Volume 23

Issue 11 November 2013

Whatrsquos Inside

Page 2 Taking the Long Way (cont)

Page 3 Taking the Long Way (cont)

Christmas Dinner Reservation Form Club Classifieds

Page 4 Great Western Adventure

Page 5 Great Western Adventure Cont

Page 6 Indy Miata Club Invades St Louis

Page 7 Advertisers

Page 8 Advertisers

Taking the Long Way hellip By Ken Rabbers President

Letrsquos start this monthrsquos column on a different note the upcoming officer elections for the Indy Miata

Club Wersquore still in need of people wishing to help out the club by serving on the Board of Directors

particularly the Vice President Events Coordinator position I know Irsquove mentioned this several times

throughout the year but this is a position that has some confused and possibly misinformed The term

ldquoEvents Coordinatorrdquo seems to invoke the most confusion regarding the various positions on the Board

of Directors The position does NOT require the office holder to be responsible for putting on events

arranging for events to happen or to have any direct responsibility for the events The position is

merely to provide for a clearing house and a keeper of the calendar of club events throughout the year

This person would be whom one would contact if they wished to host an event to check availability for

a date or to ask other questions about a particular type of event A lot of members over the years have

been under the assumption that the Events Coordinator is the person to whom suggestions about events

should be directed so they (the Event Coordinator) can precede to organize said event So that being

said the Vice President Event Coordinator position isnrsquot one that people should shy away from as the

duties are not much different or time demanding than any other board position The one caveat that Irsquod

like to add is that this position requires that the person serve as President the following year

In addition to the Vice President Events Coordinator the club has other elected and appointed posi-

tions The other elected positions are Treasurer and Secretary There are currently two nominations for

elected board positions for next year Ken Rabbers as Treasurer and Joan Rabbers as Secretary Addi-

tional nominations are still being accepted if anyone is interested The office of President will be

served by Gary Weidman The appointed positions are Membership Director Webmaster and Newslet-

ter Editor At the October meeting of the Board of Directors the board acted to appoint Darlene Evans

as Membership Director and Steve Crouse as Newsletter Editor Both appointees will take over their

respective positions after the current fiscal year expires on November 30 Sara McBride has indicated a

The Official Newsletter of the Indy Miata Club

Fill out and return the reservation form on page 3 with $10person and sign up on the website

If you would like to participate in the gift exchange please bring a wrapped gift of approximately $20 in value

ONLY 15 MORE DAYS TO SIGN UP

Saturday December 7th Georges Neighborhood Grill

6935 Lake Plaza Dr Indianapolis IN

Indy Miata Club Officers

2013

President Ken Rabbers

presidentindymiataorg

Vice-President Gary Weidman

vicepresidentindymiataorg

Treasurer Steve Crouse

treasurerindymiataorg

Membership Director Tom Lewis

membershipindymiataorg

Secretary Joan Rabbers

secretaryindymiataorg

Website Editor Sara J McBride

webmasterindymiataorg

Newsletter Editor Sabrena Smith

editorindymiataorg

The Open Road is published monthly for the members of the Indy Miata Club The Indy Miata Club assumes no liability for any information contained herein or injury or damage resulting from the use of this information The ideas opinions maintenance or modi-fication tips expressed are to be used at the readerrsquos discretion Individual contributors andor the editors express no approval authentication or en-dorsement Thank you

willingness to continue as Webmaster

OK now that wersquore through with the public service portion of the newsletter we can get on to our regularly

scheduled programming

Irsquove written quite a bit this year about owning cars driving cars racing cars and car movies I was going to

write about car books this month but thought that some humor might be more fun and interesting Not only that

but itrsquos a lot easier to cut and paste cartoons and jokes that to try to come up with content on my own Besides

who doesnrsquot like a little bit of humor now and then Hopefully you will all find the cartoons and jokes funny

A BLONDE wanting to earn some money decided to hire herself out as a handyman-type and

started canvassing a wealthy neighborhood She went to the front door of the first house and asked

the owner if he had any jobs for her to do Well you can paint my porch How much will you

charge The blonde said How about 50 dollars The man agreed and told her that the paint and

ladders that she might need were in the garage

The mans wife inside the house heard the conversation and said to her husband Does she realize

that the porch goes all the way around the house The man replied She should She was standing

on the porch

A short time later the blonde came to the door to collect her money Youre finished already he

asked Yes the blonde answered and I had paint left over so I gave it two coats Impressed the

man reached in his pocket for the $50 And by the way the blonde added thats not a Porch its a

Ferrari

AN ANGRY MOTORIST went back to a garage where

hed purchased a battery for his car six months earlier

Listen the motorist grumbled to the garage owner

when I bought the battery you said it would be the last

battery my car would ever need It died after only six

months

Sorry the garage owner apologized I didnt think your

car would last any longer than that

Page 2 Open Road November 2013

Taking the Long Way Home cont

CLASSIFIEDS

1999 Miata Parts for sellmdashBrand New spoiler parts Contact Saundra Kimmer-ling at berthie01comcastnet or call 765-617-8884

