MEMORIES OF MARAUDERVILLE XIV (MV14) in Cleveland, OH

[Bluerauder]

By the day memories .... the Tradition Continues !!


MEMORIES OF CLEVELAND, OH
MARAUDERVILLE XIV (MV14), 7-11 September 2016
“Cleveland Rocks !!”


Wednesday, 7 September 2016 (On the Road)

• Planned departure of 9:00 AM. The Bluerauder wheels actually roll at 9:15 AM. Not too bad considering my wife’s time and mine are usually off by 30 minutes minimum.
• Should be a fairly nice travel day. Skies are a bit cloudy; but no rain in sight. Might hit some storms enroute. Weather seems to be shaping up. GPS Jill says our day of travel to the Embassy Suites in Cleveland-Independence is 383 miles or about 6 hours. Should get to the hotel right around 3:00 PM according to GPS. Add lunch and gas stops and it will probably be sometime after 4:00 PM. Hammerdown/Fordfrk are a couple hours ahead of us in the DTR. They left early to avoid the Baltimore commuter rush. I am using EZ Pass and should be able to minimize the crush in Northern Virginia and the Capital Beltway. Haggis, Ladyhawke, 05crownsport, MM03MOK, Sergnt Mac, YIMMA, and DWStang67 are meeting at the North Midway Reststop in Bedford, PA on the I-76 Pennsylvania Turnpike and will depart there around 11:00 AM. By that time, I will be about 2 hours behind that convoy and miss the audio/acoustic show in the Allegheny Mountain tunnel.
• Am taking the I-95 North to I-495 to I-270 to I-70. Pick up the Pennsylvania Turnpike I-76 at Breezewood, PA and then I-80 west.
• Total trip estimated at 383 miles one-way (6:15 hours).
• No traffic problems in Northern Virginia. EZ Pass is helping me avoid the usual trouble spots for a price, of course. Hit a brief bottleneck at the American Legion bridge on the beltway but it was only a 5-6 minute delay and we are rolling north at about 10 over.
• Stop at the South Mountain Rest Stop on I-70 for a quick break, restrooms, and a few pics. Back rolling before 11:00 AM.
• Still 300 miles and a little over 4.5 hours to go. We’ve lost only 20 minutes or so.
• Stop for lunch at McDonald’s in Breezewood, PA. No gas needed yet but I do notice that the price for 93 Premium Shell is $2.999 per gallon. Just a bit cheaper than the $4.359 per gallon enroute to MV10 in South Haven, MI.
• Uneventful trip on the Pennsylvania Turnpike. However, we did run into a heavy thunderstorm just after the mountain tunnel that lasted about 10-15 minutes. I hooked on to the back of an 18-wheeler just for visibility but kept rolling. The new Nitto Motivos all around worked like a champ. I like them. Stop in New Stanton, PA reststop to get gas. Lunch, gas, and breaks have added about 1.5 hours to the trip. We blend onto the Ohio Turnpike and I-80. Run 75-80 MPH the entire way except for the frequent 50 MPH construction zones. The “AIR SUSP” warning light comes on about 25 miles from the hotel. Can’t feel any difference but I’ll check later. We hit two more downpours before turning off onto I-77 North headed toward Cleveland.
• Arrive at the Embassy Suites at 4:30 PM and drop off Mrs. Bluerauder under the canopy and unload the luggage. Reset the air suspension (Off-On button) in the trunk and the warning light goes off. James79stang says that reset is the first corrective measure to try. Pull into the side parking lot and squeeze in with Hammerdown, Fordfrk, Mike Brown, and 05crownsport. Notice that Blackened300a and Papillon and talking with some folks near a black Ford Edge. Found out later that he opted for his Edge instead of the Marauder because of all the bad weather enroute.
• Stop to talk briefly with Sergnt Mac who was standing next to a silver Lincoln MKZ in a handicapped spot near the side of the hotel. Seems MM03MOK sold her silver MM “Phoebe” back to Mac.
• Check-in to the hotel and get a room on the 8th Floor overlooking a huge atrium. Three glass high speed elevators take us up to our level in short order. This place looks really nice and I love the atrium design where we can see all of the action below. Notice that Ken, Debbie, MM03MOK and a few others are down below and set up for MM.Net registration check-in, goodie bags, name tags and T-shirts. We opt to unpack first. Our room is really nice despite the non-working refrigerator and no suite number on the door. The things that we had ordered on-line for the room were not there. Will mention that to the desk staff.
• Go back down to the lobby and find out that we just missed MM.Net registration. It will be set up again in the morning after breakfast.
• Some of the folks like MyBlackBeasts, 2mercs, Ken, James79stang, 03mmmonroe and a few others are already headed over to Summit Motorsports Park a little over 30 miles and 45 minutes away for some drag racing. Not sure whether lji372 and RubberCtyRauder were with that group.
• Head down to the hotel bar and restaurant. The Manager’s Happy Hour just started at 5:30 PM. Free drinks until 7:30 PM. I am gonna like this place.
• Haggis, Ladyhawke, Rachel, DWStang67, 05crownsport, Pantheroc, Diane, MM03MOK, Sergnt Mac, YIMMA and Joan and a few others have already scoped out a big table. They are getting ready to head out to the Winking Lizard restaurant down the road a bit. I am done with driving today. Mrs. Bluerauder and I opt to just eat at the hotel restaurant.
• Dinner with Mike Brown and Peggy. Merc-O-Matic stops by to say Hello. Mr. Man and Ms. Denmark show up a bit later. Other Marauder owners milling around in the restaurant, lobby and out under the canopy. Planned departure in the morning from the hotel is 8:30 AM.
• After dinner, I looked up a list of the closest Ford dealers for Mr. Man. It seems that Ms. Denmark’s ride height sensor had gone on the fritz before they arrived and the car was riding harsh and sagging (I meant jacked up fully like a '70 Chevelle) in the rear. They will drop it off in the morning with the dealer and pick-up a rental car to use until their car is ready.
• Talk to WPG Merc and NavySeabee out under the canopy. Kill some time in the atrium seating area that is also equipped with two pool tables.
• See Hammerdown, Fordfrk, Blackened300a, Papillon, BigDogJim hanging out in the atrium.
• In bed by 10:30 PM. Driving all day has really tired me out. Night All !!

[Bluerauder]

Thursday, 8 September 2016 (Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railway) Part 1.

