Southern Oregon Tour

Bruce and all, I wanted to say what a great time I had and wanted to thank you for your hospitality and the overwhelming generosity of Eddie, Linda and Dave. The company of Brenda, Rick, Ray, Ralph and Angela was excellent. And the weather and the roads couldn't have been better. By all means this should become an annual event. That drive to Crater Lake was stunning and the highway back to Roseburg is now on the top of my list of great drives: fast, twisting and empty. I know most of you feel bad enough for not making it up this time, but don't let it happen again. You know who you are! This could prove to be the best event of the year. Thanks again, Bruce, and to everyone who was there. It was a privilege to meet you all.

PS, Just for something to think about how 'bout Ashland 2005?

Scott:

Glad you enjoyed our two days of SOT. Weather and scenry was fantastic and of course the crew was the topping to a fabulous dessert.

Crew was as follows,

Angela Lane, Thunder Ranch Spyder, Oregon
Rick and Brenda Davis, IM, British Columbia
Dave and Linda Holmwood,IM, British Columbia
Scott Sloan, IM, Oregon
Ray Armstrong, Beck, California
Ralph Conradt, IM, Oregon
Eddie Janis, VS, California
Bruce Williams,JPS, Oregon

Scott, Ashland 05 sounds like a plan. I know you have a favorite Brew Pub down there so you can show us the way! I think this sounds like an annual event. Maybe we can get some of these other California lurkers up here to enjoy some clean, fresh, smog free air, LOL.

Thanks again everyone for making this such an enjoyable weekend. Looking forward to your photos. Bruce

HEY HEY HEY I just pulled into my driveway unlocked the front door and proceeded to open up this site. I for one have never enjoyed a run like this one.The weather ,the group, and most of all the tour. My hats off to Bruce for all of this. He is one in a million. I am also in for the Ashland run Scott, I will be downloading the pics that I took and will try to get them posted as soon as posible. That is if I can remember all of Ricks instructions.(I haven't posted pics before) I can't wait to see Ricks. Well since I left Grants Pass about 7:30 a.m. I haven't eaten, Its now 1:40 P.m. I going to have a late lunch,

Ray,


We enjoyed your company just as much. I'd never looked at a Beck before so your car was a treat. We had 4 brands of Speedies on the tour, comparison was the key word! Neat to see how the differant makers do their cars, Variety is the spice of life.

Be looking for you down the road Ray, can't wait to see your pics.

Bruce

Morning Bruce, finally got a moment to say THANKS ALOT for the great weekend. Sorry I couldn't post sooner but had to catch up work wise first. It was great to finally meet you and the gang from the north country. Your planning and hospitality were impeccable.
Thanks Scott for bringing down that new IM I've been drooling over in the forum pics.
Ray it's good to know you are so close to me, I really enjoyed trading stories and seeing that cool Beck.
Rick and Brenda, you guys are the best. It was great to meet you both. I can see why you guys are the hit of the tours you go on. Love those wide whites, and thanks for the Canadian brews.
Angela, I'll follow you in that spyder any time. beautiful car, and nice people.
Ralph, glad to hook up with you, and that silver bullet. Look foward to talking to you soon about the future. Keep the shiny side on that ride up.
Dave and Linda I very much enjoyed meeting you both, and look foward to that tour in B.C. Dave you equipped that IM to the max. I liked the 7" rears and the covered roll bar. Hope you made it home in good shape, it looked pretty tight in there when you finished packing.
And Scott, don't tell Jim Ward about those pictures with the model sitting in my ride, that's just between me and you. I'll post more later
Adios Amigos Eddie

Eddie,

It was deju vu all over again. A page out of the Knotts scrap book. For those that didn't catch the "haps". After lunch in Jacksonville we hung around for awhile while the gals were out shopping. We all agreed to meet back at the parking lot at 4 PM. When we get there a black Speedster with a well developed female is sitting in Eddies car. Two other honeys are hanging with the model. Eddie is busy taking pictures and talking trash to these gals. I thought I was back at Knotts, lets see, Black Speedster, a Jody look alike, and pictures being taken! Jim Ward make a stop on his way to Vancouver? No, it was Carumba! Wow, Neato! Eddie, where are those pictures to give me some credibility?

These Speedies are magnets for sure. Eddie, you are upholding a building legend.

Glad you had fun and sounds like Ashland in 05, some nice photo ops to
be had I believe.

West Coast Bruce

If that trip becomes an annual event I/we will do our best to be there next year. Thanks for posting those pictures!

