Corn Daze, Part Deux

Marty, there are Italians in Peoria as well.

And plenty of free parking...

Marty Lasalle looks like the perfect place to meet up as I'll be coming right downI-39 after visiting my buddy in Peewaukee. 39 & 80 is a big intersection--is there a prominent motel or some other place where we can meet?  Rick?

 

The drive down highway 26 looks like a good idea and I'd do that.

Last year, Joe Fortino ate McDoubles until we arrived...

Chris and I hit starved rock last fall it was an amazing drive. Stan we did have an HD wipe out infront of us on our way out.

Rich, that Abarth is cool

Cruise around Staved Rock. 

As you can see, Marty, by skipping out last year, you missed the Italian muscle cars.

Marty:

 

The Abarth pictured above belongs to a friend of mine, Alex Khazzam. He owns a fleet of interesting cars including a Scaglietti and the world's scariest jeep (Hemi powered with nitrous, etc.) He also owns the Junction City shopping center here in Peoria where those pictures were taken and we initially met for Corn Daze Part 1 last year.

 

The Ferrari is a single year model, basically a street racing machine that belongs to another big car collector here in town, Michael Benet. Michael is sometimes on the SOC, (Mr. Michael) and is the proprietor of our best local independent foreign car shop, Kauth & Mayeur. They handle all the work on my Speedster and are an excellent shop. If you want to see interesting vehicles, stop by his place. There's always something to look at!

 

Michael bought K & M from noted 914 devotee/engine/suspension mechanic Brad Mayeur who owns 914 Limited. Brad and his team drop Suby's into 914s for fun. You might check his website out if you like 914's at all. He also lives here in the Peoria area and often has interesting aircooled cars around his shop as well.

 

Perhaps Michael, Alex and/or Brad can join in this year. 

 

 

Rich, I don't know what those other cars are there. The look vaguely Italian -- but you mentioned muscle cars. I feel I have to come running to the defense of Fritz the Ghia.

 

One, he's only got 40 horses, mmmmmkay, and the fact of the matter is he isn't as Italian as he looks. He's a German, in an Italian suit. Just so we're clear. And he's staying home this year -- so if you want to see him, you'll have to come out here to the Chesapeake and visit.

 

 

 

Meanwhile, you fellas out there in "Muscle-Car Land" are really in for a shocker. It really is possible to make one of these cars into a rocket sled, and we're all going to sit back in Stanistani lawn chairs and watch as Stan fires up the Hoopty for a burnout in his quiet little cul-de-sac.

 

Stan, I have been waiting for this for years.

 

We, who were there, knew those Italians were clearly in the minority and once the "action" started, they were nowhere to be found...Fritz was on injured reserve for the day as I recall. The "Italian" thing was just introduced to coax Marty into the fray. BTW, Fritz is looking stunning in that photo above.

Well, all this reading got me motivated to take the little guy out for a "spring shakedown". Weather was perfect so why not go out for some custard .

 

Video is about 30 min long straight out of the 'ol GoPro, no music or cool effects just good air-cooled noise . It is about as close as it gets to a third seat on the Spyder 

 

46 seconds in. I'm hooked.

Looks like a practice run to Stanistan to me so far.

Nice ride, Ricky, see you in June!

Looks like a nice day for a drive, Ricky! Good on you! 

Contract with the Embassy Suites is in hand. I'm personally committing to 5 rooms for 2 nights to get the reduced rate. there are over a hundred rooms right now, but it is a "softball weekend", which tends to eat up rooms (I hear).

 

Just to make sure before I sign-- Rich, Joe, Marty, Ricky, Jack, and Chris are all for sure, correct?

 

Actually I'd appreciate it if you'd shoot me an email just so we can communicate a bit more effectively. My email is stangalat@yahoo.com. I look froward to hearing from you.

Yes,  I will definitely be there for Sat. night and maybe for Sunday night.  

 

I live about 25 minutes from Starved Rock State Park and plan to join you Guys for the Drive down Sat.            I'll email to confirm too.

 

regards

Chris 

Right now we are staying at the hotel Saturday for sure, Sunday is a 90% possibility but I need to deconflict with the Boss (yes I do mean my lovely right seater )

I e-mailed as directed by the supremo leader...my plans are to stay Saturday and Sunday evening in this most sumptuous of hotels on the east side of Peoria where the 'squitos better be under control. They do put screens on the windows there, right? Hey, can we go diving for catfish?

Stan, email sent.

Hey Marty, will you be bringing that knob of yours along to Peoria?