• Up early and in the lobby at 5:45 AM. Walk around the hotel to check out the arrivals. I count 27 MMs in the lot (18 Black, 3 Silver, 3 DTR, and 3 Blue). 10 MMs on the side and 17 around back. This count would later climb to 36 MMs by the Saturday afternoon car show and some late arrivals from the Michigan area. Final total was 36 MMs (23 Black, 6 Silver, 4 DTR, and 3 Blue) plus one Black Ford Edge, one silver Taurus SHO, and one blueish Lincoln Town Car.
• No 24/7 coffee set up like at the Hampton Inn. Breakfast doesn’t begin until 6:30 AM. I sneak around a corner in the bar area and find a pot of coffee probably intended for the staff. No one is looking and I grab two cups.
• Today is the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railway (CVSR). Departure is set for 8:30 AM. Train leaves at 9:00 AM. It is only 1.5 miles to the train parking area so this should not be a problem.
• Fix two cups of coffee and head back to the room to get ready. The wife is already in the shower. She’ll be pressed to make the 8:30 AM roll out I suspect.
• I’m ready at 7:15 AM and head back to the restaurant. James79Stang, 03mmmoroe, and 05crownsport are eating breakfast. Talk briefly with jsignorelli and Joanne and comment on their matching yellow Euro-Marauderville shirts. He shipped a bunch to the gang in Germany who are meeting at the same time near Cologne. He has a planned Skype hook-up planned for Friday.
• Stop by registration after breakfast and pick up our Goodie Bags, name tags and T-Shirts. Also pick up the same for Shermanator and Blown 3.8 since they had to cancel at the last minute. I’ll drop those off at their place when I get home since they are not far from my house. Take the stuff back up to the room and head back downstairs.
• Hang around out under the canopy for awhile as more and more folks come out and get ready. Not enough time to mess with the car today. We’ve only got 10 minutes. Surprise, surprise … the wife walks out of the lobby with time to spare.
• No convoys planned in Cleveland. Everyone to roll to the venues by infiltration in groups of 2, 3, 4 or more. It is only about 1.5 miles to the train station.
• Ms. Denmark and Mr. Man drop their MM off at the dealer. It won’t be ready until Saturday morning. They will miss the train ride.
• Bluerauder pulls out of the hotel lot at 8:30 AM …. Not bad. Mike Brown, Peggy, Blackend300a, Papillon, jsignorelli, and Joanne follow us.
• We pull into the CVSR train parking lot about 5 minutes later. Hammerdown and Fordfrk are already there. We park next to them and the lot start to fill up rapidly as the convoy increments come in one at a time.
• We mill around in the parking lot until about 8:50 AM and are then called forward to the ticket are so we can get a “count off” for tickets. MM.Net is picking up the tab from the registration fees.
• We begin boarding almost immediately and Pantheroc stops to get a photo op next to a sign on the train that says “Do Not Hump”. Guess that ruined his plans for this ride.
• We board the train and have to walk through the car to the left in order to get to our private car. We grab a seat with Homeskillet43. Hammerdown, Fordfrk, Mike Brown and Peggy are next to us.
• Back down the car I see Comin’ in Hot, Blackened300a, and Papillon. DWStang67, 05crownsport, BadGrampa (Mike) and lji372 are near them. MM03MOK and Sergnt Mac are also up front.
• At the other end of the car are Ken, Debbie, Haggis, Ladyhawke, Rachel, YIMMA, Joan, MERCMAN, MERCMAAM, RF Overlord, 03mmmonroe, James79stang, Pantheroc, Diane, and Gryphonzus & JoAnn. Jsignorelli and Joanne, Merc-o-matic, JCMM and his wife Jane are near the middle of the car as well as Steve & Carole Babcock.
• This is a 3 hour ride along the Cuyahoga River through the Cuyahoga Valley National Park. We will travel about 1.5 hours to Akron, OH about 30 miles to the south and then reverse to come back to our starting point. We should be back to where we boarded about 12:20 PM.
• Nice scenic ride through the park passing Indigo Lake, some picnic areas, and other points of interest occasionally stopping at intermediate train stations. Also saw an old Baltimore & Ohio train engine and a few of their cars sitting on a sideing.
• Walked down to the Club Car to pick up a bottle of water for Mrs. Bluerauder and hit the restroom enroute. Tricky business these moving terlits !!
• One of the Cuyahoga Park Rangers walk through the car to show us her “Beaver”. She also had a Coyote pelt. Apparently, the park has a fairly sizeable population of deer, coyote, and beaver. The beaver was surprising nice …. And soft !!
• We arrive in Akron about 15 minutes behind schedule and are allowed to de-train for a brief period for some photos. Not really much to see here at the station.
• After the engine is switched, we begin reboarding. Gonna have to make up that lost 15 minutes somehow.
• Back on the train, we decide to head up to the Club Car to check out the action. Hammerdown tags along with Mrs. Bluerauder and myself. Lots of people already in the Club Car sipping on adult beverages.
• Mrs. Bluerauder opted for a Sangria and I picked up an Oktoberfest Bier. Hammerdown decided on a Schwartz Bier (dark and smokey). She wasn’t fond of the taste, so we traded. I usually have a Rauchbier with smoked flavor when we visit our local German restaurant near Frederickburg, VA.
• The entire Club Car was filled with Marauder Peeps. It is easy to find them. Just go to where the action is. Not too much spillage as the train made corners or applied the brakes although there were a couple close encounters of the 1st kind. From lji372’s reaction after a particularly hard jolt, he was a little surprised when my wife bumped into him against the wall. Fortunately, not a drop of Sangria was lost. It was obvious that the train engineer was trying to make up lost time.
• Most of us hung out in the Club Car until shortly before arrival and then gradually mosied back to our seats.
• We got back to the station right on time at 12:20 PM.
• We mill around near the train station and notice that most everyone else has gone. We are about the last of the Marauders to leave the lot. What happened ??
• Headed back up Rockside Road to the hotel, I notice about 10 MMs all lined up in the right lane and stopped for a red light. I elect to stay in the center lane and timed it perfectly. The light changed and I was able to roll in front of the 1st car and slip into the right lane. I was now leading a Marauder Convoy back to the hotel.
• A tour of Stainless Works (SW) was set to begin at 2:00 PM. Those who wanted to do the tour had to find a quick lunch and head over to SW. Ken, MarauderJim, FordFrk 05crownsport, Blackened300a, James79stang, and others were in that group. The Bluerauders opted out of the SW tour.
• Mrs. Bluerauder and I freshened up back in the hotel suite and then came down to the hotel restaurant at about 1:30 PM. Damn, we missed the lunch hour and headed over to Panera’s back up the road. Some others opted for a fancy new McDonald’s that was also close by. After finishing eating, we noticed that there was a Melt place at the other end of the shopping center. Maybe we’ll try that later in the week if we get a chance.
• Back to the hotel room at 2:30 PM for some rest and a brief nap. You know how the old people are. We’ll just take it easy until it is time to leave for the Hofbrauhaus around 5:45 PM.
• Back out under the canopy just before 5:00 PM.
• 03mmmonroe and James79stang had just finished installing a fan assembly on YIMMA’s car under the canopy. Seems that the fan shroud had cracked and was impacting on the fan blade not too far from the hotel. He was able to nurse it to the hotel and order the part for delivery to the hotel.
• A Silver Birch MM pulls up behind YIMMA’s car and a guy jumps out and introduces himself as Paris Loury (Pfunk46). WPG Merc, BigDogJim and NavySeaBee are also there. Paris said that he just got his MM 28 days ago and had just found out about the big MV14 Marauder meeting at the hotel. Seems he lives not very far from the hotel. He was very friendly and out-going and quite enthusiastic about being able to meet with fellow Marauder owners. We chatted for awhile and then everyone started to get ready to leave for the Hofbrauhaus.
• As departure time nears, Ladyhawke gets a phone call from Pantheroc. They are sitting down on Rockside Woods Boulevard waiting on the group. Where the heck is everyone ??

