From the Driver’s Seat – November 2019
No matter where you are, November or Noviembre, or how you choose to call it, might seem to be a minor month out of the twelve. Number 11 out of 12, next to last, in the shadow of December and the new year coming, November still has plenty to offer.
There are several great things on the calendar in November. We celebrate our veterans with flags and parades. The first Tuesday after the first Monday is typically voting day and don’t forget November is National Peanut Butter Lover’s Month. Even with the push to replace Thanksgiving with Black Friday, Thanksgiving remains the focus for November.
We in our country and our community have so much to be thankful for despite issues that arise from time to time. Even as we looked forward to our special getaway weekend in San Luis Obispo this past month, our community was shaken by the senseless event at Saugus High. Our strength and faith will get us through as always in the past and bright tomorrows will follow.
When I reflect on things I am thankful for, they certainly include my family as I hope the same for you all as well. My list also includes the friendship and caring we enjoy in our club. I constantly witness the concern so many of our club show when those in our midst have an emergency or need. Your generosity for community events such as the Food Pantry and the toys drives are worthy of mention too.
Our club is so much more than a car club. Sure, we enjoy our Corvettes. We keep then shined and tuned and add correct PSI to the run-flats. We drive them proudly and they are our bond, but more important are the friendships that grow in our club. The SLO weekend we just had was a prime example with over 30 people from as many different backgrounds sharing and caring. For that, I am thankful as well.
November has passed, and December is here. We have the hustle and bustle of the holiday rush as we do each year. We have our club party in just a few days as well as toy drives all with weather reports of rainy weather to work around, but the rain clears and rainbows shine and Christmas is coming.
I want to wish you all the best at this special time of year and hope for a wonderful 2020 ahead. In whatever Corvette you drive, that 1954 or the latest mid-engine when they hit the market, always remember to “Save the Wave”.
Mike
We initiated the run officially with a mass gathering at poolside with beverages and snacks to get us ready for our mass arrival for dinner at the nearby Tahoe Joe steak house.
Saturday had no official agenda, but there was no lack of things to do as we rolled to the winds in our faithful Corvettes. 
North and south, we found butterflies, elephant seals, cookies, farmers markets, apple farms, wineries, souvenirs, and cinnamon rolls.
There is likely even more, including rocking chairs. I must add that despite my excellent packing skills, my trunk was filled with reminders of the SLO weekend.
One more group dinner followed at the infamous Golden Gong, just south of our lodging. Service and cuisine were just as good as last year!
P.S. I felt compelled to make a stop at Bunnin Chevrolet of Santa Paula en-route home to see what’s up. I was met by many familiar staff members there who reported they are indeed open and that virtually all of the sales and service employees were retained under the new business ownership and they are eager to see us at their Grand Opening. I noted they have two Corvettes in stock as well, a Stingray convertible and a ZO6! (Christian says he is anxious to make a deal.) 
I was happy to see them up and running again.
Our Activities Team came up with a solution for all that with the Fillmore & Western Railway PumpkinLiner run on Saturday, October 19th.
Normally, the “you break it – you buy it” rule would apply, but that darn attack-table would not fit in the rear of the Webster Grand Sport. After the OSHA incident report was completed we were off at a snail pace with break-it rule forgiven.
h, not fully understanding how it would be loaded onto the train, how it would be moved to the Webster GS and how in the world it would be loaded into the rear of the car.
Four couples ultimately participated in the event, Jeff & Leeann Carley; Brian & Kathy de Avila; Gene & Cindy Schmidt and Mike & Judy Woodings.
Off again eastward for our first night at Flagstaff, we learned of another roadblock ahead when we reached the Havasu turnoff from I-40. We had to detour back through Bullhead City due to an overturned big-rig closing the Interstate and blocking our route to Kingman. We rerouted as required and “DANG again” 14 miles from Flagstaff for more construction with our forward movement slowed to 4 mph! Flagstaff was a welcome stop after all that, but wait, there is more! Jeff Carley reported to us that he believed he was having trouble with his Vette, the left rear was sagging, not from overloading. Initial parking lot diagnosis pointed to an issue with the left rear lowering bolt.
Early morning follow-up at Marxen Chevrolet in Flagstaff confirmed a broken lowering bolt and the prognosis was the car was ok to drive to Albuquerque where parts were ordered for delivery on Monday. 
The remainder of Arizona on Day 2 was scenic but uneventful. We found downtown Winslow crowded with a classic car show so on we went to Gallup, NM and the Hotel El Rancho for our first taste of New Mexico “red or green” cuisine. After arriving in Albuquerque, it was a short day in preparation for Day 3 and an EARLY start for the Balloon Fiesta.
The crowds were huge at 5:30 AM as we arrived at the Fiesta Park and Ride for our bus trip to the Balloon Park on the north side of Albuquerque. The mass of people was even larger as we entered the park as hundreds of hot-air balloons were in various stages of inflation in preparation for the 7 AM mass ascension. Jeff, you remember Jeff, didn’t even think about bolts that morning with all of the balloon excitement! We found Old Town full of balloon fiesta tourists at mid-day and opted for a drive through the Bosque and visit to Los Poblanos Historic Inn and a drive through the Village of Corrales. The early start of Day 3 called for some relaxation in the afternoon before dinner at the famous Frontier Restaurant on old Route 66, across from UNM.
