yeah, Julian, I can get long winded but I guess I'm also partial to our group. We were sort of the 'forerunner" for what we use to call "GabFest" a while back. I had met Peggy and John at my first K.C. Reunion then I met David Wolfe, a local Bolter who I met and had lunch with. He had seen my name on the bolt. We chatted and decided to give it a try. So I just started watching bolters post and gathering every name in the Southern bunch that I say posting and then sent out email to them and took it from there. We can post it on the Stovebolt but since not everyone checks in all the time you have to "reach out" to them and the best way is by an email. I found that out the hard way!!!
To be honest, we can meet anywhere. I tried to make it special by having T-shirts made, some "door prizes" for the "stovebolt toss" which is done at the K.C. Reunion.....but that is/was my doing to have a good time. How ever we do not have to have a "formal" type of gathering. We can "put it out there" and simply meet someplace, eat, chew the rag and be on our way. It just seems to be better and more personal if it can be hosted by someone at a park, or their house ect.
I'm game, I can start working on a email list while deciding where to have it. There is a "shopping mall" off I-26 where there is a cruise-in once a month and is not an organized one......folks just show up there. Jay, "lugnutz" and I put together one there and had a few show up and we even visited a local junk yard looking for parts. There is a Wendy's near by and we could park together and also enjoy the other vehicles.
........maybe even ask anyone down your way would want to host it. We did a "one time deal" at the Atlanta Dragway. The guy who runs it, Brad, is a bolter and he let us in free as we did it while he was having the monthly swap meet. I think we had about 6 or 7 that showed up and had a good time. That may be a possibility.
My situation: As you know my wife is battling cancer. Took her to the lab yesterday and while doing blood work and getting ready for platelets she was sent to the ER with a high fever, low BP and some heart problems. This was an unexpected, and un-scheduled admissions. Turns out to be and infection and what the doctor said was a "bug in the blood". She is getting two pints of blood, antibiotics and platelets today and even tonight...............SO, even though we wanted to have one here I am hesitant to schedule one. We wanted to it last spring and fall but thn hoped for this year. We are scheduled for a biopsy Thursday and if in remission she will get a stem cell transplant June 26 but that date may be pushed out. We are told, by doctors, not to have visitors at the hospital, or home, for some time as her white blood count is extremely low all the time due to all the drugs.
Whew, another long letter but necessary I think so you can understand situation.
Still, I will start updating a list of all bolters I can from our area. In the beginning it was N.C. S.C and some Tenn and Ga. Then later John and Peggy divided up the country as more and more folks wanted to start having a gabfest. So now we have some of Va. and Fl so the list could get quite long. I'm a die hard bolter and would love to have a group of bolters and trucks like never seen. What a sight that would be. John and Peggy, and some of the ODSS up around Va. and Md have said they would like to even come down.
Well, you pushed me....so time to get started on the list. If you think of a place anywhere that is fine. I can still help get the word out. I have bought, and sold, some parts to guys in Ga so I know there are there.
Lets see what I can do......but it may be slow. Victoria naturally comes first but we probably swing one.
Your thoughts
Alvin
Oh, its to late to do it now but the car club I belonged to does a big car show at Westgate Mall which is at the end of THIS month. That is the first "reunion' we had and we sort of "piggy backed" that show with their permission. If you could make it up to that show maybe we could meet and chat. If you come up I-85 it will cross I-26 where you can get off and its only a couple miles to the mall which is "on the side" of I-26. Think about it.
