Memories of Marauderville 8 -- by the day

[Bluerauder]

MEMORIES OF CHARLOTTE, NC
MARAUDERVILLE VIII (MV8), 8 - 12 September 2010
“Marauders meet NASCAR” (The 8th Annual Marauderville)

Wednesday, 8 September 2010

• 370 miles total. Left exactly at 9:00 AM on time for a rare change. Charlotte, NC here we come. Looks like it is gonna be a nice day for a cruise.
• Am taking the I-95 South to I-85 South route through Richmond, VA.
• The rest of the MD, PA, NJ and NY group have decided to go the I-81 South to I-77 South route. Looks of nice scenery that way running through the Shenandoah Valley.
• That convoy meets up near Hagerstown, MD and includes Ladyhawke/Haggis, Ms. Denmark/Mr. Man, rayjay, BigDogJim and Blackened300a. They are running about 2 hours behind my arrival time.
• Holding steady at 75-80 MPH. Arrive in South Hill, VA the halfway point at about 12:00 Noon. Top off the Bluerauder with gas and head over to the Cracker Barrel restaurant for lunch.
• Supposed to meet FreddieH and Kelly at Cracker Barrel; but have not seen them.
• Seems FreddieH took VA 58 coming out of Virginia Beach and stopped to talk to some local LEOs along the way ….. twice. He arrived just as we were finishing up lunch.
• Browsed the CB shop while FreddieH and Kelly enjoyed their lunch.
• Pulled out of the lot at about 1:30 PM with Bluerauder in the lead and FreddieH trailing.
• Passed through a few brief rain sprinkles enroute to Greensboro, NC. Just enough to wet the windshield and a single swipe to clear it. Hope the weather holds out but the sky is looking much darker ahead.
• Starts raining heavier as we get closer to Greensboro. Road is now wet and the 18-wheelers are kicking up road spray. There goes the wash & wax job. Sure hope the engine compartment holds out.
• After about 2 hours, a rest stop was in order. Bladders needed to be emptied. FreddieH was very happy.
• Traffic on I-85 south of Greensboro gets pretty heavy as we approach the hotel exit.
• Pull into the Hilton Hotel – University Place at 4:30 PM. Leave the MM in the side lot and check in.
• Get a room on the 5th floor and an upgrade lake view room.
• The large banner in the lobby says “www.MercuryMarauder.Net and the Carolina Marauders welcome you to Charlotte – home of the NASCAR Hall of Fame”. The MV8 logo is terrific. Can’t wait to get my T-Shirts.
• Take luggage up to the room and unpack. Lake View is pretty scarce; but if I look real hard I think I can see a small patch of water. View of the huge twin fan air conditioner outside the window is much better. Sounds like an airport. Maybe we should move up to the 10th or 11th floor. Naaaaaah, the bags are unpacked. This is gonna be home for the next 4 days. Room is very nice. Bathroom is tiny.
• Back to the lot to move the car. Where are all the Marauders??
• The hotel has sectioned off the entire back parking lot for us. Both entrances marked with yellow tape. Sign says “MARAUDER PARKING”. No Hondas, Toyotas, Nissans or Kia’s allowed.
• Wow, we must be late. There are already 20 MMs or more already in the lot with several folks milling around and cleaning cars. 03mmmonroe and his Dad are here and has two cars – the black ‘03MM and a brand new company car Taurus SHO. We chat briefly.
• Others in the lot include: Gryphonzus, Vortex, SC Cheesehead, MERCMAN, Motorhead350, and james79stang all wiping and cleaning or standing and chatting.
• Popped into to Marauderville VIII registration room to pick up name tags, goody bags and check-in with MM03MOK, fastblackmerc and Marauderman. About 1/2 already checked in and registered. Others are on the road.
• Get tickets for all of the events – winery, BBQ, RCR, CMS, and the HOF. The Mrs. Bluerauder decides to hang on to the tickets ‘cause she knows I will forget them or leave ‘em in the room.
• Several folks milling around in the registration room. This will be the base of operations for the rest of the week. The sign board outside will be updated with the daily activities and departure times. Carolina Marauders SC Cheesehead, Marauderman, fastblackmerc, 03mmmonroe, and dakslim are our host club. This is gonna be a great event.
• Meet up with fordfrk and Connie in the lobby. Decide to stroll on over to the Shops at University Place for dinner. Meet up with FreddieH and Kelly and head over to Boardwalk Billy’s around 6:00 PM. The small lake behind the hotel is very picturesque with two bridges across to the shops and restaurants on the other side. “Don’t feed the Geese”. Apparently the geese can’t read because they follow the people just waiting for something.
• Get a table in the back of Boardwalk Billy’s. After about 45 minutes, Haggis/Ladyhawke and Ms. Denmark/Mr. Man arrive and say hi. They decide to get a table out on the deck overlooking the lake.
• Meet Mike Brown and his family as we leave the restaurant and recommend Boardwalk Billy’s
• Back to the hotel to hang out in the MM parking lot.
• More MMs have arrived in the lot and include Blackened300a, Ladyhawke, Ms. Denmark, rayjay, BigDogJim and vkirkend. There are lots of other MMs that I don’t recognize but will later in the week.
• Blackened300a puts Voula to work getting the road grime and rain spots off his MM.
• Meet donr and Nancy under the canopy. Those are North Dakota license plates that say “MERCMAN”. They’ve been on the road 3 days and 1500 miles from West Fargo, ND after a brief repair stop in Lexington, KY for and EGR fix.
• Hang out and clean up the Bluerauder from the trip and then just mill around and talk to the gang until about 11:00 PM. Motorhead350 leaves 2 black stripes in the lot. I am done – time for bed.

