On Sunday August 20th, twenty-six shiny Porsches arrived at Porsche Centre North Toronto (PCNT) at 8:00am for a private cars & coffee event and the start of the driving tour up to Muskoka.
PCNT’s Marketing Manager, Anthony Carbone, welcomed our group with coffee and pastries and set the tone for what was to lie ahead. Our tour host, John Hume, briefed the group on the safety instructions and gave us each the printed driving route just in case anyone decided to get lost.
Given the 279 km drive ahead of us, the first leg of our journey took us on the highway from PCNT up to the infamous Webers on Hwy 400. After we regrouped there, it was on to much more scenic and twisty roads for the second leg of the journey. There were a few bumps along the southern part of Southwood Road however once we cleared those it was a more spirited drive through the twisties Southwood has to offer for the next 40 km. Now that is what the Porsche is built for!
Upon our arrival at the JW Marriott The Rosseau Muskoka Resort & Spa, the staff greeted us in the parking lot with frozen skewers of watermelon and grapes. It was hard to tell whose smiles were bigger, the UCR members or the staff from the Marriott. We then had a choice of walking up a small hill to the hotel entrance or getting a ride in a golf cart. There, a new welcoming committee from the JW Marriott greeted us with a glass of bubbly adorned with a raspberry for a touch of colour.
This white glove service continued as they ushered us out to a private patio set up with white tablecloths and a buffet gourmet lunch overlooking beautiful Lake Rosseau. Just when we thought things could not get any better, it was time for a few unexpected prizes. Didier Dolivet, the Managing Director of the JW Marriott and his team graciously donated two prizes each consisting of a one-night stay at the JW Marriott. The lucky winners were Mark & Isabella Zemel and Rob & Roxanne West. Congrats to you both!
After our leisurely lunch, we all departed for the final leg of our drive heading south-east towards Gravenhurst. On route we had some more fun tackling another 9 kms twisties as we headed for Sawdust Brewery where we ended the tour and enjoyed a nice cold beverage.
 Well done to all of the organizers, John Hume, Anthony Carbone from PCNT and everyone at the JW Marriott for making this driving tour an experience to remember! </>
