Hey, we missed you Chuck! And it was really great to have finally met you
and put your face (and stature) with the screenname. You have one great
little car.
The PA rally, in Tamaqua, PA, that was put together by Kevin Valentine and
his family was again a wonderful event. Paula and I just returned this
afternoon, after driving about 11 hours yesterday and about 3 today. Due to
the distance, we had to depart on Sunday morning and missed breakfast with
the guys and the afternoon at the amusement park. But we had a blast, again
as last year, and we owe a huge humongous THANK YOU to Kevin and his family
for all the hours and expense he pours into this event, especially after
having suffered a flooded house and a totally dismantled Spridget on his
deck, both just a short time before the rally.
Congratulations to John Gottstein and his navigator for winning first place
overall. Actually, John was last in time but he was so diligent at the
scavenger hunt, they accumulated the most total points to be named the
CHAMPIONS of this year's rally. I think the last time I saw John, he had
half his body in a garbage can checking it for items to cover on the
scavenger list. LOL
It was really great to have seen so many familiar names, and been able to
again tie faces to them. We had 16 (I think) British cars, 13 (I think) of
which were Spridgets. The group was compatable, fun loving, and jovial. A
HEARTY CONGRATULATONS to lister Mike Grazanio and his fiance Winnie, who, we
discovered at the Rally, are to be married at the end of August. Good Luck
Mike and Winnie!!!
Paula and I finished in 9th place in our Midget--a result of getting lost
once, and having to stop to figure out the mathematics on the rally question
sheet. But the finishing place was only secondary to the great fun we had
through the whole event. A tense moment when we rounded a bend and saw the
field stopped and a local truck log-chainning one of our MGBs out of a deep
ditch. We confirmed that everything was in hand, and that everyone was ok,
and continued our Rally. The ditched MGB resumed and finished the rally as
well. Frank C. wrested the anti-coveted "Broken Axle" award from Larry Macy,
last year's winner, with some misfiring spark plugs. Fortunately, that was
the only misfortune this year.
A really wonderful rally, hosted by a really wonder family! It is a massive
amount of work to put together. I hope I can continue to attend as many
years as Kevin elects to put this fabulous weekend together. And maybe
sometime I will be able to stay for the Sunday amusement park visit.
--David C.
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