The BMWCCA Wine Country Tour will assemble in two locations for those in the northern counties and those in the southern

What could be better than driving the twisties of southern Ohio while experiencing the brilliant fall leaf colors on roadways full of sparkling Zs? This is your official invitation to join the 6th Annual Pumpkin Run, our traditional Last Drive of the Season! Jeff Ball designed the route and, from his description, has incorporated some rather unique features for your enjoyment. Please join us for a memorable driving experience!

The 2004 Pumpkin Run ! Saturday Oct 16 !!

Let's meet behind the Bruggers Bagels / Starbucks stores on 'The Strip' in North Canton. The Strip is located at the Portage St. exit off Interstate 77, just a bit south of the Akron-Canton Airport. (The address is 6748 Strip Ave, NW, N Canton, 330.494.0454.) We plan a 9:30 DEPARTURE from this location, so come early to get acquainted again and meet any new drivers we may have. Please start with a full tank of gas, I can't guarantee gas stations on some parts of this trip.

The day will be pretty full of driving. Due to hurricane waters, detours, and street fairs, I'm not exactly sure of the drive time. But, the route is never very far from interstates, so when it gets close to dinner time, we can shorten the route as necessary to get to dinner on time. (That is almost as important as the driving for this group!!) Dinner will be at the 356th Fighter Group Restaurant next to the Akron Canton airport. (The address is 4919 Mt Pleasant St, NW, N Canton, 330.494.3500.) The projected time for dinner is between 5:00 and 5:30. They would like me to call in a headcount Saturday AM, so I'll be looking for a count Saturday morning. PLEASE realize we are going to walk into a restaurant with say 40 hungry folks on a Saturday night and order off the menu. It might take a few minutes for them to cook that many orders. Have a drink, order an appetizer and chill.

We are going to go some places I'm sure you have never been before, including a 'S' shaped stone bridge built for wagons in the early 1800's. Trees should be at their peak and there were a lot of them on this route. I have a couple spots picked out for breaks, but feel free to yell for more. The biggest problem is going to be lunch. (Eat a big breakfast.) I couldn't believe how much nothing still exists in Ohio. After the first hour, I cannot remember seeing anything fast food. May I suggest a small cooler with a sandwich or two and your favorite beverage for the trunk (not beer or vodka, nice try). We won't have a planned lunch stop but one may appear, depending on closed/open roads. You'll be hungry for dinner and the money you didn't give to Wendy's (a.k.a. Bob's retirement fund), you can spend at dinner!

Here's the standard boilerplate for Z 6th Annual Pumpkin Run. Please join us for the entire trip or just the part that's convenient for you. Bring along all the Zs that you can find. Dress appropriately for the temperature because we drive regardless of weather. Don't forget sunscreen and sun glasses if it's bright. Have a full tank of gas to start the drive. Bring your Talkabouts tuned to channel 7,5 (yes, this is a change to improve our reception). Be sure the camera has batteries or film.

Remember your tank of gas donation for Make A Wish.

Fall leaves and 'S' stone bridges are always better in bright sunshine, so please help the Weathermeister and focus on good weather for Z 6th Annual Pumpkin Run. Looking forward to seeing you all on the 16th and driving a few more miles together!