Eddie, I owe you a call. We just got back from a nice time in San Antonio, and leave tomorrow for paradise. (retired life is a b**ch)As soon as we get back I'll call. Maybe you can help me look at some things I am working on. Same goes with Stan, Dale, John, Bruce, Scott, Rick, Paul, Vince, Geo, and about anyone that wants to help out.

I would have loved to have seen all of you and kicked tires togther.

As far as that model posing in the Speedy? Hmmm, yes! But I think my real passion would have been to see Scott's Outlaw IM Carrera. Oh, and the model too!

Bruce. I hope to see you this Spring... maybe all of you! Anyway, what a fun time you all must have had!

Jim

Eddie, I won't breath a word. Let 'em think about it awhile. Suffice it to say that the big lipstick thing put the whole incident over the top. Hey, how was the road to Weed? Our was perfect and I thought about your carving offer the whole way to Roseburg. I wish I had more time. Would've been fun.

Hey Guys and Gals,
Brenda and I just pulled in a few moments ago after extending our return trip. We teamed up with Dave and Linda yesterday up by Port Townsend and ended up spending another night in Oak Harbor on Whidbey Island. They are in Vancouver to see Henry about a couple of tweaks to that beautiful Roadster today, then home tomorrow.
It was great to get to know them better as it was to meet and share a special weekend with all of you attending SOT. We have so many great moments from the weekend. We talked all the way home about how a group of strangers could commit to and create a weekend happening that was fabulous!
Bruce, it wouldn't have happened without your planning and hard work for which we add our thanks to those expressed by everybody. Diversity was the order of the weekend, both with people and the cars. I'm downloading images (over 200 taken)on my Mac beside me as I type this and getting excited all over again! Here come the driving ones, oooh too cool, can't wait to post these. I'll get busy and prepare some files and get them posted. This weekend just extended our summer into October! Let's do it again!
Rick & Brenda

Here are some pics of the tour. More under Photos - rdavis
Rick

Rick,

Barb and I think your shots are great. Brenda, your convoy shots are aces also. So Glad you got Eddie overseeing the "model" shot in Jacksonville. Jim Ward, see what you started with Jody? Hey, I'm not complaining!

Geez, I'm ready for another SOT this coming weekend.

Bruce

HI Bruce:
I have been on many tours and other motor head events and this had to be about the best. What a fun group. Bruce you did a great casting job and put together a terrific event. Tel me how to help with that 05 event in Ashland.'
Rick and Brenda---your photos are fabulous. If there are ten more as good as the ones of the cars sign me up for a calendar!
Eddie, loved that Black Beauty. Came home to more DVD sales. Keep the embers stoked on the concept of a training DVD.
Hope to hear from Dave and Linda soon.
Scott and Ray, hope to see you before Gary's Campout.
Oh and Scott, you mentiioned somehting about a NW group. Tell me more or email me directly at info@nuvideo.com
Thanks so much to all of you.
Ralph

Lots of great photos Rick!! Nice job changing the Oregon speed limit (from 55 to 85!) Actually high speed would have been a waste of great scenery - and worse yet people could MISS the wineries!

Great to meet all of you and see your lovely cars!
angela

Just out of curiosity... who belongs to the ivory speedster with the white-walls, great look.

Fred

It belongs to Rick and Brenda Davis. The sleeper looks hides its performance very well. The car really stands out doesn't it.

Looks like I missed a great trip. Great pic's. Next year........

Well Rick I did forget yor instructions on how to post my pics. I haven't the memory. I need help in the form of written instructions so that I can referr back to them . I need your help. Thanks Ray

To all,
Glad you enjoy the pics. Lots of great memories, eh? Don't forget, if any of you find yourselves north of the 49th, please e-mail and come for a visit! That includes you too, JimBob!

Scott,
Thanks for the compliment on our vintage IM. That was a great weekend of driving! We'll cruise along with you anytime.

Ray, I'll e-mail you off line with a description of how I handle my files. I'm sure you have a ton of great pics to share as that Olympus never left your side.
Rick

not as many as I should have, but, I will shoot more the next time. I shot a lot of dupes. You know just to make sure. In my old navy days I shot for the navy ,one for the lab, and of course one for me. Old habbits are hard to cure. Ray

Rick:
My wife wants to know how to enlarge the photos you posted. I just double click on them, but when I forwarded them to her computer she can only see teh thumbnails

Ralph

Okay,speedster guys and gals; My pics RE IN MY FILE (OLDMAN) CHECK THEM OUT ,I STILL HAVE TO EDIT SOME, BUT I WILL DO THAT IN THE MORNING . RAY

Ray,
Your pictures are wonderful! I'm really glad you enjoyed the trip to Crater Lake, it's one of my favorite places around here. Sorry I could not make the trip Sunday (but Saturday was a blast!). I especially like the picture you took of my car with that lovely speedie reflected in the paint. As we say here on the left coast - Suh-weeeet!!

angela

here are a few to wet your whistle.

