2021 MOGSouth Spring Meet – Little Switzerland, NC (May 7 – 9, 2021)
Folks this year is a little different from normal. The MOGSouth Noggin and Cars and Coffee event at Amelia Island, in March, is usually our first get together of the new year. However, the Covid-19 Pandemic changed things and the Concours at Amelia Island and the associated Cars and Coffee event were moved to the latter half of May. This means our Spring Meet, at Little Switzerland, NC will precede the Cars and Coffee event by a few weeks.
As you all know we attempted to have the Spring Meet at Little Switzerland in May of 2020 but, like many other things, it got postponed until this year. We have renegotiated the dates for this year’s Spring Meet (to replace the cancelled event) with the Switzerland Inn, Little Switzerland, NC. The new dates are now arrival on 7 May 2021 and Departure on 9 May 2021. Make sure your schedules show these new dates!! From the MOGSouth perspective, this meet is going to happen. The only thing that will cancel it outright is the Switzerland Inn’s unavailability or a regional mandate that would preclude us holding the event in NC.
We were told that the Switzerland Inn was going to roll over your existing 2020 reservations to the new 2021 dates; however, I would call them at (828) 765-2153 just to be sure this rollover happened. If you didn’t have reservations in 2020 and need to make new reservations for the new 2021 dates, you will have to call them at (828) 765-2153. As I understand it, you have to call. You cannot make reservations on line.
In setting up the meet this year, we have obviously been mindful of the ongoing and evolving Covid-19 situation. As more people become vaccinated and local regulations change according to the most recent guidance provided by local and national authorities, the exact details associated with masks wearing, social distancing, etc. for our meet will likely change as well. MOGSouth will comply with all Covid-19 compliance requirements as mandated by local authorities in place at that time. The Switzerland Inn is also committed to a high standard of compliance with all the local rules and regulations.
Having said that, I am sure everyone understands that most folks in the Club’s membership are in the higher risk categories with respect to the Covid-19 Virus, so please don’t participate in this or any club event, if you are concerned about your own personal safety or if you personally feel ill or have symptoms, etc. Please, don’t put others in the club at risk! And, of course, you need to do what is best for your own health.
Again, it is not my place to be dictatorial in any way and given this, I won’t tell you what to do or what not to do. These decisions must be made on your own! You are smart . . . smarter than most and can make up your own mind!
I guess my job is to simply provide you with the opportunities. You have to decide which ones make sense for you, given your own situation. Now, I will accept that I need to craft these opportunities, best I can, in such a way as to make them as safe as possible with respect to the virus and I have tried to do this.
The good news is that, as I see it, our car events are not the worst thing you could do. Driving about in open cars is far less risky than many other activities. We are outside, we are socially distant, we are about as good as we can be. (If you want to wear a mask while driving? Wear a mask!) However, there are some activities of our “typical” meet that warrant additional attention given the virus. These include the group meals and the hospitality suite.
First let’s address the group meals. The Friday dinner and all Breakfast meals are typically on your own anyway, so this comment is primarily targeted at the Saturday meals. Saturday lunch is currently envisioned as a ‘box lunch’ so you can simply pick up your meal and go wherever you would like to eat. (You may need to wear a mask when you pick up your box lunch depending upon local policy.) We have asked that the Saturday evening dinner meal be outside in the Switzerland Inn’s outside dining facility, weather permitting.
The Hospitality Suite is planned in a separate cottage on the Switzerland Inn property, with a large outside patio with numerous picnic tables. We will set up our Hospitality Suite with beer, wine, soda, etc. We will do this outside, if necessary. If the weather is problematic, we will have to react in some way, so do bring a rain slicker or an appropriate jacket and maybe an umbrella. (FYI, the weather in the area during May is typically nice . . . well, that is if you trust the internet?) I would also recommend bringing your own lawn chair just in case.
Just staying in a hotel may be problematic for some. That cannot be mitigated by the Club; however, I am assured by the Switzerland Inn, that they have gone overboard in cleaning and sanitizing the rooms. You may want to bring your own sanitizing spray or wipes just in case. However, if merely the act of staying in a public place like a hotel is problematic for you, I am sorry. There is really nothing I can do about this issue and if you choose to avoid the meet, I and others, will certainly understand.
Cheers,
Mark