[Bluerauder]

Thursday, 8 September 2016 (Hofbrauhaus, downtown Cleveland) Part 2.

• The trip to the Hofbrauhaus is only 9 miles up I-77N. Shouldn’t take too long to get there.
• The Bluerauder pulls into line on Rockside Woods Boulevard North behind Pantheroc and Ladyhawke. YIMMA and 03mmmonroe are behind me. In all, we have about 10 MMs lined up as Pantheroc starts to move out. The rest will catch up.
• We take Exit 162B and head up E. 14th Street. At one of the stoplights along 14th street, a girl jumped out of her car to take pics of the line of MMs. She gave us a “thumbs up” as the light changed. They know that we are here !!
• Above the intersection of 14th St. and Euclid Avenue, there is a huge Swarovski chandelier. This signals that we are in the theater district.
• Just a couple of more blocks and we pull into the parking garage next to the Hofbrauhaus and circle up to the 4th level. Some of the other convoys will park across the street in an open lot that was $3.00 cheaper.
• Short walk to the Hofbrauhaus and we arrive just before the 6:30 PM reservation. Our tables are ready and we have about half of the side of the building facing the street. In all, our group takes up 5 tables suitable for 12 persons each. About 60 Marauderers in attendance.
• This place is nice and reminds me a lot of our 6 years in Germany. Fred Ziwich’s International Sound Machine is up on the stage to provide entertainment in the form of polka music and traditional German drinking songs and toasts. Seems just like one of the Fest tents during Oktoberfest. Now if I can only find one of those Bier Wenches so I can get some drinks.
• The 1st table is occupied by Mr. Man, Ms. Denmark, RF Overlord, jsignorelli, Joanne, and Marauder Jim..
• The 2nd table fills up later with Homeskillet43 (who moved over to Table #1 after being coerced), Steve and Carole Babcock, mmsvt and 2mercs.
• MM03MOK, Sergnt Mac, MyBlackBeasts, Gryphonzus, 03mmonroe, MERCMAN, MERCMAAM, James79stang, FW Linc/Merc, and Jim Arens are at table #3.
• Bluerauder, Ken, YIMMA, Haggis/Ladyhawke, and Pantheroc and their better halves are at the 4th table.
• JCMM & Jane, Merc-O-Matic & Linda, his brother and crew are at the 5th table.
• Mrs. Bluerauder and I get corralled by the Polka lady and we are provided hats and escorted up to the dance floor for Polka lessons. We are joined by other suckers from around the hall. It took me a couple minutes to get back into the groove; but I have done this before many times … but it has been more than 27 years since we left Germany. It comes back … just like riding a bicycle.
• While we were out on the dance floor, the waitress came by and took orders for the entire table. We’ve got some catching up to do. I order the big Pretzel with cheese and mustard as an appetizer and the Wiener Schnitzel for dinner. Mrs. Bluerauder opts for her old standby Ziguener Schnitzel. Have never, ever seen this served with bacon on top … must now be part of the “everything is better with bacon” craze.
• Food is very good with large portions and the pretzel is so big that I pass it around to share. More wine and more beer !!
• Ken, Haggis, YIMMA, and Pantheroc order some kind of shots that were delivered on a ski … they stand on the bench for a big photo op as they tilt the ski and drink the "Baeren Jaeger" in the glasses. I passed on this little exercise.
• Suddenly, we here tapping on the window next to our table. Outside is Mebot who has flown in from Seattle to surprise his Mom & Dad. YIMMA is surprised and Joan gets all emotional to see her son. Tears of Joy flow freely !! Hugs and Kisses all around. It seems that DWStang67 begged off of the trip initially and headed to the airport to pick up Mebot. It was a well kept secret.
• Haggis volunteers to do the “Hat Dance” up on the dance floor with a few other brave souls. Participants must switch hats in time with the music ala Chevy Chase in the movie “European Vacation”. It was fun watching this exercise.
• Mebot and Joan volunteered to join in for Polka Lesson, Part 2. What a Hoot !!
• More mingling and chatting as some began to leave after dinner. We continued to hang on with the rowdy crew … at least for awhile.
• As we were making final pitstops in order to leave, MERCMAAM asked whether we had seen the private room area at the rear of the Hofbrauhaus. We walked back with her and were pleasantly surprised to see an authentic Gasthaus and Bierstube covered with memorabilia from “The Hermit’s Club”. Apparently, the club was founded in 1904 and is the nation’s oldest private continuously operating non-professional theater arts club. It was modeled off “The Lamb’s Club” for professionals in New York that dates back to the late 1800’s.
• We were in for a further surprise to find that upstairs above the private rooms was a private theater/ballroom with a stage at one end. Walking into the ballroom, I felt like I was stepping back into old England for a meeting of the Knights of the Round Table. It was incredible with peaked roof and exposed timbers and Tudor architecture. MERCMAN joined us at the end of our tour and several photos of the rooms.
• Off to the parking garage and up to the 4th level. Only a few cars left in the lot. Exit signs directed us to a 24/7 gate that was closed by a huge mesh gate. Turned around to find an exit that wasn’t closed. A gate attendant said that there was something wrong with all of the tickets from our group of 10 that came in. He had to press some buttons on the toll machine to let us out. He asked how many more of that group were still in the Hofbrauhaus and I said there were only 3-4 left to come.
• Got back to the hotel somewhere around 9:30 PM maybe a little later. I can’t remember. The side parking lot is cluttered with Hondas, Toyotas, and Nissan Altimas. Decided to park in Marauder row in back of the hotel. Watch out for the raised manholes and concrete drainage drops. Someone could cut a tire or screw up a wheel on these things. We take the longer walk back to the side ballroom entrance.
• Run into 03mmmonroe and James79stang in the parking lot and mention the Air Suspension light came on again enroute back from downtown. James79stang said he had a similar problem that was traced to a bad ground connector and water beads forming on the ground screws after rain or a car wash. Symptoms are right on the money. The light is shortening out and the compressor operates fine.
• 03mmmonroe and James79stang are shooting pool in the atrium. Mr. Man, MarauderJim, and WPG Merc are staked out on the lobby couches munching on cookies. I heard that Mr. Man ate the most cookies.
• Mingled under the canopy and over in the atrium for awhile then had to cash it in and call it a day.
• Off to bed around 11:00 PM. Another long day in Marauderland.

