Oh, what a...

[Guest]

trip!

*grins*

Ever have the experience of seeing rest areas just after you start out on a trip...but not when you really need 'em? That seemed to be a theme to my trip out west.... But, I'm home now & don't have to be concerned with rest areas...not that I really used 'em anyway .

*grumbles*

I'd love to be back on the road....but, ah, well...bills must be paid. Besides, I can look forward to my trip out east in 2005...including Tennesee, Alabama, Georgia, N Carolina, Virginia, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan & Indiana (more...?).

*pauses*

Anyway...I had an absolute blast going west!

Met in person for the first time...
Dave in Kansas (tripleplate)
Kate in Kansas (xf)
Dan in Kansas (xf)
Saul in Kansas (elky)
Jake, Mel & Chance in Kansas (mcml)
several vr.comers in Colorado
Dave & Janet in Colorado (1st gen MC)
Dave & Mickey in Colorado (1st gen MC)
Clint in Colorado (mcss)
Gayle in Utah (Ray's darling bride)
Crazy Bill in New Mexico (mcml)
Vince in New Mexico (1st gen MC)
Travis in Oklahoma (former mcml)
Brian in Texas (tripleplate)
Kelly in Texas (elky/chevytalk)
Ryan in Texas (chevytalk)
Will in Texas (chevytalk)
Janet in Texas (vr/chd)
Suzy in Texas (chd/acha)
Niki in Texas (vr/acha)
Jim in central Illinois (mcml/mcss)

Also visited with some "old friends" along the way...
Steve in Missouri (mcss)
Ray in Utah (elky)
several vr.comers in Colorado
Michael in Texas (former mcml)
Tommy in Texas (2nd gen MC)
Janet in Texas (vr)

Missed meeting/seeing several people, unfortunately, including...
Chief near St Louis (c&g)
Mark near St Louis (mcml/mcss)
Ken in Colorado (1st gen mc)
Smokey in Texas, by 45 minutes.... (chevytalk)
Robert in Texas (Elky/mcml)
Derek A in central IL (various)
Bernie in central IL (various)

I don't think I missed any names...if I did...my apologies.


Along the way, I saw...
7 1st gen MCs
7 2nd gen MCs
5 3rd gen MCs
31 4th gen MCs
67 5th gen MCs
94 6th gen MCs


Songs heard most (when I listened to the various radio stations, instead of my CDs)...
Tim McGraw's "Live Like You Were Dying"
Kenny Chesney's "I Go Back"
Restless Heart's "Feel My Way To You"
Finger 11's "1 Thing"
Uncle Kracker/Dobie Gray's "Drift Away"
Green Day's "Time Of Your Life"


I discovered...
Missouri & Kansas are not _that_ boring to drive through....
Colorado is absolutely gorgeous
Wyoming has beautiful formations
Utah has breathtaking views...even in rain with a rainbow for good measure
New Mexico does have rust-free cars
The guy who does the "voice work" for Rockford's 104.9, "The X" (rock) also does "voice work" for New Mexico's 105.1, "The Range" (Classic Country).
Oklahoma does have character
Texas drivers take the speed limits as suggested limits
Hawaii does have license plates (saw one on a Ford Explorer in Texas)
Arkansas does not take that long to drive through....
I'd rather be driving than working....


Misc notes...
Spotted a 1979 Buick LeSabre "Palm Beach" edition for sale in Utah...even had factory honey maple wood treatment on the dash & door panels
Considered buying an '81 MC in Utah for a winter beater, but the cost of "ditching" the rental car (Chevrolet Classic) early was more than the price of the '81 MC
Spotted a 1975 Chevrolet Caprice Classic convertible for sale in Texas...I've always wanted one of these....
Johnny Lightning is making a '72 MC to go along with the '70 & '71s they've produced...Tommy (2nd gen MC) gave me one!


*shrugs*

I could give more details, but that'd be a book .


As for 2005, the road trip will center around our family reunion in Pennsylvania in August... Memphis, Jackson, Big Sandy, Nashville TN; Birmingham AL, Atlanta GA, Charlotte NC, Bridgewater VA, Johnstown PA, Akron OH, Detroit area MI, north/central IN. Course, I may plan a trip farther west for 2006....

I also plan, in 2005, to be @ Decatur IL (MC Nationals, June 10-12); Delaware (Monte MadneSS '05, June 18-19; I'm working on the 2005 version of Monte JEOPARDY); & elsewhere for the ValveReplacement Reunion.


Cort, "Mr MC" / "Mr Road Trip", 31swm/pig valve/pacemaker
'72/'6/'9/'81/'7, train/models = http://www.chevyasylum.com/cort/
MC Guide = http://www.chevyasylum.com/mcspotter/main.html
MC's Future = http://www.projectmonte.com/petition/

 

[gijanet]

HaHa! Glad you made it home safely!!!

HaHa! Glad you made it home safely!!!

Quick trip home..........must have been smooth sailing. I can't tell you how wonderful it was to finally meet you in person. Talking to Suzy and Niki and Katie, of course, everyone thoroughly enjoyed the get-together. I think you left Marsha off the list, though, unless she fell under "several VR.commers"!!!

Loved your discoveries...........although I could have warned you about that Texas suggested speed limit...................except for rush-hour (NOT!) traffic in Dallas. Minimum posted speed limit is "Park" and maximum is "Crawl."

Still envious of your free spirit. Can't wait until next time you drive "out West." heehee!

