California Caravan to Seattle BCA National Meet

[Centurion]

Rick Deutsch, BCA #38094 from San Jose and a member of the NORCAL Chapter, has proposed a caravan from California to the BCA National Meet in Seattle. Rick has posted his ideas on the buick-59.com forums, and he's given permission for me to share his ideas here. Some of you members from the Los Angeles area may remember Rick and his stunning, light blue 1959 Electra 225 convertible from the Los Angeles All GM Show earlier this summer.

Here are Rick's comments:

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">We've banged around the idea of a convoy up to Seattle for this event. Time to make hotel Resv...Time to brainstorm.

It will be hot so easy does it. We can arrange motels along the way and dinners etc. Radios are mandatory - CB's or FRS/GMRS hand-helds as a minimum. With Cells as a backup.

Could be all years Buicks......Maybe a group from San Diego meets the LA group and continues up to the San Fran area....then up to Redding, picking up strength as we go.....then to Portland and on to Seattle.

I'd estimate a day from SoCal to SF. A day from SF to Redding. A day from Redding to Portland.....then 1/2 day from Portland to Seattle.

Guesstimate of overnights as follows:

Day / Overnight town

---- ---------------

Sunday = SF area

Monday = Redding

Tues = Portland

Wed = arrive Seatlle early afternoon

Thurs = Event

Fri = Event

Sat = Event

Sun = Portland

Mon = Redding

Tues = SF area

Wed = SoCal and end

People join along the coordinated route.

Who is thinking of joining this? Any interest from your club?

Reply with thoughts and ballpark car-count..

</div></div>

Rick is willing to serve as a contact person for a caravan, and is looking for input from other California members regarding routes and hotels.

Rick's e-mail address is: ricky.deutsch@gmail.com

[Centurion]

I'd like to know if this generates any interest.

Roberta, will you please make this a sticky, so that any California BCA'ers who check in can obtain Rick's contact information? Thanks!

And if there are any other caravan groups being considered from California (or anywhere), please let us know.

[Centurion]

Post deleted by Centurion

[Centurion]

Last night, I enjoyed a lengthy telephone conversation with Gary Goltz from Claremont, California. Gary's the BCA member who has created a replica of the California Highway Patrol '55 Buicks from a model 46-R. He's an aficionado of the great "Highway Patrol" television series, and makes public appearances with the Buick, portraying Broderick Crawford in the role of Chief Dan Matthews.

Gary is excited to drive his Buick to Seattle next summer, and, when I told him about Rick's caravan plans, he was eager to "sign up". We'll see how it all develops, but I think it'd be pretty fun to drive a vintage Buick from L.A. to Seattle, escorted by a '55 Buick "Highway Patrol" car.

We'll make sure we give Gary and the Buick a special role in our massive cruise of vintage Buicks to the last remaining XXX Root Beer Drive-In in America for a fun dinner on Thursday evening.

[Mark Shaw]

Brian,

Please get in touch with me off line to discuss plans for the Portland to Seattle leg of the caravan. The BCA PWD will have a pre-tour to the Seattle meet.

Mark Shaw

durcodude@comcast.net

[Centurion]

Rick is moving forward with his plans to contact the California BCA Chapters regarding interest in the caravan idea, and here's the letter he's sending out.

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">October 18, 2006

To: BCA West Coast Chapters

Subject: July 2007 BCA National Meet - Caravan

I am writing to the leaders of the Buick Club of America?s West Coast chapters to solicit interest in a caravan to the Seattle Meet. I am proposing a group caravan to the event starting in Southern California and driving up I-5 to Belleview, departing Jul 22 and arriving in time for the events commencing July 25. We will return on July 29.

The idea has been discussed on the 1959 Buick Website, (http://www.buick-59.com/) and I?d like to formalize our plans. If there is enough interest, I will coordinate the logistics and hotels per the attached Draft Itinerary.