[Bluerauder]

Friday, 9 September 2016 (Rock & Roll Hall of Fame) Part 1.

• Up at 6:00 AM. No one in the Lobby or out under the canopy. Decide to walk around the parking lot and check out the cars and any action out there. Quiet as a mouse outside. Just killing time until I can grab two cups of coffee and head back to the room to get ready for the day.
• Today is the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and the boat cruise. After a shower and a shave, I head down to have breakfast turning over the bathroom to the wife. She likes me out of the way.
• Load up with eggs, bacon, home fries, coffee, juice and fruit. Grab a table with Hammerdown and 05crownsport in the back. 03mmmonroe and James79stang are on my right. Jsignorelli and Joanne to the left.
• Finish up breakfast and talking just as the wife comes down and joins Papillon, Peggy, and Hammerdown at a table. I head outside to see what is going on.
• Departure is scheduled for 9:00 AM. The Rock & Rock Hall of Fame is 12 miles away. About a 20 minute trip. The HoF opens at 10:00 AM so we will be able to mill around and take pics.
• Pull out of the lot at 9:00 AM sharp. On Rockside Woods Blvd. I see MERCMAN in my rearview mirror. I pull the Bluerauder over to the side and tell him that I will chase him downtown as they pass by slowly. Remind me to talk to him about convoy procedures and advance lane changes and turns.
• About 12 of us file into a parking lot near the Hall of Fame. This lot is $12.00. What a cluster to pay for parking. We lucked out and they had just installed a new automated system. An attendant stood by to take our information and give instructions on the system. Exact change was needed but the system would gladly take $20.00 for a $12.00 fee and keep the rest as a tip. It took almost 20 minutes to get our group through this crappy system. The attendant could have taken all our money is less than ¼ the time. This is another example of automation improving our lives by inflicting more inconvenience. The lot attendant would soon be out of a job after she completed her training to customers for a week or two more.
• The other Marauders parked down near the park and waterfront. Better photo ops down there; but they also had one of those automated machines. I think they were in the $15.00 lot so their tip was smaller. LOL.
• Everyone gradually moved over to the R&R Hall of Fame and there were lots of pics and group shots in front of the glass pyramid, museum sign, and big guitar in front of the building. Johnny Cash’s 1967 custom MCI motor coach was off to the side.
• The building opened its doors right at 10:00 AM and we all filed inside. Some got into the ticket line and other moved over to the windows to wait for instructions. It was unclear whether we were to get in line or not. Yes, No, Maybe ?? Brief confusion.
• MM03MOK got tickets for everyone and passed them out. Also part of the registration fee. After getting our wristband, we were free to check out the displays on our own. The group gradually dispersed as they all went off to the various levels.
• There are six (6) levels in the Hall of Fame and most members picked up a Guide at the door so we knew what was on each level.
• The Bluerauders decided to do the tour in order, so we jumped on the escalator down to the 1st Level.
• We were told by some of the members that you could easily spend an entire day in the Hall of Fame. I was a little skeptical. However, when we left about 6.5 hours later, I am still not sure that I saw everything … and I am positive that I didn’t make it to Levels 5 and 6.
• Music is a huge memory trigger for me and the entire day was a flashback to my earliest years some 60 years ago. Every event and every memory came to mind as music played through all of the various periods, genres, and artists. I was particularly impressed with the acoustics and sound system that allowed you to hear music in one area only as you passed through without even a hint of sound from the previous area or the next one. Very good sound focus and isolation.
• Our first stop on the tour was in a small theater on the History of Rock & Roll music. We got there in the middle and sat down with Hammerdown and Ford Frk. Mr. Man and Ms. Denmark were in the first row. Others in our group were scattered through the seats. As the music history lesson showed on the screen, we were transported through time with artists, bands and groups going back to the beginnings of Rock & Roll. I knew this was going to be a good day. Maybe they should have a dance floor in there with the seats for those who got the sudden urge to be 18 or 16 or 14 or 40 again. My feet were tapping to the sounds of my youth.
• We saw displays on Nashville, Memphis, Detroit, Philadelphia, Los Angeles and other cities as music changed over the years and different sounds and genres emerged.
• We saw displays for Buddy Holley, the Big Bopper, Richie Valens, Chuck Berry, Ricky Nelson, Elvis, Barry Gordy, the Supremes, the Temptations, Four Tops, Smokey Robinson, Conway Twitty, Johnny Cash, Crosby-Stills-Nash-Young (CSNY), Chicago, the Beatles, and the Rolling Stones. There were clothing, artifacts, concerts passes, 45 RPM records (remember those ??), and notes and letters. There were even some scraps of paper where songs were written and preserved for posterity. Further into the display area there was Beyonce, Lady Gaga, and Taylor Swift. There were even some there that I had never heard of before. Not surprising at all.
• Got a pic of MERCMAN and MERCMAAM in the recording booth singing along with Graham Nash when they didn’t know we could see them inside the booth.
• In another area there were displays for ZZ Top, the Beach Boys, the Supremes, the Who and Michael Jackson. Took pics of everything including Micheal’s golden glove and his Smooth Criminal suit. Had to be reminded by one of the attendants to turn off my camera flash. I was caught cheating once.
• The guide was fine; but the Hall of Fame really needs a map to help navigate the rat maze in some of the areas. I had a heck of a time locating the bathrooms on the 1st Level and back tracked my entire route after I was ¾ through one of the areas. Later I found that I was less than 50 feet from where I came in. Sometimes us old people don’t have an extra 5 minutes to find the facilities and need to know the shortest route …. Immediately !!
• Decided to go up to the 2nd Level to take a break outside and saw Hammerdown on the escalator headed up. It wasn’t until we cleared the ceiling on Level 1 that I realized that we were headed to the 3rd level and had to find our way back down through the Gift Shop to get to the main door.
• Ran into BigDogJim outside who gave me the specs on Johnny Cash’s private bus. The Bluerauders went through the bus to check out the amenities. Only 4 people at a time are allowed on the coach due to space constraints. Pretty tight in there with private compartments. TVs in nearly every nook and cranny. Even a private bathroom with on of those RV porta-potties. I didn’t see a shower.
• NavySeaBee was outside sitting on a bench with his family who met him there.
• It was already about 12:30 PM and time for lunch. We went up to the 3rd Level Rock Hall Café and grabbed some Pizza and a drink and headed outside to the patio dining area overlooking the lake. Steve and Carole Babcock were down in the tapered corner of the deck. Jsignorelli and Joannewere off to the left of us. We grabbed a table near the middle of the deck at the rail. Took several pics between bites of my pizza.
• Next on the agenda was a visit to the Hall of Fame Inductee theater on the 3rd Level. We came into the theater in time to see the 1997 inductees. Had to work our way through the darkness to find some open seats in the very first row. The film featured songs and memories of all of the inductees by year. What a rush !!
• Our intent was to see everything up until the induction of Chicago in 2016. We would find out later that the film ended after the 2014 inductees and had not been updated for 2015 and 2016. We were only mildly disappointed.
• Sitting in the front row may have been a mistake. Both of our necks got stiff looking up and the three large screens and shifting back and forth between them. Our seats were also right at the focal point of the sound and every speaker in the place was pointed at my seat. It did get a little loud at times.
• Somewhere about the 2009 inductees we got up and moved to the back of the theater just to give our necks and ears a break. MERCMAN and MERCMAAM were standing in the back so we slid in next to them for the rest of the show.
• After the film was over, we found out that we had spent nearly 2 hours in that theater. Lots of great music and memories in that one.
• The planned Skype connection with the folks at Euro-Marauderville 2 didn’t work out as planned. Jsignorelli had down a trial run but didn’t forsee a bad WiFi connection from the R&R Hall of Fame. Just not a quality signal to make it happen but he was able to talk to the gang at Miss Pepper’s American Bar & Grill outside Cologne, Germany via phone and text. What a shame !! Thanks Jim for making a great effort to make this happen.
.

