After writing a 'book' on my trip to The United Kingdom and attending my first ever Furry Convention outside of The U.S. - 'Confuzzed 2025' in late May, I've made a decision to shorten my reports in respect to the five other Furry Conventions I've attended this year. I'll focus on the highlights of each day during the convention, starting with 'Furry Takeover' in a easy to read format similar to 'USA Today.' With this presentation, the journal will be focused on the con event instead of a detailed timeline as to where I flew to and where I ate at during the convention.
I had the pleasure of attending 'Furry Takeover 2025' at Fontana Village Resort near The Great Smoky Mountains National Park bordering North Carolina and Tennessee on the weekend of September 25th to 28th .
This convention was unique as it's location is in a beautifully landscaped Campground setting, instead of a downtown urban hotel and convention center (as most Furry Conventions are held.) The draw to 'Furry Takeover' was that you were transformed to a completely natural forest environment, where once upon check-in to your appointed cabin or standard lodge room, you can drop your luggage and go out to enjoy the many outdoor activities provided by the resort and the convention organizers. 'Fontana Village Resort' was central to many iconic attractions for FTO attendees, from visiting Fontana Dam, taking a drive on the world-famous 11 mile stretch of 'Highway 129' known as “Tail Of The Dragon” with 318 twists and turns along the way that made me dizzy, especially in Fursuit – along with a visit to 'Tapoco Resort,' which provided incredible picture taking opportunities with mountain and cascading river views from the comfort of their spacious Gatehouse and Restaurant.
This con was the brainchild of two very good friends that are dear to me - Tony 'Bear' Timberlake and Kyle 'Fenris' Hicks. In 2018, they wanted to promote a different type of Furry Convention, one that involved Cars and Furries. Many Furry Car enthusiasts I knew from being at BLFC's Car Show in Reno truly love their vehicles as they put a lot of time and money into making their cars stand out. The attraction of “Tail Of The Dragon” for Southeast Furs made it an easy choice, as FTO quickly grew in a short time.
Then, the COVID-19 Pandemic came. I had originally planned to attend 'Furry Takeover 2020' in September, as I already had my flight plans set. Sadly, the in-person convention was cancelled, but a 'virtual con' was held instead from Tony and Kyle's house in Birmingham, Alabama. I flew in to help with the virtual con and was able to host my Greymuzzle Panel online to a worldwide audience. Still, it wasn't the same as being at Fontana Village Resort. It would take another five years before I could attend.

*WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 24TH – FLIGHT OUT / LAX TO ATL
I wouldn't go to “Furry Takeover” alone, due to safety concerns. So, one of my best friends joined me on my journey to Fontana Dam for the weekend. Jose 'Toad' Pacheco had been to this con before, he knew Tony & Kyle, and is a well known car enthusiast with familiarity with driving to the resort. I didn't want to drive to North Carolina from Atlanta on my own, so he was extremely kind and caring by handling all of the driving duties to get us there safely. I bought him a few meals =)
I flew out of LAX before dawn on Southwest (via a short stopover connection at Denver) – arrived into Atlanta/Hartfield during the horrible 5pm 'Rush Hour,' I didn't mind, as Toad was driving.. (I believe Atlanta Traffic is WORSE than Los Angeles!)
After dinner at THE AMAZING 'VORTEX' Restaurant in 'Little 5 Points' District (FYI - VORTEX HAS THE BEST BURGER IN THE ATL!) I got a cute plush 'Smokey Bear' next door at “Junkman's Daughter” pop-culture store. After we left 'Little 5 Points,' we drove to “Kroger” Supermarket for groceries before heading to Toad's spacious house in Stone Mountain to call it a night.

*THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 25TH – DRIVE / ATL TO FONTANA DAM
We both got up after 9am, and after getting dressed – Toad made me a fully-cooked breakfast at home with sausage and eggs. After the yummy breakfast, we drove out to “Wal*Mart” for some last minute shopping before heading back to start packing our luggage and essentials into Toad's VW for the 175 mile drive from suburban Atlanta across northern Georgia on NB I-985 and then NB US-441 into North Carolina, where we merged onto Highway NC-28 for the climb up into the mountains to our final destination 'The Fontana Village Resort.'
