Question Bout "Hazzard Homecoming"

[Redneck girl 01]

Howdy Y'all!! Hope everyone is doin good....

I aint quite sure where to post this at, so I hope here is ok...I just have a couple questions about the Hazzard Homecoming I thought someone might know the answer to or inform me on a little more than I know.

So I've looked at the flyers on Cooters Place website and on facebook, and all they say is Sperryville Virginia. Does anyone know an adress of the place in Sperryville it is going to be at? Or is Sperryville such a small town we will be able to find it no matter what? Can anyone tell me about Sperryville, because I'm not finding much on the web....is it a big town or small town??

Also another question...sorry if these are dumb but I don't know... Motels and Hotels near there...that aren't like 100 bucks a night....When I looked them up all I could find was really expensive Inns and Bed and Breakfasts...So if anyone could point me in the direction of motels and hotels if you could I would be greatly appreciative!!

Basically any information would be appreciated. Like I said I'm not findin out much about this place....it could be I'm just looking in the wrong places....But thanks for anything you can let me know!!

[Meadowmufn]

If I recall correctly, the place is on route 211. The motel we stayed at in 2001 was reasonable. It was fairly clean, though a tad "older". Brian probably remembers what the place was called, as I don't. We'll research this and get back to ya.

[Brian Coltrane]

Absolutely, I remember where we stayed. In fact, if I was going to Hazzard Homecoming myself this year, I'd never post this motel because it's my personal fave, it's a small place in the country, and it books up fast. I just called and they do have a room or two open yet on that Saturday. I just gotta decide NOW if I'm going....it's kinda been doubtful onconna health and the distance, but....hmmm.

[Brian Coltrane]

Awright, I'm just gonna give away my favorite motel, here, along with a link to other hotels in the same town. First, some background info.

Sperryville is in the middle of freaking nowhere and it has a population of 350. It has a cafe that hates Yankees and closes at 2 pm. If you don't speak Virginian, take note that "arnge" means "orange" and "sowwahdoh" is "sourdough." (I've learned these things the hard way, folks.)

Next: Hazzard Homecoming is not in Sperryville proper. It's about 2 miles outside of town on 211, heading towards the Blue Ridge Mountains. Literally, the event itself is in the middle of an empty field. There's a wooden garage on the site which was the original location of Cooter's Place when he first opened a store. For the shindig, it will probably be once again Cooter's Place.

You'll see a lot of nothing out there, but it's pretty. Btw, bring your own toliet paper.

Anyhow, my recommendation is to stay in a town about 16 miles thataway called Luray, Virginia. You'll have to drive through the mountains to get to it. But there are afforable lodging options out there, and a Wal-Mart, and a gas station.

My favorite motel is The Hillside. It's old, but very clean, and it has a nice outdoor pool, very homey, and it's cheap.

Here is a link to Luray lodgings.

Note, there is a Tastee Freeze (tasteless freeze...) in Luray which is the only hangout in town for people under 60 years old. This is the community epicenter. Runner up is "Bo's Belly Barn" which is a convenience store-fast food-gas station combo. Shoes are optional.

I've stayed in Luray many times, and always enjoyed it, so don't take my teasings here the wrong way. It's been a few years since I've been there, so for all I know it could have a Starbucks on every corner by now.

[Brian Coltrane]

Alas!! Tastee Freeze in Luray is out of business. Looks like Bo's Belly Barn is still going. Make the appropriate change in your night life plans.

Food recommendation: The Brookside Restaurant on 211 is very good, it's a couple-few miles outta Luray as you head towards Sperryville. They don't like Dukes of Hazzard people, or Yankees, especially both, but they serve a good breakfast and the homemade sourdough bread is excellent.

[Meadowmufn]

Alas!! Tastee Freeze in Luray is out of business. Looks like Bo's Belly Barn is still going. Make the appropriate change in your night life plans.

Food recommendation: The Brookside Restaurant on 211 is very good, it's a couple-few miles outta Luray as you head towards Sperryville. They don't like Dukes of Hazzard people, or Yankees, especially both, but they serve a good breakfast and the homemade sourdough bread is excellent.

I remember that place.

Don't they usually have the Luray County Fair around that time of year too? That was a blast when we went. That was almost 10 years ago. Wow, how time flies.

[Brian Coltrane]

I remember that place.

Don't they usually have the Luray County Fair around that time of year too? That was a blast when we went. That was almost 10 years ago. Wow, how time flies.

It's actually the Page Valley fair, located in Luray, but this year it runs Aug 20 thru 27, so it's not on during Hazzard Homecoming.

