The Tour & Rally Committee of PCA Chesapeake conducted a tour planning workshop on Nov. 24, 2019. It was held at the Collectors Car Corral in Owings Mills, MD, courtesy of CCC founder and my fellow Tour & Rally Co-Chairman Randy M. A total of 15 PCA members attended.

During the first of two sessions, I gave a quick overview of the various steps of the tour planning and tour running process, during which Randy and I invited comments and suggestions. We also encouraged the attendees to propose tour ideas, roads, routes and restaurants, and to consider volunteering as tour masters, lead drivers, sweepers or marshals. The group discussion was free-flowing, animated and very productive.

The day before, I had sent the participants, for their reference, sample PDF copies of a recent tour's drivers' meeting notes and route instructions, as well as PDF copies of PCA's Driving Tour Minimum Standards (rules) and Driving Tour Recommendations (guidelines). Manny Alban, former PCA national president (2011-2014), explained the rationale behind the minimum standards and answered questions about them. Ensuring safety and meeting insurance company requirements were major considerations in their adoption, he noted.

The highlight of the workshop turned out to be the second session, during which Tom D. and Lisa G. gave an awesome PowerPoint presentation on their driving tour experiences in Europe. In recent years, they had taken three Autobahn Adventures tours, the most recent of which occurred just two months earlier. Each tour lasted about two weeks and involved staying at the most luxurious hotels, dining at the best restaurants, going to the most fascinating destinations, driving on the most spectacular roads -- and doing it all on brand-new Porsche 911 coupes or cabriolets.

Tom and Lisa did a great job capturing everyone's attention and firing up everyone's interest. And then, although I knew the answer, I asked them how much each of these tours cost. When they said "about $30,000 per couple," excluding airfare, I could practically hear the "balloons" of some attendees lose their air.

The morning turned out not long enough for everything we were all excited to talk about. By around noon, we had to conclude the workshop and head to an Italian restaurant for lunch. Ten of us proceeded to Keccos' Neapolitan Woodfire Kitchen in Reisterstown, where the animated conversation continued. All in all, the workshop was a success. Randy and I, and the other attendees, learned a lot. And we managed to interest two more couples to volunteer and help us during the 2020 Tour & Rally Season. As a result, as many as six or seven of our dozen or so events next year could be spearheaded by volunteer or guest tour masters.

For more information about Autobahn Adventures' Porsche driving tours in Europe, visit the firm's Web site at https://autobahnadventures.com/ .

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