To be a passenger in his VW convertible was AMAZING, as Toad drove through towns I've never seen before, with miles of lush green forests for the eye to see. It was a completely different world to experience the beauty of this magificant state of Georgia by car. I'm grateful to Toad for driving us across northern Georgia into North Carolina and by allowing me to see how beautiful 'The South' truly is.
Along our 3 ½ hour journey, we had to stop twice along the way to put on his mobile roof as rain fell down on us pretty hard. We had to slow down once we crossed the state line into North Carolina and at Franklin, N.C. As we had to turn onto Hwy NC-28 for the climb into the mountains and our final destination – Fontana Dam, N.C.
As the Sun broke out from the clouds, it provided us a chance to take off the mobile roof and be treated to a sweet arrival at Fontana Village Resort before 6pm, and with plenty of sunlight still out we were able to reach the main Gatehouse (with General Store) to check-in at the front desk. Unlike Tony and Kyle, who had separate cabins with spacious rooms and amenties, Toad and 'Yours Truly' opted for the 'lodge' room, which was similar to 'Fairfield Inn' by Marriott in a multi-level building with other rooms. It felt more like a hotel lodge in the woods, which was fine by us. We had a speedy check-in and received our keys for a two-bedded standard room on ground level - Room #127 with A/C and Heater, bathroom with shower and toilet and something I didn't expect, a small refrigerator. Toad brought his Coleman cooler for larger items like milk and sweet tea, so we were fine.
As Furry Takeover had 'Fontana Village' all to itself, I realized as we arrived on Thursday how vast the resort really was. Similar to major conventions like 'Midwest Furfest' and 'Anthrocon' where the con utilizes not just it's main hotel, but the adjacent convention center as well - which means a lot of walking. Here, it was similar but in a completely outdoor setting with roads and trails guiding you to Main Events and other buildings. It was different, yet very refreshing. The map from the resort was useful, and FTO provided a color brochure to help attendees as to where to go and a schedule of events which helped greatly.
Most of FTO's con events were held in 'Main Event Hall' building which had a main stage room for the Opening ceremonies, major concerts and performances and Closing ceremonies. The building also hosted Registration, Panels and Fursuit Headless Lounge. It was easy to access from the front, where parking was located. However, it became challenging if I walked from my room down to the hall, as being older and in fursuit with our room behind several adjacent structures on the hill I had mobility issues. More than once, I had to use the trail or road down to reach the main building in order not to trip. Once I got to the rear entrance of the main building I was good. To add, I wanted to thank Toad as he drove me down the hill from our room in the VW to parking in front of the main building when we had rainy moments during the con.
We were able to finish unpacking in room, and had a quick meal before we lined up at 'Main Events' Building in 'The Reg Line' after 7pm. After a 10 minute wait, we were quickly escorted inside, got checked-in and received our cool FTO con badges. I loved the idea of having a 'P-Touch' label maker to print your name onto the badge with ease. The con store was open, so I purchased the FTO 2025 T-shirt with instructions to keep it in the provided 'Ziploc' bag for the 'tye dye' of shirt on Sunday and I also purchased a Tony Bear poker chip with holder. I came back to the room after registration, and took it easy for the night. Toad went off to a room party, as I took a pass. While he was gone, Tony Bear stopped by for a bit - as it was the only time I would be able to sit with him privately and talk. We chatted for about an hour, and I was very glad he could stop and spend time with me as he would be very, very busy along with Kyle Wolf for the rest of the weekend. I went to bed after Tony left after midnight.

*FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 26TH – DAY ONE / FTO IN FULL SWING
We both woke up early to get ready to attend FTO Opening Ceremonies at 10am. Toad brought a 'George Foreman' Grill to make Grilled Turkey and Cheese sandwiches for breakfast, lunch or whenever. We brought cereal and milk too as backup.
I decided to not fursuit on this first day of con, so I could enjoy the convention without 'mesh eyes' and to take in the overall beauty of 'Fontana Village Resort.' **HIGHLIGHTS OF DAY ONE -
Opening Ceremonies – Toad and 'Yours Truly' arrived at Main Events Hall and took a seat near the front for FTO Opening Ceremonies. The event started a little past 10am with Tony Bear and Kyle Wolf taking the stage, welcoming all to the convention. While Kyle was working the A/V controls, Tony Bear hosted and highlighted upcoming events while FTO assistant 'Kirby' explained attendee expectations for a fun weekend.
It was well attended.