Ya know, thinking back to how rowdy some Dukes fans were in Luray (not naming names...Mufn!) it's no wonder that Yankees/Dukes of Hazzard fans weren't always embraced by some of the locals. Though I imagine they might really appreciate the business this time around.

Fun times back then. I had a blast riding around in Paul Harrington's Hazzard County cop car. He had the gonads to pull right into the Luray police station with it, like "Look what I made!" and this local cops looked at him like "What is this?" But the local fuzz were good sports.

[Brian Coltrane]

Gotta add something else here. Thinking back...I've helped out at many events, and I've only missed a couple DukesFests. I've been to other cast appearance shindigs all over the place. Car shows, you name it.

The coolest part of them all, was meeting other Dukes of Hazzard fans I'd only known through the internet up to those points. Every one of them felt like family. That's truly the best part of Hazzard Homecoming or anything else.

You can go for the General Lees, or the cast appearances and autographs, but at the end of it all, what you're really going to remember is having thousands of other crazy Dukes of Hazzard fans to whoop it up with. You'll remember meeting up with your friends and making even more friends. Take lots, and lots, of pictures ya'll....these are the moments you can't replace.

[Meadowmufn]

Take lots, and lots, of pictures ya'll....these are the moments you can't replace.

Amen to that!

[Redneck girl 01]

Wow...thanks y'all for all the information...Though Brian when I first read it I was reading it on my phone and it would only show one post at a time. And the first thing I read was about how you didn't want to give the name out of the motel you stayed at and then you never did, and I was there thinkin oh great...I have no idea where to stay or get reservations, absolutely no idea...I'm gonna get stuck in the middle of no where sleeping in the car along side a road!! But then I went to the next post and that helped me out a lot...thank you sooo much for all the information and it gave me a chuckle too!! =]

. I just gotta decide NOW if I'm going....it's kinda been doubtful onconna health and the distance, but

Now I don't know if everything is ok, but from that statement I hope you are doing well and are feeling better. =)

And Lord willing and if the creek don't rise (This place isn't prone to flooding is it?) I'm going to Hazzard Homecoming...well me and mama....I got our tickets the other day. The Hillside Motel is all booked up fer Saturday, but they have a couple openings for Sunday. We will probably stay a few extra days to explore and take pictures!

Though from what you said....

They don't like Dukes of Hazzard people, or Yankees, especially both

I ain't gonna be very welcomed down in that neck of the woods!! hahaha Oh well...I think it will be ok...I hope....

Bo's Belly Barn...that sounds interestin enough...I think we may go there just cause of the name!! 8)

But it sounds like y'all had a TON of fun....and did a lot of fun things.....and possibly some questionable ones. I think this is gonna be a fun trip...and pictures...OF COURSE PICTURES!!! I always take pictures....so when I'm 90 I can look back and hopefully remember all the good times!! I just bought a brand new 4GB memory card for this event...and mama bought an 8GB memory card for it....but we usually have a competition on who can take the best pictures!! But..

Take lots, and lots, of pictures ya'll....these are the moments you can't replace.

I couldn't agree more myself...well put!!

Ok Thank you agin for all the information and recomendations yall, I really really appreciate it. I can't wait till the 13th and 14th!

Is anyone on Hazzardnet attendin this event??

[Redneck girl 01]

And thanks for mentioning about the fair, if we are still down there...that might be something that I will visit!!

[Brian Coltrane]

You're welcome, Redneck Girl! The Hillside is a great little place, sorry they were booked up for Saturday. I do recommend staying there Sunday night and thereafter if you have plans to stick around the area. The Hillside has "green space" unlike a lot of other Concrete Inns. It's nice to pitch a lawnchair and relax, or cook on the grill, ect. The folks who own it are everyday people and very hospitable.

It's worth making time for a scenic road trip around Skyline Drive. You can explore some of the Shenandoah National Park. There are plenty of "pull over and take a picture" spots.

Skyline Drive - Blueridge Mountains

You might also be interested in the Luray Caverns.

About the whole Yankee/Dukes thing: I was probaby one of the few people in the area NOT wearing an orange shirt with an "01" on it, during the DukesFests in Sperryville. (Nothing against it, I just look horrible in arnge...er, orange.)

Anyway, while at the cafe in Sperryville and at the Brookside Restaurant in Luray, I was able to blend in more with the locals. I wasn't driving a 69 Charger, I was not wearing orange, and I can manage a decent drawl as a survival skill. So the waitresses and locals would complain in my presence and not worry about it. They didnt' say anything really bad, but here's what they didn't like:

1. Dukes of Hazzard people descending upon the restaurant all at the same time, like a hoarde of Mongols, and all wanting to sit together, and be served food within 10 minutes. (it takes them 10 minutes to bring you a menu in these places...10 more to actually take your order, another 5 to mosey it into the kitchen and then 20 to bring it to your table.)

