ncrs-fl 08

NCRS Florida Chapter Winter Meet
January 9-12, 2008
Old Town; Kissimmee FL

Thanks to Ed Augustine and the NCRS Florida Chapter for their
generous hospitality for this our 8th consecutive year, 9 times overall.

We were able to generate $660.00 for the American Cancer Society,
and NCRS will match that amount!

After 2 years of good travel weather to this event preceded by 2 years of hideous travel weather on the return trip,
I fully expected serious problems this year. Thankfully it didn't happen. I did lay over for a day in Scranton on the
way back because of persistent snow showers, but didn't encounter any scary driving while on the road.

Friday Jan 4

5:21 am departure. Yes, both the thermometer in the kitchen window and the Corvette display show 8 degrees below zero!
Gotta love those heated seats!

This is what it looked like in the daylight as I began loading a couple days earlier.

(I found out that 3 days after the 8 below, the temp hit 65 with heavy rain, so most of that snow vanished.)

Saturday Jan 5
was spent at a family gathering in Philadelphia for my Mom's 91st birthday.

Sunday Jan 6

After the family scattered Sunday afternoon, I headed on toward warmer climes.

Monday Jan 7

Departing the Sleep Inn off I-81 in Dublin, VA.

Tuesday Jan 8
After a night at the HoJo Inn in Kissimmee (nice room $32!), I spent the day running errands, washing the car and getting my site set up.

Wednesday Jan 9

Home for the next few days, thanks to Ed Augustine.

Thursday Jan 10

Our site, right inside the Vendor gate.

By good karma or something, our C6 was pointed right at Sponsor Bair's Corvettes.
Check left side of rear bumper.

Dave & Glenda McLellan spotted cruising the field.

Friday Jan 11

Friend and co-conspirator in the war against cancer, Richard Fleming, was there again to help the cause. He donated these three classic
Corvette prints to be auctioned at the banquet. He also helped at my display when not showing off the Grand Sport replica he had on display.
Under the red cover... I can't believe I didn't get a photo of the car, but trust me, it looked like this one he had at Carlisle, only blue!

Thanks to Richard, I was able to check out the NCRS judging area.

Saturday Jan 12

Another tough winter day in paradise!

For a minimum $25 to the American Cancer Society, donors can sign the underside of the hood to become
a permanent part of our mission. It was a special pleasure to have Suzie Gietzen join that group.

Suzie was one of the "Chip's Choice" ladies at Carlisle with Sandy
in 1999. Suzie at far left; Sandy, 2nd lady from right.

Awards banquet Saturday night, and the 50/50 pot.

Sunday Jan 13

With threatening weather, I decided to forego the local show at Old Town and head North.

Monday Jan 14

On the road again after another night at the same Dublin VA Sleep Inn.
(Note: the trip odometer resets @ 2000 miles, so that's really 2613.7 miles.)

By the middle of PA it was snowing. Scranton airport reported heavy snow and 1/4 mile visibility.
It was short-lived, but time to stop for the night anyway. It never got scary.

Tuesday Jan 15

Comfort Inn, Clark's Summit (just N of Scranton). Low 20s and the forecast of snow showers all the way home
convinced me to stay put for the day. I really didn't see any pressing need to test those Michelin PS2s on snow...

Wednesday Jan 16

At least it had stopped snowing and the forecast was clear all the way to Maine... once I got out of the parking lot!

And this is what greeted me at home. All that snow was new since the big Jan 7 thaw.

Final stats. Yes, it was 38 degrees warmer than when I left.

FYI: That 66.7 average speed for this trip includes 2 days in Philadelphia and 6 days in Disney region.
And that 26.0 mpg is the average for the last 21,000 miles, on REGULAR gas! Not too shabby for 400 hp...

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