All,
Lou is suffering from burnout- something I can completely relate to when it
comes to Datsun Roadsters. I had a similar experience when I tried to run
the club in SoCal. Individually, Datsun Roadster owners are great people and
that is where the fun is- People enjoying the cars. But as a group we are
just like everyone else where disagreements arise and egos are hurt and then
it stops becoming any fun and why would you spend your precious personal
time doing something that isn't fun?
There has been a lot of talk about "supporting the vendors" because we need
them to keep our cars giong. All of us say basically the same thing- "I buy
from all of the vendors and support them". But most of us also know that
there have been problems among certain vendors for a long time and we end up
dancing around them for some reason I never quite understood.
So now we have no Solvang show unless someone else steps forward to run the
show. I speak for a lot of people when I say that we were relieved every
year when Lou said he would run the show next year. Talk about a lot of time
and work!
So how do we address this issue? There are two choices- we find some other
person who is newer to roadsters and full of enthusiasm who will take over
the show, where they will eventually burn out- or we organize as a true
organization and elect some people who will deal with the vendors, organize
shows, set standards for judging and provide reatail booth space at the
shows so the vendors can compete the way they are supposed to, and privde
awards and such.
The camraderie of loose-knit roadster clubs has always been fun, but the
other side of that coin is that we really completely rely on the efforts of
individuals. The vendors seem unable to help us keep shows going as they
cannot stand each other. I don't think I am out of line when I say that the
vendors need to support US too and I don't mean by just supplying parts.
I know I am just talking mad and pardon the rant, but unless things change,
the streets of Solvang will be empty of roadsters at the end of next April.
Andrew Murphy
1967.5 2000
SRL311-00489
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