Photos and recap last page(s)! 2011 DSAC WW/NBOA national meet

[pettybird]

Welcome to Cleveland, one and all!  I, Doug Croxford, and my mother Carol will be your hosts.  Suffice to say you're not going to run out of things to do in a week!

Meet dates are June 21st through the 26th.  This is a Tuesday through Saturday show, with a Sunday breakfast-and-go.  I plan on having a lot of local cars show up, which made Saturday seem like a good idea.  If a bunch of local people don't show up, and I know who they are, I'm going to yell at them.  I want to showcase just how strong the car culture is in Northeast Ohio.  I've already started banging the drum at car shows.  

Our host hotel will be the Hilton Cleveland East in Beachwood, OH.  This is a really, really nice place, and we have it for $83 a night.  As any previous host can tell you, parking is a big priority, and this is one of the top three largest lots in the area.  They have 420 rooms and 750 parking spaces, so trailers won't be a problem.  They just spent a couple million dollars on renovations this winter, and the place looks it.  The address is 3663 Park East Drive, Beachwood, OH 44122.  You can call and make reservations under Daytona-Superbird Auto Club.  We have a 40 room block, with approximately half king size beds and half twin doubles.  Their phone number is (216) 464-5950.  I'll also have a link set up through Hilton reservations, and of course this stuff will be on the website.  There are a ton of restaurants and stores at the interchange or the ones just north of it, so fear running out of nothing.  We also have a room set aside from Wednesday through Saturday night, so bring your pictures, movies and more to share.  

Here is the NEARLY final version of what we're doing--I still have one more thing to TRY and work in if I can!


Tuesday is arrival time.  Less than 10 minutes from the hotel is the Solon Cruise-in, the single most-attended weekday car show in the country.  If the weather's nice, expect 500 cars or more.  They have theme nights, and 6/21 will be Mopar night, sponsored by my employer, R&H Motorcars.  I've spoken with the organizers and we WILL block off an area for club cars.  We've pulled in with six wing cars there before and blown minds--I'd love to see 20.  

Wednesday day will be at our Cleveland's museum campus.  There are four major attractions:  The Cleveland Museum of Art, Museum of Natural History, Cleveland Botanical Center, and the Crawford Auto Aviation Museum.  All four have cafeterias, and we'll just have lunch there.  The museums open between 9 and 10 and close between 4 and 5.  We should be able to skirt traffic on both ends.  The art museum is free while the others have a sub-$10 entrance fee.  I'll post web addresses so you can see what's what, but plan on seeing two of the four without rushing.  

Wednesday night we will be battling at Whirlyball.  Maybe you laid awake one night, thinking how cool it would be to shoot a whiffle ball at a basketball backboard with a Jai Lai stick in teams of five players...in dodgem cars.  WISH GRANTED.  It's even crazier than it sounds, too!  I've played a number of times and it leaves you drained...it's a blast.  Oh, and cash bar!  The "court" is rented per hour at $150 per, and I've scheduled for two hours.  This is a good amount of time for 20 players.  If we get more, great, as it just lowers the cost!  Price will be dependent on number of players.  

Thursday day will be tour day.  I've made contacts and will be able to take you through Stainless Works exhaust and we'll head down to Summit Racing.  In the middle we'll find ourselves at a car hop called Swenson's, which is a local chain of a couple shops.  The food is great, of course, but the real kicker is that the kids taking your orders MUST RUN AT ALL TIMES.  You'll have to see it!  Order breaded mushrooms with your burgers!  An alternate trip would be to nearby Aurora Farms, which is a massive outlet mall campus that's only about 20 minutes from the hotel.  

Thursday night is at Breckville town center Home Days.  This is a cute little town and they're rolling out the red carpet for us.  If they're available we'll get to see the Budweiser Clydesdales as well!

Friday day is a trip downtown to the Cleveland lakefront.  Our first stop is a tour of Cleveland Browns Stadium, complete with stops in the press box and the playing field.  The price is a measly five bucks!  The big draw is the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum, as well as the adjacent Great Lakes Science Center.  The first is a must-see in Cleveland and one of our brightest calling cards while the other is a hands-on, touch-and-play-with-everything type of museum.  This WILL fill your day, but there are a couple of options on adjacent properties.  The William G Mather is a Great Lakes freighter-turned museum, and it's parked in front of the rock hall.  A couple blocks away from the USS Cod, one of the last surviving WWII submarines in the world.  Tours are reasonable, and pretty cool.  One other quirky idea for Thursday or Friday--Cleveland is home to the house used in the movie "The Christmas Story," and it's been completely rebuilt to look like the movie.  There's even a gift shop, so you KNOW it's a legit deal!