2006 Mazda Miata Mx-5 Touring 5spd manual 49000 miles True Red It has Mom Wheels Sportster11 Muffler IIL Motorsports red strut bar Excellent condition Asking $12500 Call Mark 317-60-6686

Odds amp EndsmdashA former member (and President) sold his Miata (boo) and found some items while doing spring cleaning in his garage 1st gen front license plate bracket original console ashtray brand new And a used but still good original engine oil cap All freejust come and get it Contact Rick Booe at 765-720-5624

Page 3 Open Road November 2013

Taking the Long Way Home cont

A GUY WALKS INTO the local NAPA store and asks can I get a wiper blade for a Yugo The clerk replies Sounds

like a good trade to me

A college student drove his ratty raggedy old car into the mechanics shop needing some repair advice for his jalopy

The mechanic looked at it for a couple of minutes and said What you really need is the radiator cap solution

Oh said the student trying not to sound too confused Do you mean the radiator cap isnt holding enough pressure

Thats part of the problem the mechanic said You need to lift the radiator cap and drive another car under it Then you can replace the

radiator cap and it should solve your problem

So there you have it I hope yoursquove had some laughter and brightness added to your day

Miscellaneous Ramblings

Welcome to our newest members Kurt Smith owner of a 2006 Sunlight Silver Touring MX-5 Scott and Starla Cook owners of a 2001 Silver

Miata Trey Hodge owner of a 1991 White Miata

Donrsquot forget our upcoming 2013 Holiday Party to be held at Georgersquos Neighborhood Grill on Saturday December 7 2013 If you are planning to

attend your reservation form and $10 per person must be received no later than November 15 2013 A copy of the form is included elsewhere in

the newsletter More information can be found on the Events page of the clubrsquos website Also be sure to bring a gift so you can be a part of our gift

exchange a gift value of $20 is recommended one gift per car

And Finally hellip

-ldquoIrsquom beginning to understand myself

But it would have been great to be able

to understand myself when I was 20

rather than when I was 82rdquo

Dave Brubeck

Indy Miata Club Officers

2013

President Ken Rabbers

presidentindymiataorg

Vice-President Gary Weidman

vicepresidentindymiataorg

Treasurer Steve Crouse

treasurerindymiataorg

Membership Director Tom Lewis

membershipindymiataorg

Secretary Joan Rabbers

secretaryindymiataorg

Website Editor Sara J McBride

webmasterindymiataorg

Newsletter Editor Sabrena Smith

editorindymiataorg

The Open Road is published monthly for the members of the Indy Miata Club The Indy Miata Club assumes no liability for any information contained herein or injury or damage resulting from the use of this information The ideas opinions maintenance or modi-fication tips expressed are to be used at the readerrsquos discretion Individual contributors andor the editors express no approval authentication or en-dorsement Thank you

willingness to continue as Webmaster

OK now that wersquore through with the public service portion of the newsletter we can get on to our regularly

scheduled programming

Irsquove written quite a bit this year about owning cars driving cars racing cars and car movies I was going to

write about car books this month but thought that some humor might be more fun and interesting Not only that

but itrsquos a lot easier to cut and paste cartoons and jokes that to try to come up with content on my own Besides

who doesnrsquot like a little bit of humor now and then Hopefully you will all find the cartoons and jokes funny

A BLONDE wanting to earn some money decided to hire herself out as a handyman-type and

started canvassing a wealthy neighborhood She went to the front door of the first house and asked

the owner if he had any jobs for her to do Well you can paint my porch How much will you

charge The blonde said How about 50 dollars The man agreed and told her that the paint and

ladders that she might need were in the garage

The mans wife inside the house heard the conversation and said to her husband Does she realize

that the porch goes all the way around the house The man replied She should She was standing

on the porch

A short time later the blonde came to the door to collect her money Youre finished already he

asked Yes the blonde answered and I had paint left over so I gave it two coats Impressed the

man reached in his pocket for the $50 And by the way the blonde added thats not a Porch its a

Ferrari

AN ANGRY MOTORIST went back to a garage where

hed purchased a battery for his car six months earlier

Listen the motorist grumbled to the garage owner

when I bought the battery you said it would be the last

battery my car would ever need It died after only six

months

Sorry the garage owner apologized I didnt think your

car would last any longer than that

Page 2 Open Road November 2013

Taking the Long Way Home cont

CLASSIFIEDS

1999 Miata Parts for sellmdashBrand New spoiler parts Contact Saundra Kimmer-ling at berthie01comcastnet or call 765-617-8884

2006 Mazda Miata Mx-5 Touring 5spd manual 49000 miles True Red It has Mom Wheels Sportster11 Muffler IIL Motorsports red strut bar Excellent condition Asking $12500 Call Mark 317-60-6686

Odds amp EndsmdashA former member (and President) sold his Miata (boo) and found some items while doing spring cleaning in his garage 1st gen front license plate bracket original console ashtray brand new And a used but still good original engine oil cap All freejust come and get it Contact Rick Booe at 765-720-5624