Dealer's Den – Following FTO Opening Ceremonies, it was nice to see their 'Dealer's Den' open in the building next door. We were able to enter with no wait at all. It had a wide variety of vendors, selling items from T-Shirts to furry tails, plushies, books, crafts and accessories. It was very nice and I enjoyed my walkthrough.
A bought a pin from a vendor.
Lunch & 'Price Is Right' Game Show Panel – After Dealer's Den, Toad and I decided to go for lunch at “Quill's Canteen,” we ordered a large Pepperoni Pizza to take back to our room and enjoy. Though we waited a while for the pizza inside 'Quill's Canteen,” it was well worth the wait. As we had potato chips and sodas in our room, we took the pizza to our room and it ended up being the perfect lunch at a good price. We didn't stay too long in our room for lunch, as we had a panel to attend after 2pm. My friends 'Sass' and 'Tye-Dye' (who was also the con's official 'photographfur') hosted 'The Price Is Right' Game Show Panel, which is very popular on the furry con circuit. It is centered around the long running CBS-TV show, now in it's 55th year. I luckily got the cue 'Come On Down' and ended up on 'Contestant Row,' but sadly I didn't get out of it as my bids were always too high or too low. I chose $420 for bids, which was a joke that a previous contestant used on the television show, and got millions of likes on YouTube. Nevertheless, It was a fun take of being a contestant on Sass' version of the popular game show.
Walk Across The Resort Grounds/Tony Bear's Con Safety Panel – I broke away from Toad to take a walk around the large resort, which included multiple walking trails and paths that attendees could utilize by connecting to other buildings and cabins. I truly enjoyed the natural environment of the resort, the openness of the resort grounds and I felt very little stress which was almost theraputic. It's something that you don't always feel at a furry convention inside a crowded hotel or convention center.
I enjoyed going through the parking lots seeing furries' vehicles sporting vanity plates like 'WATTWOLF' and 'OWO' and the plaster of stickers on many vehicles. After the walkthrough, I decided to go to Main Events Building, where Tony Bear was hosting a panel on Con and Fursuit Safety. It was a very informative panel.
Fritz The 'Pop-Punk' Wolf Concert – After Tony Bear's Panel, I came back to the room to rest a bit, before Toad came back as we planned to leave together after 6pm for “Fritz The 'Pop-Punk' Wolf” Concert at Main Events Hall.
I've known Fritz for a while – as he's a well known local SoCal Furry and musician, I've seen him perform locally at venues and at cons like our local L.A. 'Golden State Fur Con.' It was cool to see Fritz travel to play as he was also FTO's 'Guest of Honor.'
His performance did not disappoint. There was a good crowd to see him perform, and the audience showed their love for Fritz. It was a good show.
Bonfire – One of my personal highlights of this convention was the nightly 'Bonfire' cookout, where attendees came together around a large campfire to socialize, while provided long wood sticks with hot dog wieners and jumbo marshmallows to cook over open bonfire flames. Though we had lighting issues (not the fault of the hosts,) the bonfire was a blast and a defining reason as to why I would return to FTO in the future. Like Mephit Fur Meet serves attendees Pizza and BLFC provides attendees special Poker Chips, FTO's Bonfire is unique and a defining part of “Furry Takeover” itself.
After feasting on 4 hot dogs (and buns were provided!!) and seeing friends that I haven't seen since FWA and Anthrocon last year, I headed back to the room after 11pm and headed to hibernation city. Saturday was going to be an extraordinary day!!

*SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 27TH – DAY TWO / BEAR RIDES 'TAIL'
Toad was awake earlier before me, as he usually gets up before the break of dawn due to his job starting at 6am on weekdays. It's almost natural to see Toad wake up no later than 6:30am when I stay with him in Atlanta and during FWA. I'm the complete opposite, as I believe on an off workday - any good bear needs to wake up on his own terms, and for myself it's usually before 12:00 Noon!!
On this 'BIG' Saturday of “Furry Takeover” 2026, I knew it would be a day full of excitement and new memories made. As I woke up at 8:30am, I showered up and enjoyed a nice breakfast of 'Grilled Cheese' sandwiches and danishes, while Toad left to park his VW to take part in FTO's 'Car Show.' Before dressing up, I got my fursuit set out on the bed and ready for the upcoming 'FTO Fursuit Group Photo' in Main Events Hall later Saturday afternoon. Highlights of this day will be focused in the bullet points below, and first up on this day was a visit to the FTO 'Car Show' in the field and parking lot near Fontana Village Resort's Main Fieldhouse after 10:00am.
**HIGHLIGHTS OF DAY TWO -
FTO Car Show – Rain was forecast for this day, but we just didn't know what time it would come. It was lightly drizzling at 10:00am when I walked down hillside from our room toward the resort Fieldhouse, a ten min walk. It's much easier walking downhill, so it ended up being a nice and easy jaunt across to the car show.
By time I arrived... IT WAS POPPIN'!!!
Being familiar with 'Furries and Cars' is nothing new, as I've seen a lot from attending BLFC's 'Famous' Car Show for many years, and by becoming one of the West Coast's PREMIER spots to show your wheels while fursuiting in your vehicle. 'Awoo-Cru' from San Francisco Bay Area hosts events here at cons in California and at neighboring West Coast cons throughout the year. So, being from 'The Left Coast' – it was time to see how 'The South' do their thing.
Mentioning how BLFC's Car Show was famous for many reasons, by having the vast parking lot at Reno's 'Grand Sierra Resort' to showcase over 100 vehicles of all types. Since attending my first BLFC Car Show in 2019, I wondered if how another con could do something like this, and do it better? Well, I have to admit – FTO's Car Show had the largest exhibition of autos, motorcycles and haulers I've ever witnessed.
I was impressed...very impressed!!
I'm grateful that the weather cooperated during the car show, and the event went as planned – Especially after I experienced my FIRST Furry Con Car Show outside of The U.S. By attending 'Confuzzled' in Birmingham, United Kingdom in late May. Rain occurred during CFz Car Show, but by time I arrived the rain became drizzle. It was the same drizzle during FTO Car Show, and I didn't have an issue.
Similar to CFz Car Show, which was large and had many different car makes and styles you wouldn't see at American events, FTO's Car Show was much larger and the selection just as diverse. I counted over 125+ vehicles on display, beating BLFC and I finally understood the close connection this particular con had with the furry/car community in the Southeast U.S. (and even outside the region, as I know of several Calif furries that knew of FTO and it's car connection) I got plenty of pictures of Furries and their vehicles, including Toad and his VW convertible!! I got plenty of stickers and swag. It was quite entertaining to check out the many amazing designs and styles that Furries created to make their vehicles stand out.
As the car show wrapped up at 11:30am, the rain started to fall, and it fell hard. I immediately said goodbye to Toad, as he had to wait in line to move his car off the field and I had an umbrella to walk back to the room. I hiked back up the hill via the road where I came down from. The asphalt road took longer to walk, but was a lot easier versus going up a muddy hill. As I returned to our room, the rain was pouring down ferociously as FTO social media announced a delay of the fursuit group photo from its scheduled time 12:30pm until later Saturday afternoon.
Toad returned, soaking wet. We stayed in room - We would have to wait.
FTO Fursuit Group Photo - As the rain started to taper off after 1:30pm, social media posts announced the rescheduled time for FTO's Fursuit Group Photo to be taken indoor inside at Main Events Hall at 2:30pm. I got into fursuit with Toad's assistance, and kept my bearhead off as we would drive us from our room down to Main Events Hall in his VW with the top hood on to protect us from the rain. Just before 2:30pm, in fursuit and holding my fursuit head between my handpaws, we quickly got into his car and drove downhill from our lofty lodge building to Main Events Building for the photo meet.
Luckily, we were able to find a spot in front as the parking lot in front of Main Events Building was nearly full. We were able to arrive in the 'nick of time' so to speak. Once inside, I put my bear head on and was able to get into position in the front of the photo, behind chairs reserved for disabled and staff. In retrospect... I should had taken a seat instead of standing. As more people came to stand for the photo, it forced myself and others to go back a couple rows which was frustrating. Overall, It was okay as I ended up in the first five rows and the picture came out looking very good. Looking back, I realized how difficult it was for the con organizers to get a large group together to take a picture in a crowded room, especially last minute due to the heavy rain outdoors. At the time, I didn't think of it – but, reflecting now it would've been more prudent to have simply taken a seat in front as it was available for disabled and older Furries like myself. Next time, I will utilize this option.
FTO Fursuit Group Picture was taken by Kyle 'Fenris Wolf' Hicks. Thank You.