[Bluerauder]

Thursday, 9 September 2010

• Up early and in the lobby at 6:10 AM. No one in sight. Walk out to the parking lot and meet Jo Ann (Gryphonzus’ wife). Alonso the security guard is finishing up his night shift keeping an eye on our MM babies in the lot.
• Breakfast and coffee in the hotel lounge with fordfrk and Connie. Seems many of the rest are sleeping in or ordering room service.
• Out to the lot at 8:30 AM. Meet Vortex enroute and introduce myself. Also chat with thathotrodlincn and Nora. Seems he bought CheeseheadBob’s MM from Maryland. I thought I recognized that car.
• Departure for Old Stone Winery in Salisbury, NC is at 9:00 AM Sharp. Yeah, right …. This is the Marauder group. Actual departure is right on time. Color me surprise.
• One large convoy to Salisbury and the winery. About 21 MMs including Ladyhawke/Haggis, SilverSurfer03/TCBO1, Daily03, fordfrk, Blackened300a, Gryphonzus, MM03MOK/RF Overlord, MERCMAN/MERC MA’AM, PKASKH28, JCMM, Mike Brown, cwright, 03mmmonroe, SC Cheesehead, Ms. Denmark/Mr. Man, Motorhead350, thathotrodlincn and Bluerauder. Who did I miss. Maybe Marauderman and fastblackmerc and dakslim.
• Another smaller group of 9 cars heads off to the Wood Brother’s Racing Shop. Those in this group are mike laud, Vortex, CBT, gdmjoe, 1stMerc, Go2GuyFL, rayjay, fordwrnch, and james79stang. They’ll meet us at the Lexington BBQ place if they don’t get lost.
• 35 miles one-way to Salisbury, NC. Traffic on I-85 North is very heavy with lot of trucks. Some difficulty in keeping all the cars together. Damn Acura ran up the right lane and wedged in front of me. Not sure how he got into that small gap. Broken up into about 3 smaller groups enroute.
• The last 5 miles was a twisty and winding 2-lane road with a posted top speed of 45 MPH.
• Arrive Old Stone Winery at about 9:45 AM. Tour starts at 10:00 AM. Time to hit the restroom. It was only a 1-holer and the line was already forming. Whew … that was a close one.
• Tour guide breaks us into two groups. 1st group heads outside to see the vineyard. 2nd group stays inside to see the barrel room. We switch later before the wine tasting.
• Get a call from Blown3.8. He and the Shermanator are enroute to the hotel. They’ll meet us later at the Lexington BBQ place for lunch. I give address and location. That ain’t gonna help much.
• Sample some Muscadine grapes off the vines on the side of the building. Back inside for some wine tasting. We sample about 8 different wines with a mix of white and red and dry and sweet. Nothing rings my bell.
• Sample some cherry wine at the counter and decide to pick up 3 bottles. Two of them will be souvenirs for the kids. The other is all mine. Got to keep the wine tasting glasses as souvenirs.
• Departure at 11:30 AM headed to the Lexington BBQ for lunch. This trip is about 20 miles. Traffic has thinned out a little. One big line of MMs headed up I-85 North. Cruising at about 65 MPH. Tail end folks are sprinting.
• GPS Jill is saying “go left”. Convoy stays straight ahead. We take the next exit and get stopped at the traffic light at the top of the ramp. This light is shorttiming and only 4 cars make it through, make a left and disappear over the bridge.
• Light changes and I close up on the two cars ahead of me. One goes straight and the other takes the exit to the right. Uh oh, I gotta choice. I follow JCMM down the ramp and GPS Jill agrees. JCMM does a cloverleaf and is headed back toward the traffic light. Several MMs still there. They turn right and follow us. JCMM pull into a lot and says “I don’t know where I’m going”. This comes as a surprise to the 10 MMs that have followed him into the lot.
• About 6 other MMs pulled off the side of the road in a parking lot of a vacant business. Our broken convoy joins them as they are leaving the lot.
• Ken pulls into the middle of the highway to block traffic. Cars ahead of me go straight. I decide to listen to GPS Jill this time. About 6 cars turn on to 6th Street behind me. One-by-one the cars disappear until I take the same exit that JCMM had picked 10 minutes ago. In the rearview mirror, I can see only Blackened300a. No one else is following.
• Hey, there’s Lexington BBQ on the right. Where’s the exit? I can’t see how to get there. Blackened300a may have picked the wrong car to follow. We end up in a shopping center behind the BBQ place with no way to get there. Blackened300a loads the address and follows me out of the lot and back the way we came. GPS Jill seems to have a better idea on the location now and we finally pull into the parking lot. MMs are scattered here and there. We headed for the lot down the hill. About 10 MMs there. The rest trickle in over the next 15 minutes. Wow, that was sure interesting.
• Lexington BBQ is packed. Line of people extends out the door. If they were expecting our group, there were lots of other folks there too. Building is pumping out smoke from the back. BBQ is in the air.