Page 3 Open Road November 2013

Taking the Long Way Home cont

A GUY WALKS INTO the local NAPA store and asks can I get a wiper blade for a Yugo The clerk replies Sounds

like a good trade to me

A college student drove his ratty raggedy old car into the mechanics shop needing some repair advice for his jalopy

The mechanic looked at it for a couple of minutes and said What you really need is the radiator cap solution

Oh said the student trying not to sound too confused Do you mean the radiator cap isnt holding enough pressure

Thats part of the problem the mechanic said You need to lift the radiator cap and drive another car under it Then you can replace the

radiator cap and it should solve your problem

So there you have it I hope yoursquove had some laughter and brightness added to your day

Miscellaneous Ramblings

Welcome to our newest members Kurt Smith owner of a 2006 Sunlight Silver Touring MX-5 Scott and Starla Cook owners of a 2001 Silver

Miata Trey Hodge owner of a 1991 White Miata

Donrsquot forget our upcoming 2013 Holiday Party to be held at Georgersquos Neighborhood Grill on Saturday December 7 2013 If you are planning to

attend your reservation form and $10 per person must be received no later than November 15 2013 A copy of the form is included elsewhere in

the newsletter More information can be found on the Events page of the clubrsquos website Also be sure to bring a gift so you can be a part of our gift

exchange a gift value of $20 is recommended one gift per car

And Finally hellip

-ldquoIrsquom beginning to understand myself

But it would have been great to be able

to understand myself when I was 20

rather than when I was 82rdquo

Dave Brubeck

CLASSIFIEDS

1999 Miata Parts for sellmdashBrand New spoiler parts Contact Saundra Kimmer-ling at berthie01comcastnet or call 765-617-8884

2006 Mazda Miata Mx-5 Touring 5spd manual 49000 miles True Red It has Mom Wheels Sportster11 Muffler IIL Motorsports red strut bar Excellent condition Asking $12500 Call Mark 317-60-6686

Odds amp EndsmdashA former member (and President) sold his Miata (boo) and found some items while doing spring cleaning in his garage 1st gen front license plate bracket original console ashtray brand new And a used but still good original engine oil cap All freejust come and get it Contact Rick Booe at 765-720-5624

Page 3 Open Road November 2013

Taking the Long Way Home cont

A GUY WALKS INTO the local NAPA store and asks can I get a wiper blade for a Yugo The clerk replies Sounds

like a good trade to me

A college student drove his ratty raggedy old car into the mechanics shop needing some repair advice for his jalopy

The mechanic looked at it for a couple of minutes and said What you really need is the radiator cap solution

Oh said the student trying not to sound too confused Do you mean the radiator cap isnt holding enough pressure

Thats part of the problem the mechanic said You need to lift the radiator cap and drive another car under it Then you can replace the

radiator cap and it should solve your problem

So there you have it I hope yoursquove had some laughter and brightness added to your day

Miscellaneous Ramblings

Welcome to our newest members Kurt Smith owner of a 2006 Sunlight Silver Touring MX-5 Scott and Starla Cook owners of a 2001 Silver

Miata Trey Hodge owner of a 1991 White Miata

Donrsquot forget our upcoming 2013 Holiday Party to be held at Georgersquos Neighborhood Grill on Saturday December 7 2013 If you are planning to

attend your reservation form and $10 per person must be received no later than November 15 2013 A copy of the form is included elsewhere in

the newsletter More information can be found on the Events page of the clubrsquos website Also be sure to bring a gift so you can be a part of our gift

exchange a gift value of $20 is recommended one gift per car

And Finally hellip

-ldquoIrsquom beginning to understand myself

But it would have been great to be able

to understand myself when I was 20

rather than when I was 82rdquo

Dave Brubeck

Page 4 Open Road November 2013

GREAT WESTERN ADVENTURE (Final PART) Twenty one days twenty one motel rooms

By Gary and Kathy Collings

Illinois Iowa Nebraska Wyoming Utah Idaho Montana Washington Oregon California Nevada Utah Colorado Kansas Missouri Illinois Indiana

June 12th ndash July 2nd

Hopefully yoursquove all read the previous 3 parts in the past three issues of the Open Road If not you need to go back and read them before reading any further

June 24 Destination Arcata California and the

California Redwoods (overcast 59 Degrees) -- We

continued driving along the coast in cold rainy con-

ditions and stopped to view the Cape Blanco light-

house Once we got to the Redwood Forest the rain

stopped and the sun came out allowing for awesome

views of the Redwood trees How majestic and

beautiful We now can better appreciate Teddy

Roosevelt having the foresight to save these inde-

scribable giants from destruction (223 miles)

June 25 Destination Clear Lake CA (overcast to

sunshine) -- We continued on US 101 along the coast

to Ft Bragg and the ldquoAvenue of the Giantsrdquo with

more magnificent Redwood trees we had a unique

opportunity to drive our Miatas through an opening

in a giant tree California Highway 1 was 22 miles

of ldquoSrdquo curves along the Pacific coast shoreline (256

miles)

