2019 BLUE RIDGE DRIVING TOURS
Sapphire Blue Ridge Rallye
Blue Ridge Mountain Driving Tour and Highlands Motoring Festival
Friday, June 7 & Saturday, June 8, 2019
Experience some of the best driving roads in the Blue Ridge Mountains in your air-cooled Porsche with a Friday Rallye in the Mountains followed by Saturday at the Highlands Motoring Festival.
The Rallye starts with a meet-up breakfast at the Hampton Inn Host Hotel in beautiful Sapphire Valley, North Carolina. This will give you a chance to meet the other drivers and co-drivers and learn what air-cooled Porsches they’ll be driving that day.
Jim Moore, a local experienced Porsche driving tour expert who has led over 100 tours through the roads of the Blue Ridges will lead the day’s drive and host the meals.
The route promises a fun, scenic drive within the capabilities of the cars where you’ll experience some of the best driving roads in America including NC-215, NC-276 and the Blue Ridge Parkway as you travel through the Pisgah National Forest and past such landmarks as Looking Glass Falls. Breaks along the way make for an enjoyable drive with scenic overviews to enjoy.
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The lunch break will be in the artsy town of Brevard that provides for wonderful shopping and gallery hopping. After lunch you can explore on your own or you can continue on the guided driving tour through the back roads with a refreshment stop in beautiful Lake Toxaway before returning to Sapphire Valley.
There will be an optional dinner planned for Friday night down the road in Cashiers or you can explore a multitude of restaurants on your own.
On Saturday we’ll caravan together over to Highlands to enjoy the Motoring Festival that features the cars of Carroll Shelby this year. There is also bound to be a beautiful selection of Porsches in the European Sports Car display. Wander the show and the town at your convenience before departing for home.
Tour Details: Sapphire Blue Ridge Rallye Friday and Saturday, June 7 & 8, 2019
Blue Ridge Mountains Driving Tour with a meet-up breakfast and lunch. $299.per car for driver and co-driver (Air Brigade members: $249). There is an optional Friday night dinner for $30 a person. The host hotel is located in Sapphire Valley, NC.
The Rattler Hot Springs Rallye
Drive the 234-turn Rattler with a French Broad River Drive
Saturday, August 3, 2019
Drive the famous Rattler from Asheville to Hot Springs and return home meandering along the beautiful French Broad River through the quint town of Marshall on your return to Asheville.
The day starts with a southern breakfast on the Western side of Asheville for a meet-up breakfast to get to know the drivers and co-drivers of the 12 other air-cooled Porsches that will be on the road.
Jim Moore, a local experienced Porsche driving tour expert who has led over 100 tours through the roads of the Blue Ridges will lead the day’s drive and host the meals.
A short drive down I-40 will connect us with The Rattler near Crabtree that will start our 30-mile plus through 234 twists and turns to take us into Hot Springs. This drive rivals the Tail of the Dragon for scenery and a Porsche-style drive within the capabilities of the classic air-cooled Porsches.
Lunch will be in the quint mountain town of Hot Springs where the Appalachian Trail crosses and many hikers stop for a break of civilization. After lunch we will head for Marshall, North Carolina with a drive along the French Broad river back into Asheville.
Tour Details: The Rattler Hot Springs Rallye, Saturday, August 3, 2019
Rattler and French Broad River Driving Tour with a meet-up breakfast and lunch. $299.per car for driver and co-driver. (Air Brigade members: $249) for a driver and co-driver.
Top of the World Blue Ridge Rallye
Devil's Whip and Blue Ridge Parkway
Saturday, October 5, 2019
The Top of the World Blue Ridge Rallye lets you experience some of the most famous driving roads in the Blue Ridge Mountains as you drive The Devil’s Whip and the Blue Ridge Parkway with lunch in Little Switzerland, North Carolina where you’ll experience beautiful vista views of the highest peaks east of the Mississippi.
The day starts in Asheville, North Carolina with a meet-up breakfast to get to know the drivers and co-drivers of the 12 other air-cooled Porsches that will be on the road.
Jim Moore, a local experienced Porsche driving tour expert who has led over 100 tours through the roads of the Blue Ridges will lead the day’s drive and host the meals.
A quick drive out I-40 will connect us with the NC scenic Byway the Black Mountain Rag as we cross the Continental Divide and drive into Old Fort for a quick rest stop before tackling The Devil’s Whip, 50 turns and 1200’ of elevation gain that will take us into Little Switzerland for lunch.
The drive home will take us along the world famous Blue Ridge Parkway with a stop at Mt Mitchell where we can take a quick hike to the Top of the World for a gorgeous 360-degree view.
Multiple overlooks on the way home provide for stops or hikes if you choose as we return to Asheville.
Tour Details: Top of the World Blue Ridge Rallye, October 5, 2019
Blue Ridge Parkway and Devil’s Whip Driving Tour with a meet-up breakfast and lunch. $299.per car for driver and co-driver. (Air Brigade members: $249) for a driver and co-driver.