[Bluerauder]

Friday Morning and Afternoon (Continued)

• We finally made it up to the 4th Level where there was a Pink Floyd display and “The Wall” overlooking the inside Café Dining area. Took a pic of Mr. Man, Ms. Denmark, and Debbie sitting at a table below.
• Found the Inductee Jukeboxes on the wall on this level very interesting. Mrs. Bluerauder and I put on the high quality headphones and were able to listen to songs from Chicago, Steely Dan, Hall & Oates, and any other artist who was inducted into the Hall of Fame. You could search by name, by song, by genre, by year inducted, and by several other categories.
• We must have been a sight there in the hallway dancing to Chicago’s “Colour my World” (our wedding dance) and to Steely Dan and others. Probably not the first time that has happened. After 20 minutes or so of listening, we decided to let some other people have some fun. We could have stayed there for the rest of the day just reminiscing of days gone by.
• Next to the jukebox area there was a doorway and there were glass panels with signatures of people all connected with music. The panels were are lined up along a tunnel the wound down to the next level. We were halfway down the ramp when I realized that all of the names were arranged in alphabetical order. The bottom of the ramp was the exit for the Inductee Theater. We had just done the walk-through in reverse order.
• It was getting close to 4:00-4:30 PM and we decided to pass on Level 5 and 6 and head down to the main floor on level 2.
• Blackened300a, Papillon, DWStang67, Comin’ in Hot, and a few others were sitting on the ledge next to the window. We chatted for awhile and then decided to go back outside.
• Ladyhawke, Rachel, Haggis, Pantheroc, and Diane were near the center of the court with the big Guitar. They started to walk toward the waterfront. We tagged along in the back as they were about a block ahead of us.
• The gang continued on toward the park and lot where they were parked. Bernie and I decided to drop into the Neuvo Mexican Restaurant and Bar to kill the remaining time until the boat cruise. We grabbed a seat inside at the bar.
• We hadn’t been seated for 2 minutes when MERCMAN approached us and asked if we wanted to join him and Julie for some Mexican dinner ?? We still had 45 minutes before boarding time for the Goodtimes III. No problem.
• This turned out to be a great idea. Thanks Dan and Julie !! That pizza would have never held me until 9:00 PM back at the hotel.
• We wrapped up dinner and paid the bill just in time to make it to the Goodtimes III ship for boarding. Perfect timing !!

[Bluerauder]

Friday, 9 September 2016 (Goodtimes III Happy Hour & Sunset Cruise) Part 2.

