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10.24 – Mid-Week Run to Cold Springs Tavern, Wine Tasting, & Casino Fun

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This mid-week trip will start early because we have a lot to do. First we’ll head up to Cold Spring Tavern and enjoy a hearty meal at this famous stagecoach stop on the San Marcos Pass in the mountains north of Santa Barbara. Here you can appreciate the true ambiance of the Old West because, as if by magic, time stands still. Savor the traditional American fare made with fresh local ingredients including our famous Cold Spring Chili, tri-tip barbeque sandwiches, and delicious steaks and ribs. After our meal, before heading back home we’ll have the opportunity to either go wine tasting in Santa Ynez at any of the dozens of wineries or gambling at the Chumash Casino. If you like, do both!

We’re meeting at Walmart on Newhall Ranch Road at 08:45 in the morning to sign waivers to be able to head out by 09:00, we have a beautiful drive to Santa Barbara planned out by your leader Mike Woodings.

SEE YOU THERE..

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4th of July Parade

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Story: Mike Woodings
Photos: Judy Woodings

Have you ever considered why we celebrate a holiday on the 4th of July? Yes, we all know it is to commemorate our independence, but why the 4th? It’s history time.

The legal separation of the Thirteen Colonies from Great Britain in 1776 actually occurred on July 2, when the Second Continental Congress voted to approve a resolution of independence. After voting for independence, Congress turned its attention to the Declaration of Independence and debated the wording of the Declaration, approving it two days later on July 4.

Luckily for us 242 years later, the debate didn’t go until the 6th. This year, July 4th offered terrific parade weather, but poor us if we had waited until the 6th for that heatwave we just experienced!

Our club is traditionally well represented in the annual Santa Clarita 4th of July Parade and 2018 was no exception. Twenty-five gorgeous Corvettes, representing all seven generations gathered on Newhall Avenue to decorate with all sorts of bunting and flags in preparation for our turn to pass in review. The challenge of the morning was getting past all the cones, barricades and guards to get to our start location. Next year, we just have to assemble a little earlier.

Once we were rolling sometime after 9 AM, we all witnessed an exceptional welcome and cheering as we passed the tremendous number of spectators assembled along the route. Reports are that this year’s attendance surpassed previous attendance and was well over 26,000.

 This year’s parade theme was “It’s a Grand Old Flag” and our club took the theme to heart with the grand showing of flags decorating our Corvettes. The parade route was the same as in years past, beginning on Main Street in Old Town Newhall, then on Lyons Avenue and onto Orchard Village and 16th Street to the finish.

There were only two known mishaps, both minor. Dwight’s C1 understandably got a bit hot and yours truly lost his club flag along the way. We will all be fine though!

As in years past too, we had to continue our tradition of “drive and eat” and this year returned to Margarita’s Mexican Restaurant to enjoy a meal together and to critique our parade experience with each other and other club members who chose to be spectators this time around. There might have even some who enjoyed Margarita’s margaritas too!

The parade was finished and the bunting was back in storage when the news was published in the local paper. Once again, it was announced that the SCVCC was awarded First Place in the Car or Motorcycle Club category. Well done and well deserved! PS, the official report shows sunny and 79˚ for the end of the parade on the 4th. At same time on the 6th, It was 112˚!

 

 

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40th Anniversary Picnic

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Story: Mike Woodings
Photos: Mike Woodings, Judy Woodings and Dwight McDonald

Since we all seem to believe everything that is found on the internet, my research has to be pretty close to fact. A Google search for the FIRST Corvette club revealed no specific information. However, the Corvette Club of America had its first club meeting on July 17, 1956 at Rosenthal Chevrolet in Arlington, Virginia. While it is likely that some club activity existed before this date, this first recorded meeting has become the official birth date.

Our own Santa Clarita Valley Corvette Club’s website states our club was established in 1978 by a small group of Corvette owners locally to bring together enthusiasts from all walks of live to share in the adventures experienced in Corvette ownership. Like the Corvette itself, our club continues to evolve, improve, and change. For love of country, love of the Corvette, and bonding friendship, all Corvette owners are encouraged to become part of our outstanding club as we celebrate our 40th Anniversary.

Therefore, while we aren’t the newest Corvette Club in America, we are known by many (at least 100) to be one of the best of the nearly 400 clubs in the country.