• Get seated with Blacken300a and Voula. Most of the rest are in the back room. The Marauder gang has taken over just about every table.
• Shermanator and Blown3.8 are here too. Vkirkend is outside. Think he is waiting on take-out.
• Finish up lunch and hang out in the parking lot while the rest of the group finishes up.
• Off to Richard Childress Racing (RCR) about 10 minutes away. Sign in the lot says “Welcome Marauderville 8 Car Club”. Close enough.
• Spend about 2 hours browse the shops and displays at RCR. Looks like a Dale Earnhardt museum with all the #3 cars in including Wrangler and Goodwrench. Cars for other RCR teams are on display as well with history plaques for each car, when and where.
• Finish up and head to the lot. About half the cars are gone already. Hook on to a mini-convoy of 3 MMs with Blacken300a in the lead, Motorhead350 and Bluerauder.
• Pick up Go2FLGuy enroute to the hotel. This trip is about 50 miles. Gas is getting way low. Fuel light comes on as we take Exit 45A for WT Harris Boulevard.
• I thought I saw a Marathon gas station around here somewhere. I follow Go2FLGuy down the highway. He turns into a shopping center. Maybe he needs gas too. Nope, he’s headed to the drug store. See ya.
• Out on WT Harris Blvd again. ½ mile, 1 mile, 1 more mile. Where do they hide the damn gas stations around here. Oops is that a BP Station hiding off to the right? Too late, missed it. Make a U-Turn. No left exit for the station. Make another U-turn pull into the station with the fuel light flashing “feed me”.
• Fill ‘er up with about 17.8 gallons. Don’t think I have been lower than that.
• Back to the hotel around 4:30 PM and head up to the room to clean up a bit.
• Back down to the MM parking lot. Folks are getting ready to head over to the Bikini Bar & Grill. Some have already left. I head on over at about 5:30 PM.
• The car washing and detailing demonstration has already started. Back lot full of MMs. Bikini girls with cutoff jeans bringing drinks to the assembled MM owners.
• 03mmmonroe and Croftgate guy is doing a demonstration of the waterless car wash. Croftgate guy looks like the “arm drop” guy from Pinks All Out. He is wired up and sounds like an Infomercial. Product comes in bottles with pink, blue, white and clear stuff. He’s offering the entire set for $60 and throws in some microfibers towels too.
• The Croftgate stuff does a pretty good job. Many MM owners are surprised. CBT is getting the works on his car and meeting the bikini girls. Mike Brown is also on the wash/detailing pad. Others are waiting their turn.
• Shermanator gets a personalized demonstration and is considerably impressed.
• Marauderman is orchestrating the flow.
• Ladyhawke foregoes the waterless approaches and asks if anyone has a hose available. Bluerauder carries a blue hose (what else) with a nozzle and a universal spigot key.
• Ladyhawke, Mrs. Bluerauder, Connie (Hammerdown) and TCBO1 head back to the hotel to wash the Widowmaker.
• Mrs. Fordfrk and Mrs. Bluerauder say that they may head out for some shopping. More about this later. Hey, I’m loose and on my own.
• Lots of milling around in the lot waiting for cars to be finished. Some of us head into the bar. Marauderman says first one is on him. Thanks, Tom.
• Rayjay, Mike Brown, Bluerauder, MERCMAN, MERC MA’AM, CBT, Shermanator, and Marauderman end up at the bar. JCMM, PKASKH28 and donr are at a table.
• Bartender is cute. Cleavage is ample. Very young. I’d estimate about 5 years younger than my daughter. Dirty Old Man ……
• Back to the hotel parking lot at about 7:00 PM and start getting the Bluerauder ready for tomorrow’s big car show.
• The ladies come back from shopping and I am told that Fordfrk is resting in his room. They are headed back into the hotel. Fordfrk comes out about 10 minutes later and I say that he just missed Connie. They probably passed in the elevator.
• No sooner said than the Fordfrk Silver MM comes roaring into the parking lot. Hammerdown Connie said she had to take just one more spin and get on it a bit.
• The Fordfrks and Bluerauders head on over to Applebee’s for dinner at about 7:45 PM. Just a short walk across the parking lot. Finish up late dinner at around 9:00 PM and decide to stroll on over to the Shops at University Place. Stores are all closing just after 9:00 PM. No ice cream tonight. Run into several others as they are finishing up dinner in various spots. Head on back to the hotel.
• Hang out in the lot for a little while. SilverSurfer03 has his stereo cranking. I can’t hang and head back to the room at about 10:30 PM
• Activities in the lot will continue until the Weeee hours. I can’t do that anymore.
• During the night, someone puts the “Boot” on dakslim’s MM. He ain’t happy.

