FFO 2022 the old guys will attend

[TonyK]

I would like to thank everyone for following along on my adventure. It has been an interesting and fun 2 weeks. I left Bob Martin's home at 7:00 AM Friday, knowing that it will be about 6 months before I see him and Melody again when my wife Sarina and I will be attending their AGM in Nashville in April for Castle building Centres. The drive is longer when I am by myself, but the open trailer brings a few smiles as truckers honk their air horns and give me a thumbs up when they pass me. I stopped at MidWest Bayless to drop off some items for Matt and then headed to the Sheets at Johnston Road and Stelzer. I came out and found a young man looking at my X on the trailer after I paid for my fuel and he said, " Man is that your car?, you are so damn lucky, I wish I was you." Those few words capture the feeling of what all of us hold on to and know and from time to time others for a moment step into our world and dream for a few minutes. Oh how I wish the car was on the ground and I could give him a ride around the block. No it is not an exotic, but it looks and performs as one. Getting back on I 71 and leaving Columbus I hit a traffic jam. A semi hit the guard rail and decended between the lanes into a creek. There were boxes and parts of the truck everywhere. It took 45 minutes to go 2 miles. I got to the Canadian boarder around 7:00 PM there were only 7 wickets open. I inched for an hour and 10 minutes as there was 25 vehicles in front of me. The customs agent thought I had a Fiero and I corrected him, he was polite and a few minutes latter I was on my way to another traffic jam due to an accident only 10 milest from my home. Another 45 minutes to get off of the QEW to drive the back roads and I arrived at home at 8:45 PM I was beat. Today I got up at 7:00 AM to unload the car from the rented trailer and remove the E track that was holding the car to the trailer. I went to Hitchman trailers only to find that they were closed for the long weekend. It is Thanks Giving here in the Canada this weekend. So I brought the trailer and truck back home. Washed the Abarth X1/9 and put it into the garage and took my 79 X out for a drive, a totally different experience. It has been a great trip, great event and it is so nice to be in the company that live the spirit of this little car and the brand.

TonyK Grimsby Ontario Canada.

 

[kmead]

Karl, I live in Grimsby Ontario Canada and go through Columbus Ohio, Matt is just off of the I 270 bypass, I needed to get fuel anyway so I stopped at the Sheet's at Stelzer and Johnston Rd. Matt was not there, but the trip dragged on from 11 hours to just under 14. More in my final post.

TonyK.

Grimsby Ontario Canada.

Grimsby is in a bit of an awkward spot relative to the most direct possible routes in the US and our limited shared crossing points, small matter of a lake in the way . I am lucky when I go across Canada to Vermont, it is nearly a straight line from Grand Rapids to the top of Lake Champlain. I had presumed you would normally go by way of Windsor but can see why you wouldn’t.

Happy you are home. An amazing difference from the temps you experienced in Texas as we transition to regular morning frosts.

I am glad aside from the woes that befell others, your trip was relatively uneventful. Bummer about the front brake, frozen caliper slider pins possibly causing the premature pad wear on that one side? Those moments when one connects our hobby with others is always fun.

Enjoy the Thanksgiving weekend and some recovery time.

 

[johnph]

Thanks Jim, but that would cost us another $400 to $500 for a Sunday, We will manage.

Yesterday we went to a car museum and there was a great collection of all kinds of cars.

A drive back to the hotel and then later in the day we headed out off hotel sight for a meet and greet. There were over 200 people attending.

Just a note here at the hotel there is no clock in any rooms, so I have no idea what time it is until I sit up, turn on a tri light and look at my wrist watch. Because of this I don't sleep much. First hotel I have ever stayed at that does not have clock on the night table. Also I brought a pillow from home, house keeping took it and now MIA.

The raffle car was uncovered just before dinner, looks nice. The hall had terrible acoustics and most of us could not understand what the speakers were saying and that was a disappointment.
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14" Lancia Beta wheels on the raffle car...