16th Annual MidAmerica 02 Fest

[MikeinNC]

We got home at midnight last night   What a great time   39 cars including 8 first timers and several super nice new cars    Folks were from CA to Maine, Minn to Texas and many points in between     Great weather, great roads, great food and most importantly, great 02 fellowship with some of the most dedicated and knowledgeable 02ers around     Fantastic door prizes from the vendors that support our hobby    And folks who did not attend missed out an the raffle for a CR 5 Speed!!!!!!!    Thanks Ray!!!!   And congrats Travis!!!!!!     Already booked for next April

[zinz]

On 4/30/2016 at 0:05 PM, eurotrash said:

Hoovler getting hi-tech!!!!  How did he like it?!

 

I think he loved it !  Installation was a snap.  He showed up prepared, with a curve already loaded into the unit and tools ready to go.  What a gorgeous car, too... Love. It.

 

The Friday morning drive was postponed due to heavy rain (you could almost hear the cars rusting in the parking lot  ).  So Bo asked that we go into the 123 tech session and we installed not only David's standard Tune model, but also dropped a BlueTooth version into Darrin Moore's Squaretail.  As we wrapped up the installations, the rest of the group was lining up for the morning drive.  We finished Darrin's car just in time to join the group.  ...talk about some stellar driving roads....wow.

 

Thank you Bo and alllllll the MidAmerica crew for such a wonderful event.  ...is it too early to reserve a room for next year?

 

Ed Z

 

Edited May 2, 2016 by zinz

[dlhoovler]

Huge thanks to Bo and the entire crew for another astounding event! Such beautiful cars, such great people, such a well-planned, warm and laid-back event. I know there had to be so much planning and work over the weekend to give that effortless, casual atmosphere, and it was greatly appreciated.

 

I got home just before 5:30 today, with a total about equal to Andrew's one-way mileage (about 2,100 miles). 

 

And I do like the 123. It's taken some tweaking to get rid of pinging (my initial curve was way too aggressive for the roughly 50/50 mix of 87 and 89 octane I had in the tank, especially considering the Ozark roads), but with a couple of tanks of premium run through it, it's doing great! The hard starting and stumbling on transitions are gone, and it's just buttery smooth. 

 

Well, it's a carb, so maybe the butter just came out of the fridge, but it's still a big improvement from before. I'll be playing with it for a while, but it'll be fun playing.

 

-David

Edited May 3, 2016 by dlhoovler
to correct English-major math

[AmazonGreen]

It gets better every year. Thanks to Bo and everyone who worked so hard to make it a flawless event.

Allen

[adawil2002]

Arrived home safely after 3 solid driving days, total mileage 3,944. Took a different route home from Eureka Springs with Mike Self, Dave Hoovler, Gregory Black and my co-pilot Jim Denker.

 

On the way home I was spotted twice and the pics posted to Facebook. Steve K tagged me in the Ohio pic, taken outside Springfield Ohio. Second time was in traffic around Lowell Massachusetts. The person who spotted me in MA is a friend who follows my adventures on FB. I was surprised to hear my named yelled loud enough I could hear it over the loud radio and the Ansa. 

[dlhoovler]

Glad you got in safely, Andrew! It was a pleasure caravanning with you.

 

-Dave

[Mike Self]

A great time was had by all.  Thanks to my fellow caravaners--getting there (and back) was (nearly) half the fun!  We drove some nice back roads--a different route going and coming--that were just great for 2002s...when we didn't get stuck behind some slowpoke in a Town Car on a twisty section with no passing zones.  

 

Event was great as usual.  Most everyone came home with at least one door prize--I'm set for the foreseeable future on brake fluid--I won two liters of the stuff!  And Jim Denker even won some lower control arms for his E30!  Thanks again to Bo and Barb, and the rest of the crew for a GREAT weekend.  Well worth the 700+ mile drive each way.  Less than a year 'till the 2017 event...see you there next year.

 

And best of all, the organizers had a hard time picking a hard luck award trophy winner...no one had any real trouble going, coming or during.  Not bad for 40+ cars, the youngest of which is now 40 years old.  

 

cheers

mike

[dlhoovler]

A fun coda on the event: I was surprised and humbled to have the Orange Car receive the Founder's Choice award. Very cool. As I was unloading the car Monday night, I brought the trophy in to show the family. Suddenly, my 3-year-old gasped dramatically, covered her mouth and said, "WHAT is that BEAUTIFUL thing?"

 

For reference, this is the award:

 

I think I've got a car-girl in the making!

 

Here she is playing in the '02 (yes, she uses a car seat when we're actually going somewhere).

 

 

-Dave

Edited May 4, 2016 by dlhoovler

[zinz]

So awesome... 

 

Ed

[BoBlack]

Lots of folks contribute to making MidAm a success.   Barb and I would like to thank:

    Keith K - website, t-shirt design, Q-A panel     Some of Keith's pics are now on  www.midamerica02fest.com    More to come!

    Melita, Bill, Billy H & Ron R - Saturday dinner

    Skip's Foreign Car - posters

    Eileen P & Marge A - registration

    Lesley & Chris B - store & general manual labor

    Mike P - door prize  & quiz set up

    Ray K - worked deal to raffle the G235 trans - we gained some operating funds and had a good time learning and talking about the trans

    All the folks who gathered door prizes + all those in attendance who contributed a door prize + vendors who donated

    Tech presenters & Q-A panel - Mike P, Ed Z, Jack F, Ben T, Skip, Keith K, Mike S

    Charlie S - Tyson Foods - hamburger for picnic

    Mike U & CCA Foundation

    Kathy & Milo - camp chairs, Gerald W - coco mats, Danuel S - trunk boards, BMW of NWA - watch.  Contributors for cash raffle

    Danuel S - raw materials for awards

The biggest thanks goes to all who attended.  02ers are the best!  It is great to see old friends and make new ones. 

 

    

     

Edited May 5, 2016 by BoBlack

[Emyers]

Bo great to see you and Barb and all the 02 peeps!

 

[MikeinNC]

As Bo said   02 peeps are the best and this bunch carries the torch   Some of the 02 peeps in attendance

 

More here too     http://midamerica02fest.com/

 

Already counting the days till next year!