West Virginia Bluegrass Tour

PCA Chesapeake’s Tour & Rally Committee is pleased to offer as its 11th event of the year the West Virginia Bluegrass Tour on Aug. 17 & 18, Saturday and Sunday.

Tour & Rally Co-Chair and Tour Master Aniano Arao has designed a delightful route for fellow PCA members to relish. This two-day driving tour will take participants through some of the most scenic, twisty and enjoyable backroads and two-lane highways in the Appalachian Mountains. But this tour will offer more than an unforgettable driving experience; it will also feature a wonderful cherry on top – a BLUEGRASS MUSIC FESTIVAL on the hilltop grounds of the historic and restored Annamede Mansion belonging to Chuck Goldsborough of Ralph’s Porsche Service. The house was built in 1901-1902 and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1987.

This event’s capacity will be limited in terms of lodging, people and cars. Registrants will be responsible for obtaining and paying for their lodging. If you are interested in joining this tour, book your LODGING as soon as possible and then sign up for the tour.  

WHERE AND WHEN

• Assembly: The Frederick County address will be sent via e-mail to confirmed registrants by Aug. 15. 
• When: 9:00 AM, Aug. 17, Saturday
• Drivers’ meeting: 9:15 AM
• Departure of first group of cars: 9:45 AM 
• Lunch destination: Berkeley Springs, WV 
• ETA of first group of cars at restaurant: 11:00 AM 
• Overnight lodging: Stonewall Resort, Roanoke, WV (near Walkersville and Weston) 
• Music festival venue: Annamede Farm, Crawford, WV (near Walkersville and Roanoke) 

BLUEGRASS FESTIVAL 

Weston’s 5th Annual Bluegrass Festival, to be held on Aug. 16 (4-10 PM) and Aug 17 (12-10 PM), is described by organizers as “a weekend filled with foot-stomping rhythms and heartwarming melodies, all for a great cause.” They say the “proceeds will benefit the Family Resource Network in Weston, WV,” supporting families in need there. The event will feature “local talents and bands journeying from as far as Nashville, TN.” 

In addition to Bluegrass music, there will be food and drinks from local vendors, raffles, People’s Choice Awards for entertainers and Porsches, as well as spectacular fireworks exploding in the night sky above the festival. 

Note that tour participants will attend the festival on Aug. 17 only, starting from early evening. A special parking area will be reserved for PCA members’ Porsches. Last year, Ferrari Club members brought their Italian thoroughbreds, according to Chuck. 

An admission ticket for the day costs $30 per person. Children 12 and younger will be admitted free of charge. Tour participants will be responsible for obaining and paying for their tickets, which can be purchased onsite or online. To obtain the tickets online or for more information, visit the music festival’s Web site at https://lewiscountybluegrassfestival.events/ . 

OVERNIGHT ACCOMMODATIONS 

PCA members who are interested in joining this event should stay at the STONEWALL RESORT in nearby Roanoke, WV. Any other lodging sites will be less convenient for the purposes of this tour and the music festival. 

As of June 21, about a hundred rooms were still available at the resort. Book your room as soon as possible, and BEFORE you sign up for the tour. Make your reservation through the resort’s Web site at https://www.stonewallresort.com/ , preferably before the end of June. 

As of June 25, the following were the room rates per night: 

• DOUBLE QUEEN ROOM, $253 for AAA & AARP members, $265 best available rate, $283 lakeside bed & breakfast rate – including a park enhancement fee of $2.12, as well as a resort fee and tax of $16.96; 
• KING ROOM, $263.00 for AAA & AARP members, $275 best available rate, $293 bed & breakfast rate – including a park enhancement fee of $2.12, as well as a resort fee and tax of $16.96.
• There are several other kinds of accommodations available on the Web site.
• A 6 percent occupancy tax and a 6 percent sales tax will be added to each room rate. Expect to pay approximately $300 per night if you book within the last few days of June 2024.

Note that the room rates mentioned above were the ones shown online on June 25 and were subject to change. As demand rises, as the supply of available rooms shrinks, and as July and August get closer, these rates are likely to go up. So the importance of booking your room as soon as possible cannot be emphasized enough. Your credit card won’t be charged a one-night deposit until 7 days before the tour or around Aug. 9, after which there will be no refunds if you cancel.

