Thursday’s event will begin at 10:00 AM(rally school at 9:30am).  The route threads through countryside where Gen’l Washington’s ‘Continentals’ engaged Gen’l Howe’s troops before conceding Germantown & Philadelphia in the Fall of 1777.  A summary of these skirmishes can be linked from the VFNHP feature on our Encounter website.  It’s being routed by an Alfa-Romeo fanatic, so don’t make any rash (ie. logical) assumptions based on previous Encounter rallies.

One takes you to the highest lookout pass in VFNHP -  it’s surrounded by defense lines built from earth & stone known as Inner Line Drive.  Leave VFNHP via a covered bridge to climb Diamond Rock Hill, just a few miles away.  The return trip is a winding descent through horse country. Get a glimpse  of the terrain on our website’s VFNHP Encounter 05 feature. This is a self-directed driving event.  Bring your picnic basket and blanket for secluded dining in the woods or one of the public picnic grounds nearby (now with restrooms!).

Your registration pack will contain maps & route books that take you over two loops covering northern & southern Chester County bridges (many historic covered) in the heart of hunt country. Both end near the American Helicopter Museum and QVC Network Studios.

You should  have plenty of time during the week to solo one or all of these    driving opportunities on two-lane country roads alone or caravan in a small group with similar interests in what the countryside has to offer:               plenty of roadside eateries, antique shops, a couple or orchards, and dozens of farms that raise everything from alpacas to Texas longhorn cattle to champion steeplechase, harness & thoroughbred race horses.

See everything from one-person experimental and kit aircraft to the vicious Bell AH-1F Cobra.  Boeing’s  controversial tilt-rotor (vertical take-off) airplane, the V-22 Osprey sits outside.  Over 35 choppers covering the entire history of rotary wing aircraft are on display.

There is also a  video history of the industry in their theater, and interactive cockpits that will entertain both children & adults.  To read about all the aircraft on display, go to:                                   www.helicoptermuseum.org/Aircraft.asp

Walking tours of the first and still largest electronic merchandising network  in the world are conducted hourly.  You will be able to view live broadcasts and possibly be part of a studio audience for special features.  Schedules of these features for August are not yet available.  For information about these shows, visit their site:                                  www.qvc.com/cp/st_aud_resinfo.html

 After July 15, the walking tour does not require reservations, but reservations must be made a week or two in advance to be part of a studio audience.

Judging from the number of traffic cones our course designer,Tom Walker has requested, competitors may have to ice their brake drums and do a tire change between heats. It’ll be run on a dedicated nearby lot on Friday at 9AM. Perhaps we can get Stuart Turner to call the play-by-play.