[Bluerauder]

Friday, 10 September 2010

• Up at 6:05 AM. Not a creature stirring in the lobby. I suspect that the late nighters will be dragging out a little late today.
• See Mrs. Gryphonzus out in the lot again. Alonso is finishing his tour of duty.
• Breakfast in the hotel lounge about 7:30 AM with Fordfrk and Hammerdown Connie again. Haggis and Ladyhawke come in later. A few scattered MM folks in the restaurant.
• Car Show starts at 9:00 AM.
• Out in the lot at 8:30 AM to unload the trunk, touch up the car and set up the Bluerauder display. I am between gdmjoe’s CV and dakslim’s MM.
• About 40 MMs in the lot now. Judges start checking out cars using the 2-page checklist and awarding points.
• Judges get to my car just before 11:00 AM and I decide to take a hike. I don’t need to see sausage being made. I take the opportunity to grab my “People’s Choice” ballot and do a final walk around the entire lot to make my selection.
• Judging wraps up just before 12:00 Noon and there’s an announcement of a driver’s meeting in the registration room pertaining to the trip over to Charlotte Motor Speedway (CMS). I suspect that this is gonna be rules and regulations about the track. I was wrong.
• Straggle on back to the registration room. The wife and I are near the back of the crowd. As I enter the room, the crowd starts singing Happy Birthday. It takes me a few seconds to figure out that This is for ME. Hey, I am 60 years old today. There’s a sheet cake and candles – about 15 I think on it. The full 60 would have required Fire Marshall approval. I am quite moved and cut the cake then tried to shake as many hands as possible. Thanks gang. I was REALLY surprised. That’s what happens when you get Car Show on the brain. The wife was worried about keeping this a surprise. No worries. I was CLUELESS. I thought they were going shopping and were joyriding in the fordfrk.
• Cars starting leaving the parking lot to line up in 4 rows off to the side. We’ll be traveling to Charlotte Motor Speedway (CMS) in serial convoys. Lots of folks take this opportunity to get pics and videos of about 40 MMs in the lot. Cwright walks the lines with his video camera.
• GPS Jill says leave the hotel and make a left. MM convoy turns right. WTF??
• I guess someone knows a better way. Did they say Gate 3. I see Gate 31. Just follow the line of MMs.
• Arrive at CMS about 1:00 PM. Down the ramp and through the tunnel. Up the other side. I am behind CBT. Now we are back outside the track. MMs out front are pulling away. CBT loses sight of the lead cars. Me too. Where did they go? Come up to a controlled intersection and the Guard directs us to turn right. Through another tunnel. We are now on the infield. Wow, looked at the crowd in the seats.
• Oh wait. Those seats are just pained different colors. Sure looks like people sitting in the grandstands to me. Looked that way to a lot of others too.
• We wind around the infield and the seats are getting closer. We pass through the garage area, pass through a gap in the wall and make a left.
• Hey, we are On Pit Road. I pull up and think that I am in Pit Stall #22. MMs are lined up in 2 very long rows. Its photo and video time. The sight is awesome.
• Driver’s meeting up front. One rule. Stay behind the pace car. Single file.
• No wrist bands. No waiver papers. No long wait.
• MM go out on the track in Group of 10 MMs. I am in Group 4. We move forward as the groups go onto the track. Lots of opportunities to take pics.
• Can tell when some of the guys “get on it”. Every MM seems to have a unique exhaust note. Some are quite loud.
• What’s going on with 1stMerc? He seems to be falling way behind the cars in front. 14 seconds …. No wait now its 20 seconds. He’s gonna get lapped soon.
• Getting close. I am lined up next to thathotrodlincn. He takes the lead as we leave pit road and roll onto the track at about 40 mph. Track is banked 24 degrees as we blend into the turn. I flop over against the driver door. Come on guys lets get some speed up so the G’s can ease these banks a bit.
• Pace car gets up to about 80 mph and thathotrodlincn is hanging right on his tail.
• Wow, now I really understand when the drivers say that they are diving down into the turns. Coming in high on the turns you have to look way down to the left to see the pace car.
• My co-pilot keeps telling me to “Go Low” and “Stay away from the Wall”. She thinks I am gonna slide up and hit her side of the car. I don’t think so.