Our first annual club picnic in 2017 was a great event and the new tradition was off to a terrific start. With 2018 being our club’s big 40th anniversary year, our board decided this year’s summer celebration should be included with the appreciation picnic. So from there, the planning was under way to make this year’s event even better than our first, if that was possible.

Picnic day arrived early for our Activities Committee and staff as they claimed our spot at Steckel Park and went about the set-up activity, making sure every detail matched Mark Ware’s extensive preparation spreadsheet.

Meanwhile, scores of members gathered at the designated assembly area in the Walmart lot for headcount and sign-in, eager to get the day rolling. It was an amazing sight seeing 30 awesome Corvettes heading west on CA 126 on unusually open roadway toward our destination.

Our caravan was not only witnessed by locals and passersby but was monitored by a high-flying drone flown by Pilot Mark at over two miles out as we approached the park.

Once we arrived and parked in our reserved “Corvette Corral” we caravaners all recognized the splendid set-up that was done and waiting for us. Two covered pavilions decorated to the hilt, game areas laid out and equipped with all types of picnic games and a band ready to rock us through the afternoon.

John and Sandra Macik of Santa Paula Chevrolet joined us for the event as Vette people enjoying time with other enthusiasts. It was a good opportunity to get to know John and Sandra in this casual surrounding. The Maciks previously introduced us to the BBQ served by Laird’s Butcher Shop in Santa Paula and our planners called upon their cooking skills to once again serve us an excellent picnic BBQ meal. Great call by all involved in putting together our grub and beverages!

But wait, there was more. Our band, “Drop Zone”, rocked. SCVCC’s own Chet Morse even joined the band with a great blues number! I can attest to the great selection of tunes by the band and was posed this question by member “M.C.”, “this is from your era, right?” How could I not appreciate the Rolling Stones song “You Can’t Always Get What You Want”? All of us in our earlier days heard that Stones song and probably only wished we or owned a Corvette then, but looking at the parking lot, we have certainly all gotten a lot of “what we want”!

The games, raffles and even dancing all went to making our picnic a fun event.

To climax the gathering, our president Dwight McDonald spoke to us all about the significance of this, our club’s 40th anniversary. Several of our past club presidents were in attendance for our anniversary celebration as well. John Noble, Sara Seeley, Fred Seeley, Jeff Hernandez and Greg Attl all spoke and expressed their well wishes for the future of the club.

 All in all, the picnic was fun, delicious and a success. We all convey our thanks and appreciation to our Activities people and their set-up crew for putting it all together and a pat on the back to all of us as well, since without each of us there would be no club. Job well done!

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Three-Club Run – Fort Tejon

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Story: Mike Woodings
Photos: Mike Woodings

Sometimes you just Have to get up before breakfast, and Saturday, June 9th was one of those days. It is not often that we meet at 7:45, and even more unusual that we have a run with other clubs, but all the stars aligned and that is just what occurred.

Phase One was the roll-call and sign-in at Walmart on Copperhill and Newhall Ranch. When your writer arrived at the appointed time, the lot was alive with eager and dare I say hungry Corvette people with more rolling in. My best count was 15 Corvettes with the corresponding number of occupants that were ready to go when the word was given, on our first leg of the event.

Just 22.2 miles away, on CA 126 in familiar Fillmore, we rolled into the lot at El Pescador Mexican Restaurant on the west side of town. Fortunately, no pit-stops were needed en-route. Our run on this bright, clear day was to Fort Tejon, in Lebec, with breakfast beforehand together with the Ventura County Corvette Club and Red Line Corvettes.

Our hosts for the event were John Macik and his wife Sandra Macik of Santa Paula Chevrolet. They arrived in a beautiful 2019 Torch Red Grand Sport convertible (available at the dealership!).

El Pescador’s staff did a noteworthy job of handling our needs and desires as we flooded their banquet room with right around 100 customers. Thanks go out to El Pescador and our hosts as well for a delightful start to the Three-Club and Three County Run as our three Corvette clubs.

Following breakfast at El Pescador, John served as honorary road captain, complete with 2-way radio tuned to channel 7, for what was his and Sandra’s first Corvette Caravan. 50 Corvettes all headed EAST on CA 126, back to Santa Clarita and then north on I-5 to Fort Tejon. The route took three clubs from Ventura County, through Los Angeles County into Kern County to our destination.

As we arrived, we found the Fort Tejon visitor lot empty and ready to accommodate all of our Corvettes. It was beautiful to behold.