For those who like to see the gory details we'll stop by our B5 'bird at the body shop where it's nearly done!

Friday night will be the club(s) raffle and pizza party at work.  Check out www.motorcargroup.com to see our inventory and space.  Bring your car show chairs--we don't have a lot of seating as it's a warehouse/dealership.  ALSO, and new, will be a memorabilia/toy swap area--I have a couple toy vendor friends who are setting aside some cool stuff, and you are welcome to bring yours, too!  Please--no elaborate displays, no dirty car parts--this is more or less just so you can foist your doubles on some unsuspecting fool, all while they do the same to you!  Price for selling is one decent item donated to the club raffle.  Such a deal!

Saturday day will be at BE/A where Mike Ross and staff will be our hosts for a picnic and look-see at his new place.  He's done this in the past with a bunch of guys from Moparts, and he's combining that with our group!  It's a cookout, beverages and more!  One of his employees, Joel Cox, has a V2 Daytona.  Mike's a great guy and it's amazing to see what he has for sale and what he's got in the works.  Mike volunteered the picnic idea, and as it's on a Saturday the casual, regional attendance should be up.  He also brings in more than 25-30 cars for the Moparts gathering, so it will be a great turnout!  Since it's on the way I'm going to try and get the guys from Dove Performance to let us in on that Saturday morning.  Mom and I went to his last gathering a month ago, and there were more than 50 people there!  If it's half as good in June as it was in the dead of winter, you're in for a treat!

Saturday's alternate (and really concurrent) event will be antiquing with mom about 10 miles away.  She'll show you some severely overpacked shops, the cute town square of Medina, and the Root Candle headquarters and store.  It's HUGE.  

I know people will start leaving Saturday, and we'll be a while at BE/A, so there really isn't much planned for evening.  I had enough to eat there last time I didn't need dinner!  There are a couple car shows directly on the way back to the motel, though, so it'd be easy enough to hit one.  

Sunday is a travel day.  

If you have any questions, call me at 216-789-4053, post here, PM me, or write to charger4sp@aol.com.  If you've got ideas, even better!  


Thanks, and get ready!

Doug

[Mopurr]

Doug had told me dates for the week before and I like these better......look forwarding to being there.

[learical1]

"Honey, what are the dates for your high school reunion next summer?  What part of Cleveland? How many functions do you want me to attend with you?  Don't worry, dear, I'll find something to do while you're off with your girlfriends."   (I'm not worried, it was an all girl Catholic High School.)

[mauve66]

"Honey, what are the dates for your high school reunion next summer?  What part of Cleveland? How many functions do you want me to attend with you?  Don't worry, dear, I'll find something to do while you're off with your girlfriends."   (I'm not worried, it was an all girl Catholic High School.)

[Charger-Bodie]

I am really hoping to be able to go to this.

[A383Wing]

I am really hoping to be able to go to this.

go to what....the all girl catholic school?? 

[Charger-Bodie]

I am really hoping to be able to go to this.

go to what....the all girl catholic school?? 

That way I can study there with you! 

[learical1]

Settle down, guys, it's my wife's 30 year reunion, and St. Augustine's isn't an all girls high school any more.  It isn't even a high school anymore.

[hemi68charger]

ARRGHHHH !!!!!  In the Midwest again.......... Maybe in 2012 I could host it in Houston?..........    Maybe I'll be able to do something in 2012 or Monster Meet..........

Hope it turns out to be a fun time, I bet it will.........

[hotrod98]

Troy, if you host one in Houston, you know I'll be there.
I would definitely recommend spring or fall though.
Some of the folks didn't like the humidity in Branson and that ain't nothin compared to Houston. 

[moparstuart]

ARRGHHHH !!!!!  In the Midwest again.......... Maybe in 2012 I could host it in Houston?..........    Maybe I'll be able to do something in 2012 or Monster Meet..........

Hope it turns out to be a fun time, I bet it will.........

you usually have to get your name in two-four years in advance to host a meet , step up to the plate and put your name in troy ,I would love to come see houston      

  looking forward to coming to cleveland doug sounds like we are going to have a blast  


geno we need a sticky

[Old Moparz]

I'd love to see one of these meets encompass a whole weekend, & happen after school sessions are done instead of starting on a weekday during school so my wife & daughter can go. 

The last one was in the town next to where my friend moved so I would have stayed at his place, but the schedule just won't work. Oh well, maybe after my kid is done with school I'll get to one. Of course my car probably won't be done by then. 