• I thought you were supposed to be taking pictures. Oh, I forgot.
• Back off a little on the backstretch to get a run on the cars ahead. I ticked 90 mph a couple times but most of the run was between 80-85 mph. Good enough.
• Keep track of the number of laps. We’ll be coming in at the end of Lap 5.
• Where’s Pit Road? Coming off Turn 4. Pace car is going in. Hard on the brakes.
• Awesome. Simply awesome to borrow a phrase from MERCMAN’s awesome video.
• I was so overcome by the laps that I didn’t realize that we had an opportunity to do it twice. Group 5 including Hammerdown Connie accompanied by Ms. Denmark were already out on the track.
• Time to line up the MMs for the group photo shot. SC Cheesehead takes over the duties of getting the two rows all lined up by front bumpers angled toward each other. Lots of pics. The official photographer got some terrific pics from his perch on top of his car.
• Time to head out. Awwwww. Let’s do it again. Back out the way we came. Some head back to the hotel. Others head to the CMS Gift Shop for souvenirs. After a Quick stop to browse the goodies, we head out. GPS Jill says take Concord Parkway south all the way to the hotel. Great.
• Many of the others haven’t had lunch so they head off to Joe’s BBQ.
• Bluerauder and the Missus head straight for the hotel and arrive before 4:00 PM. Need to have a cold one before heading to the room. We belly up to the hotel bar for a quick drink.
• SC Cheesehead, james79stang, donr and others begin to drift in. SC Cheesehead starts handing out CMS Lap Certificate for those assembled at the bar.
• Not much time before the racing crowd has to depart for the 6:00 PM gate time at Jefferson-Pageland Dragway. That’s a 1-hour, 50 mile trip down through Monroe, NC into South Carolina. Sherman, Blown 3.8, Ken, james79stang, 03mmmonroe and others head out before 5:00 PM enroute to racing fun.
• We decide to hang out at the hotel. Ms. Denmark & Mr. Man want to meet at 6:30 PM to head over to dinner. Tonight I think we’ll be going to Ciro’s Italian Restaurant on the back side of the shops at the lake.
• Head back to the room to clean up, take a break, change clothes and rest.
• Back down in the lobby at 6:00 PM and decide to check out the pool. Fordfrk and Connie are already sitting next to the pool. Blackened300a and Voula show up a little bit later and both jump right in. Paul made the biggest splash. I gave him a 9 out of 10 on style. 8 of 10 on height.
• Meet our dinner partners Ms. Denmark & Mr. Man right at 6:30 PM and we head off across the bridge over the lake.
• Ciro’s Italian Restaurant looks very nice. We’re happy with our selection for tonight. I order the Chicken Parmesan …. Excellent.
• I take 3 birthday calls from the kids before and after dinner. They want to know if I am having a nice birthday. If they ONLY knew.
• Blackened300a and Voula show up at Ciro’s just as we are finishing up. I gave him the thumb’s up. I think he got the Chicken Parmesan too.
• After dinner, we head over to the Nineties Ice Cream Parlor that was closed the night before. This time they are open and I get a chocolate cone. Ms. Denmark gets a cup. She shares. I don’t.
• I am having trouble texting my son and walking. The group heads over the bridge and leaves me behind to catch up. We meet MERCMAN & MERC MA’AM enroute. Also link up with Haggis/Ladyhawke, Fordfrk and Hammerdown Connie. She now needs to log on and get her own screenname.
• Back to the hotel lobby about 9 PM. The Marauders have staked out the lounge area with the comfy chairs and couch. Everyone is talking about the day’s activities especially the laps at CMS. TCBO1 is on her laptop uploading pics. SilverSurfer03 is checking out pics. Haggis and Ladyhawke are showing dead chicken and Savannah videos. Redster comes over to drop of some pics that’s he has already printed off from CMS. Ms. Denmark is browsing the New York Times. I think Mr. Man is dozing in the big chair.
• We hang out there for awhile and then decide to call it quits for the day. Lots of sun today has knocked me out.
• The drag racing crowd won’t be back until later. They’ll hang out in the parking lot and share war stories and ¼ mile adventures. I’ll hear about the highlight “heads –up” race between james79stang and Blown 3.8 tomorrow.
• I’m done for today at about 10:30 PM.
• Again, during the night, the MM bandits strike and add some messages on the Navy to dakslim’s rear window. He ain’t gonna be happy again.

