Issue link: http://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/565367
September / October 2015 56 Between 1500 and 2000 national club members registered to attend the 2015 Pa- rade. Hotels some 20 to 40 miles from French Lick were booked with the over- flow Porchephiles. Porsche club members came from Alaska and Hawaii, but mostly from the Middle West. Even Dr. Wolfgang Porsche, youngest son of Ferry Porsche and Chairman of Porsche AG, was in attendance. The town of French Lick is one of those places most people would never discover on their own. Tucked away in the Indiana woods, several miles from any freeway, this quaint village held some surprises. Headquarters for the Porsche Parade was at the French Lick hotel and casino. If the huge array of Porsches or the planned social and on road events couldn't keep you busy, one could test their luck at the casino. The one time I ducked in to peruse the gaming tables and slot machines, few club members were in attendance. Registration, banquets, rallies, concours, fun runs and more all emanated from the beautiful hotel, nestled by rolling hills and golf courses. Unfortunately heavy rains just days before the parade flooded parts of the golf course where the concours and several other events were to be held. Fortunately enough covered garage space and an expan- sive indoor tennis court were put in to ser- vice allowing events to move forward with- out skipping a beat. Just a mile from the hotel and casino com- plex sat another local gem waiting to be discovered. The West Baden hotel, built in the late 1800's, and sporting a beautifully restored 200 ft. diameter dome provided ad- ditional guest rooms, and banquet and semi- nar locations. Seeing the dome alone was well worth the trip. Attendees could discover all sorts of events to participate in, with or without a Porsche. Whether you wanted to take part in a road rally or autocross, or stroll through a collection of 60 model years of Porsches, test your skill with an RC Porsche, or just put your feet up in a pub and discuss all things Porsche with someone visiting from the other half of the continent, this was the place to be. Over the week's events people and their Porsches came and went. Some, like Nancy and I, stayed for just a few days, while oth- ers rode out the week. Whatever the itiner- ary may have been, all who attended discov- ered that the Porsche motto is true. It's not just the cars, it's the people. - JIM PlaySLIDESHOW Photos by Jim Rand