The Chesapeake Region did something new this year, at least in recent memory. We conducted a driving tour in conjunction with and right after a New Member Party. This initiative was jointly coordinated by the Tour & Rally Committee and the Membership Committee.

About 40 PCA members attended the orientation party held on June 10 at Porsche of Annapolis, which sponsored the event and provided the breakfast. Veteran members welcomed new ones, and several committee chairs described the various events they organize for the membership’s enjoyment.

After the 9 to 11 a.m. gathering, some attendees proceeded to the Stevensville Park & Ride Lot, about 14.5 miles to the east, just past the Bay Bridge. We joined other tour registrants who had gone directly to the assembly point.

After the 11:45 a.m. drivers’ meeting, 50 of us in 27 cars departed for the tour’s destination – CPR Classic East’s Porsche restoration shop in Easton, MD. I split up the caravan into three for easier and more effective convoy management. I led the first group of 10 cars, Steve W. led the second group of eight, and Ron F. led the third group of nine. Tour & Rally Co-Chair Randy M. served as traffic and launch coordinator at the Park & Ride lot.

Instead of simply driving 25.5 miles on highway US-50 to reach CPR Classic East, we took a more interesting 35.3-mile route. We drove on scenic and meandering back roads that few visitors to the Eastern Shore see, much less drive on.

All 27 cars reached CPR Classic East by about 1 p.m. A few PCA-CHS members in several cars skipped the tour and drove directly to the Easton restoration shop. A food truck was on site to feed the hungry. And CPR Classic East principal Bruce Wakefield and his staff immediately offered guided tours of their restoration facility, where several vintage Porsches were in various stages of being refreshed or given new life. Needless to say, the CPR folks, their shop and the work that was being done there impressed all of us. The shop tours turned out to be both enlightening and enjoyable.

By around 2:30 p.m., the gathering was over. The CPR Classic East parking lot, which had been full of Porsches and other cars since midday, became mostly empty. The party was over, but not the nice memories.

All the photos here have been resized for online viewing. Note that the images and other content here are protected by copyright laws. All rights are reserved. Unauthorized use, copying, printing or direct linking is prohibited.

>>> CLICK ON A THUMBNAIL PHOTO TO ENLARGE IT, AFTER WHICH YOU CAN MANUALLY GO FORWARD OR BACKWARD TO THE OTHER IMAGES IN THIS GALLERY. THE PICTURES HERE CAN ALSO BE VIEWED AS A SELF-ADVANCING SLIDESHOW, BUT MINUS THE TECHNICAL AND OTHER DETAILS. SEE THE UPPER RIGHT CORNER OF THIS WINDOW. HAPPY VIEWING! <<<