[Bluerauder]

Saturday, 11 September 2010

• Up at 6:00 AM. It’s NASCAR Hall of Fame day.
• Pick up two coffees down in the restaurant and see the $2.00 per cup sign. I’ve been drinking this stuff free every morning and never saw that sign. What’s up with that? At the Hampton Inn, there’s free coffee and tea 24/7.
• Back down for breakfast at 7:30 AM. No fordfrk and Hammerdown this morning. Maybe a late night at the races. Alonso told me that there were folks in the parking lot until 4:00 AM.
• Out in the lot at 8:30 AM. Some are encouraging car pooling due to parking. Fordfrk and Connie ride in the Bluerauder. Departure at 9:00 AM. Depart in several groups and line up the big MM convoy along the side of the entrance ramp to I-85 South.
• We off in a 40 MM convoy that stretches for about a mile. Things enroute are uneventful until a Landscaping truck merges into the convoy and immediately slows to about 45 mph. A huge gap starts to open up.
• I hear a roar behind me and Blackened300a passes me in a blur. I follow him and jump in front of the truck. The rest of the MMs follow suit. We take a couple exits. Do a couple merges and wind on into downtown Charlotte.
• Should have made two MM lines at the light for the left turn. Too late the light goes Yellow after only about 5 cars. I jump in the left lane and take the inside turn. Blackened300a slows to let me back into line. The rest of the cars are trapped at the light. No problem. We are only 2 blocks from the HOF Parking Garage.
• The constant roar of MMs in the parking garage is sweet music. MMs continue to arrive for about 10-15 minutes we occupy a large section of the garage.
• We walk on over to the NASCAR Hall of Fame entrance. Doors open at 10:00 AM. Looks like we have about a half-hour to kill. More milling around and photo ops outside the building. They just opened in May 2010. Pretty nice design. We check to make sure we have our “hard card” tickets for the HOF. Yep, that’s why she held on to them.
• Doors open and many in the group turn right and head straight for the restrooms. All that morning coffee has caught up. Some take the opportunity to browse the gift shop.
• We pass through the entry turnstiles just after 10:00 AM and are directed toward a green screen for pics as individuals, couples or groups. The pics will be available upon departure for a “small charge”.
• We enter the main hall. There are 4 levels to the displays. Register with the “hard card” that is used to access certain displays and keep track of you in the HOF of what you see and do. Personalized with your own driver and helmet.
• Wrapped around the outside glass wall is a ramp with cars dating from the 50’s Hudson Hornet up to the present day. Cars are displayed in a race track setting and the track is banked. Markers starting a 2 degrees are marked on the roadway. The banking gradually increases to 33 degrees representing the turns at Taladega Speedway.
• I get to stand on the 33 degree bank and it ain’t easy. Feels like I am walking on the roof.
• Make our way to the 2nd floor where the first 5 inductees to the Hall of Fame have their memorabilia displayed. Bill France Sr., Bill France Jr., Richard Petty, Dale Earnhardt, and Junior Johnson form the Class of 2010 inductees.
• Take some pics from the glassed in area overlooking the main lobby below. SilverSurfer03 waves and takes a pic. I return the favor from upstairs.
• I try out the NASCAR simulator and promptly run into the wall at Richmond International Raceway in Turn 3 at about 140 mph. The car spins out of control and end up on the infield backwards. I take it a bit easier down the backstretch on the next 4 laps but my times don’t win any prizes. By the time we exit the 2nd floor, I have already been pushed to 32nd place. Voula is about 15 spots ahead of me. Still got to have my photo taken with the trophy. Best wreck I suppose. Those pics will also be waiting at the exit.
• The wife has been watching “my car” on the Richmond track and witnesses the wall incident and spinout. She says that if she had seen that BEFORE the laps at CMS she would have been riding with someone else.
• FreddieH (jack man), Blackened300a (wheel man) and SilverSurfer03 (gas man) take the Pit Crew challenge and do well enough to place 2nd on the board. They stop to let the gang take pics of the winning crew.
• Ms. Denmark is at the open simulator taking her chances at Richmond only not inside the car.
• More displays on the 3rd and 4th level. Have my pic taken as a flag man over the simulator raceway cars. Looks almost real. Yep, those pics will be waiting at the exit too.
• Time to head to Buffalo Wild Wings for lunch. Stop to check the photos and end up buying all three sets since the price was graduated and got less for the more sets. Think I paid $25, 20 and 15 or $60 for all three. Maybe it was lower than than. Who cares. Let’s eat.
• Haggis tells the waiter that we need a table for 12 …. Oh wait … make that for 20. You’re kidding right? Nope. More folks continue to stream in.
• Wait is about 30 minutes. It is starting to rain outside. Weather has held off well for all of the events so far. The trip back to the hotel is gonna be wet. Who cares now?
• We get a table for 14 and sit down with many from the CAMarauders. Blackened300a and Voula are honorary CAM members. Others are scattered at tables through the restaurant. We order drinks and then lunch. By now it is close to 2:00 PM and we are all starved.
• MM03MOK, Shermanator and Blown 3.8 are at a table behind us. BigDogJim finds a table near us too.
• Daily03 and Nellie are looking for the people that they rode down with. Can’t find ‘em and can’t remember the name. Maybe it was thathotrodlincn or dakslim. Their car is still in the parking garage so that’s OK. They meet up a little later for the ride home.
• After lunch we head back to the Hall of Fame lobby for some group shots in front of the HOF logo and others.
• Out to the parking garage. Rain is starting to ease up. Some cars are already gone. There is a line to get out of the garage. MMs block both lanes. Some confusion over the discount on the way out. I think we all paid a different price to get out. No problem.
• We travel on our own using GPS Jill’s guidance. We catch up to a line of MMs just before Exit 45B for WT Harris Boulevard. I think we caught Blackened300a, rayjay and CBT. I fall into the line and pull into the MM parking lot at about 3:30 PM.
• Maybe we can make church tonight so that we don’t have to worry about missing the breakfast.
• Up to the room to rest, clean up and head out to the church about 2 miles away about 5:00 PM.
• Uh Oh …. Seems the Church is closed. Told by locals that everyone is downtown for a big shindig. Looks like we will be coming back at 7:30 AM tomorrow morning.
• Stop to get gas on the way back to the hotel. Just needed to top off before the run to Virginia on Sunday. These gas stations seem to be scattered at some distance down here. Not very visible in many locations either.
• Back at the hotel a little after 6:00 PM.
• Spot Smokey Bones across the access road from the hotel. Fordfrk and Connie join us for dinner at about 6:30 PM for the walk over.
• Blackened300a heads cross town about 12 miles headed to a BBQ place that was recommended.
• As we are leaving Smokey Bones, we see Blackened300a and Voula at a side table. Seems the BBQ place was “take out” only and no one was eating BBQ in Paul’s MM. Maybe he is just following us.
• Get back to the hotel around 8:00 PM and are informed that the awards, raffle and door prizes will be done at 9:30 PM in the registration room.
• Here’s the awards roster for the Car Show and the Drag Racing ….

