Miata Mailing List: August 1998, Message #223

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Fellow Gappers and anyone else that cares to read,

I had a blast at the Gap.  I was honestly considering not going as I did
not have my car and didn't think it'd be a whole lot of fun without my
favorite toy.  Now, I'm sure glad I went.

We arrived early Friday afternoon and checked into Cross Roads where I
got my greeting hug from Woody's Dad.  Then over to the lodge.  There
were already several Miatae there, but not nearly as many as showed
their gleaming faces on Saturday morning for the group run.  What a
sight, Miatae as far as the eye could see fore and aft.  The 6 "bumble
bee" yellows led the pack through the 318 twist, turns, and switchbacks.
Seems the non-event attracted more rare cars than even nationals <VBG>.
We even had a Z3 try to crash the party.  The official count came in at
141 Miatae and a couple hundred Miata nuts.  CATTOY was there in spirit
as a new Peachtree member was at the Snake on the mountain kissing trip
and snapped the "Cat is still in the car in shock and hasn't even seen
the damage yet" shots at the accident sight and was kind enough to give
me a copy.

Ron ran me through the Gap for the group run and shot some great video
footage.  Course next time he'll be smart enough to tell me he's
recording so I'll keep my mouth shut and tie back the hair so we don't
have red strands blowing in the image.  Of course now I am on record as
being a non-car sick type on the twisties....no nagging 'pull over I'm
going to get sick' from this redhead....just squeals to "go faster, go
faster" caught on the audio....LOL.  

Steve Swiger has won a place in my heart as the first "stranger" to
offer up the keys to his car to me.  :o)  I got to run Calvin back from
our visit to the Fiat camp and am a little ashamed to admit I did yell
out to James in the lodge lot as we arrived, "look who's driving, look
who's driving"  like a little school girl (or a Miata nut who's been
without for far too long).  The Sunriders crew is a great bunch of guys
and gals who's roster list includes the infamous Janet "flipper"
Johnson, a most hospitable Miata nut.  Kevin had name tags made up for
the MX5 Journal folks and I proudly wore mine (and I don't normally do
name tags, Kev).  Ric even hand delivered my second issue....ya'all
really ought to subscribe if you haven't already.  

I guess between being one of very few redheads and the name tag giving
my identity away, I was easy to spot because it seems even with as many
people as there were I got around to meeting just about everyone who had
posted me a note about the event.  :o)  It was great to be able to match
names with faces.  For those of you who didn't make it to the non-event
that post all the time, shame on you.  So what if you'd have to drive
thousands of miles and use all your vacation, do it....get your
priorities straight.  Just kidding.  We're very lucky to be blessed with
so many great roads in the area, Deals Gap just being one of the great
curvy stretches.  

At the picnic on Sat. it is rumored that some wacky redhead yelled out
to a certain MCA member who was there in an unofficial capacity who
shall remain, ahem, nameless, "where's your Miata.net sticker, Vince".
I assure you this was not me and I did not duck behind Mr. Merritt after
shouting such.  It must have been Laura, Scott's wife the only other
redhead I saw there, who showed up for the group drive and was the name
picker at the giveaway.  Yeah, that's my story and I'm sticking to it.
Vince is a great guy whom I have spoken with several times and met for
the first time way back in '90.  I don't think he took offense.

We left after watching the first two runs of the Miatas at the Fiat
autox on Sunday.  John Freas, not knowing me very well asked where his
cheering section was.  Little did he know what he was getting all the
Miata drivers at the autox in for.....OK, we were obnoxious, but we
cheered on some of the fast Fiat drivers too, just to be fair.  John
proved to be very fast on the autox course.  Me thinks I should have
taken him up on the ride offer at the Gap.  Oh well, there's always next
year....when I plan on having my car!!! and a lot more fun.

To all who made a point to say hello, THANKS.  There are far too many to
list here, but you all made a poor Miataless soul feel very welcome when
she was scared she'd be viewed as a ride leach.  As Scott put it, I feel
like you are all part of my extended family, sniff, sniff, wiping the
tears.  I'd also like to share a comment by a staff member at Crossroads
who said that the Fiat people were just re-living history made by
someone else years ago.  He said we Miata nuts were the pioneers making
history that future generations of Miatae will come to re-live and
appreciate.  I kind of liked that one.  :o)

See ya'all at Gap '99!!!!  I'm sure CATTOY and I will see the Gap again
before the year is out.

Wishing you all sunny skies, a cool breeze, and lots of top down twisty
roads on which to keep the revs up,

Cat and "CATTOY" '97 M
MCA # 3778, Peachtree, Foothills
Team - damn tired of being Miataless - 8 weeks and 2 days I just counted
:(

    
Cathy
x4779