Fontana Dam – Miraculously, the rain had stopped, and clouds started to break apart allowing bright sunshine to peek through!! I remained in 'Joe Bear' as Toad decided to 'go for it' to drive over “Fontana Dam” itself before traveling on the 11-mile stretch of NC Highway 129 and famous for it's over 300 twists and curves – known as the “Tail of The Dragon.”
Very popular with auto/sport car enthusiasts, this road was definitely not for the 'faint of heart.' I was about to experience it in fursuit for the very first time. However, before we took that ride on 'The Dragon' - we visited the largest hydroelectric dam in the East – 480 Foot High “Fontana Dam” located on The Little Tennessee River.
Built in the 1940's and operated by the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) – the dam was built to provide electricity to this region of the country. As cities like Knoxville and Chattanooga grew, the electricity provided by this dam had been a source of tremendous growth for North Carolina and Tennessee. Just like when I visited “Hoover Dam” on The Colorado River, that dam helped cities like Las Vegas and Phoenix grow into the major metropolitan centers they are today.
Though “Fontana Dam” was not as towering as “Hoover Dam” - It's still an awe-inspiring experience!! Toad parked his VW in the rear parking area closest to the dam as the clouds largely disappeared and sun shined brightly, like it was meant to be!! It provided perfect picture opportunities on late Saturday afternoon, as Toad guided me to certain spots around the dam and lake to take pictures with his Canon SLR and found the right pictures to take of my bear with backgrounds of the lake, Great Smoky Mountain range and “Fontana Dam” itself. Toad had to watch me as I tried to get close to the edge of the dam to take a pic of me pointing down to the wall. He was very nervous, but we got the picture and we were done.
I believe the photographs we took ended up being the BEST pictures of Joe Bear in a natural landscape environment. I'm glad we were able to do this, despite the rain issues
'Tail of The Dragon' – Following our visit to “Fontana Dam” and the photoshoot w/Toad, we got back in the VW convertible and took off the vinyl roof cover for an unforgettable drive across 'The Tail of The Dragon' in fursuit. I was thinking if this was a wise choice to make, with all the twists and curves of an open road while wearing my bear. “Am I Nuts?” came into my mind often while we were driving, but as we were ascending up the highway, I was getting honks from other motorists, waves and high fives. The weather had completely changed to bright sun and very little clouds after the earlier rainstorm on Saturday morning. Though the road was a bit wet, the moment was right to take this particular drive. As we were twisting and turning upward the road, taking in the beauty of the towering trees and mountain cliffs, I was truly enjoying the moment while wearing 'mesh eyes' and Toad handling the driving duties. I did say in my mind 'Am I Loving This, or What!!' Professional road photographers took pictures of us while driving by, including one of my bear waving back to the roadside photo crew. THAT WAS A GREAT PICTURE!!
We crossed into Tennessee state line before reaching the end of the 11 mile section of 'The Dragon.' At that point, Toad just turned the VW around and we repeated the same 318 turns and curves going back toward “Fontana Dam,” as we got more photos taken by the roadside photo crews I started to feel very dizzy from doing a 'round trip' across this stretch of NC Highway 129. Once we completed the drive - a total of 22 miles with a combined 636 turns, twists and curves – Toad stopped at the general store at the base of 'The Dragon' where I had to get out of the car and rip my fursuit head off as I was extremely lightheaded and thought I would collapse. Today, after looking back at what we accomplished... I LOVED EVERY BIT OF IT!!!
While we were at 'Tail of The Dragon' General Store, I purchased the special edition “Furry Takeover 2025” license plate featuring a classic toony style that was reminiscent of old Warner Bros. “Looney Tunes” cartoons we all grew up with.
I got my bear head back on as we drove nearby to the historic “Tapoco Lodge” with beautifully landscaped grounds and rushing river views. I finally took my head off for the day as we had a delicious dinner inside 'Tapoco Tavern' restaurant, which I highly recommend!!
FTO Saturday Night/Ramen Pop-Up – After dinner, we took it easy driving back to “Fontana Village Resort” by driving NC Highway 28, enjoying the drive across the lush forest and rushing river. We made it back to the resort as dusk fell and Saturday night at FTO!! Though 'Bonfire' was about to start, we both decided to skip as we already had a good dinner at 'Tapoco Tavern' and had no desire for hot dogs on this night. While I was invited to a couple of room parties, I had plans to meet a new friend I met at this con, his name “Doot Wolf” and wanted to spend some private time before checking out the nightly dance at Main Events Hall.
