Now that I'm back from my eight day excursion, I'll be working on adding photos and writing write-ups for all of you to read! Part one will come first, followed by part two, than three. Here's what you can look forward to reading!
Part 1: 5pt0Joe goes "Back to the Future"
That's right! I got a chance to experience time travel! Be on the lookout for more pictures, info, and stories of my experience with the Back to the Future DeLorean! Hands down, this is THE coolest car I've ever seen in my life! I got to meet Marty and was even greeted by the legendary Steve Mcqueen! Don't worry, I even got my time travel experience on video!
Part 2: TX DPS becomes a Storm Chaser
While in transit to Carlisle, PA, the unexpected happened. What I thought was going to be a nice time catching up with some friends in Sturbridge, MA, turned into... well... an almost nightmare. Although I was fine and my TX DPS suffered almost no damage, let me just say that this was a close call... 500 feet close!
Part 3: Carlisle Ford Nationals 2011
This was my third year at Carlisle and by far the best! Due to gas prices, weather, and even a car issue, the Cruise to Carlisle 2011 attendance was small, but it didn't stop us from having a great time! New to Carlisle this year was the Ford Parade and Street Party in downtown historic Carlisle. Truly was one of the neatest additions to the Carlisle experience!
If your club would like to participate in this event, please contact me! Also, please send a logo so I can add it to the site!
"Cruise to Carlisle 2011" Registration: CLOSED
Carlisle Ford Nationals Information & Registration: website
It is time to start thinking about Carlisle Ford Nationals held in Carlisle, PA from June 3-5, 2011! Last year, we had a lot of interest, some of which were excited enough to leave early before the rest of the group! We had a nice-sized group convoy out and even a few Mustangs joined our convoy just for fun, then turned around and went back home! This year, we hope to keep the size as manageable as last year, but we encourage anyone and everyone to join us. We will have as many as we are meant to have convoy out. Expect this not to be just a convoy, but a time to meet new people, make new friends, and reunite with friends made in the past!
The purpose behind this cruise is to allow everyone the opportunity to meet fellow car enthusiasts from various northeast locations prior to the festivities in Carlisle, to arrive safely to the area together, and lets face it... it's just plain fun (and FREE)! What would be more fun than getting revved up for Carlisle Ford Nationals than a cruise in together? I've been working with a few different clubs on designing a route and time schedule that fits as close to all of their needs (as well as those individuals who registered not affiliated with a club) as possible.
About Carlisle Ford Nationals
If you are new to Carlisle Ford Nationals in PA, please visit their website for more information and registration! Please note that Carlisle Ford Nationals registration is separate from "Cruise to Carlisle 2011." By registering your car here, it is only so I know how many to expect and where!
Ford Parade and Street Party
New to Ford Nationals this year, this first-time event is for certain one you don't want to miss! On Saturday June 4th, get ready for the 400-vehicle Ford Parade at 6:45pm! A "special surprise" will be leading the way for all the Ford products to follow. Want to know what it is? Be there!
After you watch the parade, be sure to experience the Street Party in downtown Carlisle! Live entertainment, food, fanfare, and more will make you want to stay all night!
Please note that if you are planning on attending this event with your vehicle, please select the "Downtown Parade" option while registering. Registration is $15 per vehicle unless you register before May 1st. Up to April 30th, you'll receive a $5 discount making this spectacular event just $10!
Not registering with a club or need a place to hang out? Check out these clubs!
If you are attending Carlisle Ford Nationals 2011 and are not registering under a club name, the Bad Pony Club invites you to register with their club. It is their goal to create the largest and best hangout spot on the fairgrounds and they need your help! Every year, the event staff awards the clubs with the largest numbers registered, the greatest hangout spot, and more. They are in close competition with Mercury Marauder club nearly every year and want to walk out on top this year! They encourage EVERYONE to stop by and say "hi" at their tent whether you register with them or not. Please contact me with any questions and I can forward you to a contact.
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Don't forget to stop by and say "hi" at the Triple White Fox Tent! I must say that out of every place at Carlisle, this tent is a great place to stop if you are looking to lay back, socialize, and meet new people. When you sit down and hang out with them, by the time you leave, you'll realize that this hang out spot is more like a family reunion than a hang out spot! If you don't believe me, visit and see for yourself! You'll meet several people that you'll look forward to seeing every year after and possibly even at local car shows too!
Another great cruise
If you are looking for something to do Friday June 3rd before going to the show grounds in the morning, keep in mind the CJ Pony Parts "Pony Trails" cruise. Plan on cruising with 100+ Mustangs if you'd like to join in on the fun! There is no cost to participate. Just show up and cruise! More information available soon.
