The Stovebolt Site Forums The Side Lot Old Dominion Stovebolt Society (MD, VA, West VA, DC, DE and PA) Homecoming 2014

Hey John! Nah not worth the breath. I'm gonna try to get Josh to help me this eve try to bring Dempsey down a day early so Friday isn't so hectic.

Oh we have plenty of food. Got that all worked out last night. This time we even got snacks to carry to the bonfire (if you all are still awake!).

We got fun breakfast food that you can grab and get back to workin'. It was a lot of fun to do the shopping.

Wow, the five truck convoy would be a nice site to see. Too bad *I* couldn't be there for the photos, eh? hahaha

See you all real soon!

Peg

Grigg,

Hambone just gave me the hot sauce! Thanks. Will be a hit.

And I think you are right about getting ready to make a new batch. I think I need to get one for my Chief of Stuff.

Peg

Calling it a day .... Billy Marlow and Amtrak Joe on board.

Cali the cat standing firewatch in the shop until dawn.

Ah, it's finally here. Soon the cul-de-sac in front of my house will be FILLED with vintage iron. In a few hours my youngest son Rocket will lose his mind. He loves old trucks and having 5 in front of his house may be overwhelming!

Presidential convoy departing, Phil and Cosmo, 0845.

Very Well. HQ reporting ready for POTODSS Arrival.
Presidential Convoy of 5 is cleared to proceed past the outer checkpoint and into the Blue Zone.

Security challenge is "Natcho"
Answer is "Beer"

HQ out.

I'm "manning" my station. Joe's already done a load of dishes. I hear the music of many motor-driven toys outside. Puppy is sticking with me. The early morning ball-tossing has her worn out.

About to toss in the pig for the pulled-pork for tomorrow.

Anxious to see the Presidential Motorcade arrive!! Everyone has their phones and cameras charging.

Peg

Reporting from MNVA (Most Northern VA): ETD being met at 1000. Google say 107 miles. I'm being realistic at an average speed of 35mph. That's three hours driving plus stop for essentials (beer).

Get there after 1300, if all goes well! Look forward to seeing everyone.

Late start on the road. We'll be taking off in 30 min.

Bread

Oh wow, what a great first day. Even with the late afternoon rain.

Will get more details later. Beautiful sunny morning, everyone has eaten is already wrenching. Lots of wrenching last night into the wee-hours, too!!

Bread ... we'll keep an eye out for you.

Peg

Had a great trip back home; 3 hrs, including a short stop (non-mechanical related). Doughboy is running so much better! Thank you to everyone that helped with my truck, both the rear axle seal and tune up. I won't name names, for fear of inadvertantly leaving someone out, so thank you to everyone.

John and Peggy go to a lot of work (along with others) to hold this event at their home every year and just want you to know it doesn't go unappreciated. Thank you all so much, and see you "down the road".

Just returned home from The Center of The Stovebolt Universe! John and Peggy, to know them is to love them.

Home, home on the range, where the deer and the...

Three hours to the home place, time for a nap after I unpacked and showered. Thanks to all, this is one for the ages, new people to meet, truck problems met as well with a steady eye and a firm hand shake.

What a great guy Alvin aka Chipmunk is! I had several fine conversations with the Southern Gentleman and he is a delightful, intelligent man. The Stovebolt World never ceases to amaze me, safe travels to you sir, may we meet again soon.

Your presidential servant,

Cosmo

Absolutely wonderful weekend. Thanks to all for your help. Sorry the SAA challenge did not go off as planned. Entirely my fault for not having checked the flywheel beforehand. Lesson learned.

Peggy, as always, thank you for your amazing hospitality and great conversation. John, thanks for allowing me to crash at Casa Stovebolt. Sorry about the photography faux-pax. Wasn't thinking and it won't happen again.

We made it home in minor rain and minor mechanical issues (truck left a puddle of watered-down oil on the WaWa lot...something to do with cylinder wash-down), but the OD worked great. Oh, and new project: Windshield Wipers!

I really enjoyed the fly-by and the chance to meet Bread and family. And, I enjoyed the look on SWEET'S face when he realized I was out of gas for the third time. Some day...

You all are great company and incredible friends. Thanks for making me and my family part of your life.

I'll post my pics as soon as I can.

Yours,

Jim

Can't wait to see the !!!

Here is the link for the Homecoming pictures. If you have forgotten the log-in and / or password, just PM or email John or me. It's good to have them all in the same place ... then when I link for next year, we'll have ALL the pictures.

