[MSCW list] MSCW 2025 Destination Drive #2 - Bluegrass Brunch and Bear Fence Mountain

[Timothy Metzinger]

NOTE - Shipping this one out EARLY, because there's limited space at the restaurant for brunch, and thus I need to get that slot filled by 3/10/2025.

The Bluegrass Brunch at Patty-O's in Washington, VA is a great place to spend a Sunday morning.  You've got a great location, great food, good music, and an occasional local movie star present at the restaurant.  In late April (the 27th, Sunday AFTER Easter), we'll leave the Bull Run Battlefield Parking on US29 and have brunch at Patty-O's first, and then head west on US211 to join the Skyline Drive, but this time we'll turn south.  There are plenty of curves on this section of the Drive as it meanders to join up with US33.  We'll stop at the Harry Byrd Visitor Center for a bathroom break, and stop again at a pullover with a trailhead that will take us to a scramble (a sophisticated name for a pile of rocks) that offers a great set of views in all directions at the summit of Bear Fence Mountain.  There's also a parallel trail that bypasses the scramble and has another set of views, but not the 360 degrees you get from the scramble.  Once we'd hiked out and back, we'll continue south on the Skyline Drive then head east on US33 to join US29 in Ruckersville and take that back to our starting point.

There are three choices to make when you sign up for the drive:

1.  Do you want to start at the Battlefield and have Brunch at Patty-Os?
2.  Do you want to meet at the Rappahannock High Parking lot and head up to the Skyline Drive?
3.  Do you want to make the short but moderate climb up the scramble on Bear Fence, or take the alternate path or just snooze in the car?  (no need to indicate this when you sign up, just have it in mind)

Because Patty-O's requires reservations, I'm going to close the sign-up for the Patty-O's brunch part on March 10th.  You'll still be able to sign up for the other sections of the drive, you'll just have to feed yourself and meet us at the Rappahannock High School.

Logistics:
Assembly - We'll begin to assemble at the Bull Run Battlefield Parking Lot (US29) at 8:30 AM on Sunday April 27th.  Be sure to arrive with a full tank and empty bladder - there is fuel to the East as you head toward I-66.
Departure - We'll depart the parking lot at 9 AM.  By the time we have brunch, we should get to the Rappahannock lot by 11:20, and we'll leave there at 11:30 AM.
Time/Distance - It's an all-day trip, about 8 hours all told (4 1/2 of them driving) but only 180 miles, so one tank of gas should be plenty.   We'll have rest stops every 90 minutes or more frequently.
Fees  - There is a fee for the Skyline Drive ($30 per car) but folks with national park passes (America the Beautiful) are covered.  Veterans (even without a pass) pay no fee.
Food - Brunch at Patty-O's.  The website is https://www.pattyoscafe.com/.   I'll make a reservation for a tables after the sign-up is closed on 3/10.
Car limits - 16 PEOPLE for the brunch, and 20 CARS for the rest of this route.
Weather - Brunch on the 27th will be rain or shine.  The rest of the drive may be rescheduled to May 4th.
Technology -  I will bring nine extra Midland GMRS radios.  If you want to bring your own GMRS radio, we will be using Channel 30 on Midland Radios, or 462.7000 MHz frequency and CTCSS 17 for the privacy code.  In Glympse, we'll use the !mscw_cruise tag to keep track of each other.

RSVP via signup genius at https://bit.ly/mscw2025-dd-02.  Don't use Facebook to indicate you're going.
Visit www.midatlanticscenicdrives.com<http://www.midatlanticscenicdrives.com> for maps and GPS files.

Drive safely and HAVE FUN,
Timothy (Tim) Metzinger
Scenic Drive Coordinator - Mazda Sport Cars of Washington, DC
tim.metzinger at outlook.com
703.963.3015