June 26 Destination Sonora CA Napa Valley and Yosemite National Park (sunny with a little cloud cover) -- California drivers

are crazy We drove from green hills though Napa Valley on Highway 29 to St Helena with all the areas famous wineries paral-

leling the route of the Napa Valley Wine Train We then traveled from Napa to Yosemite Valley and its world-famous waterfalls

cliffs and unusual rock formations The National Park was awesome with its beauty beyond description The Bridal Veil Falls

the Half-Dome and Glacier Point were unique sights to behold including El Capitan a massive granite monolith that stands 3593

feet from base to summit We recommend a Yosemite visit be added to your bucket list (298 miles)

Continued on page 5

Gary and Kathy in front of a Redwood and in front

of a fallen hollow Redwood

Driving through a Redwood Rocks along Pacific Shoreline

Entrance to one of several

Napa wineries

Bridal Veil Falls in Yosemite

National Park

Half Dome at Yosemite Na-

tional Park

Beautiful View at Yosemite

Page 5 Open Road November 2013

GREAT WESTERN ADVENTURE Cont June 27 Destination Lake Tahoe and Reno Nevada (hot) ndash We continued driving through north Yosemite National Park with its

hilly and curvy roads and terrain We drove through Lake Tahoe a busy tourist area and later arrived at Reno Sands Regency Ca-

sinoHotel Reno is known as the ldquoBiggest Little City in the Worldrdquo We toured the National Car Museum housing Harrahrsquos per-

sonal magnificent vintage car collection which is a must see attraction (200 miles)

June 28 Destination Elko Nevada (still hot) ndash We drove along the National Historic Trail to California and the nearby National

Pony Express Trail I-80 across northern Utah was hot with wind and sand storms causing ldquobrown-outsrdquo --- not a fun drive The land

along I-80 is stark and barren with some areas left as salt flats on a much smaller scale than the Great Salt Lake Desert in Utah Con-

trary to popular belief the speed limit is not 75 mph all the way across Nevada One day to go on the Great Western Adventure and

we were all still smiling and enjoying each otherrsquos company (297 miles)

June 29 Destination Salt Lake City Utah and on to Grand Junction Colorado (sunny and a hot 103 degrees) ndash After an overnight in

Elko we travel towards the Nevada-Utah State line which marks the division between West Wendover NV and Wendover UT

The huge casinos are on one side of the state line and everything else is on the other side ndash you guessed it by and large most folks

come from the Salt Lake Valley for a quick and easy gambling fix and entertainment The flats of the Great Salt Desert were dead

ahead The Bonneville Salt Flats stretch over 30000 acres and were formed when the ancient Lake Bonneville dried up and shrank

below its outlet and so its water became salty As the water evaporated salt deposits were left (much to the delight of the Morton

Salt Company) During the last Ice Age (about 15000 years ago) Lake Bonneville was the size of Lake Michigan

As we approached Salt Lake City there were six cars left in our caravan from the 13 cars which began on the first day We were

among the five cars that were together the entire 15 days of the Great Western Adventure Some couples could only devote one

week to the trip others dropped off at different locations to visit with family or spend more time in certain areas Who knows A

few may not have used the motel laundry rooms during the trip and headed home early because they had run out of clean clothes

We have come to appreciate the members of the Utah Miata Club as a dedicated group of individuals who take special interest in

their club and plan terrific events We left our new Miata friends in Salt Lake City shouting our goodbyes over the FRS hand-held

radios (channel 55) and promising to ldquoSee you in Bryce Canyonrdquo next year (click on the Utah Miata Clubrsquos website

ltutahmiatacluborggt for their July 2 -6 2014 event) The two of us continued south on I-15 to I-70 then east to Grand Junction

Colorado for the night with three more days to go

June 30 Destination Kansas State Line (hot) -- We drove along I-70 one of the most beautiful drives of the trip through the Colo-

rado Rockies and along the mountain creeks filled with rushing snow melt waters We took time out to drive through one of our

favorite places Breckenridge and then on toward Denver We spent the evening on the ColoradoKansas line

July 1 and July 2 Destination Indiana (still hot) ndash We spent all day Monday driving across Kansas but after traveling across the

wastelands of northern Utah and the barren Salt Flats Kansas was more enjoyable than ever before (the audio book helped too) On

