Slipstream - April 2018

Maverick Tour Preview: Stop! Smell the Bluebonnets!
By Mark Pitarresi, Region Tours Co-Chair
Welcome to the second annual
Maverick Bluebonnet Tour! This
year’s Tour will be just southeast
of Dallas. Ennis is the official Bluebonnet
City of Texas.
Typically the bluebonnets peak
around the third week of
April. However, this can vary
year to year due to weather
conditions and terrain, so we
have chosen Sunday April 15
for this year’s tour. This time
we’ll witness a sneak preview
one week before Ennis has
their annual Bluebonnet Festival.
That’s right -- this attraction is so
popular that the city of Ennis actually
celebrates it with an annual festival!
It has been said that they have
over 100,000 visitors that come to
see their famous Bluebonnet Trails in
the spring for the wildflower show.
The tour will be approximately
1 hour 37 minutes and 68.8 miles
long. Last year we had some construction
and some bumpy roads to
deal with, but this year we crossed
The Ennis Bluebonnet Trails are the oldest
such trails known in the state. Country
scenery, twisty roads, elevation change,
long straights and bluebonnets will be
expected!
out most of the bumpy roads, and
the construction from last year is
all fresh and oh-so-smooth. At the
time this article was written there
was no construction on this route.
While doing a recon drive for this
tour, my daughter and I were having
so much fun that we had to
pull over a few times and take in
the moment. We will be stopping to
view the bluebonnets in a classified
area on this route. I can assure you
that it’s probably one of the best
places to take in the bluebonnets!
The tour starts at 10 am at Red
Oak Middle School, located at 154
Louise Ritter Blvd in Red Oak, TX
75154. The tour will end at Bubba’s
BBQ and Steak House at 210 S. I-45,
Ennis, TX 75119. Bubba’s BBQ is
famous for great food, and can accommodate
about 110 people. Our
tours are generally larger than that,
but there are several other places to
eat in the area.
Our First Timers’ Drivers’ Briefing
will start at 9:45 am, and our
normal Drivers’ Briefing will
start at 10 am. Most of our
tour members arrive early to
socialize and take in the variety
of Porsches. Arriving early
also helps our volunteers in
signing you in on time so the
tour is on schedule.
You can register for this tour at
http://mav.pca.org/Events/Tours.
asp. You will have two classes to
choose from. Select Vintage class if
your car is older, or if you prefer a
more relaxed tour. Select Modern
class if you prefer the same tour
experience we have been providing
in the past. However, it is ultimately
your choice, no matter which model
you drive. After registering we will
send you an email three days before
the tour with all the information
needed to attend.
14 April