[marty42]

I'd love to see one of these meets encompass a whole weekend, & happen after school sessions are done instead of starting on a weekday during school so my wife & daughter can go. 

The last one was in the town next to where my friend moved so I would have stayed at his place, but the schedule just won't work. Oh well, maybe after my kid is done with school I'll get to one. Of course my car probably won't be done by then. 

<_Doug on Carol's account:

I'm sorry about the school scheduling.  This is kind of a "normal" time for our meets, with this year's moved up due to tight hotel availability.  When does school end for you?  This is the week after this year's meet--does that still conflict?  We know the pinch as mom is a teacher, and that's why we were on hold for so long before committing to the Branson meet. 

All of the old meets used to be weekend get togethers.  They were rushed, with events crammed into (at most) three days, and really hindered people traveling from any kind of distance. 

If you're interested in seeing what goes on at a meet, consider flying.  We are a hub for both Southwest and Continental, and fares here from most cities are pretty cheap if booked out far enough in advance.  Our airport code is CLE.  I've flown into Long Island airport (ISP) for next to nothing, and that's not far from the city in your sig.  I just checked Orbitz, and although you can't book out as far as the meet, two weeks' prior is 340 out of ISP and 270 out of LAG.  Then again, it's 7.5 hours in a car...take a drive in the daily. 

[Mopurr]

<_Doug on Carol's account:

I thought Mama Bird had been on and was going to Wave HI!

[mauve66]

ARRGHHHH !!!!!  In the Midwest again.......... Maybe in 2012 I could host it in Houston?..........    Maybe I'll be able to do something in 2012 or Monster Meet..........

Hope it turns out to be a fun time, I bet it will.........

cleveland is the midwest??? well i guess EVERYTHING is FARRRRR away when your in TX, , still i vote for houston, would save me about 22 hrs

[3--Daytona]

HI,,,,Doug & Carol,,, Now letes see,,Cleveland  (is that in United States???)  Just kidding,, If my wheel chair dont break down,, will be ther with that old black Daytona!!!   Jim

[pettybird]

HI,,,,Doug & Carol,,, Now letes see,,Cleveland  (is that in United States???)  Just kidding,, If my wheel chair dont break down,, will be ther with that old black Daytona!!!   Jim

Hi Jim--

We very much look forward to seeing you here! 

[69_500]

Doug I can't commit to the whole week as of yet have to see how vacations schedule for next year at work. But you can be assured that I will be there for at least part of it.

[pettybird]

Awesome.  It's all I can ask to have people show up when they can--see who else you can drag out of Indy with you!

[Wildman]

Need a day for a Cedar Point trip...

[pettybird]

Need a day for a Cedar Point trip...

we thought about this.  we decided against it because it's a little over an hour away and there's no secured parking.  it would be an excellent stop for Monday before you get here, though!

[learical1]

Need a day for a Cedar Point trip...

we thought about this.  we decided against it because it's a little over an hour away and there's no secured parking.  it would be an excellent stop for Monday before you get here, though!

Rent a bus!  (hey, that's what we did in 1980 for the trip from Baltimore to D.C. to see the sights.)

[pettybird]

Need a day for a Cedar Point trip...

we thought about this.  we decided against it because it's a little over an hour away and there's no secured parking.  it would be an excellent stop for Monday before you get here, though!

Rent a bus!  (hey, that's what we did in 1980 for the trip from Baltimore to D.C. to see the sights.)

we didn't take the bus--dad had this shagadelic 70's van with rainbow flames on the nose and shag on the ceiling.  we bought it used, but it was definitely a child of a different era. 


so i'm not shooting the idea down--who wants to include cedar point?  I do think we'd back the meet up to Monday for it, though.

[moparstuart]

 sure do monday @ cedar point   

[learical1]

Rent a bus!  (hey, that's what we did in 1980 for the trip from Baltimore to D.C. to see the sights.)

we didn't take the bus--dad had this shagadelic 70's van with rainbow flames on the nose and shag on the ceiling.  we bought it used, but it was definitely a child of a different era. 

I was talking about the 1980 Winged Warrior (at that time NASCAR Street Classics) meet in Baltimore, 1980.  You remember, where your uncle saved you from being lost at 4 years old in Washington DC.  Chick Schiesser, who ran that meet, had a tour bus set up that most of us (but apparently not you ) took to see the sights of our nation's capital.  (FBI Building, Air & Space museum, Arlington National Cemetery, etc.)