TOUR SCHEDULE 

Day One, Aug. 17: 

• 9:00 AM – Assemble in Frederick County (address to be sent out via e-mail by Aug. 15). 
• 9:15 AM – Drivers’ and co-drivers’ meeting. Everyone must attend. 
• 9:45 AM – Departure of first group of cars; next two groups to follow soon after. 
• 11:00 AM – ETA at lunch destination in Berkeley Springs, WV. Pre-ordered food; cash only, to save time. 
• 12:00 PM – Departure for Stonewall Resort, with one or two pit stops en route. 
• 4:30 PM – ETA at Stonewall Resort, after a DELIGHTFUL 4.5-HOUR SCENIC DRIVE. 
• 5:30 PM – Departure from Stonewall Resort for nearby Annamede Farm. 
• 5:45 PM – BLUEGRASS FESTIVAL at Annamede Farm. 
• 10:00 PM – Departure from Annamede for Stonewall Resort. 
• 10:20 PM – Stonewall Resort, overnight.

Day Two, Aug. 18: 

• 8:30 AM – Assemble in lobby of Stonewall Resort. 
• 8:40 AM – Drivers’ and co-drivers’ meeting. Everyone must attend. 
• 9:00 AM – Departure of first group of cars, to be followed soon after by next two groups. 
• 1:00 PM – ETA at Stonewall Resort for lunch after an EXHILIRATING 4-HOUR SCENIC DRIVE. 
• 3:00 PM – Depart from Stonewall for Elkins, WV. 
• 4:00 PM – ETA in Elkins; pit stop for gas and restrooms. 
• 4:30 PM – Depart from Elkins for Winchester, VA. 
• 7:00 PM – ETA in Winchester. END OF TOUR. 

Both Days: 

• This tour will be made up of eight stages. Each stage promises an enjoyable drive. 

EXTENDED-STAY OPTION 

Tour participants who wish to stay an extra night at Stonewall Resort and enjoy the amenities there – as well as to spend an extra day to relish West Virginia’s terrific roads – may do so. The PCA tour will END at Stonewall Resort for them, after the morning drive on Aug. 18. Optional / supplementary route instructions will be provided for independent post-tour drives. 

PARTICIPATION 

By signing up for and joining any of our driving events, registrants acknowledge and assume all the risks in and full responsibility for their participation. PCA waiver forms must be completed and signed by all, online or on paper. Note that planned events are subject to change, for weather-related or other reasons. 

REGISTRATION AND OTHER DETAILS

• BOOK YOUR ROOM at the Stonewall Resort ASAP before signing up for this tour. 
• Rates will rise and rooms will likely sell out as the peak summer season gets into high gear. 
• Your credit card won’t be charged until around Aug. 9, after which there will be no refunds. 
• Log on to your MotorsportReg account to REGISTER FOR THIS TOUR. 
• Registration will open at 1 PM on June 26 and close at 1 PM on Aug. 8. 
• Only PCA members may sign up for this tour as primary registrants. 
• PCA members and their guests must be registered and confirmed to join this event. 
• Drivers must be adult PCA members with a valid driver’s license. 
• Registration fee: $40 per adult, $20 per minor (17 and younger). 
• MotorsportReg charges a $2 booking fee for every registration (not for every person). 
• Route instructions and other documents will be sent to confirmed registrants via e-mail by Aug. 15. 
• Each participant will be provided a tour souvenir.
• This tour has capacity limits for people and cars. 
• All interested PCA members should register ASAP. Remember: first-come, first-served. 
• Each driver should bring a printed road map of West Virginia, such as the one AAA gives its members free of charge.
• Cellular signals in the mountains are spotty at best, nonexistent in most places. Navigation apps may not always work. 
• Registrants who are waitlisted should not give up hope. 
• Confirmed registrants who cannot make it to the tour should cancel their registrations, so fellow club members who are waitlisted can be accommodated. 
• Tour-registration-fee refunds will be given if cancellations are done before the registration period closes at 1 PM on Aug. 8. 
• This tour will be held rain or shine, except in stormy weather or when a flash flood is expected. 

QUESTIONS: Send questions to Tour & Rally Committee Co-Chair Aniano Arao at tour@pcachs.org