Tuesday the final day of our trip we continued on I-70 through more familiar territory around St Louis and through Illinois hellip it

certainly was great to get ldquoBack Home Again in Indianardquo

The Great Western Adventure allowed us to view scenic beauty beyond description learn many new things about our great country

and confirm a previous observation hellip that all the small towns through which we drove could be Any Town Any State USA We

took over 1000 pictures along a route that totaled 7734 round trip miles on this journey across 16 States that will remain with us

forever

Happy Trails hellip Gary amp Kathy Collings

View from our Room in

Reno NV

Gary with Lake Tahoe

in background

This car didnrsquot survive

the ldquoSrdquo Curves

One of a kind Car in Museum

Page 6 Open Road November 2013

Indy Miata Club Invades St Louis Attack 2 2013 As rock lsquon roller Jerry Lee Lewis used to say occasionally Goodness Gracious Great Balls orsquo Fire That pretty well sums up the high-light of our club weekend visit with the Gateway Miata Club late last month This was our 3 rd September get-together with our Gate-way friends 2nd time in St Louis once here These meetings have been a chance to meet with old amp new friends and sample some of the great back roads in the Ozark hills south of StL and a few along the Mississippi River in Illinois This year we also had the pleasure of viewing a gigantic fireworks display and competition put on by the St Louis Police K-9 Corp as a benefit to raise funds for the corp Irsquom betting that you have never seen a fireworks presentation this large Ten Miatas from Indy made the trip to St Louis on that Friday Sept 27 arriving at our hotel in Arnold MO in the mid-afternoon We were scheduled to meet several of the Gateway members for dinner at a BBQ joint across the street Little did we know that 20-30 Gateway members would show up to welcome us to town Good thing Gateway President Dawn Allen had arranged for a reserved area for the group We took up almost a quarter of the restaurant The weekend was off to a grand start with fab food and fun com-pany We all gathered early the next morning outside the hotel ready for the 130 mile drive prepared by Dave Stroup (who is also an Indy Miata member) Once we cleared the populated area it was Pedal Down for some of the best back roads of the area I can swear that this was the longest and fastest Irsquove driven in quite some time Our primary rest stop of the drive was Maw lsquon Paws store in Richwood MO where we became witnesses to a marriage proposal by Gatewayrsquos Todd Browning to long-time girlfriend Nicole Haulard I know there was a tear or two in this crowd of sentimental fools (No offence intended folks)

We arrived back at the hotel in the early afternoon and headed to an-other local eatery for a mid-day lunch then a brief afternoon respite before heading to the fireworks We had been told to arrive early in order to find a satisfactory area for watching the program Taking that advice we had an hour or two be- fore dusk which we spent relaxing and chatting With a threat of rain on the evening the fireworks program started promptly at sundown Each competitor presented about a fifteen minute program choreographed with music In addition there were several additional lengthy displays during the evening performed by local pyrotechnic groups In total the evening lasted over 2 hours of spec-tacular fireworks If you would like to see photos and videos of the various displays go to the event file on the Photo tab on the club website Luckily the rain held off with only a little drizzle before we found it time to head back to the hotel Sunday morning with the sun shining brightly we again met a large Gateway contingent for another country drive this time to sample the river bottom and bluff roads of Illinois Assuming that all of Illinois was flat I think many of our group was pleased to find some

satisfactory challenges along the way Thatrsquos not to say we didnrsquot use some of the straight roads and highways of the area Sure we did but it was worthwhile when we arrived at the Blue Springs Cafeacute near Highland IL the ldquoHome of Mile High Piesrdquo But be-fore the dessert we were treated to a country-style dinner in a quaint dining room After dinner it was time to load up and hit the road for the trip back to Indiana It was an excellent weekend one that we will probably consider doing again next year for the 2014

annual fireworks competition Mark your calen-dar for the last weekend of September 2014 for a trip west to St Louis I think you will want to be there And look forward to the Gateway club coming this direction next September too Wersquoll have to work hard to top the fun we had this time around

Now celebrating 40

Exclusive Discounts for Indy Miata Club Mem-

Tom Roush Mazda Indianarsquos first Mazda dealer established in 1972 has not only the most experienced sales and service staff in town but also is the highest volume dealer in Indiana We hope to serve you in our next 40 years as Indyrsquos premier Mazda dealer In support of the Miata Club mem-berrsquos we would like to offer the following benefits

15 off regular door labor rate

15 off any accessory purchase

US 31 North 169th Street Westfield IN 46074 800-891-

Page 7 Open Road November 2013

Page 8 Open Road November 2013

Hughes Insurance Group is an Independent Agency representing over 35 insurance companies

Our ultra-competitive rates assure that you receive the most value at the best price for all of

your home auto or business insurance needs

For a limited time Irsquom giving away a $20 gas card with an insurance review and quote for your

home auto or business with no obligation If Irsquom competitive consider allowing Hughes Insur-

ance Group to write your business If I canrsquot provide you with a better value yoursquoll have the

peace of mind knowing yoursquore properly insured at a fair price

Call or e-mail Indy Miata Club member Tom Lewis today

317-984-9228 tomhughesinsurancegroupcom

Have a few dollars invested in upgrades Ask about Agreed Value Coverage for your Miata

Tom Lewis

INSURANCE GROUP

Page 5 Open Road November 2013

GREAT WESTERN ADVENTURE Cont June 27 Destination Lake Tahoe and Reno Nevada (hot) ndash We continued driving through north Yosemite National Park with its

hilly and curvy roads and terrain We drove through Lake Tahoe a busy tourist area and later arrived at Reno Sands Regency Ca-

sinoHotel Reno is known as the ldquoBiggest Little City in the Worldrdquo We toured the National Car Museum housing Harrahrsquos per-

sonal magnificent vintage car collection which is a must see attraction (200 miles)