2.Yankees being "loud." Loud voices, loud cars, loud clothing, loud music. ( say what? can't hear you over there on the far end of the table...)

3. Dukes fans/Yankees being lousy tippers. ( we can't tip, we need all our money for gas, car parts, and Dukes of Hazzard collectibles. Yeehaaw!)

You can win them over by allowing plenty of time for enjoying your meal, getting everywhere you need to be EARLY, being courteous to other patrons, and remembering to tip. The vast majority of Dukes fans are as courteous and well-mannered as Bo and Luke themselves, but of course it just takes a few yodel-heads to bring down our good name.

Like that time we were all at the Cracker Barrel in Nashville and nearly got kicked out, but that's another story.

[RogerDuke]

Like that time we were all at the Cracker Barrel in Nashville and nearly got kicked out, but that's another story.

We got time.

[Brian Coltrane]

We got time.

I'd tell you the story, but I'd have to incriminate several members of HNet. Not to say names, but people like Val, Pendragon, L_ostSheep3, LukasKD and notable others, to unmentionable to list.

Maybe I'll tell it tomorrow.

[Meadowmufn]

I'd tell you the story, but I'd have to incriminate several members of HNet. Not to say names, but people like Val, Pendragon, L_ostSheep3, LukasKD and notable others, to unmentionable to list.

Maybe I'll tell it tomorrow.

I'll have you know I sneaked back and left an extra $20 tip for their trouble while you weren't lookin'. LOL. (Who says Dukes fans aren't good tippers!??!) I'd have hated to have to clean that table up after our "french fry football" game. Or was it tater tots?

[Brian Coltrane]

I'll have you know I sneaked back and left an extra $20 tip for their trouble while you weren't lookin'. LOL. (Who says Dukes fans aren't good tippers!??!) I'd have hated to have to clean that table up after our "french fry football" game. Or was it tater tots?

It was french fries. You had the guts to walk back in there after all that?

[Brian Coltrane]

And with your post, you just admitted you were sitting at the same table...a detail I was kindly leaving out.

Guess I might as well tell the story. Later. I gotta do a homepage update for Fan of the Month first!

[RogerDuke]

I'd tell you the story, but I'd have to incriminate several members of HNet. Not to say names, but people like Val, Pendragon, L_ostSheep3, LukasKD and notable others, to unmentionable to list.

Maybe I'll tell it tomorrow.

What!? You're not going to tell any stories about MM or MA misbehaving?

You people always stick together. Come on now....us common folks are demanding a "Moderators Gone Wild" thread....I recommend starting it with a video from Cracker Barrel.

[Brian Coltrane]

What!? You're not going to tell any stories about MM or MA misbehaving?

You people always stick together. Come on now....us common folks are demanding a "Moderators Gone Wild" thread....I recommend starting it with a video from Cracker Barrel.

Fortunately we don't have a video of that particular event. And with Mufn's supplemental bribe - er, tip, to the waitstaff, I'm sure hardly anybody in Nashville remembers that rowdy table of 9.

Let me give you some background. This was the pinnacle of all DukesFests. Full reunion of the surviving cast - Tom, John, Cathy, Ben, Jimmie, Sonny, and Rick. Jerry Rushing was there too. I'm sure there's others I'm leaving out, like stunt people, as an automotive stunt show was on the bill too.

DukesFest was held at the Tennessee State Fairgrounds that year...and it wasn't...big...enough. 100,000 people streamed through the gates in a weekend. The cast members were in air-conditioned buildings but the autograph lines were out the doors and the buildings were full of people. The overcapacity was such that local fire n' safety inspector ordered the buildings to be temporarily shut down.

This created more chaos. We had lost kids, families who'd gotten separated from each other, and fans who were sweltering outside.

Yeah, I'd picked this DukesFest to volunteer. There were 5 of us from HNet on the volunteer staff that year, Mufn and I were two of them. I was assisting special-needs fans, helping lost kids, assisting security, carting around water bottles - anything and everything that needed doing that I could do.

Just about when things couldn't get more nuts, John got sick from the catered lunch that was brought in, and was flat on his back, literally, on the cement floor, behind his autograph table. I remember Tom looking over with an expression like, "#$%&.". John's line backed up even longer. But to their credit, once fans understood that John wasn't feeling well, they were patient and courteous. One or two, like you'd get anywhere, were grumbling but anyone who got edgy was invited to wait patiently or leave. They usually chose the former.

Another problem was a security guard who was letting people sneak into the building through a side door...for a price. A fan reported it to me. I watched the guy in question, and sure enough. He'd take a few bucks and let somebody sneak in. So that was another problem we had to take care of on the fly.

