Hi Everyone! My name is Frank. A little over a year ago I moved to Cary, NC from LA. I have a 16M that sadly has not seen much use since I moved and I'd like to change that! I've got a couple questions for owners in the area. Are there any good local roads? I've been spoiled by the SoCal canyons but I'm sure there are some nice drives here. Do you guys every meet up for drives? I haven't been to C&C yet but I'd like to when it starts back up. Any recommendations on detailing in the area? I've used Nth Degree Auto Detailing on my GTR and he did a good job. Just curious if there are others I should try. Thanks! Image Unavailable, Please Login
Hi Frank. I'm not sure which part of Cary you're in, but unfortunately there aren't really a lot of good roads in the Raleigh area, for sure not compared to the NC mountains. Holly Springs Rd between Ten-Ten Rd and Cary Pkwy is somewhat fun if you don't get stuck behind any other cars, although it's not more than about 2 miles from where the curves start to where they end. It is near the southeastern part of Cary. Probably the best road in the surrounding area is NC Hwy 42 south of the Shearon Harris Reservoir, between the towns of Duncan and Sanford. Here is a link that will show the location and route a bit better: https://www.google.com/maps/dir/35.4596143,-79.1081727/11387-11551+N+Carolina+42,+Holly+Springs,+NC+27540/@35.5176281,-79.0467922,12z/data=!4m8!4m7!1m0!1m5!1m1!1s0x89ac9a87f9ea0247:0x3fc37bdae83b3c78!2m2!1d-78.8815372!2d35.5635985?hl=en Overall, the best roads I have had a chance to drive on so far have been in the mountains. US 221 between Linville and Blowing Rock is definitely recommended, as it is very demanding and doesn't have an official speed limit (the signs merely say 'Resume Safe Speed'). NC 181, from north of Morganton to Pineola, is also a great route, though it's way more fun when you're heading down the mountain towards Morganton. Anywho, I hope one day I'll get a chance to see your car in person. I've never seen a 16M before (well, not outside of a car show anyway) but have always thought they were unbelievably gorgeous from the pics I have seen. Happy holidays, Nicholas
welcome Frank. I suggest you join the Ferrari Club of America...our NC chapter is one of the most active in the country. I will PM you and send you a list of our planned 2016 events. We have a drive scheduled for January 16 out to Saxaphaw. Hope to meet you in person soon. Happy Holidays Keith
Thanks for the info! Do you guys have any recommendations for detailing? @Keith, I actually was a member of the SW region of the FCA. When it came time for renewal, I tried to change my chapter to the SE region. Unfortunately it was a painful process. A full year went by and I still wasn't switched over. I sent countless emails to everyone I could. Still I never got emails for events from the SE region but I continued to get them from the SW region. Needless to say, I decided not to renew again.
Welcome Frank! Beautiful 16M! Cheers! Keith- I'm a member of the SE/NC Chapter but I don't get any info about local events. I try to follow the calendar on the NC and SE web pages but I don't see the drive on the 16th listed. Can you shoot me a list of '16 events also? Thanks!
Keith contacted me and told me about your dilemma in getting your membership changed in the FCA. I can help if you would like to join again. I'm the Southeast Regional Director and also the National Membership Chair so I can definitely get it pushed through. I'm sorry you had such a hard time in the past. We have a very active chapter here in NC. Philippe Dorier is the Chapter President and we have a very full schedule. You can fine it along with rest of the region's schedules at http://www.fca-ser.com/home.html. Feel free to PM me with any questions of if you want to rejoin and I'll help you through it. Hope to meet you soon. Sorry, but I cant help with a detailer but I'm sure someone here can.
for detailing I use a subcontractor through The Foreign Service (Mercedes repair guys) on Barefoot Industrial Road. They do our Mercedes sedan but I've never used them for the Ferraris. They are very good and I think the Mercedes sedan is about $ 200 or so
Frank When the weather is clear you must drive the Blue Ridge Parkway in Asheville NC- it's been a while since I left the area but going through Chapel Hill using secondary roads 15 to 64 to 40. Asheville is a beautiful town for a weekend. Richmond hill inn or the grove Park inn and drive the blue ridge - great fun. Of course the tail of the dragon is a bit farther ..... The North Carolina Parkway Experience - Blue Ridge Parkway
Meet-up this Saturday... http://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/north-south-carolina/509099-raleigh-lunch-beers-%40-flying-saucer-saturday-jan-2nd.html#post144405021
Cars & Coffee Morrisville is 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. on the first Saturday of every month. Address: 1001 Airport Blvd., Morrisville, NC 27560
Not from far Cary there is a very nice track- Virgina International Raceway. Plenty of events up there, nearly year round. Not sure if you have any interest in tracking the car, but it's a top rated track.
Hi Frank! Welcome!! I am also not currently a member of the FCA. I need to rejoin as well, but the group has been MORE than welcoming for me to meet up for a few drives and such. I shall look forward to seeing your 16M out and about sometime!! PDG
Frank welcome to Cary As for roads to drive i would suggest you obtain a DeLorme Atlas and Gazetteer for NC. It has all the back roads in detail. So we just pick a destination ie Pinehurst , and take the back roads. Mostly good country roads that are less traveled. My wife acts as copilot and i do the driving. Makers an otherwise boring straight line drive much more interesting. BTW, Blue Ridge Parkway is very scenic but only for the passenger--not worth going all that way to drive 20 MPH. as for detailing i take my 360 and 458 to DRM Motorwork 9196072242. Danny is the owner and they do great work. Not sure where in Cary you are but thay are right off US 1 South just on the edge of Apex. I live in Mac Gregor downs and takes me 10 minutes max to get there--and i obey all the posted spedd limits.....
I'm also a fan of the canyon roads in the Santa Monica mountains. Some great roads in the NC mountains. A few of my favorites are Blue Ridge Parkway NC 194 from Valle Crucis to Banner Elk Town Mountain Rd (AVL) US276 from Pisgah Forest to Waynesville NC151 from Candler to BRP NC28 from Franklin to Crossroads of Time US129 from Robbinsville 11mi into Tennessee (Deals Gap) US441 from Cherokee to Gatlinburg US64 from Franklin to Brevard (Waterfall highway) And locally I led a contest of sorts for the Raleigh Harley Owners Group to pick the best roads in the triangle. The winner was Jones Ferry. From Cary string these together for a fun day drive US64W R on Mt. Moriah L on Bynum Ridge R on Bynum R on US15-501 (near JCT with Bynum is Allen & Sons BBQ, possible lunch spot) L on Hamlets Chapel Rd Stay straight and it becomes Jones Ferry, ending in Carrboro
Thanks everyone for all the info. I'll definitely be checking these roads out once the weather gets better. I'll try to go to the VIR event as well. I actually live in MacGregor West, so really close. We should go for a drive some time
A few more roads from the final standings of my little "contest": 1. Jones Ferry 2. Bynum Ridge 3. New Light (tie) 3. Purnell (tie) 4. Old Greensboro (tie) 4. Green Level West (tie)
Have you ever tried out some of the side roads that connect Jones Ferry/Old Greensboro in that area? But I agree that area is the best I have found for drives. Also, try up around Maple View Ice Cream (NE of CH)