Gulfstream Member's Contributions

Story & Photos Submitted by Rich Tillotson

A Great Time for Porsches and Owners...

March 7th, 2025 was my ninth year attending Werks, as the first event was in 2017 and each year it gets better and better.

I have been a judge, a corral participant and also a display area exhibitor each time there was fun to be had, especially due to the laid back approach to the event and the car judging not as intense as a Parade Concourse as the owners story of his/her car is as important as the car’s condition.

 The Porsche model participation is second to none, the number of Porsches rival any other club event in both volume of cars and quality of each model represented and it is held here in Florida. There is a sister event on the west coast of the country but that might be a bit too long of a road trip for most of us. The Werks event on Friday is one of the many events held at Amelia Island starting on Wednesday and runs through to Sunday when the “big” show, the Amelia Island Concourse d’ Elegance, is held for the best of the best examples of multiple marques.

 There are great restaurants in the area, my personal favorites are in downtown Fernandina Beach as there are some outdoor dining options which allow you to watch not only the people but the cars as they cruise up and down the central street. 

 Now the only downside is that the weather is not one of the factors that Werks can control, last year was the first full rain day I can remember at the event but like true enthusiasm I believe the organizers noted that a very few Porsches did not attend due to the wet weather.

 We still had fun and it made for some interesting umbrella pictures, soggy clothes and lawn chairs but guess what? They all dried off but the smiles remained.

 I invite all Gulfstream members to consider a day trip or longer visit to the area this year or in the future during this event week, walk-in attendance is free, parking in corral and displaying on judged field do have a registration fee.

 So if you want to have some fun, see new and old friends, view Porsches in all models and colors, and go home with smiles and memories, Werks is highly recommended!

Story & Photos Submitted by Malcolm Gropper

My bucket list always had a dream item, to own a new or late model Porsche 911S Cabriolet. 

When I turned 80, I decided it was time to fulfill my dream and notch one more item off my bucket list. 

Finally, after spending innumerable hours searching websites and online auctions, I found the car that I wanted, at a dealership in Naples Florida. I negotiated terms of the sale over the phone. Then my wife and I drove across Alligator Alley to get to Porsche Naples. While driving the Alligator Alley, my wife asked “Why are we doing this?” I responded “if I don't do it now, then when will I be able do it. ”A few hours later I was back on Alligator Alley, with the top down driving my 2020 Porsche 911S Cabriolet… all smiles every mile along the ride home.

Part of me hasn’t got over the thrill of owning my Porsche 911S, and another part of me rejoices about that bucket list item, but my greatest thrill is my joy of driving, yes the simple act of turning the ignition, raising hairs at the sound of its exhaust tone, every single time I fire up my 911S. 

Every Porsche owner will agree that it is a car that was designed to be driven. Living in South Florida, where winding, curvy roads are significantly missing, shall I say “to the point of boring,” I had to find a solution. So I joined the local chapter of the Porsche Club of America, the largest single marque auto club in the world and a family of Porsche enthusiasts.

This past September 2024, Gulfstream Region organized a trip to Young Harris, Georgia where our group stayed at the Ridges Resort. This is approximately a 750-mile drive for us. The plan was to do daily planned drives, on various winding country roads through Northwest Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina and Tennessee. We would be a caravan of 12-15 Porches.

The trip’s highlight was to drive a legendary road in North Carolina known as the “Tail of the Dragon”. Here is how the “Tail of the Dragon” is explained on its website:

“Tail of the Dragon at Deals Gap with 318 curves in 11 miles: America’s number one motorcycle and sports car road. Designated US 129, the road is bordered by the Great Smoky Mountains and the Cherokee National Forest with no intersecting roads or driveways to hamper your travel. It is considered “the destination” for thousands of motorcycle and sports car fans throughout the spring, summer, and fall.

Can you brave it? It’s best to be cautious as the turns are tight, but the Tail of the Dragon is guaranteed to be the ride of your life.”

It was a rainy Tuesday morning when our 15 Porsches set out to drive about 625-miles roundtrip from our starting point. Again, we drove on winding country roads through some of the most beautiful countrysides you can imagine getting to the base of the “Tail of the Dragon”.

After doing some perfunctory souvenir shopping in the “Taile of the Dragon Store” we got into our cars, strapped up tight, and prepared to launch ourselves onto the “Thrill of the Dragon.”

Some of the more experienced drivers went first as they were going to try and do the road as fast as they could. Remember this is a winding uphill drive with no intersections, no driveways and no trucks. After giving the advanced drivers, a significant head start we started up the mountain. I planned to drive vigorously but within my limits.

It was like being on a roller coaster. The car felt like it was on a rail. Never did I come close to feeling that I would lose control. We were making switch-back turns into switch-back turns repeatedly on wet pavement! The most fabulous 318 turns on 11 miles of roadway I’ve ever experienced! My wife, Sandi, made a valiant effort to make a recording of our drive on her iPhone. We got nauseous just watching the recording. As a lifelong sports car enthusiast all I can say is that it was one heck of a drive! 

On the following days we did additional drives in Georgia and South Carolina. Again, winding roads through beautiful countrysides. If we encountered a truck, the truck driver would graciously pull over to allow our 15 car caravan to pass. The same was true if we encountered a local driving their SUV, even being waved through as a group at some stop signs! 