While Toad took off for a party, I stayed at the room for Doot to arrive. He did around 10:00pm, and we spent about an hour together. A nice kid, from Savannah, GA.
I was told by a couple on social media of a 'Ramen Pop-Up' happening in front of Main Events Building Parking Lot area, and to check it out after 11:00pm. So, after Doot I got out to Main Events Hall to check on the dance, it was sparsely attended. Most of the action was happening at cabin room parties and the Ramon Pop-Up in the parking lot. As I left the Main Building from the front entrance, I noticed a party atmosphere across the parking lot. There was several groups hanging out, beer flowing and the Ramen Pop-Up truck with the neon lights and set-up displays of different cups of ramen and hot water canisters.
I was impressed with the 'Ramen Pop-Up' setup – as the hosts had neon lighting and other funky decorations, along with beat music that matched the mood. It was PACKED just before midnight and I was one of the first to get a cup. My choice was “CUP OF NOODLES : STIR-FRY TERIYAKI BEEF.” Though I wasn't that hungry after the hearty dinner I had outside the resort, I still whipped through a good part of of the 'Cup of Noodles Stir-Fry.' I don't have the names of the hosts, but I wanted to write 'Thank You' for the great ramen and the good times made as a result.
The one party that I wanted to go to but I actually did make it in with 5 minutes remaining was Tony and Kyle's Cabin Party. I did show up, and Toad was there but I only had time to just say 'hi and bye.' With Doot and Ramen Party taking most of my time earlier, it wasn't possible to 'do it all.' I apologize to the guys and all I can say is 'Next time...' I walked back with Toad to our room after 1:15am. What a Saturday it was at “Furry Takeover” 2025!

*SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 28TH – DAY THREE / PHOTOS & CLOSING
Sundays at furry conventions are like 'Don't wake me up until Noon' affairs. However, as hotel check-out time is precisely at 11am – We had to be up early and drive down to The Guesthouse in order to extend our check-out time to 4pm at the latest. Front Desk allowed us the extension for a nominal fee, which I agreed.
We also had to be awake early to set up for 'Joe Bear and Furiends Fursuit Photo' at exactly 12 Noon in front of the Main Events Hall Building. Sunday went pretty quick, On this last day of FTO – it was Joe Bear Group Photo, Lunch, Closing Ceremonies and 'Tie-Dye' of FTO 2025 Con T-Shirts before check-out to conclude our amazing weekend.
**HIGHLIGHTS OF DAY THREE -
Joe Bear & FURiends Fursuit Photo – As I was tardy for certain events during “Furry Takeover,” I wasn't going to be late for THIS ONE!! Toad and 'Joe Bear' arrived at 12 Noon SHARP – As I promoted this on Telegram FTO Chat and on Facebook.
Sadly, the timing might have been a factor as some who wished to attend simply couldn't. This was a different type of con, as it was not in a convention center like AFC (now Anthro SoCal) where on a Sunday afternoon we would meet at the con photobooth and a hired photographer would help take our photo.
Here, we would have Toad and another friend take our pics.
We had a MIGHTY group of 4 Furries in this 'Grand Photo,' which made for some great fursuit photography. As we couldn't have Kyle 'Fenris' available, as he was running the con and understood that was more important.. We had 'Plan T' as in 'Toad' taking our amazing pictures with his Canon Rebel D-SLR and another friend utilizing my iPhone 11 to take additional hi-res pictures on the steps of Main Events Building.
Thank You – Tony Bear, Avery-Wayne (Zenith) and Doot Dog for joining 'Joe Bear' in the picture. I appreciate you all!!
Zenith's 'Sweet Tea' Meet & FTO Closing Ceremonies – Following the photoshoot, Zenith invited us to his room for some 'Sweet Tea' before FTO Closing Ceremonies at 2pm, and 'Tie-Dye' of the T-Shirts afterwards to conclude our “Furry Takeover” weekend.
Joe Bear did one last walkaround the con for about an hour after the photoshoot. After 1:30pm, it was time to head back to our room and pack up for the drive back to Atlanta. Once I got back, I decided to get out of Joe Bear and I dropped all fursuit stuff onto the bed, and delayed the packing process until after closing and tie-dye and I got into normie clothing and headed with Toad to Zenith's event in his room, which happened to be in the cabins behind our building. Toad decided to take the VW as we would drive down the hill to Closing Ceremonies after the visit.