June 28 Destination Elko Nevada (still hot) ndash We drove along the National Historic Trail to California and the nearby National

Pony Express Trail I-80 across northern Utah was hot with wind and sand storms causing ldquobrown-outsrdquo --- not a fun drive The land

along I-80 is stark and barren with some areas left as salt flats on a much smaller scale than the Great Salt Lake Desert in Utah Con-

trary to popular belief the speed limit is not 75 mph all the way across Nevada One day to go on the Great Western Adventure and

we were all still smiling and enjoying each otherrsquos company (297 miles)

June 29 Destination Salt Lake City Utah and on to Grand Junction Colorado (sunny and a hot 103 degrees) ndash After an overnight in

Elko we travel towards the Nevada-Utah State line which marks the division between West Wendover NV and Wendover UT

The huge casinos are on one side of the state line and everything else is on the other side ndash you guessed it by and large most folks

come from the Salt Lake Valley for a quick and easy gambling fix and entertainment The flats of the Great Salt Desert were dead

ahead The Bonneville Salt Flats stretch over 30000 acres and were formed when the ancient Lake Bonneville dried up and shrank

below its outlet and so its water became salty As the water evaporated salt deposits were left (much to the delight of the Morton

Salt Company) During the last Ice Age (about 15000 years ago) Lake Bonneville was the size of Lake Michigan

As we approached Salt Lake City there were six cars left in our caravan from the 13 cars which began on the first day We were

among the five cars that were together the entire 15 days of the Great Western Adventure Some couples could only devote one

week to the trip others dropped off at different locations to visit with family or spend more time in certain areas Who knows A

few may not have used the motel laundry rooms during the trip and headed home early because they had run out of clean clothes

We have come to appreciate the members of the Utah Miata Club as a dedicated group of individuals who take special interest in

their club and plan terrific events We left our new Miata friends in Salt Lake City shouting our goodbyes over the FRS hand-held

radios (channel 55) and promising to ldquoSee you in Bryce Canyonrdquo next year (click on the Utah Miata Clubrsquos website

ltutahmiatacluborggt for their July 2 -6 2014 event) The two of us continued south on I-15 to I-70 then east to Grand Junction

Colorado for the night with three more days to go

June 30 Destination Kansas State Line (hot) -- We drove along I-70 one of the most beautiful drives of the trip through the Colo-

rado Rockies and along the mountain creeks filled with rushing snow melt waters We took time out to drive through one of our

favorite places Breckenridge and then on toward Denver We spent the evening on the ColoradoKansas line

July 1 and July 2 Destination Indiana (still hot) ndash We spent all day Monday driving across Kansas but after traveling across the

wastelands of northern Utah and the barren Salt Flats Kansas was more enjoyable than ever before (the audio book helped too) On

Tuesday the final day of our trip we continued on I-70 through more familiar territory around St Louis and through Illinois hellip it

certainly was great to get ldquoBack Home Again in Indianardquo

The Great Western Adventure allowed us to view scenic beauty beyond description learn many new things about our great country

and confirm a previous observation hellip that all the small towns through which we drove could be Any Town Any State USA We

took over 1000 pictures along a route that totaled 7734 round trip miles on this journey across 16 States that will remain with us

forever

Happy Trails hellip Gary amp Kathy Collings

View from our Room in

Reno NV

Gary with Lake Tahoe

in background

This car didnrsquot survive

the ldquoSrdquo Curves

One of a kind Car in Museum

Page 6 Open Road November 2013

Indy Miata Club Invades St Louis Attack 2 2013 As rock lsquon roller Jerry Lee Lewis used to say occasionally Goodness Gracious Great Balls orsquo Fire That pretty well sums up the high-light of our club weekend visit with the Gateway Miata Club late last month This was our 3 rd September get-together with our Gate-way friends 2nd time in St Louis once here These meetings have been a chance to meet with old amp new friends and sample some of the great back roads in the Ozark hills south of StL and a few along the Mississippi River in Illinois This year we also had the pleasure of viewing a gigantic fireworks display and competition put on by the St Louis Police K-9 Corp as a benefit to raise funds for the corp Irsquom betting that you have never seen a fireworks presentation this large Ten Miatas from Indy made the trip to St Louis on that Friday Sept 27 arriving at our hotel in Arnold MO in the mid-afternoon We were scheduled to meet several of the Gateway members for dinner at a BBQ joint across the street Little did we know that 20-30 Gateway members would show up to welcome us to town Good thing Gateway President Dawn Allen had arranged for a reserved area for the group We took up almost a quarter of the restaurant The weekend was off to a grand start with fab food and fun com-pany We all gathered early the next morning outside the hotel ready for the 130 mile drive prepared by Dave Stroup (who is also an Indy Miata member) Once we cleared the populated area it was Pedal Down for some of the best back roads of the area I can swear that this was the longest and fastest Irsquove driven in quite some time Our primary rest stop of the drive was Maw lsquon Paws store in Richwood MO where we became witnesses to a marriage proposal by Gatewayrsquos Todd Browning to long-time girlfriend Nicole Haulard I know there was a tear or two in this crowd of sentimental fools (No offence intended folks)