Car Show
1st Place - NA: 03mmmonroe
2nd Place - NA: Daily03
1st Place - SC: Mike laud
2nd Place - SC: PKASKH28
1st Place - Over 100K mileage: james79stang
2nd Place - Over 100K mileage: dakslim
1st Place - Non-Marauder: gdmjoe (2003 CV)
People's Choice: Ladyhawke
Best Display: Bluerauder

Drag Racing
Best RT: Blown 3.8
Lowest ET - NA: Ken
Lowest ET - SC: Shermanator
Highest Top Speed - NA: Ken
Highest Top Speed - SC: Shermanator
JPD "King of the Hill" Marauder Feature Race- Blown 3.8

Special Awards
Long Distance Award (driven): Donr (1,450 miles - Fargo, ND)
Cheerleader Award: Bluerauder
1st Annual "Boot" Award: dakslim

LCR Winner
fordfrk (a.k.a. lucky s.o.b.) ;)

• Lots of very nice prizes for the vendor raffle, door prizes, and the 50/50 raffle to benefit Marauderboi. CBT and 03mmmonroe were wearing out the carpet to pick up their prizes.
• Think it all wrapped up around 11:00 PM and we were off to the room and a good nights sleep.

[Bluerauder]

Sunday, 12 September 2010

• Up at 6:00 AM. Make a quick trip down to get two cups of coffee from the restaurant. I am busted. Gotta pay $4.00 for 2 coffees.
• Back to the room to get showered and ready to roll.
• Headed out to church at about 7:00 AM. We arrive in plenty of time. Was hoping for a short service. No such luck.
• Back at the hotel at 8:30 AM and we headed straight to the breakfast room.
• Some folks have finished eating and are ready to head out. Lots of goodbyes and such. Try to work in some bites between the byes.
• Hang out and chat until about 9:30 AM. Pick up my Marauder shot glass from fastblackmerc. Say goodbye to the rest of the crowd.
• Head up to the room to pack up and check out of the hotel.
• More goodbyes out in the parking lot. Several folks have already hit the road early. Donr left Saturday afternoon to make his trip back to North Dakota. James79stang was on the road early to Texas. Same with Vortex. Mike Laud was headed back to Iowa. The trip to Northern Virginia looks like a cake walk.
• Haggis/Ladyhawke, Ms. Denmark/Mr. Man are gonna take a sidetrip to the Blue Ridge Parkway for a scenic drive. rayjay takes off on his own for the run up I-81.
• We hit the road at 1030 AM. Stop in Henderson, NC just before the Virginia state line for gas and food at about 1:00 PM.
• Talk to BigDogJim. He got a late start and is running about 1.5 hours behind us.
• All goes pretty smoothly until about 5 miles from Frederickburg, VA on I-95 North. Traffic is slowed to a crawl. This seems to be the standard “return from the beaches” traffic jam headed north. We pull off onto Route 1 south of Fredericksburg for a rest break. Decide to top off the gas for the week and drop into McDonald’s for a chocolate milkshake. What the heck …. I am on vacation.
• Speak to BigDogJim and tell him about the jam on I-95. Suggest that he cut off I-95 on the Bowling Green exit and take US 301 north. This should save him about 45 minutes in a 15-mile traffic jam. Jim catches up to SilverSurfer03 in southern Maryland somewhere along US 301.
• We continue our trip north on US 1 for about 10 miles and cross over to I-95 above the jam for the last several miles.
• Arrive home at a little after 5:00 PM.
• What a Blast. It was a really great trip and a fanstastic time with old friends and new ones.
• Now I gotta get on the computer and check the MM.Net and upload some pics.
• See ya !!!
• If you missed Marauderville VIII (MV8), you sure missed out on a Great time.
Don’t be missin’ the next one. Ya hear.

THANKS FOR THE MEMORIES GANG & A SPECIAL THANKS TO SC CHEESEHEAD, FASTBLACKMERC, MARAUDERMAN, 03MMMONROE, AND DAKSLIM FOR DOING THE COORDINATION AND THE SET-UP ON THIS EVENT. THANKS TO FORDWRNCH FOR HIS HELP ON THE CAR SHOW AND TO ALL OF THE OTHERS THAT MADE MV8 IN CHARLOTTE A TRULY MEMORABLE EXPERIENCE. WE HAD A GREAT TIME. HOPE YOU ALL DID TOO.

[Mr. Man]

Nice recount of the days events Charlie. As it turned out rayjay decided he had a long trip and headed home on his own. Ms D and myself along with Ladyhawke/Haggis and Fordfrk/Hammerdown took in the southern 50 miles or so of the Blue Ridge Parkway. Ladyhawke and Haggis broke off early as they had someplace to be in the evening. Fordfrk and Hammerdown and ourselves traveled the Parkway a bit further north to Roanoke and then got a call to stay off I-81 as there was a big accident that Ladyhawke/Haggis were sitting in. We traveled the service road Rt11 N for 20 or 30 miles then got on I-81 and had clear sailing the rest of the way.

[Mr. Man]

22754 Scenes from the Parkway. Very Scenic.

22755

22756

22757

22758

[Blackened300a]

I swear you must take notes to have such a detailed flashback of the event. You never fail to deliver in these "Memories of.." threads! :bows:

[SC Cheesehead]

Charlie,

Great job with the "memories", bubba!

I'm going to copy them over into a WORD file that I can print out and archive them.

Thanks! :up:

[Ms. Denmark]

+1 for all^^^^^^ Thank you Charlie!! Great memories....mine had started to blur LOL. Glad yours are fresh for all of us to relive! BTW we really enjoyed celebrating your birthday with you and Bern...

[CBT]

Awesome job, brother! Reading all that gave me the chills, and I realized I was grinning the whole time. I wish we were all there again! :o

[Marauderman]

I swear you must take notes to have such a detailed flashback of the event. You never fail to deliver in these "Memories of.." threads! :bows:

I agree..you must have kept notes each day--and we thank you for it too---

What a great daily story of events as they happened --It sure gave me the time once again to re-live it all over--as it will many others as they read it--



Awesome job, brother! Reading all that gave me the chills, and I realized I was grinning the whole time. I wish we were all there again! :o

Me too--WTG Charlie!!!!!!!!!

[Bluerauder]

I agree..you must have kept notes each day--and we thank you for it too---

No notes. All from memory. :D

[Mr. Man]

No notes. All from memory. :D
Yeah Bernie seems to be really on the ball:D

[SC Cheesehead]

Yeah, you get up or beyond the old "6-0" the memory starts to go.

Heck, why do think Phil kept his nametag on all weekend? ;) ------> :D

[dakslim]

Yeah, you get up or beyond the old "6-0" the memory starts to go.

Heck, why do think Phil kept his nametag on all weekend? ;) ------> :D

But everytime I looked in the mirror it said lihP!:confused: WTF!!! I was very confused.:P

[CBT]

But everytime I looked in the mirror it said lihP!:confused: WTF!!! I was very confused.:P
LMAO !! :beer:

[dakslim]

But everytime I looked in the mirror it said lihP!:confused: WTF!!! I was very confused.:P

I have to amend this a little...I have never been confused enough to buy a "blue" car!:lol:

[CBT]

I have to amend this a little...I have never been confused enough to buy a "blue" car!:lol:
They find you, you don't find them.

[dakslim]

They find you, you don't find them.

You shouda' picked a better hiding place!!!!:P

[CBT]

You shouda' picked a better hiding place!!!!:P
That's what HE said. :eek::(:bigcry:

[SC Cheesehead]

You shouda' picked a better hiding place!!!!:P


That's what HE said. :eek::(:bigcry:

Hey Big Boy, I think you dropped your soap....

