Vettlust

June 28th--- Pat and Amy Gramm had a fantastic party at their home and dozens of Vetts parked in the park across the street to get us all hyped for our departure the next day.

June 29th---We gathered at Gurnee mall with the fire dept, police dept, and the mayor. The Sunburst Corvette club from Crystal Lake joined us for speeches and a hand off and we left for Ryan Field at Norhtwestern University in Evanston, Il. Many showed up there, Bubblehead took the flag and we headed to the Museum of Science and Industry for another hand off. We followed the Sunburst people to Bollingbrook and had lunch at TGIF. 5 cars left for Chanoa, Il (Pat and Amy Gramm, Rich and Nicole, Gwen and Amy, Rudy and Amy, and Kathy and Rory). Charles Leeper led us from Chanoa to Decatur for a fabulous reception at a mall with news coverage and many people to cheer us in. We had a marvelous dinner at the Hometown buffet.

June 30th----- Charles and Lori led us from Decatur to Mid America Corvette where they opened the museum for us and gave us donuts and drinks and goody bags and made us feel really special. We took pictures of our cars in front and had another hand off this time to Avery. We ate lunch at Chilis and drove toward Evansville for another hand off. Very nice people were there to see us in the worst heat you can imagine. We then left for Bowling Green Corvette Museum. We were running late and most everyone had left when we got there except a few people like Pam and Marty and Chad and Cathdoc. After checking in at the Baymont we had dinner at Hops with super people like Don, Mike, Ray, Charles, Lori, Val, Chad, and more but I forget who was at the other end of the table.

July 1st --- At 9am we had a beautiful ceremony at the Corvette Museum. Speaking was Larry Hayes, curator, his brother a retired NYPD detective and former army ranger in Vietnam, Police chief, Fire Chief, County Sheriff, Rudy (Alwayswave), and Bobbie Jo Lee sang our national anthem.
An emotional and truly wonderful ceremony. A police escort headed us out of town towards Indianapolis where we picked up 2 cars and ate at Steak and Shake. We then were anxious to get to Columbus as 13 of us drove on. 20 cars met and led us to the best street party ever. As we approached, hundreds of people shouted and cheered. Vetts as far as the eyes could see and music and food and drink and raffles and you name it. VERY EXCITING!!!! Thanks to Vette80 - Brian and Woody for a GREAT JOB!! WOW!! It could not have been better guys !!!!!!!!

July 2nd-- We picked up about 9 more cars, some of whom were Jack and Mimi, Rocky and Dennis, Vettewrench and Bubblehead and more terrific people whom their names escape me right now. I know one thing, I did not meet a Corvette owner I did not like on this trip :-) We drove into Shanksville to a Chevy dealer and were greeted by the Flood City Corvette Club and hot dogs and iced tea. Boy was that a welcomed treat!!!! We were hot, hungry, and tired! Thank you Flood City!!! As we caravaned to the crash site we noticed how beautiful but quiet and eery it was. All of a sudden we spotted a make shift memorial with flags, pictures, poems, articles of clothing, teddy bears, signs, notes, flowers and many more expressions of love and loss. Man there was not a dry eye to be found. Rudy put up a sticker from S and S as a momento from our tour. That place will rip your heart out. The people on that doomed flight were HEROES in every aspect!!!!!!!!! We left for Carlisle PA, Rudy got a flat tire, but eventually met up with people and ate at the Red Robin. There we added Cory and Jamie (from Ottawa, Canada) to our group as well as others and headed for Crystal City. Rudy and I stayed to the back of the pack when one of our vetts turned off. We followed and then realized the vett who turned off followed a vet who was not with us so here we were 4 of us cars lost. We radioed ahead and 2 cars came back for us. So now there were 6 of us cars. We called the Days Inn in Crystal City to get directions and we headed out. Guess what, an hour later we realized the directions were wrong. We pulled into a gas station at 11 at night and found out we were still 100 miles away. So the 6 cars gased up and we tanked up on caffeine and prepared for a long ride. I got on the 2-way and made a joke that Rudy and I were surprising them with a mid night cruise and it was intended only for the special people on the tour. Everybody cracked up and started having fun in the cool, dark, romantic air, each communicating on our 2-ways. As a matter of fact we got 2 budding romances from those 6 cars on 2-ways in the middle of the night. We arrived at 1am safely. All is well that ends well!