We arrived back at the hotel in the early afternoon and headed to an-other local eatery for a mid-day lunch then a brief afternoon respite before heading to the fireworks We had been told to arrive early in order to find a satisfactory area for watching the program Taking that advice we had an hour or two be- fore dusk which we spent relaxing and chatting With a threat of rain on the evening the fireworks program started promptly at sundown Each competitor presented about a fifteen minute program choreographed with music In addition there were several additional lengthy displays during the evening performed by local pyrotechnic groups In total the evening lasted over 2 hours of spec-tacular fireworks If you would like to see photos and videos of the various displays go to the event file on the Photo tab on the club website Luckily the rain held off with only a little drizzle before we found it time to head back to the hotel Sunday morning with the sun shining brightly we again met a large Gateway contingent for another country drive this time to sample the river bottom and bluff roads of Illinois Assuming that all of Illinois was flat I think many of our group was pleased to find some

satisfactory challenges along the way Thatrsquos not to say we didnrsquot use some of the straight roads and highways of the area Sure we did but it was worthwhile when we arrived at the Blue Springs Cafeacute near Highland IL the ldquoHome of Mile High Piesrdquo But be-fore the dessert we were treated to a country-style dinner in a quaint dining room After dinner it was time to load up and hit the road for the trip back to Indiana It was an excellent weekend one that we will probably consider doing again next year for the 2014

annual fireworks competition Mark your calen-dar for the last weekend of September 2014 for a trip west to St Louis I think you will want to be there And look forward to the Gateway club coming this direction next September too Wersquoll have to work hard to top the fun we had this time around

Now celebrating 40

Exclusive Discounts for Indy Miata Club Mem-

Tom Roush Mazda Indianarsquos first Mazda dealer established in 1972 has not only the most experienced sales and service staff in town but also is the highest volume dealer in Indiana We hope to serve you in our next 40 years as Indyrsquos premier Mazda dealer In support of the Miata Club mem-berrsquos we would like to offer the following benefits

15 off regular door labor rate

15 off any accessory purchase

US 31 North 169th Street Westfield IN 46074 800-891-

Page 7 Open Road November 2013

Page 8 Open Road November 2013

Hughes Insurance Group is an Independent Agency representing over 35 insurance companies

Our ultra-competitive rates assure that you receive the most value at the best price for all of

your home auto or business insurance needs

For a limited time Irsquom giving away a $20 gas card with an insurance review and quote for your

home auto or business with no obligation If Irsquom competitive consider allowing Hughes Insur-

ance Group to write your business If I canrsquot provide you with a better value yoursquoll have the

peace of mind knowing yoursquore properly insured at a fair price

Call or e-mail Indy Miata Club member Tom Lewis today

317-984-9228 tomhughesinsurancegroupcom

Have a few dollars invested in upgrades Ask about Agreed Value Coverage for your Miata

Tom Lewis

INSURANCE GROUP

Page 6 Open Road November 2013

Indy Miata Club Invades St Louis Attack 2 2013 As rock lsquon roller Jerry Lee Lewis used to say occasionally Goodness Gracious Great Balls orsquo Fire That pretty well sums up the high-light of our club weekend visit with the Gateway Miata Club late last month This was our 3 rd September get-together with our Gate-way friends 2nd time in St Louis once here These meetings have been a chance to meet with old amp new friends and sample some of the great back roads in the Ozark hills south of StL and a few along the Mississippi River in Illinois This year we also had the pleasure of viewing a gigantic fireworks display and competition put on by the St Louis Police K-9 Corp as a benefit to raise funds for the corp Irsquom betting that you have never seen a fireworks presentation this large Ten Miatas from Indy made the trip to St Louis on that Friday Sept 27 arriving at our hotel in Arnold MO in the mid-afternoon We were scheduled to meet several of the Gateway members for dinner at a BBQ joint across the street Little did we know that 20-30 Gateway members would show up to welcome us to town Good thing Gateway President Dawn Allen had arranged for a reserved area for the group We took up almost a quarter of the restaurant The weekend was off to a grand start with fab food and fun com-pany We all gathered early the next morning outside the hotel ready for the 130 mile drive prepared by Dave Stroup (who is also an Indy Miata member) Once we cleared the populated area it was Pedal Down for some of the best back roads of the area I can swear that this was the longest and fastest Irsquove driven in quite some time Our primary rest stop of the drive was Maw lsquon Paws store in Richwood MO where we became witnesses to a marriage proposal by Gatewayrsquos Todd Browning to long-time girlfriend Nicole Haulard I know there was a tear or two in this crowd of sentimental fools (No offence intended folks)