I'll bet Marty never goes anywhere without his knob.

Thanks to everybody who emailed me as I requested.

 

Here's the thing- in order to get the reduced room rate at the Embassy Suites I need to guarantee we'll have at least 10 room/nights (2 nights in one room is 2 room/nights). Further complicating this is the fact that they want to know specific numbers for specific days-- I'd have thought I could just give them a time-window of 3 or 4 days and guarantee they'll sell at least 10 rooms to our group within the window, but this is not how they operate. They want a minimum head-count for specific dates.

 

The way I had it set up was for Saturday June 22, and Sunday June 23. The "for sure" responses for those 2 dates don't add up to 10. We've got some of you who are "90%+"-- I need to firm this up, or I can't sign the contract and get any of you the reduced rate.

 

If you guys can firm this up and email me back, I'd really appreciate it. We're really close to getting the reduced rate, but I need a few more solid commitments.

 

Thanks- Stan

Sorry about the 90% Stan.. Work has been hectic these last couple of days.... We are ALL IN!

OK---got our reservations at the Embassy Duites.  $141. Not bad for a real good place like E.S.  My wife, Alice is going to join me for this so I have a co-driver for the after lunch snooze.

 

We are looking forward to seeing everyone.

 

Stan--many thanks for pulling this together---it looks like a fine time!

I gotta start proofing my posts before hitting the "send" button  That was supposed to be Embassy Suites.

I'm really looking forward to meeting you, Jack. We'll try to have a good drive laid out for you.

As the weeks tick away towards our respective events, the Carlisle group starts to worry about rain, we need to be concerned about snow damnit!

Me and my big mouth...I was diggin' on the $121 rate. I need to call William Shatner.

Thanks, Stan----same here.  I have always felt that the real fun of Speedsterdom is not just owning one of these amazing replicas, but the comraderie and fun attending the various events.  Carlisle was my first and this year will be my 6th in a row.  Also the wonderful Morro Bay event a couple of years ago---I will definitely repeat the West Coast event again.  Great people and fun folks.  The Easterners work on their cars constantly but the Left Coasters just drive 'em and have great gatherings.

 

Tail Of the Dragon was a Premier event when Hoss was doing the planning--really a sensational weekent driving the Smoky Mountains and the Notorious TOTD plus a great steak place.  (That pizza joint was a looser though---right Marty?)

 

So now we have Corn Daze---with a few old friends we have met and spent time with plus some old "posting" friends we will meet for the first time.  The difference between just owning a Speedster and going to events driving a Speedster is monumental.

Jeni and I are psyched. The chance to meet up with you guys could be an annual event for us. The pace back here in the East has left us with just a couple windows for vacation this year, and we're taking the majority of the Carlisle and the Peoria weeks off.

 

We can't think of a better way to relax.

Update on the "Great Race".

 

I got an email from a woman from the Peoria Convention and Visitors Bureau yesterday, asking us if we'd like to participate in a show 'n shine (they are calling it a "Car Rally") to coincide with the Great Race cars coming through. We'd have protected parking on the lawn next to the Gateway Building.

 

My thought is that we'd park, sine 'em up, and be able to walk around and look at the old race cars coming through-- they come through every 10 minutes for an hour and a half, starting at 11:30 or so.

 

It's a weekday, so the food push-carts will be on the courthouse square. The push-carts are some of the best food Peoria's got to offer, and it's a block from where we'll be parked.

 

I wasn't all that excited about this, but after looking at it, I'm pretty jacked up. I think it'll be a really, really nice way to end the weekend. After everything breaks up at 1 or so, everybody can start back home.

 

PS: Bob was scoping out the Sunday morning drive, and came up with some really good roads. This entire thing is coming together nicely.

I wish there was a like button Stan. A preemptive thanks to you and Bob for the recon work.

With some luck and the weather cooperating I should be picking up my car Friday in Bremen.

Stan we did this a couple of years ago in Chambersburg and Hershey PA .

Great variety of Great Race cars....

A special posse is being sent out in search of the elusive Joe Soltis for this event

You're killin me Rich.  Nothin like being a wanted man. Email me all the details. I m hoping I can work something out.

Come on Joe.  You wont even have to touch my Carbs.  Oh, I almost forgot - I don't have any Carbs.  

A constant barrage of e-mails to Joe Soltis (the special posse mentioned above) will weaken him, force him into a weekend or at least a day of not working on something and hopefully be there so we can enjoy his company. C'mon Joe, you can do it! Details are all posted here...

You know, I actually remember that guy! Nice guy, smart too.