Let me know when you want me to send you those group pics. I am gonna attempt to download some here in a minute - emphasis on "attempt."

Take care. J.

 

[Guest]

*grins*

Free spirit, you say? He he he...I wasn't such a few years ago....heh.

Yes, the trip home was smooth sailing...almost too smooth (translation...I really don't want to be back home...lol).

And, those rush hour speed limits are worse in the rain...as I discovered Friday afternoon .

Send the pics when you can .

 

[Ross]

Let me know the final spot for Akron, Ohio. If I can't stop you here, I'll come up to you. You ain't gettin past me on year number 4 mister!

 

[fyrfytr]

Hey Cort,
Glad to hear you are home safe and sound (well I am not sure about the sound part. )
You did a lot of traveling and made some new friends in person and met a lot of old ones on your trip. You have many memories that will be with you forever.
Were your girls glad to see you?
Now let those tires cool for your 2005 road trip
Take Care

 

[Harrybaby666]

Hey Cort...Did You See or Follow Directions I posted?

Hey Cort...Did You See or Follow Directions I posted?

Hey Cort,

I posted a pic with directions for you to get home. If you didn't see it, here it is again attatched. I hope it didn't overwhelm you..but seriously, I hope you had a great trip and I am glad you got home safely..Harrybaby

 

[geebee]

Well, we haven't met yet but I live in Southern Ohio. Let me know if your 2005 trip brings you anywhere near the Cincinnati area and maybe I can introduce you to Cincinnati Chili.
Sounds like you had a great trip. I have done road trips to most of the states. Canada and Mexico. I have yet to get to Washington state, Idaho, Montana and the Dakotas but have been everywhere else. It has been great exploring the country. My last trip was with two Abyssinian cats so it was VERY interesting especially when they tried to escape.
Anyway glad you made it home safely. "Ain't working for a living a crock"?
Smiles,
Gina

 

[Guest]

*grins*

Yes, sir, Mr. Ross, sir . The Akron stop is actually SE of Akron in Smithville OH....how far is that from you?

*turns to Dave*

Yep, the girls are very happy to see me, although I've only had the '87 out...because I need it for something called "work" tomorrow. Unfortunately, my plans to be home early on Monday (which I was) failed as nobody was able to drive me out to get the cars out Monday evening. Then, today, it rained. Ah, well. The older 4 will get driven on Saturday...hopefully!

As for being home...it's only sort of good to be home. I really would rather be traveling................aye. Irony rocks.

*turns to Harry*

Yeah, I saw it...heh. And, no, it didn't overwhelm me .

*eyes Gina*

Unfortunately, Cincy is not in the cards for next year. But, I'm sure one of these days we'll meet . And, yes, working for a living is a crock.... You work to make money that you can't spend on traveling because you have to work. Irony rocks. Over and over again.

*grumbles*

Woops...forgot to answer one thing from Janet. Yes, I include Marsha in with the "vr.comers", since I met her at the Colorado Reunion

 

[geebee]

Boo Hoo

Boo Hoo

"Gina cried when she heard Cort would not be visiting Cincy. However, she knew they would meet at the next reunion. Cincinnati chili would just have to wait for another day".
Smiles,
Gina

 

[Harpoon]

Ahhh... The open road....


Maybe, some day....


You know, it would be kind of neat to see if we could round up folks in and around Cleveland (especially those who were treated, or are being treated, at CCF) for a weekend...


Just a thought anyways.

I'm 3 hours east, in NY on I-90.

Cinncinati as I recall is something like 3-4 hours southwestish of Cleveland. Akron's right near Cleveland, Pittsburgh and Philly aren't far away either.


Just one of many MANY thoughts.....

 

[geebee]

Yep - Cincy is about 4 or 5 hours south of Cleveland (depending on your lead foot). My foot is solid lead so I'm guessing 4.13796 hours give or take.
I think an area get together would be great, just don't make it during the snow. I just moved back after 5 years in Los Angeles so my snow driving skills are the pits.
Smiles again,
Gina

 

[Harpoon]

First and only time I was in Cinn was with fraternity brothers so I'm sure there was a lead foot involved in there somewhere.


And much tossing of the Pop Tarts from moving vehicles while zooming back to the Land of the Cleves...

 

[catwoman]

Cort:

Thought of you on my way to work today: I was going a little slower than other cars on I-20/I-30 and looked at my speedometer. I was doing only 80 ...

 

[Guest]

*eyes pop wide*

80, Marsha? As Gram used to say..."Good night shirt tail"! Aye. That is just plain scary.

*turns to geebee*

Well, you could always come to Chicagoland .

*pauses*

It took us (me and a couple buddies) about 5 hours to get between Cleveland and Cincy in June 2003 when we went from the MC Nationals (then in Elyria OH) to take a first look at what would become my '87 MC LS ("baby blue"...current daily driver).

And...I strongly encourage gatherings...they are _always_ great .

 

[geebee]

I bought a 1988 MC for my then hubby right after it came out. It was white with a t-top. Except for my 1995 super-charged T-Bird, the MC was the fastest car I have ever driven off a showroom floor. Unfortunately I didn't get custody of the MC. However I do still have the T-Bird which is why I can make it to Cleveland in 4.23 hours (unless I get caught by the hway patrol).
I look forward to seeing one or two of your MCs someday in the future.
Smiles,
Gina

 

[Guest]

*shakes head*

Ya should've gotten the MC, Gina .

And, btw, if you come to Chicagoland...you can see all 5 baby girls .