On Monday, Day 4, Jeff and Leeann broke away for their needed bolt repair at Bruce’s Corvette & Auto Service and were happily good to go for the rest of the trip as well as for a visit to an Albuquerque quilt shop while the remainder of us made our way to Santa Fe. We drove east of the Sandias through Madrid up NM-14, the Turquoise Trail.
Despite missing Santa Fe, the Carleys still smiled their way through Day 4! Santa Fe was founded in 1610 (before the Pilgrims landed ay Plymouth) and is the oldest state capital. It’s old and scenic with plenty of choices of places to eat or spend your money, from high end art to the native jewelry in Palace of the Governors. As we returned to Albuquerque, the Schmidts’ status changed slightly with Cindy flying back to LA for an overnighter to appear on local television leaving Gene with us until her return. Meanwhile, Judy, with not only New Mexico roots, but New Mexico connections as well, arranged for those remaining to enjoy an afternoon wine and cheese get-together at her cousin Katie Santiannes’ home prior to our dinner with local family at El Pinto in the North Valley.
Mesa Verde is famous for over 600 cliff dwellings of the Pueblo people, quite a sight. It was then off to Four Corners, where Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona and Utah meet. The Navajos have the corner (or 4 corners) on the market there with $5.00 a head to see a survey monument afixed to the red earth there.
Off again to our lodging in the woods in Jacob Lake, AZ took us by Monument Valley and through a Hopi Pow-wow in Kayenta, AZ. A great caravan day.
Another cool day with club jackets a must at over 8,000 feet elevation. With less that 10% of Grand Canyon visitors coing to the North Rim, it is worthwhile trip for those who enjoy the road less traveled. Brian and Kathy missed the Grand Canyon visit as they peeled off from the caravan to visit relatives and take in the Prescott Corvette Car Show, hooking up with SCVCC alumni for a quick “howdy”. Day 7 then took our remaining Vettes to Kanab, UT for the night.
The sights were glorious and easily accessible, except for Bryce Point with limited parking. Parking attendants were less than cooperative about us trying to save parking space for one another and that will just remain a story for another day.
We went on to caravan to St. George, UT, where yet another quilt shop was visited briefly before we rolled back to Pacific Daylight time and entry into Nevada. The Schmidts continued to Las Vegas for personal and show time on the Strip while the Carleys and Woodings opted for Mesquite. Rested and ready to roll on Day 10, the Carleys headed home to Parker, AZ where Jeff will re-address the lowering bolt issue and the Woodings made a stop at Cracker Barrel in North Las Vegas, having passed by six others during the caravan. Love those biscuits.
The International Balloon Fiesta is the first week of October every year and we are already looking forward to another caravan including the Fiesta then along in another route to the south next time for more Southwest attractions.
The Outback claims to be the home of juicy steaks, spirited drinks, and true Aussie hospitality. So, in that spirit, I personally skipped the entrée and went straight for the platypus pie, while I think it was Mark Ware who had a hopping good sandwich with the house special, a Kangaroo Burger.
But seriously, we had a good time, and there was a variety of food choices delivered up and down the table. The warm rye bread and butter are always a nice beginning, and some of the appetizers included their famous Bloomin’ Onion and Aussie Fries, and the entrees ran the gamut from ribeye’s and chicken fried chicken, to lobster tails and burgers. Our servers were pleasant, attentive, and tried to stay organized against our often-disorganized group, which helped to make the meal just that much nicer.
After checking-in with the staff, we met our golf pro, and were promptly fitted with our club and individually colored golf balls that would be ours for the rest of the day – providing we could find them. Then, dividing into teams of mixed doubles, we headed off to the first carpet covered tee box.
However, the talk around the clubhouse was that Tom Tomlinson had topped the leaderboard, and was last seen running around waving his golf towel in the air, and high-fiving with the spectators, although this could not be confirmed.
Following the drivers’ meeting, we headed off to Agoura Hills for our first stop, lunch at the Ladyface Alehouse and Brasserie.
When we arrived, we pretty much had the place to ourselves, so they seated us inside, as opposed to the patio, which was nice- and certainly a lot cooler.
After lunch a few people had to breakaway, while the remainder of us headed over Kanan-Dume to the Pacific Coast Highway, which took us down through Malibu, and the customarily heavy weekend traffic, and on to the Pacific Palisades. Getting into the Getty Villa itself can be a little tricky if you are headed south on PCH, so we had to circle the wagons and then double back to make the main gate, but we all made it in fine shape.
With everyone at the Getty Villa, we again gathered together for our docent lead tour of the grounds and gardens.
We gathered on a perfect So-Cal Saturday morning at the Copperhill Walmart for coffee and chatter before the drivers’ meeting where we were promised to be taken west along Highway 126 towards the coast. There, we would be given additional instructions.
Normally a trip to any courthouse comes with an expected level of anxiety in anticipation of the bureaucratic experience that awaits us, but not for this trip. 
I ask you, would there have been a better place to combine both of those activities than the Route 66 Grill? There would not.
So, a dedicated group of thirty-five members took on the mission of gathering around the always excellent burgers, fries, milkshakes, and apple pie, to anticipate the long-awaited unveiling.
