Saturday, April 4, 2003 – In direct contrast to what the weathermen were predicting just days before this show in N. Little Rock, AR at Northpoint VW, you could not BUY better weather. I have the "red neck" to prove it. My poor old paint job was begging for some cloud cover. After commenting as such, I looked up to a sky so clear that a few jet contrails were the only flaws to be seen.

Traveling by myself, I tow-barred Lightning, enjoying some hot coffee during the drive in the crisp morning; a nice breeze blowing in the back window. This mix proved to be my undoing. An hour into the drive, I beep-beeped past LaRue, who was fighting a hard crosswind in his camper bus. He later told me that he noticed the trucks seemed to stay especially clear of his weaving maneuvers. Rest stop at the 200 mile marker; hot coffee; cool breeze; I got passed by LaRue. With another pass and getting lost for a short while on the frontage road, I think I saw LaRue 3 more times before the show. And we did not even caravan!

Other than the fact of getting snagged to help judge, I had a good time. (Smile) Thanks to Northpoint VW for opening up their dealership for all of us. I got to put an eye on a LOT of New Beetle Convertibles in their stock; even one with a Turbo. But I HEARD (how should I say this?) that it MIGHT be a challenge to buy one at "list." But that is certainly nothing strange right now, no matter where you go.

Anyway, back to the show; I believe there were 45-50 VWs of all shades, types, and levels of finish in the show. In one of the spots next to Lighting was a sweet bluish-green bug that a young man from Hot Springs, Arkansas was showing for the first time with the help of his dad. It won People’s Choice; #32. I remember, because I voted for his bug too. On the other side of his bug was a blue, modified early bug, freshly built. This bug, from Poplar Bluff, Missouri, took Best Paint and Best of Show. The owner about fell out; totally surprised. Jim Holley’s pastel blue engined modified Oval took Best Engine.

LaRue’s red camper bus took first place in Daily Driver. Everybody loved his tent attachment and his poodle dogs were very popular with the crowd. I accused him more than once of selling tour tickets, with all the people coming through, checking out his bus and loving on his dogs.

This was my first show with the new, all stainless steel, big-tube headers and exhaust. I’m also trying something different for bugs; black header wrap. I finished all this up just the day before the show. Lightning is... verdy, VERDY happy! Lightning, now with a lower voice, turned out to be the only one in his class. So, I shamelessly accepted our first in class plaque.

Oh! Almost forgot! Bobby’s son won $40 in the 50-50 pot.

And, in closing, CAVF also announced that they will ALSO have their OCTOBERFEST show this October. I believe it is the FIRST Saturday in October.

Keep the VW love alive!

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