Please take a little extra time and label and title the photos, if you can remember what you are looking at ... helps a lot as we all are getting a wee bit older. And for those folks who don't know who is who is who is.

You all were great, as always. Thanks to the kids for doing a great sweep thru of the deadfall in the woods! (love it!) The fire is still going.

We made a small dent on the left overs for lunch. I don't think I'll have to cook for a whole week.

John still has that 61 mph smile on his face! Thank you all for that! He had a great time and he needed it.

Puppy is pooped!!! She'll wonder what happened when tomorrow gets here and it's just me and Gigi! Might have to run some of the truck videos just for her!

Love you guys,
Peg

John and Peggy, I just want to say again how much my family and I enjoyed our visit. One of us even felt comfortable enough to jump in the pond ! It was great meeting everyone and we look forward to seeing y'all again. Best weekend we've had in a long time! It was great to get out of the city.

FourBrads, I have a flywheel and starter if you're interested. It's from my '54 235. Pics

Bread
.

What a great weekend for sure.

John and Peggy, thanks again for hosting such a great event. The food and such is very much appreciated.

Marlow, thank you for providing the grilled lunch.

Mario, very nice to meet you and your family. Looking forward to seeing you again in the future.

Alvin, thanks for makeing the effort to come up for the visit.

Cheers to all,

What can you say except AWESOME. It was my pleasure to partake of John and Peggy's hospitality and meet the ODSS group. From the time I arrived at Sweet's place I knew it was going to be a fun time.
Afraid I may leave someone out just let me say I had a great time and the Stovebolt family is GRRRRREAT. Renewing friendshops and making new ones. Wow!


....I sort of put the panel on "cruise" and got home at 8:30. It was as pleasant time and looking forward to seeing all of you again. Thanks to each of you and Peggy/John THANK YOU.

Sweetie, and for those who left early, that is now officially a *70 MPH* smile. Yes folks, ole Charlie broke the 70 MPH barrier today, thanks to AmtrakJoe, Denny Graham, Sweet, Mike B and everyone else who lent a hand to Team Axle!

I've uploaded my shots. The aerial will be uploaded soon -- please stay tuned.

Great weekend, all. It was what Homecoming is all about. Family, friends, old trucks, helping each other, drinking beer, eating too much, getting dirty, watching kids play with puppies and playing in ponds, camping and generally living the life terrorists hate us for and our friends and family in uniform sacrificed to preserve for us. The only thing missing was shooting something .... but we do that at George's ...

GIANT thanks to Eric and Hambone for the awesome aerial display of derring do and photographic prowess! Big giant thanks, as well, to our neighbors (Alan and Bert) who helped with logsitics and catering. Big thanks to our great neighbor Eugene for letting us park stuff on his property And Thanks to all who came -- *YOU* made the weekend.

And charlie says THIS!

Show the video John.

Great pictures guys/gals. looks like you all had fun. Wish i could have been there. I will link up with everyone in the fall when i get back from my deployment. I really want to meet everyone.

Chris

Another great weekend. I took 2 naps on Sunday. Then cut and split firewood, threw in the back of the 62 1/2 ton and drove it around the neighborhood just cause I could. I am happy to report, I did not get yelled at by the wife for my absence and the truck did not spot in the driveway after the rear main seal R&R. Thanks Phil for the 8 hours we spent together under the truck, looking at everyones legs (shin and below) and shoes.

Oh man. One picture just came thru the email. Others Hambone will have to deliver on disc. Oh man. John's fixing it now so he can upload it.

Wait for it .... wait for it ....



Peg

Done.

Still working on the video for Mr. Ants in his Pants, though...

WOW!!!

Great shot Hambone, great flying Erik!

Wow, these are really good. I got to see a lot of what you all were doing when you weren't eating!! No one got pictures of the eating ... We have one of Alvin with an empty plate!

After some others get loaded, we will pick which ones we can send off for poster and large prints. We'll list them here so you can add if there are some YOU would like. We'll "shop around" for good pricing. York has been best commercial deal but we'll see what we can get since they may be more specialized.



Peg

Apparently there is a disc of more photos on my work desk. May take a couple of days for me to get down to that desk.
I particularly like the 2 pix of the Presidential convoy approaching the HQ.

I like that one and the line-up at the Loveville Produce Auction. That one may be a "special order" deal since it will be wide. We may have to track down Kurt who did the ones by the pond several years ago.

Hambonie, you did a good job ... well what we have seen so far!! Anxious to see the rest and video from folks.

Peg

I have some good photos to upload also. Wow, that one group shot from the plane is fantastic, job well done!