July 3--- We gathered at a mall parking lot to go to the Pentagon.
Over 100 vetts were there. We were escorted to the Pentagon and had a touching cermony with Ralph Newman, Doug Webster, and Rudy speaking. We gave a flag and received one from the Pentagon to take to NY. Valencia Parker, a survivor was there too. We all sang God Bless America. AWESOME!
So then off to Maryland House where we collected more cars and ate lunch. We headed for Staten Island, picking up cars from New Jersey. By now there we at least 80 of us. At 4:30 we were told to hurry and get to Staten Island because the news media was awaiting our arrival. WELL THAT NEVER HAPPENED BECAUSE RUDY GOT SIDE TRACKED BY A FEMALE STATE TROOPER! We were all lining up red, white, and blue cars in front and they closed the lanes down for us and we were being escorted by police into the town. Rudy was in the rear and the other vetts called him on the 2-way to tell him to ride the shoulder and get up front. No one was on the road except our vetts. So Rudy was heading up front when I saw a squad blow by and I thought Hey it might rear end Rudy ...boy was I wrong. It was after Rudy. As I passed, I saw a female cop screaming at Rudy and he did not hold back either. I had my 25 year old son Rory with me and he started to go ballistic so I drove my car about 1/4 mile up the highway so Rory would not make matters worse. Then I hear my daughter (who was with Rudy) on the 2-way saying he was being ticketed for DUI and riding on the shoulder. DUI I thought, Rudy does not drink and we are in a parade.....isn't that obvious to her? Rudy handed her his lemonade and dared her to take a sip. Thank goodness he did not drench her in it. :-) The really neat thing was how vetts came to Rudy's defense and made a road block so no one could get through. Cars a few lanes away were driving by giving us thumbs up and stuff. I thought it was pretty funny. The female state trooper is probably just a girl trying to make it in a guys world. Guess she can't be blamed. (Oh well) they let Rudy go and took care of the tickets at the banquet.
It was hilarious dinner conversation. Jack Pally did a bang up job of putting together a marvelous banquet with the help of the Richmond Corvette Club. The cermony had presenting the colors, a singer named Cassie Caprielle, Bill Eisener (one of the 3 firemen in the famous picture putting up the flag at ground zero), Deputy borough president, Mrs. Brian Bilcher ( wife of a perished fireman from WTC) other people and then Rudy spoke. FABULOUS tribute. They also brought in 2 rescue dogs, a German Sheperd and a Bloodhound.

July 4th -- We caravaned to NY. There were well over 150 of us. Beautiful to watch. We presented Victor (mayor Bloomberg's assistant) with flags, looked at ground zero, and went our own ways. That night we went to the Staton Island Ferry to go see fireworks but stayed on the ferry and rode back and forth to avoid crowds and heat.

July 5th.... Rudy was disgusted with cabs and ferrys so he rented a limo and took our family plus Vettwrench and Bubblehead to visit New York. Vettwrench and Bubblehead did an commendable job keeping caravans in order and helping in general during the trip. We ate in Little Italy, saw the Empire State building, went to Battery Park near the Statue of Liberty, and ended our day by sitting outside in South Central Park, at Mickey Mantle's pub. There Vettwrench sat with his cam corder taking video of wierdos walking by. BELIEVE ME THERE WAS A LOT TO SEE! We had dinner , took a limo back and crashed.

July 6th----- we all headed home.

I took about 800 35mm pics. When they're back, we'll scan and post some.

Woody

Great summary. :flag :flag I wish I had been able to go all the way. Thanks.

VetteVixen

Nice read! Thanks for posting that! :flag

CuVette

Thanks for posting mom. It was so much fun! Best family trip we ever took! :blueangel: :flag
Thanks to everyone! :cheers:

FIBERGLASMD

Lori and I are glad we went to Bowling Green. Nice meeting everyone and putting a face with the name after all the e-mail work and etc. The day you guys were at the Pennsylvania crash site I had these thoughts. Click the link: http://forums.corvetteforum.com/zerothread?id=334374


[Modified by FIBERGLASMD, 8:04 AM 7/11/2002]

Vettlust

Charlie,
You and Lori are a wonderful couple. I told Rudy I would love it if we were next door neighbors. We enjoyed meeting you both and applaud you for your hard work in Decatur. It was a real success. We hope to meet you again sometime. If you ever go back to Bowling Green let us know. It appears Rudy and Amy have it scheduled for several times a year. I have to admit I am kinda hooked too. As long as there are Corvettes and a Wal-Mart I'm in. :D
KATHY

Corz

:seeya hi kathy.. the dr said i would be fine from the beating with the baseball bat... i only suffered 14 broken bones and I'll be able to drive standard by december.. you have one hell of a swing :cheers:

it was a pleasure meeting you all

HawkIVette

Great post, Kathy.

I wish I could have been there in NYC with you guys. Had a great time with your family and really enjoyed the time we had on the Tour.

I really would have loved to be there when the Female Trooper pulled Rudy over. :mad Do the Police not think that this event was somewhat of a tribute to their fallen Brothers and Sisters, and could have maybe cut us some slack?

Anyway, sounds like with all the little things that did go wrong along the way (heat!!, getting lost), you and your family still had a great time, and that's what it's all about.

Hope to catch up to you guys along the road again someday.

Rich and Nicole

Patrick96LT4

Loved the post Kathy, just loved it!

Punk Boy

hey vettelust...great write up...i was very surprised at the number of cars that were at the cruise here in columbus....i would like to thank you for putting up with the long hours that rudy was on the computer working on the tour....if it wasn't for him this event would have never happend....CuVette thanks for taking on the Great Lakes section of the tour...you helped me and your dad out more than you probably know....And i would also like to thank everyone that helped me set up the columbus stop...it was a blast...And thanks to all the participants :cheers:

FIBERGLASMD

Well you know we have walmart here. Hopefully we can make Funfest this year.

FIBERGLASMD

Lori said to tell you we'll keep you posted on the road runs down here.

FIBERGLASMD

Also Thanks for the compliment. I'm glad you and Lori could visit the way you did at HOP'S in Bowling Green. Hope to see you all soon.