Yo chaps!
Packed the MGC and left home at 6:00am on Saturday morning for the V8 meet in
Sebring, in Florida. I made it all of about one mile before being pulled
over by the Illinois State Police (not even out of the village
limits!).....fortunately it was fellow MG owner Marc Richards wanting to know
why I had the MG out of storage so early and where I was headed.
Marc decided to make a wager of a beer that I would not make it to the meet
without breaking down. (He lost that one!)
The trip down I-57 to the Kentucky border was uneventful (read boring). I did
wave to Jerome Rosenberger at Terry's Jaguar as I passed the Benton exit a
little before 9:00am. I drove as long as my kidneys would last (about a half
tank of fuel)...."draining my radiator" and topping off the tank and
replenshing my caffiene (Diet Coke) at each stop.
Proceeded on to Nashville, TN where I picked up I-24 and encountered my first
traffic problem....construction with the accompanying idiots who refuse to
believe that the road actually WILL taper to one lane. Stop and go for about
15 minutes (not bad)...and the MGC did not overheat for a change.
Continued through Tennessee, passing my favourite BBQ joint (Corky's) in
Murphreesboro without stopping. (That will NOT happen on the return trip!)
Merged on to I-75 and headed towards Hotlanta, where I found my second
traffic jamb about 5:00pm...due to a semi having
t-boned a car in on of the middle lanes...(I run with CB, so I had the help
of the truckers to get to one of the open lanes...again saving the MGC from a
boil-over.)
I chose to pass on visiting the "Erotic Cafe" for supper and continued
through southern Georgia towards the Florida border. I had decided to drive
as long as I had daylight....but was making such good time, I continued on
into the night...with the companionship of a few thunderstorms. (Thank God
for Rain-X and new wiper blades!). Made a pit stop a little south of
Gainesville, Florida (almost stopped for supper at the "We Bare All Cafe . .
. Open 24 Hours" .... brightly trimmed with neon...perhaps I will have to
stop there on the way home). Called my wife to let her know that I would be
proceeding on to Sebring non-stop after calling the Chateau Elan and
reserving a room.
It continued to rain as I drove through Florida. I was passing (and being
passed) by numerous Harley Davidsons ( both on and off trailers) on their was
to Bike Week in Daytona, as well as numerous college students heading for
Spring Break.
Took the Florida Turnpike towards the Land of Mickey (Orlando) . . .the
weather cleared .... what was that smell?!....not Castrol!....orange
blossoms! Drove past the tourist trap unimpeeded by traffic (it was about
1:00am local time) and joined I-4 before connecting with SR-27. (Still had
not seen any other MGs...had I picked the right weekend?!)
I was elated that I was almost there....then found that a had more than an
hour's drive ahead of me. Fatigue was beginning to set in. I had brought my
atlas as well as computer printouts from Mapquest and Yahoo!...they were
right on until I got to Sebring, where the combination of poor verbage and
sleep deprivation got me completely lost and on a scenic tour of the city. I
stopped at a "Dunkin' Donuts" and got directions to the Raceway and the
Hotel, arriving at about 3:00am.
Unpacked the MG, checked into my room, took a shower, and grabbed some
shut-eye. I woke up about to a strange sound of horsepower. Looking out the
window, I found my room over-looked the at Turn 7 that head into the Fangio
Chicane of the track!. This got my adrenalin going! There was a 3-hour Enduro
in progress with numerous vintage race cars on the track.
Got down to the hotel lobby where I met Don Rausch (coordinator of the event)
and another V8 enthusiast, Doug, from Texas. Participants began to arrive at
the hotel throughout the afternoon and evening....it will be a good week!
Today (Monday) is scheduled for tech sessions and tire kicking. The autocross
for tomorrow was cancelled due to the greed of the Raceway....Tuesday will
bring an opportunity for us to drive the track (lead by a Panoz pace
car)....followed by a tour of Bob Toulios' (of Group 44) shoppe....Wednesday
will be a car display in the downtown district of the city and more tire
kicking....
I will try to update you as these events occur.
Time to go....
Rick Ingram
1969 MGC
"Two cylinders short of a full load....this week."
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