Great job Jeff it was a great get together. I also second Larry's nice words about the people there at the Memorial. It was really surprising about the service they gave us, even though the parking was for free. April and the staff there stood out in the hot sun reserving all those parking spaces for us, even when Central were a few minutes late. Dao and I were almost tempted to hand over our umbrella to April and get her a bottle of water, while she was waiting for everyone to show up.