It was an exciting drive, even my wife, who was a passenger all the way through the ride, thought it was a lot of fun.

So now I can check two more items off my bucket list. I got to drive my Porsche on one of the most challenging roads in the United States!  an awful lot of fun

Next up, good lord willing and the creek don’t rise, we will take the Porsche to Colorado and drive through the mountains to Colorado Springs (Pike’s Peak), Mesa Verde, Moab, Breckenridge, and Rocky Mountain National Park!

Oh, to be young at heart.

Story by Karl Eisleben, Photos Submitted by Joan McCabe  

PCA Gulfstream Region was well represented on "The 2024 Going to the Sun Rally (GTTSR)" with Tom and Angie Blash driving their fantastic 1968 Porsche 911 L; Phil and Diane Bagley in their beautiful 1969 Porsche 911 S and Joan and Karl Eisleben in our 1987 Porsche 930 Cabriolet.

"Going to the Sun Rally" was a fantastic journey of over 1000 miles, over six days on the scenic roads of Montana, Oregon, Idaho, and Washington State.

Angie and Tom Blash With Their 1968 Porsche 911 "L"

 Diane and Phil Bagley With Their 1969 Porsche 911 "S"

 Joan and Karl Eisleben With Our 1987 Porsche 930 Cabriolet 

The 2024 Going To The Sun Rally is a 50-car adventure which started in Whitefish Montana at the Grouse Mountain Lodge. We drove through four states and returned back to Whitefish Montana for the closing dinner.

Day-1: Saturday, began with a quick check-in where each team received their car numbers, route book, and other important information.  Then it was off for some great food in Whitefish, and back for an afternoon “parking lot get together.” The opening celebration dinner was held that evening at the host hotel.

The following morning, under bright sunny Montana skies, the engines were started, and cars were prepped. Beginning at 8:30 cars began leaving, headed for the beauty of the Rocky Mountains with breathtaking streams and valleys along the way.

The three vintage Porsches had been hauled from Florida to Montana just for this rally, and so we were eager to go. It was great fun navigating narrow two-lane roads past the edge of Glacier National Park and onto rolling hills of Idaho, until our evening stop in Coeur d’ Alene Idaho. We stayed at a wonderful hotel overlooking the lake, with dinner on an excursion boat.

We set out about 8:30 each day, drove until about 10:30 for a stop at a local coffee shop, then back on the road until 12:30 for lunch at a curated cool local restaurant. Then “on the road again” as Willie Nelson would say, until we would take a short afternoon break, and again back on the gas until we would arrive at the next night’s hotel. Each evening there would be a get-together with all rally participants at a fun place such as a winery or even a party boat. 

Each evening, after arriving on our host hotel parking lot, Tom, Phil and I would compare notes on how our 911’s were performing, top off oil if needed, clean windshields and “ready” our machines for next day’s workout.

On the second day of the rally, we headed off to Walla Walla Washington, past miles and miles of wheat fields, hay fields and sprawling ranches. This is a beautiful part of America and a rally such as “Going To The Sun Rally” is one of the best ways to enjoy fantastic wide open scenery across the midwest.

Will and Surrey, who run GTTSR, and their entire crew of Going To The Sun Rally are outstanding. They take great care of all participants.  All logistics are handled to Porsche precision, from lunch stops, hotels, and dinners, to handling of luggage. They have a team of mechanics traveling with the rally that are constantly working on any issues with cars and keeping all of us moving without delay.

All three of the Gulfstream Porsches ran flawlessly, covering each day with no issues. Phil was a “hero” to one of our competitors as they had a relay fail on their 911 and Phil had a replacement in his spare parts bag that he graciously replaced their failed unit with his spare. The car fired up immediately, and they completed the rally. Phil received the “Good Samaritan” award for his kindness and work keeping their 911 off the “sweep” trailer and running to down the road to the end.

As we opened our throttles on the 911’s leaving Oregon, heading toward Missoula MT, the vistas were breath taking. On the last day we ran into some rain showers that dropped temperatures, letting us know fall was around the corner, but it gave us a chance to see if the heaters worked on our 911’s that never see cold weather in Florida. Rain also washed some dust off as we flew down two-lane black tops through small towns, around Flathead Lake, and pushed on past the golden hills that were recently harvested.

GTTSR’s six days passed very quickly! The final closing banquet was a robust affair that afforded us a final chance to spend time with both our new acquaintances and old friends.  We were able to thank the Going To The Sun Rally team for their efforts to deliver a most memorable week.

Gulfstream’s three 911 are dirty, show 1000 miles of use, and their crews agreed they are happy because they got to do what they were made for; carving canyon roads and running in top gear for hours at a time, while all the time putting big smiles on all our faces.

Friday was a grey Montana morning as the parking lot was emptying out.  The rally over, and everyone heading back home.  As everyone was saying their “goodbye’s,” our three 911’s were loaded on the trailer for their trip back to Palm Beach County.

Even though all three cars looked cool with Montana/Oregon/Idaho/Washington dirt on them, it will be time to get out our car washing gear and start prepping for the next adventure…