Information regarding Cruise to Carlisle 2011
June 2nd Meeting Time and Place (updated 4/12/11):
*NOTE: I will be driving down from north of Bangor. If anyone wants to meet up along the way before Sturbridge, MA, please let me know. I may drive down the day before or drive in the night, depending on if anyone wants to join me. I put it on the Google Map below so everyone could see the route.
Please note that this information will be updated regularly as the time approaches. Leaving times are earlier in the day to accommodate any clubs who will need to get their early to setup their display at the show and just in case something goes wrong on the road. We're hoping to not hit construction or anything time consuming happen on the road this year, so please be prepared for the worst, but expect the best! On this route, there are no tolls. If you have a CB Radio that you plan on using, please specify when registering. I'll be turning on CB ch19 to request updates from passing trucks if we hit traffic. Last year that worked out great!
This is not a race and excessive speeding is unacceptable. It is up to me AND you to make sure we all arrive safely without tickets, accidents, and injuries. No one, including myself or any club you are affiliated with, is responsible for any actions you take. By the day of the cruise out together, everyone will receive my direct contact information for the road, allowing quick communication in case of emergencies.
Traffic & Weather Updates
Thanks to Rich D. for sending me a great link with traffic and weather updates! This site will help many of us prepare! Check it out here! Also, if you want to know the traffic updates on the road, you can dial 511.
Google Map of Route
View Cruise to Carlisle 2011 in a larger map
Confirmed Participants By Meeting Place
COMING SOON!
In September of 2010, several Mustang owners gathered at the Biltmore Estate for the "Mustangs at the Mansion" MCA National show. A group of SSP owners were planning on this trip for months and I just couldn't miss it, especially having a great interest in architecture! Being that my girlfriend lives in another state and our time to see each other is slim, we thought this would be a great trip to experience together. I left three days before the show, allowing me the opportunity to pick up my girlfriend in Maryland. Well, it didn't quite work out this way! I was about an hour from home and the thermostat in my TX DPS started going crazy. This was not a good sign. One would think, oh I don't have to worry because my truck and trailer is only an hour away. WRONG! My father was borrowing my trailer to pick up my brothers Mustang outside of Albany, NY. When I gave him a call and told him what was up, he was just getting to his house about 7-8 hours from me. Just my luck! I managed to get it to a parking lot just off the exit and as with all times I travel, I pack a "common things that I need that could go wrong" bag. First thing first... thermostat. After waiting for the engine to cool, I started working on it. Well, anyone who owns a fox Mustang knows that unless you have the right size wrench (length-wise), you can't take it out. Lucky for me, mine fit in there, but I could only turn it fractions of an inch at a time. If I had had one 1/8" shorter, I would have been ok! After sitting parked for 2.5 hours, I was on my way again. Thirty minutes later... ut oh! It starts heating up again. I turn into an Autozone parking lot and wait for my dad to swing in. After nine hours of hanging out with the guys inside Autozone, he came with the trailer. My brother's Mustang was dropped off in NH so that we could take mine home to ME if we couldn't fix it in the parking lot and keep going. So, here I am now in Maine, getting home at about 2am with the truck and trailer because we realized the problem was bigger than anticipated.
Instead of bringing the Texas DPS to show and cruise with the lights on to the Tune By Tuna Whelen 911 Car Show and Car Cruise, I decided to throw myself a curve ball. Little did I know what I was in for...
I brought the MA SSP to the first and only show it will go to before I start taking it apart. Well, what originally was suppose to be a rack and pinion leak ended up being something a lot simpler (so we thought). It ended up being a hose that was leaking. After we replaced it the one we purchased, the second one blew out. Well, you can't buy that one same day in store, so my father fabricated a new one. We put that one in, and the third line blew. He once again had to custom fabricate that line too, but due to the end just being so rotted, it hissed regardless. The only other thing we had to fix was the rotted brake line. That was the easiest part! Then, we decided just to call it a night and loaded it on the trailer in the morning. Since I had to leave before the car show ended to go to work, I just left it on the trailer and parked it. It attracted a lot of attention that way, despite the fact that people thought it was for sale until they actually read the display card! I parked it right next to the MA State Police, figuring that it was quite fitting.
Well, the rain finally held off for a few days and lucky for me, there was a car show on a very sunny day! On July 19th, I embarked for the first local show of teh summer that was clear enough to take the SSP out and it happened to be in Marlborough, MA. It was a great time for many, but luckily for me, my fun started a little earlier...