• We walked across the street to where MM03MOK and Sergnt Mac were handing out the cruise tickets and got in line to board the ship.
• Up the boarding ramp to the ship’s Main Deck. This was an enclosed area with windows, a bar, large bathrooms, and a dance floor. This level remained fairly empty for the entire cruise. Jsignorelli, Joanne, and MarauderJim staked out a table here.
• We went up to the 2nd Deck and found that most of the Marauder gang had occupied the entire front portion of the ship. I headed to the bar where a long line had already formed. Mrs. Bluerauder joined a table with Mike Brown and Peggy on the starboard side near the front access passage to the bow. Gryphonzus, JoAnn, FordFrk, and Hammerdown were at a table behind us. Blackened300a, Papillon, Comin’ in Hot, 05crownsport, Mr. Man and Ms. Denmark were on the port side. Haggis, Ladyhawke, YIMMA, Joan, Rachel, RF Overlord, MM03MOK, Sergnt Mac were near the middle. Lji372 was all over.
• Prices for drinks at the bar were fairly reasonable. However, the lines would remain rather long for the entire cruise. There was a DJ on the 2nd Deck who kept the music rolling until we came back into the dock. Remember that this was a “Three Hour Tour” so we didn’t quite know what to expect. But, the Captain and Gilligan said that everything would be OK.
• After the boat got underway, I stopped over to the tables with RubberCtyRauder, 2mercs and his fiancé, and mm svt just to introduce myself since I hadn’t had an opportunity to talk with them yet during the event.
• Went out on the bow and took lots of pics and some photo ops with Mrs. Bluerauder, Hammerdown, and Fordfrk. Got several pics of planes passing overhead while landing at the Lakeside Airport right next to the dock.
• The cruise took us up the channel between the mainland and the breakwater and provided excellent views of the Rock & Rock Hall of Fame, the steamship William G. Mather, the Great Lakes Science Center and Progressive Field where the Cleveland Indians play ball. Unfortunately, they were on the road starting Thursday.
• After a short while, the boat turn to port and headed up the Cuyahoga River passing under a Railroad Lift Bridge and the Main Avenue Viaduct. The boat did a 180 degree turn somewhere around the Greater Cleveland Aquarium and Jacob’s Pavillion at Nautica and started to head back toward Lake Erie. We passed between two Lighthouses that marked the entrance to the main channel.
• In the distance, about 3 miles off shore was what I thought another navigation aid/lighthouse. We found out a little later that it was the “5 Mile Crib” and the main fresh water intake for the Cleveland water supply. Although it is 3-miles offshore, it is called 5-mile because that is the distance to the Kirtland pumping station. Didn’t know that !!
• As the sun was beginning to set, the Bluerauders decided to check out the 3rd and 4th Decks and were joined by Hammerdown, FordFrk, and James79stang on the upper level just above the wheelhouse. From this vantage point we had a perfect view of the Cleveland city skyline and the surrounding area. Got lots of pics up there. A little breezy as we were headed into the wind but well worth it.
• Hammerdown starts saying “2 O’Clock, 2 O’Clock ….” I check my watch and it isn’t even 8:00 PM yet. Behind me is a young woman doing the best impression of Marilyn Monroe on the subway grate that I have ever seen … the wind was giving her extra exposure so to speak. She was actually “at my 6” so it took me a while to notice.
• Lots of excellent pics of the sun setting in the West and reflecting off the glass of the buildings on the Skyline.
• As we turned to starboard to enter back in at the east end of the Channel, we all decided to go back down to the lower decks. Mrs. Bluerauder and I continued down to the Main Level and stood on the stern of the ship as it passed the breakwater and the airport. Got a couple good pics of the breakwater concrete dolosse. They are 20-ton concrete geometric shapes that interlock to break up the wave action during rough weather to protect the channel and the mainland. Being in the Corps of Engineers for more than 20 years helps you learn this stuff.
• Back in port at about 8:30 PM, the Captain does a 180 degree maneuver and slides up against the dock smooth as silk. As soon as all the lines are snug, we are informed that the cruise is over and its time to debark.
• A long line forms to get down the stairs/ladder from the upper decks. I know a better way and head back to the stern and enter the Main Deck from the rear. No one is there and we get to exit immediately. Only a short ¼ mile walk to the cars from there. I think we just gained about 15 minutes on the rest of the group.
• MERCMAN and I are out of the parking lot and enroute back to the hotel in no time. As we exit I-77S and make the turn toward the hotel, I notice that MERCMAN turned onto Rockside Place at the 1st traffic light. Then Gryphonzus takes a left onto Rockside Square at the 2nd signal. I already made that mistake once. I go down to the next light and turn onto Rockside Woods Blvd.
• We are back at the hotel about 9:00 PM and I pull into the side lot. Not too many Marauders there in the lot so I roll on down to a large vacant spot to avoid the door-dingers. Some of those MMs behind me will fill in the empty spots around me.
• Looks like the kiddie show has shown up while we were gone. The lobby, atrium and elevators are packed with kids. Many of them are from ice hockey teams in town for a big tournament. They are all over the place. A bus pulls in with the girl’s volleyball team from Berry College in Rome, GA. They are a quieter group and much better looking too. All 5’10” and blonde. Some brunettes. I didn’t notice.
• Up to the room to drop off some things and then back down to the Lobby for some hanging and talking as members roll in 1 or 2 at a time.
• This has been one terrific day and I can’t say how much fun we had at the R&R Hall of Fame and the Cruise. One of the best days ever !!
• Back to the room at about 11:30 PM. We are done for the day. Whatever

[Bluerauder]

Saturday, 10 September 2016 (Car Show at Fathead’s Brewery and Taphouse) – Part 1.

