2018 AACA Sentimental Tour

[Dynaflash8]

I thought we had a Region willing to host the 2018 AACA Sentimental Tour.  However, that Region has decided, instead, to take on the 2019 Founders Tour.  Thus, at this very moment in time there is no 2018 AACA Sentimental Tour.

 

This would have been the 10th Bi-Annual (is that the right word for every other year?) AACA Sentimental Tour.  Well, I worked endless hours many years ago to get this National Tour approved.  It is a tour to honor the mid-Century automobiles, trucks and motorcycles, that here in our homeland, carried us to victory through and after World War II.  To prove my point, my Region at the time, The Northern Neck Region in Virginia, my wife, myself and the Past President of the Region designed and hosted the first Sentimental Tour.  The AACA Sentimental Tour is for vehicles built from 1928 through 1958.

 

Age and location precludes me from stepping up to run the 2018 edition of the Tour.  If a Region somewhere near south-central Florida steps up, I am willing to help.  Judy and I are one of three couples and one individual to have made all of the current nine tours.  I'll be 80 in 2018 and expected it to be my last one.  If I'm well, I'd even truck a car to California to make my last tour. 

 

Therefore I am asking for a leader, and the members of a Region, to contact the Vice President National Activities and offer to host the 2018 AACA Sentimental Tour.  There isn't much time left, because these tours take a lot of planning.  I've done it, so I know, time is very important to a really great tour.  My Region did well monetarily as result of all the time we had for planning.

 

So, I'm asking, maybe pleading, for one of you out there in this vast country, within our wonderful membership, to step up to the plate.  These mid-century vehicles deserve their time in the spotlight every other year.  They helped our parents and grandparents go to work, shopping, doctors, and so on during the War, and survive during auto shortages after the War, and then become the first cars for many of us. 

 

Thanks for reading.

 

Earl Beauchamp Jr., Past National President 2004

 

 

 

 

 

Edited December 20, 2016 by Dynaflash8 (see edit history)

[Phillip Cole]

In planning the 2016 Sentimental Tour, I found plenty of help from national and others who had done it before. Once we knew what we needed, I asked members from our region, Hornets Nest, and they stepped up to the task. The Visitors Bureau in our host city was extremely helpful and offered significant incentives. Venue managers  and local government officials were very helpful.

In every step of the way we had a great time doing it!

 

There is still time, but some chapter or region needs to step up and start the planning.  ?

 

Phillip Cole

2016 Sentimental Tour Host

[Bob Giles]

I've always wondered if the Tour situation could be improved by creating a paid position at the National level. Their sole job would be to search out and set up Tours across the country with Chapters and Regions volenterring support.

[R W Burgess]

Bob, we already have two positions, although not paid. That would be Marty Roth, and myself for 2016. In addition, your tour as an example, will be assigned a liaision Board member who will stay in close touch with you. Actually all of the Board plus some Headquarters folks are available at any time to help out.

[Dynaflash8]

I'm long off of the Board.....l-o-n-g......................same thing, long-in-the-tooth.  That said, I try to stay on top of the one tour I'm long associated with....the Sentimental Tour.  I'm just a member like all of the other members.  Why don't you, out there, pick a tour you like and try to coax some of your friends to pick that one out and sponsor it?  A national tour, more than anything else, brings recognition to your part of the country, your Region, your club, your members and it builds income and comradorie.  They are good for the soul and you make a lot of new friends, and see a lot of cars you'd never otherwise see.  Trust me, step up to the plate and be a star.

[Dynaflash8]

I "might" and I repeat "might" have somebody interested who knows how to pull off a great tour.  He's just looking for support from members who live around him.  This is extremely tentative, so if anybody out there in AACA-Land is thinking about stepping up to the pate, don't stop thinking about it.  AACA always says on these things, "first come first served".  Let's roll on this one.  Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all.

[Phillip Cole]

Earl,

Good news! Hope it works out...

[Dynaflash8]

Phil:

    I'm doing what I can.  It was a lot easier when I was on the Board.  You know how it is, you become kind of passe after you lose your punch.   Fortunately, I've still got some friends out there.

 

Earl

[Paul Dobbin]

 

As a participant in most of the 10 Sentimental Tours, I sure hope it gets a Region to host it.  I know it's a lot of work and a lot of fun to host a National Tour, as well as a good fund raiser for the hosting group.  With 1928-1958 car trucks visiting your area and seeing the sights you take for granted, it builds local interest in your antique car group and brings the coolest moving car show ever to your town.

We do the Sentimental Tour and the Glidden Tour to see America at 45 MPH and visit areas we'll never see from the Interstate Highway system.  Remember your back roads and local history is special to you and we'd love to see it and get to know your part of the wonderful country.  We're so rural that our closest active region Region is 80 miles away, but if they would host the tour, I'd write the tour for the day they came my direction.  That's why so many tours are done by more than one Region.  Get together with another Region and see if you can cooperate and build a regional Sentimental Tour, and if you are in the Smoky Mountains.call me.

Edited December 27, 2016 by Paul Dobbin
spilling (see edit history)

[Dynaflash8]

Yea Paul Dobbin....the only guy on the first ever Sentimental Tour in 2001 to get his motor home stuck in the sand.  We needed a 4-wheel drive Dodge pickup to get him on his way to the campground!  haha.  The Dobbins' were on Tour #2 in Kentucky.  Which one did you miss Paul?  Most of those who have missed one, it was #2 in Kentucky.  Earl, Chairman #1, 2001 Sentimental Tour, White Stone, VA

 

PS: The first two were 3-day tours to prove it was tour people wanted, and there have be 8 more 5-day tours since, one every other year, and under the rules they all count.

 

 

[Paul Dobbin]

Earl, I don't know which one we missed because we were not there.  Probably a Florida Tour because we toured Florida for 40 years and it was all old hat to us.  We made the Kentucky one and if the Lexington Ky Region ever does another tour, we'll buy a car to qualify.

 

[Dynaflash8]

Yes, Paul, the Lexington group did a wonderful job on that tour.  A lot of people did miss that one, and it was one of the best.  This next one will be the 10th.  Stay tuned, with a little luck and support, I think somebody might step up to the plate for a tour I've always wanted to see happen at a place most of us have never been with our old cars.  I've got my fingers crossed.  Happy New Year to all.

Edited January 1, 2017 by Dynaflash8 (see edit history)