We arrived back at the hotel in the early afternoon and headed to an-other local eatery for a mid-day lunch then a brief afternoon respite before heading to the fireworks We had been told to arrive early in order to find a satisfactory area for watching the program Taking that advice we had an hour or two be- fore dusk which we spent relaxing and chatting With a threat of rain on the evening the fireworks program started promptly at sundown Each competitor presented about a fifteen minute program choreographed with music In addition there were several additional lengthy displays during the evening performed by local pyrotechnic groups In total the evening lasted over 2 hours of spec-tacular fireworks If you would like to see photos and videos of the various displays go to the event file on the Photo tab on the club website Luckily the rain held off with only a little drizzle before we found it time to head back to the hotel Sunday morning with the sun shining brightly we again met a large Gateway contingent for another country drive this time to sample the river bottom and bluff roads of Illinois Assuming that all of Illinois was flat I think many of our group was pleased to find some

satisfactory challenges along the way Thatrsquos not to say we didnrsquot use some of the straight roads and highways of the area Sure we did but it was worthwhile when we arrived at the Blue Springs Cafeacute near Highland IL the ldquoHome of Mile High Piesrdquo But be-fore the dessert we were treated to a country-style dinner in a quaint dining room After dinner it was time to load up and hit the road for the trip back to Indiana It was an excellent weekend one that we will probably consider doing again next year for the 2014

annual fireworks competition Mark your calen-dar for the last weekend of September 2014 for a trip west to St Louis I think you will want to be there And look forward to the Gateway club coming this direction next September too Wersquoll have to work hard to top the fun we had this time around

Now celebrating 40

Exclusive Discounts for Indy Miata Club Mem-

Tom Roush Mazda Indianarsquos first Mazda dealer established in 1972 has not only the most experienced sales and service staff in town but also is the highest volume dealer in Indiana We hope to serve you in our next 40 years as Indyrsquos premier Mazda dealer In support of the Miata Club mem-berrsquos we would like to offer the following benefits

15 off regular door labor rate

15 off any accessory purchase

US 31 North 169th Street Westfield IN 46074 800-891-

Page 7 Open Road November 2013

Page 8 Open Road November 2013

Hughes Insurance Group is an Independent Agency representing over 35 insurance companies

Our ultra-competitive rates assure that you receive the most value at the best price for all of

your home auto or business insurance needs

For a limited time Irsquom giving away a $20 gas card with an insurance review and quote for your

home auto or business with no obligation If Irsquom competitive consider allowing Hughes Insur-

ance Group to write your business If I canrsquot provide you with a better value yoursquoll have the

peace of mind knowing yoursquore properly insured at a fair price

Call or e-mail Indy Miata Club member Tom Lewis today

317-984-9228 tomhughesinsurancegroupcom

Have a few dollars invested in upgrades Ask about Agreed Value Coverage for your Miata

Tom Lewis

INSURANCE GROUP

Now celebrating 40

Exclusive Discounts for Indy Miata Club Mem-

Tom Roush Mazda Indianarsquos first Mazda dealer established in 1972 has not only the most experienced sales and service staff in town but also is the highest volume dealer in Indiana We hope to serve you in our next 40 years as Indyrsquos premier Mazda dealer In support of the Miata Club mem-berrsquos we would like to offer the following benefits

15 off regular door labor rate

15 off any accessory purchase

US 31 North 169th Street Westfield IN 46074 800-891-

Page 7 Open Road November 2013

Page 8 Open Road November 2013

Hughes Insurance Group is an Independent Agency representing over 35 insurance companies

Our ultra-competitive rates assure that you receive the most value at the best price for all of

your home auto or business insurance needs

For a limited time Irsquom giving away a $20 gas card with an insurance review and quote for your

home auto or business with no obligation If Irsquom competitive consider allowing Hughes Insur-

ance Group to write your business If I canrsquot provide you with a better value yoursquoll have the

peace of mind knowing yoursquore properly insured at a fair price

Call or e-mail Indy Miata Club member Tom Lewis today

317-984-9228 tomhughesinsurancegroupcom

Have a few dollars invested in upgrades Ask about Agreed Value Coverage for your Miata

Tom Lewis

INSURANCE GROUP

Page 8 Open Road November 2013

Hughes Insurance Group is an Independent Agency representing over 35 insurance companies

Our ultra-competitive rates assure that you receive the most value at the best price for all of

your home auto or business insurance needs

For a limited time Irsquom giving away a $20 gas card with an insurance review and quote for your

home auto or business with no obligation If Irsquom competitive consider allowing Hughes Insur-

ance Group to write your business If I canrsquot provide you with a better value yoursquoll have the

peace of mind knowing yoursquore properly insured at a fair price

Call or e-mail Indy Miata Club member Tom Lewis today

317-984-9228 tomhughesinsurancegroupcom

Have a few dollars invested in upgrades Ask about Agreed Value Coverage for your Miata

Tom Lewis

INSURANCE GROUP