• Up at 6:30 AM. This is a lazy day. Nothing planned until departure for the car show at about 12:00 Noon. I head out front to the canopy. Looks like it has rained overnight so the cars will need a little attention before the show.
• 03mmmonroe must have been up and out early to give his car a Croftgate bucket wash & shine already. No one else hanging around yet.
• Back to the room for a shower and shave. Then back down to the lobby for breakfast. Load up my tray with scrambled eggs, bacon, sausage, pancakes, fruit, toast, etc. etc. etc. plus some coffee and juice. Sit down near the Volleyball team.
• Out to the car at about 8:00 AM with the intent of just drying it off and calling it a day. One thing leads to another and I am doing the full detail deal. It’s a damn sickness. I am joined by FW Linc/Merc who has two cars to work on … his MM and the Lincoln Town Car. He gives me a couple detailing pointers as well as a couple spots that I missed.
• With both cars sitting there with the doors open, some asshat in the red Cadillac SUV tries to back in between my car and FW Linc/Merc’s MM. Not enough space for a motorcycle; but this moron is trying to do the impossible. I walk up alongside and give him my “WTF are you trying to Do” stare until he reluctantly gets the message. He pulled out but wasn’t happy. I don’t give a **** !! FW Linc/Merc just stands there shaking his head in disbelief at what the guy did.
• After about 1.5 hours, I am all sweaty but finally done. The wife comes out and mentions that FW Linc/Merc has done two cars in the time that it took me to do one. Thanks for pointing that out !! I am exhausted already and the day has just started.
• Now that I am done, I can walk around the lot and screw with people who got up later and are still screwing with their cars.
• Ladyhawke, 05crownsport, Fordfrk/Hammerdown are in the back beyond the side Ballroom entrance working on their cars. YIMMA and MarauderJim will be out a little later to work on their Blues. Ladyhawke asks me to check out back to sown
e if there are any vacant spots near the building where she can get some shade.
• Out back BigMercur, 2mercs, mm svt have found shaded areas and are washing and detailing their cars. DWStang67 is a little farther from the building in the center of the lot giving his car some detailer spray. Others throughout the lot are doing the same thing in preparation for the car show.
• I notice that there are no Honda, Toyota, Nissan, Chevy or Dodge people out there giving their cars some TLC. It is about 10:30 AM now. Nothing to do but kill time until departure so I head back out front toward the canopy.
• Can’t wait for the 12:00 Noon departure, so the Bluerauder heads over to Fathead’s a little early at 11:30 AM. We arrive just before Noon and see that there are already several cars lined up near the building. 03mmmonroe, James79stang, FordFrk, Hammerdown, and 05crownsport have already staked out their territory. I find a nice spot and back in next to the building not too far from the entrance to Fathead’s.
• Pop the hood and the trunk and set up for the show with a little bit more attention to the engine compartment. Hadn’t really planned on being in the show; but what the heck … I’m here.
• While I am screwing with the car, Mrs. Bluerauder takes the time to walk around and meet some more people. After a while, she and several others head into Fathead’s for something to drink.
• Cars have been rolling into the lot in 1, 2, and 3 batches ever since I arrived. Everyone is working and setting up. I browse the lot and check out most of the cars paying particular attention to those that I haven’t seen before.
• Final count on MMs was 36 with 23 Black, 6 Silver, 4 DTR and 3 Blue with 34 cars actually in the car show.
• Steve Babcock is cruising the lot, checking out cars and chatting with the owners. He is also signing the engine compartment for owners who ask with his silver Sharpie. Finally got mine signed this time around.
• My car ends up between Jack Soulis (Best in Show – Overall MV14) and BigMercur. I should have put a brown paper bag over mine at that point. LOL. BTW --- Jack’s car had only 7,736 miles on it when I took o pic of his dashboard.
• The heat finally catches up to me and I head into Fathead’s for a little refreshment.
• Inside the brewery, I see Mrs. Bluerauder at a high top table with Papillon, Ms. Denmark, Peggy, and Debbie. I sit down with Mr. Man at the table next to them. 05crownsport joins us a little later.
• The waitress seems overwhelmed. I don’t think they were prepared for the arrival of the Marauder.Net gang. I go up to the bar and order of flight of beers. I pick the Bumbleberry and Schwartzbier. Tell the bartender to recommend the other two choices.
• I am also a bit hungry and mention that I might try the Chili. I get a caution notice from the wife about me and Chili. No waitress in sight. Maybe later.
• Laura Woellert, Jameel Tally, and Eric Lowry roll in from Michigan and I stroll over to introduce myself. I see them on the MCM Facebook page but they are not too active on MM.Net …. Yet !! It was nice to finally put a face to a name on the internetz.
• The car show judges are moving through the lot doing their judging stuff. Blackened300a has volunteered to judge since his car didn’t make it to the show. Not sure who the other judges are … but it doesn’t matter. They’ll all do a good job …. And may the best cars win !!
• Back inside I go up to the bar and order a rootbeer. Still no waitress to be found. Must be 60-75 people in the place and one waitress. She must be Overly Whelmed.
• Saw a church about 0.5 mile from the car show and ask Papillon for some help in looking up the times for services. The next service is at 4:00 PM, so I tell the wife and we agree to depart between 3:30-3:45 PM.
• Get back to the table and 05crownsport has graciously ordered me a chili bowl after hearing my mention earlier. This stuff is quite spicy for my taste but I like it a lot. Work my way through the chili and drain the rootbeer quickly. Need a refill quick. Look around for the server but no luck. Back to the bar for a refill. The heat from this chili is lasting much, much longer than I anticipated so I get another rootbeer to go in a cup and head out to the lot once more.
• Steve & Carole Babcock, mm svt, lji372, RubberCtyRauder, Gryphonzus, and Jo Ann were at the picnic tables up front. Other MM folks were scattered throughout the brewery. Some even took the tour and got complimentary sampling glasses.
• Back outside to walk down the row and back up the other side at the jodging was just wrapping up. Best not to watch as sausage is being made.
• Hang around just a bit more and then head on over to church services at about 3:40 PM. Very short ride to the church and park in the back away from most of the other cars.
• Am quite surprised to see that we are among the youngest people in the church.
• As we approached 5:00 PM, I noticed that the windows stared to darken and then we could hear rain on the roof and see lightning flashes through the stained glass windows. They downpour reached a level of deafening inside the building. Fortunately, the rain had eased off to a trickle by the time we left the building.
• Unfortunately, the storm was headed west to east and we ran back into the heaviest part as we drove I-480 back to I-70. The rain was built up to 2 inches in parts of the interstate. Fortunately, the new Nitto Motivos handled the rain like a champ but I did have to back it down to about 45 MPH for a while. I have seen heavy rain before …. This was a torrent.
• Got back to the hotel before 6:00 PM.
• Under the canopy, 03mmmonroe was doing some EATC O-ring repairs. I called Ms. Denmark at 6:00 PM and told her that he would be ready for her car in about 15 minutes.
• Mrs. Bluerauder and I went up to the room to freshen up and then head down to the bar and restaurant to get something to eat. After dinner, we headed over to the atrium where 03mmmonroe, James79stang, and Gryphonzus had their tools spread out still doing EATC repairs.
• Mrs. Bluerauder sat on a wall and we chatted with Jo Ann while we waited for Conference #2 to open up for the raffle and awards festivities.

[Bluerauder]

Saturday, 10 September 2016 (Steve Babcock, Raffle, Awards and Birthday) – Part 2.



•The formal festivities are about to begin.

•The conference room opens at 8:00 PM sharp and folks start to move to the room. The staff has only set up about 25 chairs. Ken contacts the staff to get more chairs and they start rolling in. Eventually, we would have 60 people in that room.

•Lots of milling around until Pantheroc and Ken started to sell raffle tickets at 8:30 PM waiting on the MM.Net owners to finish a meeting elsewhere in the hotel.

•Steve Babcock got up at about 9:00 PM and gave his Marauder history perspective and then took questions from the audience.

•The announcement of raffle winners didn’t begin until sometime after 9:30 PM.

•Lots of very nice prizes for the vendor & member raffle.

•Tickets were $5.00 for one and $25.00 for 6. I bought a set of 6 and hit 3 times for two hats and a flashlight.

•2mercs fiancée cleaned up with several prizes including the lighted bar sign, a clock, and other items.

•NavySeaBee won the Martyo tuner and tune.

•MarauderJim got a “Rebel With a Cause” Banner and he laid it out for all the attendees to sign.

•Several of lji372’s Cross Over Tube (COT) plugs were awarded. Jsignorelli donated several lighted "God's Head" bar signs and clocks to the raffle.

•Too many other prizes to mention since it took more than 1 hour to draw the tickets and call out the winners.



•Here is a breakdown of awards from the car show



Car Show



Here is the breakdown.



Best in Show -- Supercharged/Turbocharged (SC)



1st place. RubberCtyRauder 04 Silver

2nd place. LadyHawke 03 Black

3rd Place. Erik Lowry (Not sure of screen name) 03 Black



Best in Show -- Naturally Aspirated (N/A)



1st place. F/W Linc/Merc 03 Black

2nd Place. 05 Crownsport 03 Silver

3rd place. Mike Brown 04 DTR



Best in Show -- 100k-200k miles...

03mmmonroe 03 Black



Best in Show -- over 200K miles...

James79Stang 03 Black



Best in Show -- Engine Supercharged/Turbocharged...

lji372 04 Black



Best in Show -- Engine naturally aspirated...

WPG Merc 03 Black



Best in Show -- Overall for Marauderville 14

Jack Soulidis Jr (Not sure of screen name) 03 silver



Most Miles Travelled – 1,475 miles (I think)

James79stang



Drag Racing....



Ken won best ET and Reaction Time (R/T) for the NA cars



The SC award winner went to one car as well. I believe his name was Riley but I'm not sure of screen name.



•After the raffle and awards, it was nearly 11:45 PM. At that point, Debbie & Ken announced my 66th Birthday and brought out a birthday cake and everyone sang the obligatory song. I was able to cut the cake and hand out slices before the clock rolled over Midnight. Thanks gang … I was surprised !!

