How I to spent my winter vacation.

chill · #1 (**permalink**) 01-12-2005, 04:01 PM

All I can say is one day I will stop smiling... not one day soon, but some day.

It all started at the office when one of our other resident car guys asked if I wanted to go to the Mustang and Ford show in Ocala in January. Sounded like a good idea to me, but I was already heading out for a few weeks over the Holidays so I wasn't sure I'd be able to get away. During the Holidays I kept in touch with the planning efforts and decided... drive out Friday, back late Sunday.. sure, why not. I entered the show, convinced Tony that I had trailer towing qualifications... well I did tow a Whaler around when I was 17...... booked a hotel and was ready to go.

A few days prior to departure, I got a call from Tom Hnatiw of Dream Car Garage/Sports Car Revolution...

maybe you've heard of it???? (yep, I was a bit surprised too, but we had kept in touch since we met at McMichael a few months back). He wanted to get info on our Teen Driving School and we ended working out having him be our on-air 'champion', but there was a problem.....

Filming for 2005 was wrapping up and he needed to interview someone soon to get it on the air and he wasn't going to be in Atlanta,

.... but he would be in FLORIDA... no sh_t!!! Daytona, FL, the monday after the show in Ocala no less!

HMMMMMM

Ocala to Daytona 2 hours across the Ocala nat'l Forest on Sunday. I ran it by the boss and I was a GO (duh)

I also ran it by the wife since one of the guys was bringing his son, I was taking John and he'd have to miss school .... Load up the Tacoma and the trailer and hit the road on Friday. When I was parking the trailer in Ocala, I ran into (not literally) Rob from McMichael there with his Cobra and the 203mph Mustang.

Arrived at the show in Silver Spring's - Nature Theme Park (where they filmed Creature from the Black Lagoon and Tarzan) ... the cars are spread out around the trees:

There were 1000 cars in attendence (over 1500 entered):

We spent the day at the show and rolled out to cruise around and get some dinner Saturday night getting back to the park early Sunday to see the sun coming up over the lagoon and a gator just cruising around the pier:

Did I mention that it was shorts and t-shirt weather...sunny and 80 !!! ? I understand Atlanta was a bit damp and cool this weekend .... bummer...

Sunday was another great day, made even better by:

WINNING BEST COBRA REPLICA!

So... we left the show headed across Florida to Daytona. Cruised A1A in the Cobra and terrorized Outback Steakhouse. The morning was breakfast with SPEED, Tom Hnatiw, Jeff Lorman, Tim from Grassroots the camera crew etc.

When Tom saw the car he said it would have to be in the shot for the interview so off to the St Johns river for an interview and then... if that wasn't enough ... he tosses me the keys to a C6 convertible from GM to 'evaluate'....

We eventually had to turn the C6 back in and jump in the Cobra to rejoin the truck, trailer, and Cobra in Ocala. It was a long drive back to GA.... but on the way....

I mentioned I will stop smiling some day, just not today.

svobud · #2 (**permalink**) 01-12-2005, 05:55 PM

Chill - makes me want to drive over to your house ... and punch you in the nose. Yes, I'm suffering from Cobradeprivation.

Must get tranny installed ... must get tranny installed ... must get tarnny installed.

chill · #3 (**permalink**) 01-13-2005, 06:30 AM

All you'll see at my house is a dirty car, more pictures, and a tired/smiling owner. Come on, but drive the police car because then the neighbors will have something to talk about....

....if Tony had posted the story you would be riding your bike over here and bringing a water bottle

...

KrAzEcJ · #4 (**permalink**) 01-13-2005, 06:56 AM

Great story Chill, looks like you had one hell of a good time. Have any luck talking the boss into a couple of more days to rest up after that adventure? lol

RGINN · #5 (**permalink**) 01-13-2005, 12:35 PM

All of this true....What Chill forgot to mention were a handful of great Shelby mustangs, 85 degree weather, two mustang drag cars with blown cammer motors and some great folks. It might have to be a road trip next year.
Rob

chill · #6 (**permalink**) 01-14-2005, 06:15 AM

Hey Rob.

Here's that blown GT350 we were parked next to....

Mike, this give you any ideas????

ToyCollector · #7 (**permalink**) 01-14-2005, 08:14 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by chill

Mike, this give you any ideas????

Well, it could use a little more power.

Sounds ike a great trip, are you sure you didn't mean to post this on the Club Toyota Towing forum?

I am sure they would be impressed. How much additional towing weight did you add to the haul with various rags, waxes, polishes, etc.?

Congrats on the prize BTW.

ToyCollector · #8 (**permalink**) 01-14-2005, 08:19 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by RGINN

All of this true....What Chill forgot to mention were a handful of great Shelby mustangs, ...

Rob, is Chill leaving anything else out? His wasn't the only Coba there was it?

Sorry Clyde, Randy hasn't found this thread yet, so I am doing double duty.

chill · #9 (**permalink**) 01-14-2005, 08:40 AM

I was waiting for that one, thanks for filling in for Randy. I was almost afraid to post the picture of John and the trophy since we were one of the last cars to leave and I knew what to expect from this group!

GeorgiaSnake · #10 (**permalink**) 01-14-2005, 05:00 PM

Randy just found this thread

Way to go Chill - 1st in a group of one - when will you be on the air with slim little Tom.

The chicks have dirt on the bottom of their shoes

Randy

svobud · #11 (**permalink**) 01-14-2005, 05:06 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by chill

Hey Rob.

Here's that blown GT350 we were parked next to....

Bet that thing corners like it's a go-cart. NOT!

I like the guy in the background, saying - "I stomped on the gas pedal and the frontend came up like this .. and I rode it out past the 60ft mark. You should have been there!

chill · #12 (**permalink**) 01-14-2005, 06:30 PM

Quote:

The chicks have dirt on the bottom of their shoes

Hey Randy,
Thanks for pointing that out, I didn't notice they had shoes... or feet for that matter!

RGINN · #13 (**permalink**) 01-15-2005, 06:53 AM

Nah, Chill wasn't the only Cobra there. However he did manage to get our cobra entered in the Mustang class.....a few buck here and a few bucks there....well you know difficult ballots are in FLA. There was a nice comtemporary, three Hunters, a FFR and a Street Beast. We need to be better represented for next year. There are some shots from the web site thanks to our frinds at www.lightspeedphoto.net . Our Web site www.mcmichaelmotorsports.com has them. Lots of nice cars. Chill I got a nice email from Tom H and he did like your car...how about the buyer????? Rob

chill · #14 (**permalink**) 01-16-2005, 07:00 AM

Rob, no word from John about the car, thought he was going to stroke a check right there!... and you're right, we need to take a caravan down next year.

Dave Crace · #15 (**permalink**) 01-16-2005, 08:27 AM

Wow, great vacation Chill and that's a nice photo of your daughters enjoying their vacation too