There was no lunch break. Me and two HNet friends shared a bag of roasted almonds, gulped down on the run, and lived on those and a bottle of water each. We counted ourselves lucky. The concessions stand inside the main building was so overrun, it was putting hot dogs on the grill and taking them off so fast that they were still cold. Fans were so hungry they were eating them anyway. Then they ran out of hot dogs altogether.

When it was all over that Saturday, after the concert and the stunt show with the 202-ft General Lee jump - the parking lot was bedlam. The HNet group pretty much elected to just sit in the parking lot and wait it out. By the time we got back to the hotel we were exhausted, starving, but happy. We celebrated our survival by getting together at the Cracker Barrel for a late dinner.

And...ya know how when you're really, really tired, anything is funny, and funny beyond all reason? That's what happened. I was tired as heck and I was desperate for a good meal and then a few hours sleep. Man, I'd never needed food so bad in my life.

But everything was funny. Two of our group got into a dispute over a tomato wedge in a salad. I found this hysterical. Val said something about hearing banjos when they crossed the state line, and I lost it. Then she lost it. The harder she laughed, the harder everybody else laughed, and we were roaring. I mean, we were just howling with glee over anything.

I'd also discovered that my steak dinner came with nature's most perfect projectile - peas! I hate peas and I don't care who knows it. They were now ammo. *flick!* French fries were fired back at me. I had three or four bites of steak and then had to put my fork down because I was laughing so hard I couldn't eat. I was laughing so hard I had to cover my face with a napkin.

A waitress came over at one point, and I think she asked Val what our jokes were since we were laughing so hard - and I think Val gave a squeak of hysteria and there we were again, howling.

Mufn, to her credit, and one other HNet person, completely behaved at their end of the table while the rest of us had the place up for grabs.

That's the story, as best as I can recollect. I do recall that I wasn't on my best professional behavior and I was glad I wasn't wearing an HNet t-shirt at the time. If anything I probably needed a straight jacket. Mufn wasn't real pleased but she forgave me eventually.

(Now before anybody thinks DukesFest is badly organized - it's really not, it's just that ticket sales "at the gate" were huge thanks to local media picking up the event and running all over with it. The crowd estimate based on pre-sales was one thing, and reality was vastly another.)

[MaryAnne]

What!? You're not going to tell any stories about MM or MA misbehaving?

You people always stick together. Come on now....us common folks are demanding a "Moderators Gone Wild" thread....I recommend starting it with a video from Cracker Barrel.

I NEVER misbehave.

Unfortunately, I was not present at that DukesFest (or any DukesFest ever, sadly).

After reading Brian's story tho', I now finally understand something about Val that has puzzled me for years. At one point she kept uttering a catch phrase around here of "Banjos in mah head!!!" and I had no clue where that came from. Now I think I know! LOL

[Brian Coltrane]

I NEVER misbehave.

Hardly ever, anyway! Betweent the two of us, it averages out.

Good thing, or Mufn would have sold this site years ago, and then where would we be?

[RogerDuke]

Great story Brian....thanks for sharing it!

I bet the waitress thought you got ahold of some of Jesse's Finest at the Dukesfest.

[Brian Coltrane]

Great story Brian....thanks for sharing it!

I bet the waitress thought you got ahold of some of Jesse's Finest at the Dukesfest.

They probably needed some themselves after dealing with us. Heh!

We now interrupt these stories to bring you another post about Hazzard Homecoming. I put some tips and whatnot in here for first-timers. This is on a separate thread, but for your convenience here is a link:

Hazzard Homecoming How-To's

And now back to our program. I got a lot of DukesFest stories. Lessee...there was the year I almost killed Daney, from HNet, here. Accidently of course. I'll see if she chimes in before I take that one public.

Then there was the 2005 DukesFest, where I broiled myself, running around without sunscreen. Mufn and I and a couple other HNet folks were getting together with Jimmie that night. He looked at me and said, "You know what's good for a sunburn? Vinegar." I was in enough pain that I figured I'd try it. I bought a big gallon jug of vinegar, took it back to my hotel room. I got in the shower and poured it over myself, bodily.

It...hurt. A lot. Now I was broiled and pickled, like a smoked sardine. I reeked of vinegar, the hotel room reeked of vinegar, and the hall outside my room, smelled like a pickle barrel. Rinsing off and then rinsing out the shower failed to get rid of the smell. I'm grateful DukesFest never returned to Bristol TN, because I doubt the Marriott would want to see me again.

Then the was the first, fan-based DukesFest in Covington, GA, where I went in search of an authentic moonshine experience. Talk about a bad idea...oops, lookit the time. I have to work on a homepage update!