For those who opted for Cheerios at home and who have never thought to stop at Fort Tejon while traversing the Grapevine, I assure you it is worth the short ride up the hill to check it out. Fort Tejon is located in the Grapevine Canyon, the main route between California’s great central valley and Southern California. The fort was established to protect and control the Indians who were living on the Sebastian Indian Reservation, and to protect both the Indians and white settlers from raids by the Paiutes, Chemeheui, Mojave, and other Indian groups of the desert regions to the southeast.

Fort Tejon was first garrisoned by the United States Army on August 10, 1854 and was abandoned ten years later on September 11, 1864. There are restored adobes from the original fort and the park’s museum features exhibits on army life and local history. The park also has a number of beautiful 400-year-old valley oak trees.

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Mystery Breakfast Run

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Story: Mike Woodings
Photos: Mike Woodings, Glenda Fulmer, Janene McDonald

May focused on the BIG runs north scheduled at the end of the month and into early June. Our club members elected to split directions to two destinations, some to Monterey and some to Sacramento and the Napa Valley. Read all about those trips in the June edition of the Gazette, next month.

We did have another Surprise Breakfast on the schedule for Sunday, May 27th. Initially, 56 folks signed up for the event and when the big day arrived, 58 showed up for the run to parts unknown. Excitement was in the air as we gathered in the Walmart lot for headcount and instructions.

Something definitely was up, as we were told to turn LEFT on Newhall Ranch Road as we exited instead of the usual outbound right. Being good caravanners, we followed instructions and the Corvette ahead, eastbound, giving our community a great parade of Corvettes to enjoy early on Sunday morning.

We reached Bouquet Canyon and proceeded right to Cinema Drive for another right and then into the lot of Mama’s Table at 23340 Cinema Drive. Our hosts at Mama’s were waiting as we descended on the location and filled the place, with big appetites from our 3.6-mile drive.

Reviews describe Mama’s Table as “Great little gem!”, “Nice and homey!”, “Great food and friendly server!”, “Huge plus is breakfast all day!!!”. We experienced all of the described pluses and were well taken care of, especially with five dozen customers all walking in at once.

 Some of us waited a while to be served, but some were generally pleased at how quickly their orders came. Ask the Websters, they will tell you why they choose Mama’s Table over a particular restaurant in Weatherford, Oklahoma.

There was an added bonus as we waited and visited and ate. The Indianapolis 500 was televised on the nearby widescreen! We witnessed Chevrolet’s latest Corvette set the pace for this year’s race. The new 2019 Corvette ZR1 is the most powerful Corvette to ever set the race’s pace, and it’s the most powerful pace car to ever run at Indy with its 6.2-liter supercharged V8 sending 755 hp to the rear wheels.

As our surprise breakfast run came to an end, with everyone well-fortified with Mama’s cooking, we headed out to the winds, with no leader, trusted to make our own way to our next destination. With $4.00 per gallon for gas, maybe a shorter caravan from time to time is the way to go. Be sure to let our Activities Committee know how you liked the run and drop some suggestions in the box at our meetings about an event you would like to help organize.

Gotta go now, time to get packed for Monterey!

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Ventura Harbor Sat. Drive

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Story: Mike Woodings
Photos: Steve Turkheimer, Janene McDonald

The old saying goes, “April showers bring May Flowers”, but it’s March! What we are living is March showers bring changes to the itinerary.

The planned drive for a Saturday Spring outing to Ojai was literally scrubbed due to road conditions after a couple of weeks of rain. What to do? No problem. Our Activities people produced an alternate plan and our Communications guy got the word out and we were still good to go!

Twenty Corvettes with thirty-seven participants for the Saturday run assembled at Walmart for their drivers’ meeting for a caravan out CA 126 to Brophy Brothers at the Ventura Marina. The drive was beautiful under sparkling blue skies with the caravan adding to the amazing scenery. There were plenty of thumbs-up from our fellow drivers along the way. The staff at Brophy Brothers did a great job taking care of our orders and needs, especially after such short notice and our thanks go out to them.

Mark Ware came prepared with his drone and we all assembled for a group shot (top article photo) before heading for other activities in the area, around the marina and beyond. We were even treated to a “mermaid parade”, our lucky day!

Thanks to our Activities Committee for making it all happen and making the needed adjustments to plans so we could hit the road together after being confined by Mother Nature for the past week.

Stay tuned to your email for news about upcoming caravans and events our Activities people have in store!