5th Annual Roswell New Beetle Convention
Contributed by Member Tina W. (Also of NEAVF)-
JUNE 2004 – The NEAVF had 3 cars in attendance at the Roswell 2k 5th annual New Beetle Car show; Tina W., Tom L. and Charles & Peggy W.
Tina W. received the Most Unique trophy for her Barbie Beetle, and Best Exterior Graphics (see photo attached). Tom L. received a 3rd place trophy for his Aquarius Blue 2003 Convertible.
Below is a short "record" of our trip:
I left Walnut Ridge at 6:30 AM on Wednesday, June 16 to meet up with one other New Beetle (baby blue convertible) from Jonesboro driven by Tom L.. We arrived at our Thursday night destination in Canyon, TX about 7:00 where another member of the New Beetle List, Susan H. and her husband, Chuck had prepared a steak dinner for us and Nicole B. who had flown in from Hawaii.
Early Thursday morning we got up and took Susan's SUV to the Cowboy Morning Chuckwagon breakfast in the Palo Duro Canyon. It was a cool morning, they loaded everyone into 2 wagons pulled by a team of Percheron horses and took us about 10 minutes out into the ranch through the mesquite bushes. I was amazed to see what we called the "upside down mountains". The Panhandle of Texas is about as flat as a pancake but the canyon looks like an upside down mountain with beautiful layering of colored rock (like a mini Grand Canyon) that they call "The Painted Skirt". We had sourdough biscuits cooked in Dutch ovens, scrambled eggs, sausage and gravy cooked in huge skillets and cowboy coffee.
After breakfast we wondered around the rim of the canyon, took roping lessons (now I can try out my roping skills on my donkey, Button). Some of the guests had a chance to ride a horse. Our group passed on the Cow Chip throwing contest (we knew what they were, the other folks didn't).
After returning to Susan's house and picking up our New Beetles (that appreciated not having to drive down the dirt road) we headed into Amarillo to meet up with the CENTRAL caravan at CiCi's Pizza just off I-40. They were running about an hour late and we had started to worry about them but they finally showed up. After all the hugging and howdy's they had lunch and we were off toward Roswell for the last leg of the journey (with 15 New Beetles in a row).
The trip would have been wonderful if we didn't have to go through Hereford, TX. The stench of the stockyards where thousands of cattle are waiting to be slaughtered would make anyone a vegetarian! The caravan pulled into Roswell about 6:00 (after gaining an hour at the Mountain Time Zone at the New Mexico border). After checking into our hotels, resting a bit and freshening up we headed just down the street to Farleys for our "Early Bird Dinner" for those that arrived in Roswell on Thursday. Earl McC. from Southern California gave me a ribbon to display in Ladybug that said she is a 5 year veteran of the Roswell New Beetle Car Show. Out of 5 years of shows, only 13 cars earned that distinction so she is in a special class of New Beetles.
Friday morning was spent cleaning cars and visiting the UFO Museum and gift shops for souvenirs. About 3:30 Tom and I were joined by Peggy & Charles W. of Cardwell, MO (other member of the Northeast Arkansas Volks-Folks). At 6:00 pm we all went out to the Club House (about 9 miles west of Roswell) for the Sky Watch Party. This year the party was being hosted by Volkswagen of America. They put on an "Alien Encounter" which consisted of search lights out in the desert followed by a helicopter weaving back and forth looking for the spacecraft. Then in the distance we could see lights coming our way. The second vehicle had police lights. They pulled in around the Club House and pulled up to the stage area where Dean Jones, star of the 1966 movie, Love Bug and Herbie Goes to Monte Carlo got out.
They brought in a Herbie replica and Dean Jones got in and started it up. He then went around shaking hands and talking with all the New Beetle attendees. About 9:30 everyone had their bugs glowing with an assortment of lights, and then we had our Glow Bug Parade back into Roswell.