Ray,
Did I unleash a photographic monster onto this site or what! You had a lot of pics bottled up just ready to share and now that you know how to post them I hope we can see some more of your travels real soon.
Ralph,
I submit the images at 640 pixels wide (or tall) and when they upload to the site the thumbs are created. Clicking on them brings back the original size but I don't know how to move the site files around to another computer and get back the original file image sizes. Maybe Theron could help you with that one. If you mean your wife wants to print them, well 640 pix at 300ppi is just a postage stamp sized print so don't expect anything great.
Rick

Ray,

Nice pics, you pretty much captured our weekend. Too bad you couldn't get more of Eddie and the "Models!" I missed that part of the program other than the last minute or so. Jody lives on in Oregon!!!! Already has my whistle whetted for Ashland 05! Yah Hoo! Thanks Ray, hope to see you at Knotts in April and maybe Thunder Hills later this mont.

What is the schedule for Thunder Hills? Is it an overnighter?

Brian, were you heading this up?

Bruce

Hi Bruce,it looks like you guys had a great weekend.I am looking forward to seeing you at Emorys and SOT in 2005.My new 56 IM speedster should be finished by April.My new ride will be along the lines of George Browns car but with a 2110.Drive train probably lke Scotts car.Only six more months!!!

Brooks,

Great to hear from you. I had heard rumors you were ordering one from Henry. What colors are you doing? A Roadster or a Speedy? In any case it will be great to see you again at Parts Obsolete. Remember about Knotts at the end of April 05! Maybe you can slip it in for that, in any case, great news, Our NW segment is growing by leaps and bounds. More the merrier. Keep us posted on the build, pics too!

Bruce

Bruce:My new IM is going to be a speedster carerra,Iridiam silver With verona red leather.The paint is a new for 05 Merecedes metalic.North Hollywood is building carerra guages,160 speedo,8000 tach. and tri combo guage.trying to make as close as possible to a 56 1500GS.Should be sweet.Brooks

Hey Brooks,
I thought about you when we were at the SOT. It's great that you are so close to enjoying your new car and can join in on some serious driving fun! Think about Knotts in late April. Trust me, a fresh engine (12 miles on mine at departure) can easily make that round trip and give you the opportunity to enjoy a bunch of good folks in the warm California sun. It's a great way to kick off what can become a long summer of Speedy cruising, especially if you end off the season with SOT 2005. That's over 6 months of good times we've had this year and are going to repeat the same opening and closing events in 2005. What happens in between depends on business commitments but the P.O. Campout is for certain. Again, it's great to have an enthusiast like you right in the middle of the N.W. action!
I'll follow your project each time I visit Henry's this winter.
Rick

Welcome to the Pacific Norwest region. It seems to be growing very quickly. And congratulations on choosing IM. It will be enjoyable following Henry's progress with your car. Maybe there will be a time this next summer for something up in your area. We talked about that possibility. Kirkland is pretty centrally located for a number of members.

Repeat after me, self.. I have to move west.

Bob, if you move to BC, you will lower the average IQ in both BC and Ontario.
Your other brother Ron

ah, brotherly love....

I do have a great idea for tour in my area.A tour through the San Jaun Islands.There is ferry service between Lopez,Orcas and San Jaun islands.This is truely one of the most spectacular regions in the country.I am on Lopez most of the summer so its a no brainer for me.

OK, now you're talkin! That would be an excellent idea. Great places to stay, restaurants, sites. And a lot of cars in the area that can get there and home easily.

Boy, that route should be a hard sell.......where do I sign up?!
Rick

I just had another idea we could tie this trip into the Porsche 356 Bull session in mid July.

That would get me off dead-center in July. Would work perfectly. Still need to work on getting Eddie to move up in this direction. Bruce, you game?

Scott and all.

I'm game since I agree with you guys of it being a primo tour route. Some years ago Barb and I did the Anacortes to Sidney trip by ferry boat thru the San Juans. It remains as one of the best one day trips we ever took. Only caution is that in mid summer because the weather is great, it also means long lines at the ferry landings to get on the boat, sometimes overnight from what I've heard. We took our trip in early to mid September and no problems at all, just a thought.

Maybe as Brooks says, catch the 356 deal on the weekend and then take the boat rides later during the work week. That may present a problem for those working stiffs, but hey, just retire!

As I type this the house is filled with sounds of wide open exhausts warming up for the weekend drags at Southern Oregon Raceway, guess a season ending meet. Might have to take Speedy over there later!

Bruce