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SCSN Caravan 09 eNewsNo. 41 - 9/21/09>>>TOP STORIES<<< >>OH WHAT A TRIP!!<< Well...the 2009 National Corvette Caravan is history and it was a hell of a lot of fun. Since the SoCal/SoNev Organizing Team "laid off" most of the help, including our mercurial eNews Editor, "Midshipman" U.B. Sherman, after the event, I (your faithful Section Captain) am doing the post-event issues of the eNews myself. >>I'D LIKE TO THANK...<< "Caravan Commanders" Brent Hicks (Events Director), Sherry Maples (finances/registration), Tony Megowan (Route Book Project), Ron Cohen (hotel booking) and Duane Stidham (logistics). You guys were the real leaders of this event. All I did was point, let you guys make me look good then drink a beer. "Caravan Lieutenants" Elora Stidham (Departure Night Director), Steve Nichols (Nevada Feeder), Jim Estoch (San Diego Feeder), Fred Smith (Ventura Feeder), Sandy Halverson (Route Book Senior Photographer), Inge Stallings (Route Book Photographer/Proofreader) and Jim Van Dorn (KY Scout). At the National level, "Caravan Commander" Randy Shinn (Webmaster) and, of course the Caravan's "Admiral" Kathie Summers, Chairperson for the 2009 Caravan. Also, thanks to our sponsors, of which there many, all of which are listed in your Route Books. Without their financial contributions, there wouldn't have been a SoCal/SoNev Caravan. >>Favorite Flashbacks<< The look on Elora Stidham's face when we surprised her and Duane with a Caravan Banner during the PVCA Departure Night Soiree. Elora, my dear...what made you think you could do such an outstanding job on our send-off party then get away with not being recognized by your Captain? Sorry, girl...not gonna happen Smiles on the faces of Ed and Leslie, our "Be the Lead Car to Barstow" raffle winners, as they led the Southern California/Southern Nevada Caravan out of the Auto Club Speedway at Fontana on Saturday morning. A number of Caravaners, showing the true spirit of the Corvette community, stopping along I-40 to help Steve Lemmon with his balky, Vortec V6-powered '54 during the run from Barstow over to Flagstaff on that hot, very hot, first afternoon. Fun that night at Black Bart's in Flagstaff. Even though I was on-duty, I still drank too much beer. It's a tough gig being Captain, you see. On the morning of the second day, rolling east out of Flag, and, as I led the SoCal/SoNev towards New Mexico on I-40, seeing a long, long line of Corvettes in my mirrors. That night partying hardy inside the Tucumcari Convention Center while it stormed like hell (rain, hail, thunder, lightning and wind) outside. Again, I drank a hell of a lot of beer while on-duty, gave a away a bunch of raffle prizes and loved every minute of it. On the morning of the third day, speaking to SoCal/SoNev and Texas Caravaners during the "Change of Command" ceremony at the original U.S. 66 halfway mark, in front of the Midpoint Cafe in Adrian, Texas with Corvettes double parked (even triple parked in a few spots) on both sides of the road. Screw it...next time we'll just take the whole street. That night, being pestered by Caravaners to raffle-off the three-year-old Goodyear banner my Wife, the Fairest Sandra the Red, and I had hung outside on our garage door for our annual Daytona Party in 07, 08 and 09, then, at the last minute, brought on Caravan because Goodyear was a major sponsor of the Oklahoma dinner and we had no sponsor graphics to display. Our keynote speaker that night, Goodyear's Bob Tot, then added a set of tires to that banner, the combination of which made the ultimate raffle item at the Goodyear Third Night Banquet. On the fourth day, the amazing sight of two Oklahoma Highway Patrol Officers in racing leathers and gun belts, escorting the Caravan, at high rates of speed, along Historic Route 66 on Suzuki Hiyabusa sport bikes fitted-out for police duty. The huge number of cars in the lot at Rhodes Chevrolet in Van Buren AR that afternoon and the time it took to get them all safely back onto I-40. On the morning of the fifth day, during a conversation with Bale Chevrolet owner, John Bale, while he and I watched the first 60 or so cars depart his dealership, learning that, unlike 2003 when GM subsidized events at Bale, most of the cost of the two days of festivities at his dealership this time was paid out of his pocket, Now that, my fellow Caravaners, is devotion to the Corvette hobby. If you ever want to buy