[Bluerauder]

:bump: Just 'cause I ain't done re-living this great experience.

[CBT]

:bump: Just 'cause I ain't done re-living this great experience.
Hey. Guess what. That's what she said. :)

[Marauderman]

:bump: Just 'cause I ain't done re-living this great experience.

Me too!!!!!!!!!!!!!! This has got to go on for a lot longer-----there was just too much not to tell /discuss---------and a lot has not come out about stuff yet!!!!!!!!!!

[CBT]

Me too!!!!!!!!!!!!!! This has got to go on for a lot longer-----there was just too much not to tell /discuss---------and a lot has not come out about stuff yet!!!!!!!!!!

That's because loose lips sink ships. :cool:

[Marauderman]

That's because loose lips sink ships. :cool:

yeah......I realize a lot of folks are doing the opposite----------not opening up much .....so there is still plenty of time to spread this around...........

[Bluerauder]

That's because loose lips sink ships. :cool:
So do bad welds and loose sailors. ;)

[CBT]

So do bad welds and loose sailors. ;)

LOL !! I was trying to think of some snappy response, but I got nothing, well played.

[Gryphonzus]

Could that be from getting soaped up too much??

[dakslim]

Could that be from getting soaped up too much??

Word's gettin' around methinks!:P

[CBT]

Could that be from getting soaped up too much??
Is there such a thing? ;)

[Bluerauder]

:bump:

For those who have not yet attended a Marauderville, here is a day-by-day recap (from my perspective) on the activities from last year's MV8. Of course, the specific venues at MV9 in Hershey/Harrisburg will be different; but this will give you a good idea of the happenings from early morning til late at night from Wednesday through Saturday of Marauderville week.

[Bigdogjim]

WOW! What's the matter Charlie can't wait till Sept.?


Hang in there Carlise comming soon:)

[Papillon]

wow! What's the matter charlie can't waite till sept.?


It's in October!

[rayjay]

It's in October!

Now, be nice, our memories are not what they once were. I personally suffer from CRS, just ask my wife. I forget what # she is.:D

[Bigdogjim]

It's in October!

I was just seeing if anyone is paying attention:)

Good job!:banana2::banana2::bows:

[SC Cheesehead]

Now, be nice, our memories are not what they once were. I personally suffer from CRS, just ask my wife. I forget what # she is.:D

You too? ;)

[Papillon]

Now, be nice, our memories are not what they once were. I personally suffer from CRS, just ask my wife. I forget what # she is.:D


I was just seeing if anyone is paying attention:)

Good job!:banana2::banana2::bows:


You too? ;)

Lolol! Trust me, my memory isn't like it used to be either. I had to do the math to remember my age the other day!! :shake: :depress:

[Bluerauder]

Now, be nice, our memories are not what they once were. I personally suffer from CRS, just ask my wife. I forget what # she is.:D


I was just seeing if anyone is paying attention:)



You too? ;)


Lolol! Trust me, my memory isn't like it used to be either. I had to do the math to remember my age the other day!! :shake: :depress:

Ya'll speak for yourselves. My memory is just fine. :P

^^^^ that's the great thing of being born in 1950 (or any year ending in "0" ) ..... it makes the math easier. ;)

[SC Cheesehead]

Lolol! Trust me, my memory isn't like it used to be either. I had to do the math to remember my age the other day!! :shake: :depress:

Just wait till you need to start using algebraic formulas to calculate it... ;) -----> :D

[slickster]

I was tryibg to buy a mm for this event but could not so I got a svt contour instead (hey it was $1500) and only made it to the drag strip. Then my shifter cable broke off in 2nd gear on my 2nd run. But right befor my 2nd run sc cheesehead said something to me but did not here him?. And hade tow truck take me home 2hrs.

[Bigdogjim]

Well anywho next up is Carlise :up:

June ..................

[Marauderman]

:bump:

For those who have not yet attended a Marauderville, here is a day-by-day recap (from my perspective) on the activities from last year's MV8. Of course, the specific venues at MV9 in Hershey/Harrisburg will be different; but this will give you a good idea of the happenings from early morning til late at night from Wednesday through Saturday of Marauderville week.

Either way Charlie, thanks for the re-post -We so much enjoyed putting it on and having the fun with everyone...-Loved re-reading it all over once more---and yep....eager to be going to #9.....

[Bluerauder]

:bump:

If you aren't registered for Marauderville IX (MV9) in Hershey/Harrisburg, PA this year, you're gonna miss all the action. Here's a sampling from last year's MV8 in Charlotte, NC.


:bump:

For those who have not yet attended a Marauderville, here is a day-by-day recap (from my perspective) on the activities from last year's MV8. Of course, the specific venues at MV9 in Hershey/Harrisburg will be different; but this will give you a good idea of the happenings from early morning til late at night from Wednesday through Saturday of Marauderville week.

[SC Cheesehead]

One of my favorite pics from MV8: group photo at CMS after our laps on the track.

Can't wait to see everyone again at this year's event.

[dakslim]

One of my favorite pics from MV8: group photo at CMS after our laps on the track.

Can't wait to see everyone again at this year's event.

Of course you like it...you're hogging the photo!

[SC Cheesehead]

Of course you like it...you're hogging the photo!

You're an old jarhead, you oughta know rank has its privilages... ;)

[dakslim]

You're an old jarhead, you oughta know rank has its privilages... ;)

And your'e about as rank as they come!

[SC Cheesehead]

And your'e about as rank as they come!

Yup, can tell Phil got his nap today, he woke up fiesty...