This was our second trip to the Williamsburg area. The first time was around 1975, when we decided to get away from work for a week. Those were the days of our infamous road trips: drive like hell, see everything, but stop just long enough to take in the history or culture, or whatever else the area had to offer. This time we "took in" the history.
On the way to GT-15 we stopped at the Mariner's Museum in Newport News (a real favorite of ours) and took in the new exhibits. The museum had been renovated since our previous trip, so it was like visiting the museum for the first time.
Colonial Williamsburg is a wonderful walking city. We spent a day wondering up and down the streets, popping in and out of the restored buildings and watching the craft re-enactments. Ah — the nostalgia, the smell of fresh bread, cooling pies, the burning coke in the smithy's furnace — NOT!
No one remembers the road apples or "little piles" from the other domestic animals, the fragrance of the thunder pot, not to mention the ten yard trot to the outhouse. On Friday night our hosts, the Atlantic Chapter, arranged a private evening tour through Colonial Williamsburg which was led by lighted lantern. We like the private tours: no fighting with the other tourists, and more opportunities to interact with the docents and re-enactors.
We also toured the Appomattox Court House historical site. If you can't drive an A, then walking and enjoying the sites is the next best thing. We even stopped at the Corvette Show at the hotel next door; but not nearly as interesting. Just too many hanging, fuzzy dice.
Once again, we were in our SAAB, Sven, so we didn't participate in the driving events. We did, however, become fixtures in the hotel bar.
There were about 100 cars at the car show, so it was a little more manageable than some meets. We actually got all the way around, but it was still difficult to vote. (Don't tell anyone, but Diane found both ballots in her folder.) And not too many trailers hidden in the trees. There were vendors galore and technical sessions enough to keep everyone occupied. If not, there was always the new installment of the Tom Ball car tour — more neat gadgets. There were lots of crowds around each of these activities.
GT-15 in Williamsburg, VA was a step back in history. Not only did we enjoy all of the history in this area, but we also were able to bring together a group of old NAMGAR friends for a great photo of Bob and Mary Tennity's 1600 with its new owner, Dan Asbury, who also won 1st place in the 1600 Mk II class. Since Williamsburg is close to the birthplace of NAMGAR, there were many original members in attendance.
Remembering the Tennitys
After the passing of Bob Tennity, it was a while before Mary sold the cars. The first was the 1600 Mk II. Dan Ashbury (front) was the lucky stiff who purchased it. At the GT, Dan and Steven got everyone who knew Bob from the early days and gathered them around the car. Steven set his camera on a tripod and snapped this picture. Steven ended up having to make ten or fifteen copies: one to Dan, one to Mary Tennity and one to just about everyone else in the picture.
It may be a bit tough to make out some of the faces, but if you start with the cute lady to the left of Dan, there's Diane Mazurek, Steven Mazurek, JoAnn Beatty, Stu Beatty, the head of Dick Newman behind Stu and the head of Jack Kurkowski behind JoAnn. Then continuing around the back, there's Laura Kurkowski, Howard Goldman's nose, Bob Vitrikas, Mike & Linda Pugh, Len Renkenberger, Ruth Renkenberger, Linda Wright, Rick Green, Linda Green, John Wight's nose between Rick and Linda, Rob Mackenzie, Tom Ball (blue shirt) and Joyce Hart.
The Mid-Atlantic Chapter used their clever logo on hat pins, coasters, coffee mugs, and shirts.
Another successful meet...till next year in space.