a Chevy in the Little Rock area, buy it from John Bale. That final afternoon, at Kentucky Downs, watching members of my Organizing Team work hard in a driving rain to stage 200+ cars for a 6 PM departure for the Museum. Remember the part about Caravan Commanders and Lieutenants making me look good? Thanks, people. Again, seeing a very long line of Vettes in my mirrors as I led all four Caravan Sections, up I-65 to Bowling Green. And finally....after I led the Caravan off I-65, around the plant, back across US 31W, throughout the Museum grounds, I turned left onto Corvette Drive--(man, did that piss off the parking nazis. I told Sandy, "So what. Are they going to do fire me and tow away the Lead Car?)--and parked Ole 3Balls39, carrying three days of road grime as "battle scars," in a turnout just east of the Museum. I set-up my D3 on a tripod for an end-Caravan photo of the two of us and the car. It was a picture to remember. It was about dusk. In the background there still was a long line of headlights of our Caravan turning off Corvette Dr. into the NCM and a second long line of cars going out of the Museum's south gate. The NCM's new addition was ablaze with lights and the new parking lots were full of cars and people. In the foreground were my Wife and I and our car. It made for a cool photo. >>>OTHER NEWS<<< >>POST-CARAVAN SURVEY<< We Captains of SoCal/SoNev, OK/TXPanhandle, CenTX and AR/West TN have compiled a survey for Caravaners which will help guide Section Captains of future National Corvette Caravans in planning activities. You'd all be doing me a favor if you'd take ten minutes and do the survey at the following URL: Please do this by this Saturday, 26 September. Thanks to Captain Susan Dobbins of the OK/TXPan Section for posting this survey on the web. >>SOCAL/SONEV CARAVAN KEEPSAKES FOR SALE<< One of the few downsides of the 2009 SCSN Caravan was an unusually high number of no-shows. I attribute this to the "Great Recession of 2008". A little over 70 people, registered for the Caravan and picked SoCal/SoNev, but then, never showed up to go on the trip. We're sorry they couldn't make it, but their absence is your shopportunity. We have a quantity of SCSN/Red Line Oil T-Shirts left over. These unique shirts were the hit of the weekend in Bowling Green with SoCal/SoNev Caravaners seen all over BG and Opryland in Nashville wearing their SCSN/RL "colors". We also have a modest number of copies of the "Route Book Presented by the California Delivery Service." If, during the five day trip, your Book got torn and dog-eared and you want a fresh one as a keepsake, we've got you covered. The prices for these items will be reasonable, but quantities will be limited. The shirts and books are still in transit from Bowling Green. As soon as they arrive and I know how many of each we have, I'll publish more details of how to buy these items in the next issue of the eNews. The proceeds from the sale of these items, less the shipping and handing, will go to the National Corvette Museum. >>SCSN SECTION FINANCIALS<< As we did in 2003, we will publish an executive summary of the Southern California/Southern Nevada Section's accounting in a future issue of the eNews. "Commander" Sherry Maples, our CFO and one of three Organizing Team Members still on "active duty," is in the process of closing the books on the '09 Caravan. We have a few more bills to pay, shirts and Route Books to sell and then we'll publish the financials near the end of the year. Thanks for reading and...thanks for going with us on Caravan. Best regards, Caravan info: email to captain.socalcar@charter.net Going on the Caravan? Even new cars with less than 1,000 miles have paint blemishes from normal driving. Imagine what a cross-country trip will do to YOUR paint. The solution? A "Clear Bra". It functions like a traditional auto bra but is far more durable and cannot be seen. It will NOT scratch your Corvette's finish like most "strap-on" auto bras. This 3M Paint and Headlight Protection lasts for the life of your Vette. SCSN Capt. Hib Halverson used a 3M Clear Bra on the 2003 National Corvette Caravan and endorses it as the best way to avoid damage to the front of your car. Professional installations by the 3M factory-trained Installer in California most experienced with Corvettes: Envisage Design Labs. Call (310) 613-4691 or email Envisage at: envisagedesignlabs@yahoo.com
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