I realize time commitments, gas prices and personal concerns may limit participation, but I would like to invite you to inform your members as to this opportunity to run their classic Buicks in a safe and organized caravan. Let?s push for strong participation at this event ? rarely held on the West Coast.

Please review the attached draft and let me know (via email) if there is any interest in your chapter. I will communicate directly with those interested?and will solicit help in selecting hotels, lunch stops, etc. Depending on the response, we may need to book soon.

I look forward to your response.

Regards,

Rick Deutsch, BCA 38094

Northern California Chapter

ricky.deutsch@gmail.com

</div></div>

[Centurion]

Rick now has fourteen cars in the California caravan, and he's provided his most recent draft itinerary. Rick has rooms blocked at each of the hotels along the way, so please contact him for further information.

2007 BCA National Convention

Seattle, WA

West Coast Caravan

DRAFT Itinerary ? 1/31/07

<span style="font-weight: bold">Sun Jul 22</span> :

8 am - SoCal cars to Sacramento near I-5 & I-80; 400+ miles @ 7 hrs

5 pm - Central Calif cars Stay at Days Inn, Woodland

<span style="font-weight: bold">Mon Jul 23</span> :

8 am - Sacramento to Grant?s Pass, OR ? 300 miles @ 5 hrs

5 pm ? Stay at La Quinta

<span style="font-weight: bold">Tue Jul 24</span>:

8 am - Grant?s Pass to Vancouver, WA ? 300 miles @ 5 hr

5 pm - Stay at Red Lion, Salmon Creek.

6 pm- BBQ w/Portland Chapter near Salmon Creek

<span style="font-weight: bold">Wed Jul 25</span>:

8 am - Vancouver to Bellevue ? 200 miles via I-5 @ 4 hrs

Portland & westbound groups join. Prewar cars will leave earlier

with trouble truck via old highway & arrive 2 hours later.

Caravan cars may join if they want.

11 am ? Arrive Event; Check-in to Hotel, Register

1 pm ? Tour to Flight Museum or City Bus tour

- B-59?s caravan over to Museum, stay for pix and ?59 Dinner

<span style="font-weight: bold">Thu Jul 26</span>:

Convention ? LeMay Car Collection or Doll Museum/Gardens

<span style="font-weight: bold">Fri Jul 27</span>:

Convention - Seattle "Loop" Tour / Night on Elliott Bay

<span style="font-weight: bold">Sat Jul 28</span>:

Convention ? Judging, Craft Fair, Awards Banquet

<span style="font-weight: bold">Sat Jul 28</span>:

8 am - Bellevue to Grant?s Pass, OR ? 300 miles @ 5 hrs

5 pm ? Stay at La Quinta

<span style="font-weight: bold">Mon Jul 30</span>:

8 am - Grant?s Pass, OR to Sacramento

5 pm - Stay at Days Inn, Woodland (or to home)

<span style="font-weight: bold">Tue Jul 31</span>:

8 am - Sacramento to SoCal and Home

NOTES:

1. Mileages are approx (MapQuest); times will be greater due to size of group, lunch, etc.

2. Cars need be able to sustain 60-65 mph.

3. Participants can link up at overnight cities or coordinated I-5 merging.

4. Lunch, pit stops, rest breaks are on-demand.

5. Parts boxes encouraged.

6. AAA Premium ?100 mile? card suggested.

7. Morning departure times need to be honored.

8. Convoy etiquette to be followed.

9. CB radios preferred;, Channell 11; FRS/GMRChannel 11-11 mandatory

Ricky.Deutsch@gmail.com 408-390-6791 NorCal BCA 38094

[Mark Shaw]

Rick,

The Portland area chapter members (which includes several PWD members and officers,) are looking forward to hosting your caravan members for the BBQ Tuesday evening. Bring some good stories about your trip and BYOB.

[Centurion]

Roberta, can we make both this topic and the new one about the Idaho caravan sticky posts? Thanks!

[Centurion]

I'm bringing this to the top for the benefit of those who are still making their travel plans.

[Bill Stoneberg]

ttt