Updated 8/12/08

Southern California & Southern Nevada

SoCal and SoNev gear-up for another Caravan

(West Covina, CA, 27 July 2008) Planning for the Southern California/Southern Nevada Section of the 2009 National Corvette Caravan is well-underway.

The core of the Organizing Team, the so-called "Commander's Council" had its second quarterly meeting of 2008 on 19 July and the two most important agenda items were: 1) finalizing the details of the hotel booking system the SoCal/SoNev, North Texas/Oklahoma and Arkansas/West Tennessee Caravan Sections will use and 2) planning a fund-raising raffle for the SCSN Section. More information about recent SoCal/SoNev Caravan developments can be obtained by clicking the link to the web version of SCSN's eNewsletter.

With the exception of the caravan sections out of the Pacific Northwest, the SCNC Caravan is the longest section of the National Corvette Caravan. In the past, its fleet of Vettes has departed from a location in the Inland Empire area of Southern California, generally followed Interstate 40 and taken five days for the trip to Bowling Green.

According to the Captain of the SoCal/SoNev Caravan section, Hib Halverson, SCSN will start from Fontana, CA on Saturday morning, 29 August 2009 headed for Kingman AZ. We'll reform north of Kingman on "Historic 66" then head for Seligman AZ. In Seligman and the famed "Sno-Cap" drive-in for ice cream and cool drinks. From there we'll continue Flagstaff AZ for our first overnight. The second day, we'll leave Flag, headed for Tucumcari NM. On the way, we'll reform the Caravan in both Gallup NM and in Moriarty NM. Also, between Albuquerque NM and Moriarty we will run on some sections of Historic 66. We'll leave Moriarty NM as a Group headed for Tucumcari for our second overnight. The morning of the third day, we'll head east out of Tucumcari. We'll meet with North Texas/Oklahoma Caravan in either Adrian or Amarillo Texas that morning. From there, the route and events will be planned by Captain Tuna Dobbins' N TX/OK Caravan and Captain Jan Marshall's Arkansas Caravan.

SoCal Departure 2003
  With Capt. Hib Halverson driving the lead car, the Southern California Caravan
  rolls out of the California Speedway on June 22, 2003, headed to Bowling Green.
  The "SoCalCar," started with 180 cars and grew to over 200 as it crossed
  Southern California, Arizona and New Mexico. What can Caravaners expect if they choose to join the SCSN on the 2009 National Corvette Caravan? Plenty of driving their Corvettes, that's for sure. In addition, some hallmarks of past Southern California Sections will probably repeat, such as: a bon-voyage party and driver's meeting the night before departure, a racetrack departure, Feeder Caravans originating from Santa Barbara, San Diego and possibly, Las Vegas NV, the famed "SoCalCar Route Book", social events each night and, most importantly, the camaraderie with your old Caravan pals and new friends you're going to meet.

We've been asked who should register for the SoCalCar? Please see the map on the main Caravan page for a graphical representation of what areas of California and Nevada are covered by the SCSN Section.

So, who's going to plan, organize and run this extravaganza?

"Captain" Hib Halverson
On 9/9/06, National Caravan Chair, Kathie Summers, appointed Hib Halverson, Captain of the Southern California Section of the 2009 National Corvette Caravan. Halverson was one of the two Captains of the 2003 SoCalCar and is a member of Corvette Club Santa Barbara. He owns a '71 Big-Block Coupe, a '95 ZR-1 and an '04 Z06/Z16. He resides in West Covina during the week and Goleta on weekends.

"Commander" Sherry Maples"
Maples is the SoCalCar's "CFO" and handles all registration data processing. Sherry's business, Software Liaison, is a Special Start-Up Sponsor of the '09 SoCalCar. Maples was also an '03 SoCalCar Sponsor, an '03 Participant and an alternate Lead Car Driver on occasion during the '03 event. Sherry Maples is a member of Pacific Coast Corvettes, owns a '97 Coupe and resides in Orange County.

"Commander" Ron Cohen
Cohen will oversee all the Organizing Team's efforts with hotel/motel properties along the route. Ron's business, Gorilla Travel LLC was an '03 SoCalCar Sponsor. Ron was an '03 SoCalCar participant and put the services of his company, Gorilla Travel, LLC at the disposal of all our Caravanners as the SoCalCar's travel agency. Gorilla Travel is a Special Start-Up Sponsor of the 09. Ron belongs to Red Line Corvettes, owns an '06 Convertible and lives in the Westlake Village.

"Commander" Tony Megowan
Megowan is new to the SoCalCar Organizing Team and National Caravans. He heads-up the SoCalCar's critical "Route Book" project. He belongs to Corvette Club Santa Barbara, owns an '03 and lives in Ventura.

"Commander" Brent Hicks
Hicks will be involved with SoCalCar promotional and sponsorship acquisition efforts. Brent is an '09 SoCalCar Special Start-Up Sponsor, an '03 SoCalCar Sponsor and an '03 SoCalCar Participant. He's a member of the Pomona Valley Corvette Association, owns a '92 ZR-1, an '03 50th Convertible and an '07 Z06 and lives in the I.E.

"Lieutenant" Mike LoMonoco
LoMonoco a member of the SoCalCar Organizing Team and assisted in operation of the 2003 Caravan. He returns to the SoCalCar O.T. to set-up and lead a "Feeder Caravan" for cars from the San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara areas. The SLO/SB Feeder will leave Santa Barbara the day before the main group leaves the Inland Empire. Mike is a member of Corvette Club Santa Barbara and owns a '77.

"Lieutenant" Jim Estoch
Estoch was a participant in the '03 trip and will plan and organize the Feeder Caravan which starts from San Diego. Jim is a member of Corvettes of Temecula Valley, lives in the City of Temecula, California and owns a pair of 2000 Convertibles one which has been rebodied as a '53 Commemorative Edition.

The Southern California/Southern Nevada Section of the 2009 National Corvette Caravan raises money for planning, organizing and operating the event with its Sponsor Program.

The Southern California Caravan Organizing Team wishes to thank the following Special Start-Up Sponsors:

The SCSN Caravan Organizing Team would like to thank the following Sponsors:

The SoCalCar has an email newsletter which is issued periodically. If you would like to receive this newsletter, send a subscription request to captain.socalcar@charter.net
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