We arrived to a crowded room of Zenith and his friends, and enjoyed his blend of Southern Sweet Tea he claimed he made himself. It was very sweet, and very refreshing. Zenith roomed with 4 other fursuiters, and got to chat with his group. It was a very cordial meetup. Sadly, we didn't had much time to hang out.
We said our goodbyes, as we were able to get into the VW and Toad drove us down the hill to Main Events Hall. We snatched a parking spot, and got inside after 2pm. Though we were late - the event was delayed until 2:20pm, which we were fortunate.
The opening sequence of FTO Closing Ceremonies had 'Our Hero' Tony Bear lasso Kyle Wolf inside the hall over to the mockup jail to 'Lock Him Up!!' It served as a signal that the bear got 'his' wolf..hee-hee (Kyle wasn't in fursuit as he was handling A/V Duties - therefore, another person was 'filling in' as the wolf)
The FTO Closing Ceremonies was very nice, especially when the attendence numbers were announced. “Furry Takeover” 2025 had a record 764 Attendees!! Quite impressive for a con that had grown from it's origins as a 'camping-style' furry retreat in 2018, and is now poised to grow even larger into the future.
Following Closing Ceremonies, I went straight out of the Main Events Building by using the side door exit closest to where the Dealer's Den building was located and next to the adjacent field where tie-dye of shirts would be occuring. I was one of the first attendees to get his FTO T-Shirt 'tie-dyed' with little delay. It took some time, from 2:55pm when I poured the various colored liquids and rubber banded to place back in the ziploc – to 3:15pm when I was advised to take out the excess liquid, but keep the shirt in the bag for minimium 24 hours. OK.
Once I got back into room, and washing my hands many times – I started to pack my remaining things into my Blue 'American Tourister' including fursuit items to clean up later on when I returned to Atlanta. Most of my other luggage was already packed, and Toad had his stuff already packed and in the VW ready to go. Once I got my bear head in the Blue IKEA bag, we were set to go.
We drove to The Guesthouse one last time, dropped our keys and got my receipt. We left The Guesthouse at 3:45pm on Sunday, September 28th. We drove away from 'Fontana Village Resort' just before 4pm.

**DRIVE BACK TO ATLANTA -
The drive back to Atlanta was incredibly scenic with mostly clear skies. Toad had the top down in the VW Convertible, allowing us to take in magificant beauty of this region of the Southeast U.S. It's truly “God's Country” here, as North Carolina and northern Georgia is truly beautiful and I enjoyed driving through forests and towns we might have missed due to the heavy rains during our drive up to Fontana Dam.
We decided to have dinner closer to Toad's home in Atlanta. We ate at ZAXBY'S about 30 miles away from his home near Stone Mountain. I love their food.
Traffic was getting heavy, so Toad decided to take side roads back home. I enjoyed the change of pace from being on busy I-85, and seeing parts of his area that I haven't checked yet. We arrived home around 8:15pm, a little over 4 hour drive. As I was mostly packed, once I got back to Toad's house was to brush and clean inside of my fursuit head and to take out my handpaws and sleeves for a quick cleaning.
I also checked-in for the flight home. Only 12 hours before my flight.
Shower and hibernation time. I couldn't afford to sleep in late on Monday.

*MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 29TH – FLIGHT HOME / ATL TO LAX
We both got up early, like 6am, as I couldn't sleep – took a shower, got dressed and out the door by 8am. Though my Southwest Flight to LAX (via Dallas/Love) wasn't departing until 11am, we had time to stop and eat at BOJANGLES (biscuits are yummy) and Toad got me to Atlanta/Hartsfield with time to spare. We said our goodbyes, as we would see each other again in May, 2026 for Furry Weekend Atlanta.
The flights were half full, which was nice. Because my Southwest flight was stopping in Dallas and utilizing the same flight number to LAX, I didn't have to exit the aircraft. I kept my seat throughout the flight. I got home to LAX just before 3pm Pacific. I took a taxi from LAX for the short drive 'next door' to my house in Inglewood.
“FURRY TAKEOVER” 2025 COMPLETED!! Thanks to you for reading my FTO Journal!!!
Joe G. Bear