[Johnny Lin]

The 7th annual Port Townsend Cruise is on! Mark your calendars for Sunday, March 6th!!

This is the official discussion thread for the 2011 Port Townsend Cruise. There are a lot of details to go over so please check back on this post often as updates and important information will be added!! In fact many of the details from previous years no longer apply so make sure you are up-to-speed on this year's event details. Here is what we know for sure is happening:

What/Where: Cruise to Port Townsend
When: Sunday, March 6th at 9:00 am, departing at 10:30 am.
Why: To enjoy a cruise with fellow European car enthusiasts and to support NW Harvest.
Who: All European car enthusiasts

Important details below. Again, be sure to check back as more details are added!!

Meeting spot: Marymoor Park - Events and Recreation Pad (signs will lead you to it)

Meeting time: 9:00 am

- Participants gather to check out each others rides, group up, etc.

- During this time, canned food will be collected (4-can minimum per car) for NW Harvest in exchange for Achtuning Parking Pass which will give you access to reserved parking in Port Townsend.

- Be sure to pick up a copy of a map featuring the route for this cruise and additional details about your arrival in Port Townsend.

- Thanks in advance to members of BPCDubs» who will be assisting in the canned food collection and directing traffic.

Donations: Northwest Harvest can use any nonperishable food or monetary donations. Please select shelf-stable food with the lowest saturated fats and refined carbohydrates (sugar, white flour). NW Harvest buys white rice and beans in bulk, so we encourage you to donate other items. Here are some suggestions:

General food items:
* Oatmeal
* Whole grain pastas
* Brown rice
* Tomato products
* Canned vegetables
* Canned fruit, especially with low sugar (but not artificial sweeteners)
* Canned fish or meat
* Shelf-stable milk
* Beef stew, chili and similar meals with low sugar and saturated fats

Infant and baby foods:
* Baby formula
* Canned milk
* Infant cereal
* Jars of baby food
* Powdered or canned milk
* Baby diapers

Departure time: 10:30 am

- Leave Marymoor Park and cruise to Port Townsend by way of 520-W, 405-S, I-5 South, HWY 16 West, Hwy 3 North, turn left on HWY 104. After Hood Canal bridge take right onto Hwy 19, continue north onto Hwy 20, end at Port Townsend.

- In Port Townsend, drive right through downtown on Water Street to Monroe Street. Left on Monroe St to Washington St. Then about 75 feet and turn right into Memorial Field. Staff will be on hand to organize the parking layout.

In Port Townsend:

- Achtuning has arranged for parking inside Memorial Stadium to better accommodate the masses. Parking passes collected at Marymoor Park in exchange for canned food will gain you access into Memorial Field, where you can park your car for the duration of our stay in Port Townsend. Those of you who cannot make it to the starting point can also exchange cans of food for parking passes upon entering Memorial Field. (Please have your cans ready before entering stadium to expedite this process.)

- Reserved parking in Port Townsend from 12:00 pm to 4:00 pm. During this time, feel free to kick it with fellow enthusiasts and check out all the cars. Please support the City of Port Townsend and have yourself some lunch at one of the many good eating spots in town.

Route: Exit Marymoor Park in an orderly fashion, not exceeding park speed limit of 20mph.

* Turn right at NE Marymoor Way
* Turn right at West Lake Sammamish Pkwy NE
* Turn left to merge onto WA-520 W
* Take the exit onto I-405 S toward Renton
* Take exit 11 to merge onto I-90 W toward Seattle
* Take the exit on the left onto Interstate 90 Express W
* Take the exit onto I-90 W
* Take exit 2B on the left for I-5 S/4th Ave S toward Tacoma/Portland
* Keep left at the fork, follow signs for I-5 S and merge onto I-5 S
* Take exit 132 to merge onto WA-16 W toward Bremerton
* Take the State Hwy 3 N ramp to Bremerton/Poulsbo
* Keep right at the fork to continue toward WA-3 N/State Hwy 3 N
* Keep left at the fork and merge onto WA-3 N/State Hwy 3 N
* Turn left at WA-104 W/Hood Canal Bridge
* Turn right at WA-19 N/Beaver Valley Rd
* Continue onto WA-20 E
* At the traffic circle, continue straight onto W Sims Way
* At the traffic circle, continue straight to stay on W Sims Way
* Continue onto Water St
* Turn left at Madison St
* End at Jefferson County Memorial Field - 550 Washington Street, Port Townsend, WA 98368‎

Please read the following information regarding Memorial Field, our host in Port Townsend.

1. PLEASE PARK as close to other cars as you would in a normal parking lot, so we all fit.
2. All Memorial Field staff are volunteers hoping to help you out. Please be courteous and respectful to them. They are there to help us!
3. NO TIPPING PLEASE.
4. Enter and exit off of Washington St. only
5. Have pets pee on the perimeter areas, not the main field. Pick up poop.
6. Garbage cans and restrooms available - center of main stadium.
7. One or two picnic tables available.
8. Make yourself at home, picnics, tailgating and hanging out are welcomed! It is a cool place.
9. There are walk through gates in the middle of the grandstand, near the Quincy Exit, and at the top of the stairs!
10. Drive slow and carefully!!

Parking in groups: If you are with a group of cars and you wish to park together inside Memorial Field, pick a spot in town to group up first before entering the field. Parking volunteers will do their best to keep the group together.

Drive carefully and safely!! I cannot stress enough the importance of how this is to be a safe drive. WSP and Port Townsend PD will be made aware of this event. That said...

Mind your driving habits on this cruise! When we drive as a group, each and every one of us represents the community as a whole. No burn-outs in the parking lots, no illegal lane-passing (or shoulder passing), keep a controlled speed and safe following distance at all times, and respect the Port Townsend community and other communities that we pass through. Give everyone else the right-of-way. DO NOT keep people from merging onto the highway just because you do not want to be separated by the European car in front of you!! We strongly encourage anyone to report unsafe driving. There is a rather large risk in traveling in large groups like this and we need to realize that despite our numbers, we do NOT own the road!! Furthermore, be sure to keep noise levels in Port Townsend (and other communities) to a minimum. We all know what aftermarket exhausts sound like. No need to show that off for the sake of annoying community residents. Thanks in advance for your cooperation!

Tacoma Narrows Bridge Toll: Please don't forget there is a toll on the Tacoma Narrows Bridge now. It is only charged eastbound. Of course those taking the ferry back will not have to pay that fee. (Also take note that ferry fees have gone up since last year.)

Keep an eye on this first post as it will be updated frequently with details as they become available.

Port Townsend Cruise on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/porttownsendcruise

[seej333]

This sounds like a lot of fun! Plus cool city for a day trip. I'm pretty sure I'll be going.

[seej333]

^^^
damn have to work.

[6-speed]

I'll be there, heading down tonight!