•We hang out for awhile until the days activities starts to catch up with me. It’ll be a long drive and a long day tomorrow.

•We head up to the room around 1:00 AM. This has been one great day at MV14.

[Bluerauder]

Sunday, 11 September 2016 (Breakfast, Goodbyes, and Departure).

• Up at 7:00 AM. Head down to the canopy. The hotel flags are flying at half-mast in rememberance of 9/11. This is the 15th Anniversay of the terrible events in New York, the Pentagon, and Shanksville, PA.
• Make a quick trip down to get two cups of coffee from the breakfast area.
• Some people with longer trips are packing up and heading out already. 03mmmonroe left around 4:00 AM for his long drive.
• Back to the room to get showered, dressed, and ready to roll after breakfast. Start to pack up and take some things down to the car. Make two trips by 8:00 AM.
• Down for breakfast later than the first couple days. Sit down with Steve & Carole Babcock and 05crownsport. Lots of people here this morning. Coffee and Juice and a little chit chat. People moving in and about. Mrs. Bluerauder comes down a little later and sits at another table with Gryphonzus, JoAnn and others.
• Lots of people here for breakfast and after we are done, we go from table to table to say our “Goodbyes”. Thank Ken and Debbie and Pantheroc and Diane for a great time.
• Outside Mr. Man and Ms. Denmark are packing up out front to depart. Hammerdown and Fordfrk are in the side lot doing the same. Everyone is getting ready to roll out of Cleveland.
• We hit the road at 11:30 AM. Make a quick stop at the Sunoco before the Interstate.
• It is 383 miles and right at 6+ hours to home. We’ll be home in 7 hours, I hope.
• We’ll be taking the PA Turnpike to Breezewood, PA then I-70 past Hagerstown and Frederick, turn south on I-270 to the Capital Beltway. With luck we will miss most of the traffic during the middle of the day. Let’s hope so.
* Stopped at the Somerset Rest Area for gas and lunch. This was a big mistake since the Shanksville, PA "Flight 93 Memorial" is only 5 miles away from this stop and this was the 15th Anniversary of 9/11. It was absolutely packed with 7-8 cars in line for every gas pump. Inside, the lunch crowd was almost out the door. Hit the restrooms and decided to postpone any eats and fuel until we reach the Breezewood, PA interchange with I-70.
• Arrive at Home at 6:30 PM exactly. 7 hours total. Not a bad trip at all.
• Total of 844 miles door to door. About $105.00 in gas alone. Memories = PRICELESS.
• If you missed Marauderville XIV (MV14), you sure missed out on a Great time.
• Don’t be missin’ the next one. Ya hear.
• Marauderville XV (MVeeXVee)(MV15) plans are already in the works. Expect an announcement sometime early in 2017. Already looking forward to next year.

Unfortunately, this Marauderville is not without a note of sadness. Near the end of the Saturday night awards, Paris Loury (Pfunk46)who many members met for the first time during the event asked to say a few words. He was excited and enthusiastic about having a Marauder and being a part of the Marauder family. He noted that he felt welcomed immediately into the MM.Net community. Sadly, after the event we learned that this young man who was full of life had passed away suddenly in his sleep due to complications from a seizure. He will be laid to rest on Saturday, 17 September. I will remember Paris as friendly, outgoing, and a pleasant young man. He will be remembered by the members here !! R.I.P. Paris

THANKS FOR THE MEMORIES GANG & A SPECIAL THANKS TO KEN, DEBBIE, JERRY, DIANE AND MMO3MOK FOR DOING ALL THE PLANNING, COORDINATION, LEG WORK AND THE SET-UP ON THIS EVENT. YOUR EFFORTS PAID OFF IN SPADES AND THIS WILL GO DOWN AS A REALLY ENJOYABLE EVENT FROM START TO FINISH. THANKS TO ALL WHO MADE MV14 IN CLEVELAND, OH A TRULY MEMORABLE EXPERIENCE. WE HAD A GREAT TIME. HOPE YOU ALL DID TOO.

[a_d_a_m]

Very comprehensive! :D

[Ms. Denmark]

Fabulous recap as always. Thanks, Charlie! It's fun to relive the day-by-day and we had a great time!

[HammerDown]

Charlie, your recaps are spot on!!!!
We also had a great time!!!
Hope everyone else did also.............

[Mr. Man]

That's some "Dear Diary" there Charles.

To clarify the ride height sensor and it's related assemblies were all bad and the car was actually jacked up as the bags fully inflated. References to the '70 Chevelles were whispered about. Got all new assemblies and BADMOJO as Ms.D has so aptly named her car rode like a champ the rest of the event.

Homeskillet sat at table 1 with the cool kids...and to close out I didn't eat that many cookies;)

[Blackened300a]

I felt like I just redid the entire long weekend. Great write up as always Charlie!!

[DWSTANG67]

I have to say sometimes we don't know everything that happened until we read your summary.

Thanks for the recap and keep up the good work

[RubberCtyRauder]

Nice recollection and play by play of the events!

[Pat]

I obtained a T-shirt and would like to compliment the design. Captures the theme.

Regards,

[RF Overlord]

Amazing level of detail, Charlie, as always!

[Papillon]

Charlie?! If I can have a quarter of your memory retention skills, I'd be set for life.

Amazing! Thank you for the recap!! Always look forward to reading these!

[Bluerauder]

Charlie?! If I can have a quarter of your memory retention skills, I'd be set for life.

It only works if I do it soon. After about 1 week or so, the details get to be a little blurry. :D

[Bluerauder]

We definitely had a Goodtime at Marauderville 14 in Cleveland, OH and here's the proof ....

http://www.mercurymarauder.net/gallery/data/500/medium/Cleveland0048.JPG

[Mr. Man]

We definitely had a Goodtime at Marauderville 14 in Cleveland, OH and here's the proof ....

http://www.mercurymarauder.net/gallery/data/500/medium/Cleveland0048.JPG
The cruise was a blast. I found the perfect spot to stand up front. People just kept walking up to me and handing me unopened cans of booze. The the late dinner over at Melt was the perfect ending to a great day. Rock and Roll Hall of Fame rocked. Waaay better than I anticipated.

[jsignorelli]

Joanne and I had a great time. We are still re-living the events from the trip.
To all who arranged our MV gathering...Thank you.

The few burps we had is nothing compared to the fun times and lasting memories.

[Ken]

Joanne and I had a great time. We are still re-living the events from the trip.
To all who arranged our MV gathering...Thank you.

The few burps we had is nothing compared to the fun times and lasting memories.So glad that You and Joanne and everyone else that came enjoyed themselves!