The First Historic Motorama Thursday, June 27, 2002 So we're up and rarin' to go, milling around in the parking lot as is our custom.  Someone said today is Jim Hornaday's ('66) birthday.  Scouting about for a birthday cake (you can tell how punchy we've become) a muffin was found but we had no candles.  But, enterprising Motorama-ers as we are, the requisite number of paper matches was found to emulate candles (there were a LOT of them)... ... and Jim was suitably surprised as we sang "Happy Birthday" to him in two-part harmony.  No mean feat for 7:45am St. Louis time.  Oh, and his birthday is tomorrow.  Oh well. After the drivers' meeting (yes, another one): ... we left the Holiday Inn/Collinsville promptly at 8am and loosely made our way to a truck stop near Evansville, Indiana.  It was easy to find the right truck stop.  They have a thirty-foot Santa (don't ask me why) next to the building. Final top-off of the tanks... ... and a Presidential-quality police escort took us into Evansville.  Today is the first day of their four-day "Freedom Festival" celebration along the Ohio River waterfront: There were food vendors galore, tons of people and, of course, the star of today's show: The Historic Motorama (us).  They parked us along the riverfront walk and we were quickly covered up by interested onlookers: They had put up signs to show where each car should park.  I don't know who the masked woman is: Jim and Sharon Love ('89) were having a great time; I guess you'll have to take my word about Jim... We were served lunch... ... and our good friend Larry Hayes was presented a certificate naming him as a Kentucky Colonel.  I share this honor and it's great to be in that fraternity, Larry. We also rated a visit from the Mayor of Evansville, the Hon. Russell Lloyd, Jr. who thanked us for appearing at his Freedom Festival.  You're welcome, Mr. Mayor! Part of the celebration was a full-day performance by the Navy's Blue Angels who flew up and down the river for the whole two hours we were there.  Awesome to seem them go, wingtip to wingtip, six feet apart in formation at less than 200' above the water.  Truly awesome.  (and, Gael asked me to say: "LOUD!!") Loud or not, Lisa and Alex Rassuchine ('61) were having mucho fun in Evansville! As we were wrapping things up and getting ready to start the final leg of the Motorama, Larry introduced our police escort that would take us from Evansville all the way to Bowling Green.  That's right; a half dozen or more Kentucky State troopers (and assorted local police)... ... escorted the Motorama from the river walk in Evansville, IN to the NCM in Bowling Green. George and Judy Manning ('96) were obviously pleased about the police escort: We had a "celebrity moment" as Hizzoner Russell Lloyd, Jr. was treated to the driver's seat of Bob & Barb Petersen's beautiful Daytona Blue 1963 split-window coupe. Barb hitched a ride with the Mayor's assistant and the Mayor and Bob drove the leg from Evansville to a rallying point just inside the Kentucky state line.  Here he is with Bob and Barb Petersen ('63); his smile isn't JUST because the Evansville Freedom Festival got off to such a good start! Our Kentucky State troopers never left us for a second and blocked all access to the roads we used for the three minutes or so it took for the fifty cars to go by.  I'm sure this was welcome duty for the troopers as we watched them pass us at 100+mph leapfrogging to get from one ramp/street closing to the next.  Very impressive. Fourteen miles from Bowling Green, roughly 980 miles from Flint, Al Hill's '53 roadster had a tire come apart on him and he ended up on the side of the road.  The caravan all pulled over to see what would happen next.  The FRS radios came alive with the whole gamut of "What are we going to do?"  "Oh, NO!", "Disaster in the last few miles!!", and so forth. Courtesy Andy Bolig Planning came through as there was a spare tire/rim available and Al was able to change the tire and get back on the road in less than ten minutes. Courtesy Andy Bolig Indy pit crews could take tips from Al.  Jim and Beth Rhea ('76) took advantage of the "yellow flag" to slip away and get some fuel as they were running on fumes.  They arrived back in place at the exact moment Al was ready to pull out and take his place at the head of the Motorama.  If any other car had developed a serious mechanical problem I think we would have gone ahead -- but no way was the Historic Motorama going to finish w/o the 1953 in front! We arrived at the NCM exactly on time (even with the flat, etc.) at 5:30pm and were directed around the back of the buildings to come around the circle at the front.  We were absolutely floored at the crowd of well-wishers cheering loudly as we made our way to parking spots along the front of the Museum.  There were hundreds of friends and fellow Corvette enthusiasts lining both sides of the drive, cheering, clapping and generally making us feel like heroes.  We were blown away at the reception.  We were all tired and (need I say) HOT but were instantly rejuvenated by the reception.  Thanks to all who were there and made us feel so special!!!! (Courtesy Dave Gregorino ('67)) As I remarked to Dave Hill, Corvette Chief Engineer, who was there to greet each of us individually, when you think about it, this is a huge achievement for Corvette Engineering.  We brought fifty Corvettes (individually and privately prepared by loving owners) nearly 1,000 miles -- and every single car finished under its own power.   Sure, we had a half-dozen or so minor glitches -- but each Corvette came through perfectly.  What a car!  And what an achievement for a bunch of cars with a median age of twenty-five years! Just to show how committed the Corvette enthusiast can be: A fellow brought his daughter by to look at our car.  He asked me if I had the proper 327 engine.  I said that I did and he asked me to open the hood.  He took his little girl up to the car, pointed at the engine and told her that engine had determined her birthdate. Curious, I asked him to explain.  Seems that he and his wife got to choose their daughter's birthdate and he picked 3/27 because of the Corvette 327 small block.  Now that's a Corvette enthusiast! We headed to the big tent for the barbeque cookout with the weather threatening: We weren't there long before Wendell announced that the thunderstorms were expected to be severe.  Boy, can Wendell clear a room!   But we'll be back tomorrow morning with more from the Corvette 50th Anniversary Historic Motorama! Back to the diary top page Site designed by