Quattro de Mayo 2011 was headquartered at the Brasstown Valley Resort in Hiawassee, GA from May 5-8. This was the 6th annual gathering of Audi enthusiasts, who come together each year to drive some of the best roads in the North Georgia, Tennessee and North Carolina area. Nearly 40 cars and more than 65 participants from 11 states and 2 countries enjoyed beautiful weather and stunning scenery. There were 6 organized routes to choose from over the two main driving days, as well as plenty of time for individuals and small groups to create their own outings. Upon the advice of a local motorcycle shop owner, we even scouted out a new route that received rave reviews and is a shoe-in for next year’s event.
Horseback Riding
The long weekend started for a few of us on Thursday when we checked in at the stables. For once we all had equal horsepower. The two-hour trail ride was beautiful and relaxing and gave us a chance to put the organizing and planning aside and just enjoy each other’s company. Several attendees took part in trail rides and spa treatments during their stay.
Friday morning drivers meetings started at 9:00. The groups were energized for the day’s outings. Group one headed out first to the Cherohala Skyway with lunch at Deals Gap before tackling the Tail of the Dragon. This was the day’s most challenging and longest drive and was also the most popular. Group two was headed to the Blue Ridge Parkway and lunch in Bryson City, North Carolina. This small group was pleasantly surprised to find almost no traffic along the beautiful parkway, which enabled them to cover more ground than they had hoped. Group three headed out last for the Cherohala Skyway with a lunch break in Tellico Plains before heading back to headquarters. We all gathered for dinner on the patio at Brassies at the resort and shared our stories and pictures. The “after party” moved to the common room in one of the cabins for more late-night camaraderie. One of the groups shared some goodies from a local winery, which became a popular side trip over the course of the weekend.
Saturday’s drives included the Tail of the Dragon with Foothills Parkway, a North Georgia Loop run that encompasses quite a few roads that the Club frequents each year for its annual HelenBack drive, and a run that went only to the Tail of the Dragon. The Saturday Dragon run provided some of the best (and most expensive) scenery with views of 2 Bugatti Veyrons, one Lamborghini Murcielago, and a Ferrari 458 at Deals Gap. The Saturday drives were scheduled to be shorter so we could get everyone back to the resort in time to head to our photo shoot location. We had a great spot with the lake and mountains behind us to showcase the beauty of decades of Audi design.
Officer Friendly
The banquet on Saturday night brought us all back together to share the day’s stories with old friends and get better acquainted with new ones. We had a great mix of founding members, regular attendees and an impressive number of first-timers as well. The raffle was a hit with lots of great prizes ranging from ECU upgrades to free track days to key chains, tote bags and model cars. We even took a moment to celebrate the Moms in attendance with a small surprise gift for each since they chose to celebrate their special day with us. We enjoyed the dinner and the sound of laughter as the winner of the “Officer Friendly” award shared his tale. An innocent moment of having his back end stuck out in the road because the car in front of him didn’t pull up as far as he could have brought on the unwanted attention of a local officer. After the unscheduled detour to discuss the finer points of pulling out of parking lots and the importance of reading your registration (the poor soul’s registration showed his two door car as a four door) the officers (all 4 of them) sent him on his way with a written warning and a recommendation on where to stop to get the best maps of the area.
Raffle Items
We bumped into a few late departers on Sunday morning having brunch. The folks from the North East and Louisiana had gotten an earlier start for their long drives home. We know they had lots of good memories packed up to take home with them. As we enjoyed a last meal with friends, we smiled and laughed and knew it had been a successful event.
Every year we come together to celebrate our love of Audi and Quattro, and to enjoy the friendships that have come from this common passion. We hope that you’ll join us next year for the cars, the curves and the community this event brings together.
Quattro de Mayo 2011 Group Photo
Quattro de Mayo is the premier driving event hosted by the Audi Club of Georgia. The event is attended by enthusiasts from across the southeast and the east coast, from Louisiana to Connecticut to Ontario, Canada. The Audi lineup this year included A3s, A4s, A6s, Allroads, TTs, S4s, S5s, RS4s, a Coupe GT, a 4000 Quattro and our Title Sponsor, Jim Ellis Audi, was gracious enough to send up a brand new A7. The full gallery of pictures can be found in the past events gallery on the Audi Club of Georgia website.
As Petit Le Mans draws closer, we’ve received a growing number of questions about the Audi motorsport experience for 2011. This year, we will be offering a package very similar to 2010, although we’re unable to make an official announcement at this time. Ticket sales will be held online again this year, and historically they have sold out very quickly, leaving many of our loyal members without tickets.
