8000 miles later

[Formula Jr]

Well my little sunday drive is over. 8000 miles and 9 lakes in one month. Absolutely no
problems, no close calls, no flats. Lake Powell is awsome. Good thing I decided to wait on the boat painting till I got back. No matter how hard I tried, the trailer rubbed thru the old finish and some stones found their mark on the topsides. But all and all back in one piece. I think AOTH is going to become THE big Donzi event. Everything was wonderful, and Scott picked a great place for the gathering. Photos at 11.

Owen

[TD]

Hey Owen, glad you made it back in one piece. Now I guess you can settle in and read your longest distance award. Your probably a shoe in for next years award should you make it back to the Bluegrass State. Hope you do!!!!!

[RickSE]

Man you went to Powell and didn't tell me. Powell is my main boating lake, two hours from my house. It has to be one of the most beautiful lakes in the country.

When were you there? I was just up there on the 21st & 22nd.

Where did you put in at? & how'd you like the water? Powell can get pretty rough usually feels like you're in a washing machine.

I took off for a 400 mile trip last weekend and had my newly rebuilt braking system lock up on me 5 miles out of town. This is the second time this has happened and I now worry more about the brakes than I do the wheel bearings.

Congrats on your safe trip.

[EricG]

Welcome Back to the Great NW.....I've been waiting for your return, since I'm considering the tow from Seattle to Cumberland next spring.....would you do it again?

EG

[BigGrizzly]

Glad to hrae your home safe and sound.Great talking to you in person after all this board stuff. Come back next year.

Randy

[Bryan Tuvell]

Great post!
AOTH III will be the event of 2002!
Hey Scott B, get busy NOW, I am in................

See ya in AC, it is a bit $ pricey $ and I tried to bail, but momma said we are going!
Maybe Frank will give an award to the CLEANEST ZX vice the fastest....
It is tough being the small block boy!!! But Oh well, we ROCK!
Bryan

[Blewbyu]

FJr- I can't believe you did that 8K.You must be a helluva lot younger'n me......my tongue was slapping the ground just thinking about that long a tow! I can't even imagine Tahoe from Seaattle (mostly because of the uphill tow).My hat is certainly off to you!Betcha had a GOOD time at th' AOTH!
Congrats!
"Blewbyu" http://www.donzi.net/ubb/eek.gif

[Formula Jr]

TD, I'm going to disqualify myself from the Long Distance Prize Award next year. It just isn't fair to the others that really made an effort, like Geoo and Frank and it will give Bertram Boy a fair shot at the prize. http://www.donzi.net/ubb/wink.gif I can't take home ALL the goodies. We were pretty lucky with the weather - on the way back I hit sever thunderstorms.
http://www.zing.com/picture/p8b24fcf0d05b3cc1c69ba21319c9820f/fe71b04a.jpg.orig.jpg

Eric, you and Blewbyu probably have the best shot at the prize next year if you go. If you do go and time and providence are on my side, we can carravan over after meeting up in Utah. I can show you the cities to avoid - like Kansas City, with its axle breaking, caliper smashing, bath tub sized potholes. Like Madpoodle says - its a can't miss gathering and you'll see stuff you've never seen before. Like Randy's awsome boat, Tony's squeeky clean 67 - so much wax you can't walk on it - and Geoo's experiment in hydrofoil technology.

RickS, I probably went by alot of member's places but it was unfamiliar turf this time. Next time I'll know more about the drive times and distances. I was on the Lost Sea - underground lake in Madison, TN around the 21st. Man, the south really has changed in 15 years! Its almost cosmopolitan. Your area is just breathtaking. The Mesas, The Valleys, The Sandstone Formations. That whole area is beautiful. I stepped on the Four Corners - a must do, walked the Natural Bridges Monument, climbed up in some anazazi ruins and ran Powell from Halls Crossing to Hite Marina. Glad I brought some extra gas - $2.71 boat gas at Hite - Ouch! Powell is prime for a late spring Donzi Meet. No crowds and major air time around Halls Crossing. Some of the facilities are setup for conventions, houseboat rentals and the little nooks and crannies are surreal. I got better pics, but they're in process.

Beach North of Hall's Crossing
http://www.zing.com/picture/pf204dd9874e0236303fb8f3cf9063514/fe71b053.jpg.orig.jpg

Burn Run to Hite Marina
http://www.zing.com/picture/p6461edb88e19534e0264846b228d7743/fe71b04b.jpg.orig.jpg

Ferry Crossing to Bullfrog Marina
http://www.zing.com/picture/p9c31036711d7aff2d084dba95b5bc1ab/fe71b050.jpg.orig.jpg

Can't wait to get back there.

Owen.

[BERTRAM BOY]

Owen,
I'll be at the AOTH next year for sure. I'm taking delivery of my brand new tandem axle trailer next weekend, so I guess I'll have no excuses....
BERTRAM BOY

[Formula Jr]

Cliff, I was thinking about ya while in MD. Drove all over the Bay looking and asking about Bertram PopTops. Met some very experienced boat guys and they never heard or seen one with an aft deck. Its just a matter of time.

[Peter Beck]

Owen it was a pleasure having lunch with you Saturday at the AOTH. You had numerous stories to share and now you have 8000 miles more!!! What a great boat you have.
Peter

[Formula Jr]

Peter, the best part of these meets is the connection you can then make with the faces and the names on this board. I can now see, George's intensity, Randy's sly gaze, Rick's layed back grin, Madpoodle's Hair, Todd smoken a cigar and laughing, Frank's loud "How Ya Doin", Mike's joy at riding in member's boats, Scott's meditative peace, Tony's pride in his boat, and lots of other small but meaningful colorations to the personality's here. Thanks for the easy welcome.

http://www.epud.net/~owen/images/sig4.gif

[roadtrip2]

Owen,
Beautiful pictures of what looks like a truly excellent adventure...

[This message has been edited by roadtrip2 (edited 06-04-2001).]

[Tony]

Owen,
Nice accounting of what sounds like "an excellent adventure"! My boat may have wax on top but yours sure seems to be plenty slippery on the bottom...the way it was scooting across Lake Cumberland! Hope to see you again at AOTH2.