On the way down, I met up with David P., another Texas Department of Public Safety SSP Mustang owner also from New Hampshire. We met up a few exits away from the show and drove in together. This was officially the first time I have convoyed to a show with another SSP Mustang. It was great that it was a TX DPS SSP, as the whole time I was thinking, "Oh I can't wait to have those black and white colors on my TX DPS!" I always found it fascinating how people slow down around me, but when there are two SSP's, you tend to get twice the looks! This is why I can't wait to convoy to a large show next summer with multiple SSP's! You can't beat a Mustang convoy, SSP or not!
I'm not going to get too much into the show, as there was nothing overly special about it besides meeting a few new people and having another TX DPS by mine. I met up with another Roamin' Ponies Mustang Club member and met a few other folks that I look forward to seeing again! There are a few other stories that would give a good laugh, but you'd only get them if you were there (the toy shotgun almost-experience and the thank God there wasnt a cop sitting on the side of the mall "road" while we were driving in). If you want to know, catch up with me sometime and I'll fill you in!
***Please note that I will soon be collaborating and reorganizing the photo gallery since every local show I go to consists of "repeat" cars. With this in mind, I am limiting the photos in this article to the one's below for the time being. One is below, two others can be seen by clicking "Read More..."
Well, what can I say... words cannot express this trip, but I'll try! It all begins when I woke up to head from NH to Southington, CT, to join John (TripleWhiteFox.com) and his '93 Triple White Feature Mustang. Having only exchanged a few PM's and e-mails, I'd never met John in person and was quite excited to meet him for a mini-Mustang convoy to PA! After having lunch and talking for a bit, we set out for PA together. We were excited to see a red Foxbody Mustang GT convertible, hoping that it would join us on our journey, but a few exits later, we found it was only a short ride with another Mustang! Continuing on in our journey, we passed a few really nice street rods and a '67 Shelby GT500 on a trailer (later to find out that he parked behind us at the event). Since I spent some additional time in PA visiting family, in Harrisburg, John went west to Carlisle and I went south towards York. Just before the split, we were accompanied by a black Foxbody hatchback from Ontario. Even though it was just a few minute ride for me, I was VERY excited to be joined by another Mustang, but sad that I had to split. Atleast John had some extra company! Little did I know that when I went to Carlisle on Friday, just minutes after parking, who comes strolling by us in the same judging class? Yes, the black hatch from Ontario! It was kind of ironic. When I purchased my TX DPS, I was originally looking for an all black hatch to trick out (my only non-stock vehicle), so I was extra excited also for that reason! I met the owner and his girlfriend. Both wonderful people! Hope to see them down in the states again for some more shows!
This is the first Memorial Day that I have put in a car to drive/show, which was of course the TX DPS. I figured it would match nicely with the antique firetrucks, as the surrounding towns don't have antique police or other emergency vehicles. I never really thought about the lack of antique emergency vehicles until I actually showed up for the parades, so I got a rather overwhelming response by many. In the first parade (Canaan, NH), I was given the opportunity to lead the antique and current firetrucks, being the first vehicle after all who walked in the parade (with the exception of the Chief of police in front). My mother accompanied me in the parade. During the second parade (Enfield, NH), I was quite honored and surprised that they asked me to put my SSP in front of everyone, just behind the county Sheriff and two other Enfield police vehicles. The reason I felt honored was because I was put in front of the Veterans, which is a big part of what Memorial Day is all about. It didn't feel like I was in a parade, it felt like I helped in leading something more important. My sister accompanied me for the second parade. It was funny to watch all these elementary school students yell out her name driving down the road, as she is a school teacher in Enfield. A big thank you to all who are celebrated on Memorial Day, for the parade attendees, and a special thank you to both chief's of police for allowing me to run the lights! This was my first "public appearance" of having the TX DPS all lit up while driving down a road. Oh... I almost forgot... my apologies to all who were yelling, "light it up," "spin those wheels," or doing a hand motion to do so. Unfortunatly, I don't intend on doing that in this car! To all who took pictures and/or video, please let me know if you post them publicly. To the person in the armed forces who knew about the SSP Mustangs, hope to talk to you again soon!
I got back from the World of Wheels/Autorama car show that took place in Boston, MA tonight and I couldn't wait to put up something for everyone to see! I only saw about a third of the car show due to time stipulations, but I had no problem with that at all. Reason? I was in line for just short of four hours to meet the man behind the Foose Mustang and my favorite car-related television program, Overhaulin'! Yes, Chip Foose!