Bright and early Saturday morning our little group of the Northeast Arkansas Volks-Folks bugs took our New Beetles to the Convention Center parking lot, cleaned them up and walked back to the hotel to have breakfast and freshen up. Then we went back to the show area and began to set up our car displays. After that we walked around checking out all the amazing things people had done to their beloved little beetles (approximately 300). At 2:00 we gathered inside the Convention Center for the Awards Ceremony. Aside from the full size New Beetles we also have a Barbie Beetle Conversion Competition. This year my Barbie New Beetle got a trophy for Most Unique (Charmin Bears). Then after awarding all the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place trophies in the various categories they started awarding the "Best of" trophies.
When David (the coordinator of the show) announced the Best Exterior Graphics goes to a car that has had a total makeover from the front of the car to the back of the trailer I knew it was Ladybug he was talking about! To have beat out all those guys with the high dollar paint jobs made me proud of my little flowered bug! The "Furthest Distance Driven" trophy went to Brenda Sheets of Chugiak, Alaska (over 4,000 miles one way). The "Best of Show" trophy was awarded by Dean Jones.
After the awards ceremony we all got in our bugs and lined up for the All Colors Parade down main street Roswell with Dean Jones as Grand Marshall. Main Street Roswell is 5 lanes like Caraway Rd. in Jonesboro. They had us going down one side, making a "U" turn and coming back up the other side until a complete loop of New Beetles had been made.
After the parade everyone tried to rest up a bit and then it was time to put on our Alien Costumes for the Alien Ball at the Roswell Zoo. They had opened up the zoo and the rides for the New Beetle people to enjoy. After the zoo party was over there were several "after" parties going on all over town. I attended one for a while but was just too pooped to stay long and was glad to get back to my room.
Sunday morning we slept late, (but Peggy and Charles had to start out at5:00 am to get back so she could go back to work Monday morning) then loaded up the vehicles, had a short lunch and headed out to the Civic Center where we were supposed to meet at 1:00 to Caravan to Carlsbad for the Road Rally. Only problem was no one was there to "lead" us and we didn't know the way. At 1:10 my patience level had expired so I started out with a whole flock of bugs behind me. We arrived in Carlsbad and found the "beach area" and had a little spare time so I went to the motel to check in and Tom went on to the Caverns. When I got back to the Rally starting point I did not have a co-pilot so I paired up with another driver. We had a blast but sadly no trophy. The Road Rally ended up at the Fiesta Drive-in Theater where the first feature was Garfield. After that they showed Herbie Goes Bananas just for our New Beetle group. We honked and hollered for Herbie and booed the bad guys. And since I am from Muleskinner Farm I had to cheer for the donkey’s. It was after midnight when I got back to my room (Tom had not stayed for the second feature so he got more sleep than me).
We decided to make a straight run from Carlsbad to Walnut Ridge/Jonesboro which was pretty much uneventful except when we went through Dallas and Tom was in front and neither one of us noticed the sign that said I-30 right lane and it was too late for me to switch lanes. I ended up heading north on I-35, got off the first exit, which took me through about 6 blocks of downtown Dallas. I saw signs that said I-30 West but that was not were I needed to go. About that time I noticed about 50 people standing on a hill taking pictures, then it dawned on me I was were Kennedy was shot (there will be a lot of interesting photo's when those people get home and see a flowered New Beetle with matching trailer in their photo. Anyway, I had to get back on I-35 North and work my way across 6 lanes of heavy traffic(and it was only 3:00!), get off at the next exit, go under the overpass and get back on I-35 South. Only problem was no one would let me over into the lane I needed to get back on I-30 East. So I was headed south toward Houston! I noticed signs ahead saying I-30 east, left lane so I looked over my shoulder and literally begged a pickup truck full of guys to let me over, they were laughing so hard they couldn't help but let me in and I was back on track and only about 10 minutes behind Tom who had pulled off just East of Dallas to wait on me.
It was a 15 1/2 hour drive straight through and I arrived home about 10:30 Monday night, exhausted but proud of my Best Exterior Graphics trophy.
Plans are already in the works for next years show (3rd weekend in June) so all you New Beetle owners need to start planning now to attend one of the greatest adventures you will ever have. For information about the show you can check out the website at www.roswell2k.org.
The Burke Family is from Clovis NM and they brought in the Herbie replica. Charles & Peggy W. are members of the NEAVF and they had him sign the glove box door to their Herbie replica (they already had Paco's autograph
