Greetings from Naperville, Illinois,
OK, so it's been a couple of weeks. Things have been busy. Last report
was from Littlefield, Texas on July 14th.
Next morning Carol and I stuffed it in road gear and made San Antonio by
midnight. That night we picked up Lil Darlin' and unpacked and re-packed
just about everything, also did a little late night partying with the
neighbors.
In keeping with our long standing tradition we had driven past midnight
and got a late start the next morning (uh, afternoon of the 16th). Lil
Darlin's parking/tail lights had taken a hike a couple of months earlier,
so as we were running into darkness we paused momentarily to stick a
patch wire in the harness to be legal and safe in the dark. The two MGAs
had a wonderful time chasing each other in the dark through the warm
Texas night.
Arriving in Grapevine for GT-22, again a little past midnight, we were
faced with no room at the inn, in spite of the fact that we had made
prepaid and secured reservations 2-1/2 months in advance. The hotel
wanted to put us up at a different location, limousine service an all,
but the MGs were on sight, and we were staying put. After due
consideration, we ended up staying the night in the guest room off the
club hospitality suite (and very nice guest room it was). It was a
little awkward the next day when Carol and I walked out into the
hospitality room filled with our fellow MG nuts, but what the hey, life
is interesting, make up your own stories.
In the parking at the DFW Hilton we nearly tripped over our Florida MGA.
John and Jackie Murdock had returned to Florida alright. Then John
Murdock had driven the long traveling MGA from Florida to Grapevine to
finish the trip off properly. That MG had accrued a bit over 12,000
miles getting to the GT.
Thursday night (7/17) at the barbecue I tried my hand at the funkana,
driving Lil Darlin' (with a tooth missing off of first gear?). A quick
dash down a short parking lot and a hard turn into a pylon lined parking
space, park and hop out, run around the car, remove four spark plugs from
a cylinder head on the table, run back around and get back into the car,
back up around a 360 degree loop and back into an even tighter parking
space, hop out, put the spark plugs back into the cylinder head, hop back
in and race out through a short slalom to the finish line. One pass,
third place, solo. And Lil Darlin' still has all her spokes.
The car show and judging took place on Friday (7/18), typical show, lots
of nice cars, and lots of questions about the big scratch down the left
side of the MGA with an attitude, and the bashed and missing fenders and
bald tires on the trailer, and where did the 17,425 miles come from?
Heck, I only hit about 17 states and a few provinces of Canada on this
trip. The total came out to 19,021 miles by the time I got home.
Friday evening found most of us at the Austin Dude Ranch next door to the
Hilton for a barbecue, a little western dancing to a live band, and a few
other forms of generally adult entertainment. I think it's safe to say
that a good time was had by all.
On Saturday (7/19) we did the morning hangover rally, again in Lil
Darlin'. Hot it was, and humid to boot. Along the rally route we were
roping a long horn steer, tossing horse shoes, answering loaded Texas
questions and tossing cow chips, as well as filling in answers to the
typical gimmick rally. At the finish line we were treated to a brief
intermission with a Squeeze Breeze, a little misting sprayer with a
battery powered fan. Great accessory for a roadster in hot weather, so a
few days later we each bought one at WallMart.
Saturday afternoon we drove Lil Darlin' down town Fort Worth for a tour
of The Stockyards and to watch the Tarantula steam train accommodating
our friend John Murdock. Nice setup at The Stockyards, no fences, no
hassle, and the big burgers were $2. Also a easy place to blow some
money in the gift shops.
The number of registered MGAs at GT-22 was a bit light, like about 60 or
so, but we had more like 200 people for the Saturday banquet. Apparently
a lot of people whimped out on the Texas heat and flew in for the event
rather than drive their MGs. So, driving an MG in the heat is becoming a
lost art? Carol and I managed several days in the Texas sun, no problem.
Sunday (7/20) Lil Darlin' and the MGA with an attitude headed south,
passing through Marble Falls to get to Kingsland, Texas, to visit my
mother. Somewhere along the way we helped to rescue a long horned
Cadillac on the side of the road with a severe lack of water. Then about
two blocks from our destination Lil Darlin' locked up a front wheel with
a collapsed brake hose (but that's a different post).
On Monday (7/21) we were photo processing at WallMart in Marble Falls,
tinkering with the brake hose in city park, ordering new parts for Lil
Darlin', and back to visit mother again. Tuesday (7/22) was spent with
further adjustments to the photo processing and doing brake hoses, pads
and the master cylinder on Lil Darlin', again at city park in Marble
Falls. When it got late in the day I decided to stay over one more night
and visit my brother, just down the road.
As things were winding down, Wednesday (7/23) just felt like a good day
for sleeping in. Then there was a lot of picture sorting, and a late
lunch in Marble Falls before I turned it north and started home for real.
Wednesday night Lil Darlin' was cruising some nifty back roads on the
way south to San Antonio, while the MGA with an attitude made its' way
north only as far as Moore, Oklahoma, where the driver managed to spend
nearly two hours in the Motel-6 pool before catching up with e-mail.
Thursday (7/24) was another one of those drive till you drop things, 910
miles from Moore Oklahoma to Naperville, Illinois. En-route I traveled
north through Kansas and the south-east corner of Nebraska, then all the
way across Iowa and Illinois. Admittedly, the sole purpose for taking
that route was to get into the state of Nebraska, the last state of the
union I had never been in. Now I have managed to collect all 50 spoons
<G>. Home arrival time, 1:30 am, as usual.
Friday (7/25) the MGA with an attitude got to the Friday Night Rally
with Champaign County Sports Car Club in Champaign, Illinois. Yes my
friends, things are back to normal again.
Drive 'em till they drop,
Barney Gaylord
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