Late to post my weekend thoughts but all I can say is, if you want 3 nights and two and a half days go by like lightning, fill it with great people, great friends great food and fellowship, fun truck wrenching and cruising and a little aerial photography to top it all off and that's what happens. I looked so forward to the 2014 Stovebolt Homecoming and poof, it's over. I had a blast and as always John and Peggy, I can't thank you enough for all the fun I had.
Special thanks to Alvin for making the trip, it was great to finally meet you. Also to Bert and Miranda for helping out with all the food prep and also to Hambone for the Saturday morning donuts and coffee, oh yea, and also that little air plane deal. Wow, what a treat.
Here are a couple pictures and the the video I shot.

http://s1366.photobucket.com/user/M...lt%20Homecoming%202014?sort=2&page=1

Thanks again to all that made the weekend a great one!

Where do I begin ? What a weekend ! John and Peg, thanks for opening your home, your farm, your shops and your hearts to us. Kind regards, deep respect,

Amtrakjoe

I too am late to the party for the post-event thoughts. There is not much more that I can add to all the comments above but for those who could not attend, you missed out. Better make it to next year!

Homecoming for me is one of the greatest events of the year. Mostly because there is no schedule for the most part. It is just a large group of the greatest people on earth all with the same sickness, old trucks.

This year was extra special for many reasons, most importantly was to have the honor of riding along with Alvin. When I heard he was thinking of coming I reached out to him and offered to have him ride in our convoy to HQ. Fortunately the timing worked out and we had a record convoy of 5 old trucks. It was great to see all the thumbs up and smiles on the way.

Alvin you sir are a class act. Your southern demeanor is both admirable and charming. I look forward to seeing you many times in the future as I am sure many of us will attempt to attend an event or two in your neck of the woods.

Once we arrived, said hello to everyone, it was straight to the operating rooms for the scheduled work. OR1 had Charlie on the ready for his rear end swap, and OR2 had Hambone's rear main seal work. Both operations were successful and two truck owners left the recovery room with smiles...

After the planned projects were complete, we then had fun twisting wrenches on others doing tune-ups and other tweaks that made good trucks better. Thanks again to everyone that allowed me to help out. For me its what this truck thing is all about.

Most importantly thank you to everyone that helped make this event a smashing success. Especially the Milliman family. Without them, none of us would be here. It takes a special breed of people to open their homes to an army of people for the entire weekend. I consider your home one of the greatest places on earth. My kids are now old enough that they too got a taste of farm life. They were wore out happy kids on Sunday.

My twins and I had one of the greatest moments in my truck on the way home. Just enjoying the view and singing to the radio. What a blast.

It was great to see them playing with the other children. I hope they form bonds with them and continue friendship as we see each other during the year.

Thanks again everyone for making this weekend one for the record books!

Very well said, brother Sweet!

Sweet, Wow, that was great. I'm glad the kids had fun and agree: it was good to see the kids get to know each other, too! We'll have to order some small size t-shirts ... with a date like we do for the Reunion.

And you all were awesome getting folks trucks fixes. Bruce's jaw was dropped when he came in the kitchen. He could not believe you got rid of the tic-tic-tic. I was surprised to see him still here at 11 when he needed to be in Richmond VA in an hour! (oppps!) He did not want to go. But he went a happy man ...

Billeee ... the video is nifty. You got the puppy barking for whatever reason! I can't wait to see more and then get them all put together in a thumb drive or something for everyone.

Thanks to everyone also for helping with clean-up. The place looks "normal" and awaiting next wave coming Friday, which are my blood-relatives ... you all are "family"

Peg

For those not familiar with the company you keep...
http://www.vulturesrow.com/

Erik and I have flown together many times during the course of our full time gigs. Horsepower is in a different rating and we sit front and back, v side by side, but the results are similar. I was glad he came out and if we can get him a truck maybe we will see him more often.
HB

Who every uploaded the last batch ... great shots.

I like his one from Rocket: "I'm sorry you didn't make it ..."

Oh and a comment on Billy's video ... the one where the plane just zooms past us and we have the peeps, the old trucks, the American Flag, and the Stovebolt flag. Man, gotta get a capture on that one! That's a 4th of July cover shot!!!

Peg

Thanks for the link HB. Good to know.

So many great pics to remember a great event!

I dropped my photos. Great times for sure.

I'm late as usual, but I echo everyone else in saying Thanks John and Peg for all you do!

I had a great time seeing old friends and meeting new.

It was also great to meet Alvin, thanks for making the trip!

Mike B