Glastonbury Car Show, June 8th

[Blue Heaven]

Hey Guys!

This is a last minute note going out to any of our group that might be able to make it to CT for a show this coming Sunday. It is being put on by an antique auto club (34th year I think). It is a judged show, although our cars will fall into the people's choice voting catagory.

So far, Wes will be coming down on Saturday and has made a reservation at the Hampton Inn in Rocky Hill for Saturday night. Chuck will be joining us on Sunday morning (show starts at 9:00 am). If you can make it down for the weekend, GREAT! We'll have a BBQ at the house and do some bowling or something Saturday. If you can't make it, we'll miss you but don't sweat it! We have Thunderama the following weekend.

Sorry for the short notice, but the weather this weekend is supposed to be awesome, so a good time is guaranteed for all!!!!

Dino

[Bird03]

Sounds great Dino.

I'll be down there early Saturday morning, so how about our usual 9 AM for breakfast meeting time. You pick the place and I'll be there.

Weather is supposed to be very summer-like.

Note to Chuck:

It's going to be too hot to work on the house on Saturday. Take Saturday off too and come and hang with us.

[Blue Heaven]

Wes,
I've got a place in mind, right in Glastonbury. I'll check him out and let you know.

[Bruce]

Ok by us, however, we will not be able to leave until 10AM that will place us at the Hampton Inn 20 Waterchase Drive, Rocky Hill, CT at around 12:00 to 12:30. Hope this works for everyone.

[Blue Heaven]

Ok by us, however, we will not be able to leave until 10AM that will place us at the Hampton Inn 20 Waterchase Drive, Rocky Hill, CT at around 12:00 to 12:30. Hope this works for everyone.


AWESOME!! Give me a call on my cell when you guys arrive.

[Chuck]

I'll catch up with you guys for dinner Saturday night and will without question be at the show

[Bruce]

Will be leaving in about 45 minutes assuming the other half of the team will be ready on time. I will call Dino when we get close. See everyone soon!

[Chuck]

Man ole man was it hot. Whew. Dino & Wes - did you get outta there before the rain came? Did Dino get a trophy? I got the bird out of the trailer and into the garage just before it started to rain

[Bird03]

What a great time we had in spite of the heat.

Thanks Dino & Susan for being such great hosts. We were all well fed and hydrated at all times and the heat didn't seem to be as bad as they had predicted.

Crossing the Connecticut River on a 3 car ferry was a lot of fun as was the Dinosaur Park and the cookout (actually cook-in with air conditioning).

Dino won 1st place in our division at the show.

I'll post the pictures soon.

Wes

[Bruce]

We got all the way home before any rain hit. Walked in the door about 3:30PM.
It certainly was a great time! Dino and Sue, thank you very much for hosting this event and us all weekend.
See everyone next weekend at Thunderama in New Hampshire.

[Bird03]

Sorry I don't have time to load the pictures, but I will get to them as soon as I can.

In the meantime, I just wanted to show off our "new" New England Banner that Steve (js bird) very kindly made for us. Thanks Steve.

http://www.thunderbirdnest.com/membergallery/data/500/1805NotPortholesInPortlandCruise111.jpg

[Bird03]

Our visit to Dinosaur State Park in Rocky Hill, CT

Dinosaur State Park officially opened in 1968, two years after 2,000 dinosaur tracks were accidentally uncovered during excavation for a new state building. Five hundred of the tracks are now enclosed within the Exhibit Center's geodesic dome; the remaining 1,500 are buried for preservation.

The tracks:

[Bird03]

Dinosaurs:

[Bird03]

With the Dinosaurs:

1. Kirsten, Terry, and Susan

2. Susan and Terry

[Bird03]

1. Dino finds a "Dino Making" kit in the gift shop

2. Terry

3. Bruce completes a difficult puzzle

[Bird03]

Some of the living things on display:

1. Moroccan hissing bug

2. Dragon lizard

[Bird03]

1. Dino & Susan, Roger & Terry, and Bruce with "Dippy" the Dinosaur

2. In the butterfly garden

[Bird03]

Nature walk behind the geodesic dome shows how the swampland looked before the tracks were accidentally found during the excavation for the office building.

[Bird03]

The Glastonbury/Rocky Hill Ferry

The nation's oldest continuously operating ferry service crosses the Connecticut River between Rocky Hill and Glastonbury. The original ferry, which dates back to 1655, was a small raft pushed across the river using long poles. Under State charter, the ferry service was operated by local families throughout most of its existence. The ferry service was such a vital transportation link within the region that crossing would cease only during the most adverse conditions.

At one time, a horse on a treadmill in the center of the craft supplied the power to propel the craft across the river. In 1876, the ferry was "modernized" into a steam driven craft. Today's craft is an open flatboat named the "Hollister III". The three-car barge is towed back and forth by the "Cumberland," a diesel powered towboat.

The 1/16th mile crossing takes 15 minutes and costs $3.00 per car. In all, it took us about 1 1/2 hours to make the crossing between waiting in line and the fact that we needed 2 trips as we had 4 cars and the ferry only takes 3 cars. It was a fun and cooling ride on a very hot day.

Note:

for the people that rely heavily on GPS to get them around, many of our GPS's showed this ferry as the main route from Glastonbury to Rocky Hill. It does cut out about 15 miles of driving around to cross the bridge, but at 1 1/2 hours you are certainly taking the longest route in terms of time.

[Bird03]

At Dino & Susan's house for dinner:

1. Inspiration Yellow at the bottom of the fish tank

2. The fat cat

3. Sue making dinner

[Bird03]

1. Terry & Roger and Chuck

2. Bruce & Kirsten

[Bird03]

The next day at the Glastonbury car show:

1. Roger with his new Platinum Hardtop (really looks great on a Medium Steel Blue!)

2. Bruce

3. Me

[Bird03]

1. Trying to beat the 94 degree humid weather in the shade

2. Dino drives up to the judging stand to receive his first in class trophy

[Bird03]

Big thanks go out to Dino & Sue for their hospitality and for making it a really fun weekend on our "NOT Portholes in Portland" cruise.

[Blue Heaven]

Wes,
Great pictures as always! It was our pleasure to have the opportunity to get together with all of you guys, it's always something we look forward to!

BTW...The dinosaur's name was "Dilly" not "Dippy"! :lol: