2018 Eastern Spring Meet results

[Pat Buckley]

Click here for the final results.

[61polara]

You did a great job on the event.  Very enjoyable!

[Doug Novak]

Paula it was clearly one of the best AACA events I've been to and participated in. The Hotel location and grounds were excellent, and the attention you showed to the members such as having the coolers with ice and bottled water on such a hot day was appreciated. The Judging was first class, the trailer parking , the paved Show Field, etc. I could go on plus the Air Conditioning near by in the Hotel was greatly appreciated.  Well planned and organized with  511 AACA cars of the highest caliper in every Class was the amazing and everyone had a great day. Hope you do this one again, I d be there again for sure.

 

Thanks to Chesapeake Region for all your hard work on this Meet, well done. You hit it out of the Park.

Edited July 18, 2018 by Doug Novak (see edit history)

[Donn Eskey]

The AACA meet at Gettysburg was one of the worst I have ever attended.

NO facilities (restrooms) you had to walk to hotel and use theirs.( must take into consideration most members are older and can't wait that long)

No trash cans

Motorhomes had to park at Drummer boy campgrounds approx. 1 mile away.( although I counted a few there?)

No sleeping on site.

Charged $25.00 to park trailers

Had to pay Min of 3 night stay at hotel even if you stayed 1 night.

Asked one of members on golf cart for ride to my trailer (I can't walk long distance in hot sun) and was refused.

Need to take note of other meets and how they are organized before hosting another meet.

 

                                                                                                  Thanks

                                                                                                 Donn

 

[philip roitman]

Paula, We had a great time. All of the tours, Party/Dinners and the show were top notch. 

Everything went according to plan and we could not have been happier. Thank you, and thanks to the Region and all the volunteers.

 

[real61ss]

Paula,

Absolutely one of the best planned meets that i have attended in my twenty years of AACA membership. Great rate on rooms at a first class hotel, great restaurants both inside the hotel and nearby. My wife and i showed 3 vehicles and if you plan another meet we will be there for sure. Thank you and your region

Tommy & Debbie Nolen

[John_S_in_Penna]

National meets in this part of AACA territory

always bring out plenty of cars, and a wide variety too.

I very much enjoyed the show.

[Jim Milewski]

It was my first AACA show and oh boy what a show - met lots of nice people, venue was great and host members were very helpful, made ROA reservations for June 2019 for the same site, and made AACA reservations for Charlotte in 2019 - lookin forward to both shows - Thanks again Chesapeake Region

[John S.]

On 7/16/2018 at 4:28 PM, Pat Buckley said:

Click here for the final results.

Aside from Hershey, this was the most enjoyable meet that my wife and i had been to in a long time. The Host were second to none, the  show fields  were well laid out, cars were spectacular,  and everyone was friendly. Picked up some interesting items in the flea market.  Really appreciate all the hard work from The Chesapeake Region. Thanks. John

[195567man]

Donn,    Forgot the $25.00 trailer parking fee also went to pay for off duty POLICE OFFICERS. who were on duty from dark to sun up. They rode around all night keeping a eye on everyone's show cars,,, trailers,,, and tow Vehicles....

[Terry Bond]

I'm especially proud of the Chesapeake Region - My old home region!  I'm probably the longest distance member on their roster and kept our membership there long after the Navy transplanted us further south.  While we lived in Baltimore I was involved with two National Meets they hosted and this was by far the best of them.  The site was amazing and the layout of the cars was superb.  You could have not asked for better hosts and better organized activities.  I've certainly never been to a meet before where a great restaurant and brewpub was a 2 minute walk from my hotel room.  This was my second week in a month at that facility.  We'd been there a couple of weeks prior with the National MGB Register for their big meet.  Granted, putting 335 MGs into those fields takes up a lot less room than over 500 AACA vehicles and their trailers, but I have to believe the hotels and grounds were laid out with car shows in mind.   Gary is correct - it did get warm out there on Saturday and there isn't nothing more unpleasant than an over-heated, over-used porta-pooper.  The air conditioned bathrooms with running water so close at hand were great.   So, although I don't live close enough to carry some of the workload, I know what it takes to host a National Meet.  I have previously been a chairman for a 500+car National Meet here in Virginia.  It isn't easy. 

So - hearty congratulations to my "remote home-team" for a tremendous success.   I hope there will be another one sometime soon at that site.

Terry

[John_S_in_Penna]

I agree with the suggestions for more wastebaskets--

I didn't see any--and some portable restrooms scattered around,

which would have saved walking from the farthest reaches

of the big show field.

 

However, the show was very well done, and enjoyable.

A comment such as "worst show" doesn't appreciate all

the effort that club VOLUNTEERS put forth--and the 99% of items

that were almost perfect.  Comments should be constructive.

 

So thank you again, Chesapeake Region workers!

Edited July 22, 2018 by John_S_in_Penna (see edit history)

[charlier]

I would like to thank you and all the members of he Chesapeake Region for all your hard work you put into this meet. I know a LOT of AACA members who attended the meet that felt the same way. I conveyed those thoughts to the meet chair and her husband Saturday night after the banquet when I bumped into them.

 

I too have to confess that I did not see all that many trash receptacles in/around the show fields. My car was parked in the HPOF Original part of Field G. After I cleaned my car on Saturday morning I thought it odd that I did not see a trash receptacle nearby. I also did not see any trash receptacles in the part of Field E where I was judging either or when I walked through Field C visiting friends. The only places where I remember seeing the trash boxes with liners were near the food vendors. (ie the at the Theater and scattered across the show fields, hot dog wagon, etc.). I remember some of these areas distinctly because I had trash to dispose of and had to search to find a box. Is it possible that the hotel staff or someone else moved some of the boxes from where your members put them on the show field to other places? 

 

The map of the entire complex that showed all the show fields (B,C,D,E,F & G) entrances, etc was great. Might I suggest in the future that meets also note on a map like this the location of the bathrooms servicing the meet inside buildings. The locations that you mentioned were not common knowledge based on how many people I heard throughout the day asking each other about bathrooms and the lack of Pot-a-pots around the show fields. I also heard more than a few people wondering if they were allowed to use the bathrooms in the Gateway Theater since that is a business not directly associated with the hotels and the meet. Speaking of bathrooms, I must compliment the Wyndham hotel staff for keeping on top of the bathrooms in the hotel on show day. After the judges breakfast I used one of those bathrooms and certain supplies were all but exhausted. When I used that same bathroom later in the day it was obvious that the hotel staff was keeping on top of things. Personally, I prefer an cool indoor bathroom with running water over a port-a-pot. But when one was to go, a close by port-a-pot is better than a longer walk to an inside bathroom especially when a person is physically challenged, as sadly, more and more AACA members are.

 

Let me also say how much I appreciate the great job region members did in the trailer parking areas. They had a real challenging job in those "mine" fields of ditches, gullies, rocks, storm drains and anything but level ground in places. The placement of the traffic cones to mark areas to avoid was MUCH APPRECIATED. When I arrived Friday morning, my first parking spot was so crooked that the left side of my ramp door hit the ground and the right side was close to 6 inches in the air. There was no amount of lumber that was going to even things out in that space. The friendly region people quickly addressed my concern and moved me to another spot that was much easier to use which I greatly appreciated. BTW, on Friday and Saturday nights I saw the security people keeping an eye on things in the trailer parking areas when I made trips to my trailer.

 

If future meets are held at this facility I would suggest that dates when another large event is held (ie Bike Week, summer Gettysburg Battle Reenactment, etc) be avoided whenever possible. That might increase the likely hood of reduced room rates without the likely hood of a minimum stay requirement. This may be easier said than done given that this facility is becoming popular with other car clubs to host their events. No doubt the Chesapeake Region had little choice when it came to dates this time around due to them not having the normal amount of time to put this meet together. 

 

BTW, I enjoyed the food at the Judges Breakfast and the Awards Banquet. Maybe it was just me but the Awards Banquet did seem to run longer than some I have been to in recent years. Dinner seemed to be delayed for some reason which then pushed everything else back. To be honest that was not a big deal for me since there was a nice group of people at my table and we had a good time.

 

Anyway, Thanks Again to the Chesapeake Region for all your hard work and a job well done.

 

Charlie

 

 

 

[John_S_in_Penna]

Long-time members tell me that AACA national meets

used to be assigned to regions up to 5 years in advance.

These days, it is harder to get regions to host a national

meet, even though there are many beautiful possible sites

around the country that members would love to visit.

 

The generous Chesapeake Region agreed to host their

fellow car fans for this meet, only about a year in advance.

Another region that had originally signed up was unable

to fulfill the obligation.  So the Chesapeake Region had

much to do!  If Chesapeake hadn't hosted this meet, there

might not have been an AACA Eastern National Spring Meet.

 

This puts the work in the proper perspective!

Edited July 23, 2018 by John_S_in_Penna (see edit history)

[ex98thdrill]

On ‎7‎/‎18‎/‎2018 at 10:38 AM, Donn Eskey said:

The AACA meet at Gettysburg was one of the worst I have ever attended.

NO facilities (restrooms) you had to walk to hotel and use theirs.( must take into consideration most members are older and can't wait that long)

No trash cans

Motorhomes had to park at Drummer boy campgrounds approx. 1 mile away.( although I counted a few there?)

No sleeping on site.

Charged $25.00 to park trailers

Had to pay Min of 3 night stay at hotel even if you stayed 1 night.

Asked one of members on golf cart for ride to my trailer (I can't walk long distance in hot sun) and was refused.

Need to take note of other meets and how they are organized before hosting another meet.

 

                                                                                                  Thanks

                                                                                                 Donn

 

So do I take it that you're going to chair the spring meet in 2020?? 

 

I too required special assistance with things, I contacted the region back in December and those folks bent over backwards for me.  As for the hotel, my sister had one night booked at that rate and there was no three night minimum, but she reserved her room back in December.  With bike week going on I'm sure that changed a lot of things.

 

As for the distance between camping and the hotel??  For $3 a person you could get an all day pass and go wherever you wanted to go in Gettysburg to include downtown, the battlefield visitor's center, the outlet mall and everyplace else in between.  Gettysburg has been doing that for at least four years and at that price it doesn't pay to drive around Gettysburg.

 

I was told by a region member that the registration was left open beyond what they wanted it left open, and because of that they had more cars and less real estate. 

 

The best way to avoid problems at a meet??  PLAN EARLY!!

 

By the way, in terms of the 2019 annual meeting??  I"m going and I'm going to do the same thing I did this year, I'm going to book my room on Wednesday and spend Thursday sightseeing.  If the Philadelphia Eagles win the Super Bowl I'll already be situated in the hotel a day early and can avoid the mess. 

 

…….If the Eagles don't make it to the Super Bowl or if they lose, I"ll cancel Wednesday and come Thursday.  It was worth the extra $100 not to get tangled up in that mess everyone else had to deal with in not being able to get into Philly this year.

[ex98thdrill]

On 7/18/2018 at 10:38 AM, Donn Eskey said:

The AACA meet at Gettysburg was one of the worst I have ever attended.

NO facilities (restrooms) you had to walk to hotel and use theirs.( must take into consideration most members are older and can't wait that long)

No trash cans

Motorhomes had to park at Drummer boy campgrounds approx. 1 mile away.( although I counted a few there?)

No sleeping on site.

Charged $25.00 to park trailers

Had to pay Min of 3 night stay at hotel even if you stayed 1 night.

Asked one of members on golf cart for ride to my trailer (I can't walk long distance in hot sun) and was refused.

Need to take note of other meets and how they are organized before hosting another meet.

 

                                                                                                  Thanks

                                                                                                 Donn

 

Oh and one more thing.....

 

I had almost three years to plan and organize the meet I chaired back in 2010.  These folks got into this meet very late in the game and hosted this meet when no one else would do it.  Without those wonderful folks from the Chesapeake Region THERE WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN A SPRING MEET IN 2018.  I think they did a wonderful job, it was a good location, it was a good event, and no one can control the weather (it was hot).

 

Again, I highly encourage you to contact the Vice President of National Activities and sign up to chair a national meet.  After doing one myself I can assure you that if you do you are in for the rudest awakening in your life.  You'd never believe the amount of phone calls, e-mails, meetings and knocks on your door you get when you put one of those on.  The only reason why I got into doing a national meet was to be able to show our cars and save money on travel expenses by staying home.  Our group put on a good meet and beside the planning and logistics, my father and I also put 11 cars on the show field as well.

 

The other shock you'll get to your system??  If you're doing your job and doing it right, you'll also find out how hard the AACA National Board of Directors and the full time staff at AACA headquarters work.  Those folks work.

 

I saw enough to know that although I appreciate what the National Directors do, I know I don't want any part of it (especially after one of them tried to intimidate me into going onto the board and failed) because I know that I don't have the time or financial means to put into the job that it deserves.  I'm smart enough to know that it would be a huge disservice if I did.

 

All in all I think the folks in the Chesapeake Region did a great job and am thoroughly impressed how well they threw things together based on the short amount of time they had to put on that meet.  I first met some of the folks from the Chesapeake Region in Philly back in 2012 and we've been friends ever since.

 

As for the perfection in putting on a meet, bear in mind that even the Hershey Meet isn't perfect and they've had 63 consecutive years of putting one on.  It's hard to put on one meet, but to agree to do it again year after year makes the Hershey Region a very special group.  The Hershey Region is very financially well off, but they've worked for every penny they have and they've worked very hard to get it. 

 

With that saying, if a meet isn't perfect after hosting one for 63 consecutive years, you can't expect a region who is doing one and having less than 9 months to plan it either so with that in mind, none of them are perfect and they never will be.

[dbirchmire]

Book that room for Wednesday  brother. My Eagles will win another Super Bowl. ?

[Phillip Cole]

Gary, 

Having now chaired an annual meet seven times, I try to encourage others to do meets. You are not going to make everyone happy, but it is a great service  to the hobby. All those volunteers are the key! I truly enjoyed your meet and saw everything on my checklist being executed beautifully.  Thanks!

[Marty Roth]

Many thanks to Chesapeake Region President and Meet Chairman Paula Ruby and her entire team for a job well done!

 

Had there been a full 3 years to plan, instead of the 9 months, I would not have expected anything more than the spectacular performance we witnessed.

A well laid out show field, a delightful and affordable headquarters hotel, clean restrooms, a very good "Judges Breakfast", and a convenient location for judging teams to convene near the Judging Administration area, security for our show cars overnight - these all made for a very pleasant experience. We drove our (Class 30E) show car from New Orleans, and were delayed a day and a half in Tennessee with mechanical issues, not arriving until well past midnight Thursday. The host personnel were beyond helpful in their support and assistance. Not only did we manage to get a bit of rest between meetings, activities, social events, old friends, and judging commitments, but we even got the car cleaned up and our lovingly-maintained one-family unrestored 148,xxx mile original car was awarded her First Preservation.  

 

Having been directly involved in hosting National Meets and National Tours going back to the 1980s, let me assure you that there are very specific guidelines involved, and that your elected directors are dedicated to working with regions, chapters, and Meet/Tour Chairpersons to assure adherence and the proper planning in the hopes of serving our membership. Your volunteers, chairpersons, committee members, and team workers have an astounding record of success, and should be applauded for their effort.

 

I should also note that your elected team of national directors serves at their own expense to support the many activities our club affords the members and the hobby in general.

 

I encourage you and your region or chapter to consider hosting a National Activity, be it a Meet or a Tour. we have lots of support available to guide, and to assist you in the planning and organizing to help you do the kinds of things that the Chesapeake. Contact national headquarters, or PM me directly and we'll help you to get started.