Saturday, November 8, 2008

BIRDS IN THE DELLS- 2008

FRIDAY. AUGUST 22-
AFTER SOME FRANTIC LAST MINUTE THURSDAY NIGHT PHONE CALLS TO THEIR SPRINGFIELD, ILLINOIS HOTEL, RUDY & I MET THE 48 IN 08 T-BIRD CARAVAN AT THE 1-39 AND RTE. 34 INTERCHANGE AT MENDOTA, ILLINOIS. THE THREE LITTLE BIRDS AND OUR '02 RETRO BIRD CONTINUED ABOUT 25 MILES FURTHER AND CONNECTED WITH BERT & JANE EISENHOUR AT THE 1-88 & 1-39 INTERCHANGE. OUR NEXT STOP WAS THE ROCKFORD, ILLINOIS COLLEGE. THIS WAS LUCY CLARK'S (AN ORIGINAL 48 IN 08 TRAVELER) ALMA MATER. AFTER A GREAT LUNCH BUFFET IN THE BEAUTIFUL COLLEGE CAFETERIA, COURTESY OF THE COLLEGE, WE CONTINUED ON OUR WAY TO WISCONSIN, MINUS JANE & BERT WHO HAD OTHER PLANS FOR THE REST OF THE DAY. WE ARRIVED MID-AFTERNOON TO A SEA OF BEAUTIFUL T-BIRDS AND GOT RE-ACQUAINTED WITH PEOPLE WE HADNT SEEN IN THIRTY PLUS YEARS.

SATURDAY. AUGUST 23 -
A LIGHT OVERNIGHT RAIN DIDNT DAMPEN SPIRITS FOR THE USUAL SATURDAY A.M. CLEANING SESSIONS. POPULAR CHOICE JUDGING OF SOME 40 PLUS T-BIRDS TOOK PLACE UNDER BLUE SKIES AND TEMPERATURES IN THE 80'S. AFTER AN AFTERNOON BREWERY TOUR, THE 48 IN 08 TRAVELERS DROVE TO THE STATE CAPITOL FOR PICTURE TAKING, ALONG WITH AN EXTRA 'BIRD OR TWO. THE EVENING BANQUET WAS FOLLOWED BY THE AWARDING OF TROPHIES AND GREAT DOOR-PRIZES AND RAFFLES.

SUNDAY. AUGUST 24 -
WE PACKED UP AND SAID OUR GOOD BYES. NEXT YEAR, BIRDS IN THE DELLS WILL BE IN DOOR COUNTY. WE HOPE TO BE THERE. ON OUR WAY HOME WE STOPPED AT THE POPLAR GROVE AIRPORT AT THE INVITATION OF POLLY & KEN KRESMERY FOR THEIR 13TH ANNUAL "DAY AT THE HANGAR." WHAT AN AMAZING COLLECTION: ANTIQUE CARS, COLLECTOR CARS, INCLUDING A '57 T-BIRD, ANTIQUE AND RESTORED PLANES, INCLUDING A 4-PLACE "SEA-BEE" WHICH LANDS ON WATER OR THE GROUND. IN OUR OPINION, THE GEM IN HIS COLLECTION IS A 2008 "SMART CABRIOLET" MADE BY MERCEDES IN FRANCE IT IS A 2-PASSENGER CONVERTIBLE, 8-FOOT LONG THAT GETS 41 MILES TO THE GALLON FROM A 3-CYLINDER ENGINE AND HAS ALL THE BELLS AND WHISTLES THAT YOU WOULD EXPECT FROM MERCEDES AND THEN SOME. AFTER PASSING ALL THE U.S. CRASH TEST REQUIREMENTS, THERE IS A 2-YEAR WAITING LIST TO PURCHASE ONE. WHAT A CONCEPT! DETROIT: PAY ATTENTION. WE DROVE IT UP AND DOWN THE RUNWAYS AND IT WAS QUIET AND COMFORTABLE. AFTER LEAVING WITH A HANDFULL OF FRESH PICKED CORN, COURTESY OF THE KRESMERYS, WE ARRIVED HOME ABOUT 2P.M.
-JANET BUDACH

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