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GRAND NATIONAL registrations are pouring in!

Started by Art Director, January 18, 2023, 09:01:25 PM

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Art Director

Updated March 2, 2023

We opened January 10 for the Albuquerque Grand National and registrations are pouring in! So much so that several limited-attendance tours are already sold out. Two new tours were added on February 16, and they are approaching sellout as well.

Tuesday, June 20, Santa Fe Driving Tour
Due to unprecedented demand and limited capacity at the restaurant for lunch, this tour will need to be capped at 150 participants.
Only 41 tickets remain!

Wednesday, June 21, Wheels and Gems Tour
Wheels Museum, lunch at the 66 Diner, and the Turquoise Museum
Only 34 tickets remain!

Thursday, June 22, The Sky's the Limit Tour
Sandia Peak Tramway and the Anderson-Abruzzo Albuquerque International Balloon Museum
SOLD OUT

Thursday, June 22, Wheels on Route 66 Tour
Wheels Museum, lunch at the 66 Diner, and the Route 66 Visitors Center
Only 4 tickets remain!

Thursday, June 22, High Desert Cadillac Soirée
Visit the collections of Nick Manole, Tom Rigirozzi and Roy Dunlap II, Greek cuisine by Asimina Manole included
SOLD OUT

Friday, June 23, Wheels on Route 66 Tour
Wheels Museum, lunch at the 66 Diner, and the Route 66 Visitors Center
Only 1 ticket remains!

Friday, June 23, The Sky's the Limit Tour
Sandia Peak Tramway and the Anderson-Abruzzo Albuquerque International Balloon Museum
Only 16 tickets remain!

Sorry, no more tours will be added.

Tim Coy
CLC Southwestern Regions Vice President
Interim Western Regions Vice President
Art Director, The Self-Starter, International Membership Directory
Life member, Rocky Mountain Region
CLCMRC Benefactor #102

1963 Six-Window Sedan de Ville
1972 Fleetwood Brougham - RIP
1988 Sedan de Ville - RIP
2001 Eldorado ESC - RIP
2003 DeVille DTS - sold

Carfreak

We arrived several days early for a Winter Board Meeting held in Albuquerque a few years ago.

We enjoyed a night at the historic Route 66 El Rancho Hotel:   El Rancho Hotel    El Rancho History

While in Gallup, we traveled about 50 miles southeast to visit El Morro National Monument on a VERY COLD & windy day - it was still beautiful & the carvings dating back to the Conquistadors and wagon train travelers were amazing: El Morro

After a stop in Santa Fe we traveled to eastern NM where we stayed at the famous Blue Swallow Motel on Route 66.  It was an beautiful drive from the plateau through the mountains and descended to Tucumcari. The owners from Michigan had two GM Craftsman Coaches in dusty boxes in the lobby. Tucumcari has quite a few historic Route 66 buildings including a teepee souvenir shop and retro diners / restaurants.  That part of our vacation reminded us of the movie CARS.  What a blast!  Blue Swallow
Enjoy life - it has an expiration date.

Barry M Wheeler #2189

Since I had a small part in starting (really renewing) the Grand Nationals in the middle seventies, I am continually amazed at how the concept has grown from our modest beginnings in trying to please the membership of the CLC.

Our first host motel was the Speedway Motel on 16th Street in Indianapolis near the entrance to the Speedway. (If I'm ever on Jeopardy, I'll miss the question probably, as Hoosiers never bother saying anything more than "The Speedway." We acknowledge no other track as its equal and expect everyone else in the world to know what we're talking about.)

Our "welcome party" was in the second turn grandstand suite of a corporation that one of our members got the use of. We had no tours. If the ladies got bored, they were told that to get to downtown Indy to shop, go out the front door and turn left to Meridian Street, and then turn right down to the Circle.

The goody bag had loads of stuff, mostly due to the efforts of St. Louis Region members Terry Wenger and Marc Ohm. Cars were arranged on the infield under shade trees, and after judging, all entrants got two laps around the track.

We had door prizes, many supplied by long time Treasurer Ansel Sackett from Cadillac. The show lasted only a couple of days, but we must have done something right as I started getting letters begging us to "do it again next year." So, we did. And then went to St. Louis in 1979 where I had the privilege to announce at the banquet that the CLC Board had given their blessing to having an official CLC Grand National the next year. (Again at the Speedway.)

(The first three were called "Multi-Region Meets.")

Looking back, I can't imagine how our tiny Indiana Region got this thing done. But we did. We've done it twice more. More than any other CLC Region. I can tell you that putting on one of these shows takes countless hours of planning and cooperation from a host of members. (You really find out who are the people you can count on afterwards.)

With the 24/7 care of my wife, I will not be able to attend this year. But it sounds as if it's going to be a humdinger. If you go, and find something is not to your liking, please take a step back, and realize that the folks who put this thing on would not have you upset for anything in the world.

They are proud of their state, their host city, and their Region. As Gypsy Rose Lee once said, "Let them entertain you." And remember, if an event has a limit posted as far as the # of attendees, that's it. So register early. Have a great time, all of you.

Barry M. Wheeler #2189


1981 Cadillac Seville
1991 Cadillac Seville

Art Director

Quote from: Barry M Wheeler #2189 on January 20, 2023, 04:49:16 PMSince I had a small part in starting (really renewing) the Grand Nationals in the middle seventies, I am continually amazed at how the concept has grown from our modest beginnings in trying to please the membership of the CLC.

And I thank you, Barry, for your foresight back in the 1970s. I was in college when the Speedway "Multi-Region Meets" took place, and was over 15 years away from inheriting my grandmother's Cadillac and joining the CLC. I'm sorry you won't be able to attend, but I completely understand.
Tim Coy
CLC Southwestern Regions Vice President
Interim Western Regions Vice President
Art Director, The Self-Starter, International Membership Directory
Life member, Rocky Mountain Region
CLCMRC Benefactor #102

1963 Six-Window Sedan de Ville
1972 Fleetwood Brougham - RIP
1988 Sedan de Ville - RIP
2001 Eldorado ESC - RIP
2003 DeVille DTS - sold

robert G. smits

Barry I think all of us in our 80's sympathize with your situation.  God bless you for taking care of your better half.   Those of us who are still living in a healthy relationship need to realize that this will not last forever and take advantage of this years GN.   This could be our last opportunity. 
R. Smits, #2426
23 Cad 7P Touring
32 Cad 5P Coupe
38 Cad 90 Series
41 Cad 63 Series
58 Cad Eldo Barritz
The average man can take care of one Woman and two Cadillacs, Al Edmond AACA Past President

Barry M Wheeler #2189

Bob, when you have time, give our Editor a call and see what you can do about showing off that original 1954 convertible you got last year in the S/S. Tim, maybe you can help, too.
Barry M. Wheeler #2189


1981 Cadillac Seville
1991 Cadillac Seville

billyoung

Not whining, just mentioning that my Wife and I have analyzed travel of any kind or transportation for any reason  and basically came out at for a several day trip by car between gas tolls lodging food and doing anything at destination it is about a $1,000.00 commitment, plus the time taken off from work ( I am working 6 days a week again at age 68 ), we just cannot justify it.
Age 68, Living in Gods waiting room ( Florida ) Owned over 40 Old Cadillac's from 1955's to 1990 Brougham's. Currently own a 1968 Cadillac DeVille Convertible and a 1992 Cadillac 5.7 Brougham.

Art Director

Quote from: billyoung on February 05, 2023, 09:08:21 AMNot whining, just mentioning that my Wife and I have analyzed travel of any kind or transportation for any reason  and basically came out at for a several day trip by car between gas tolls lodging food and doing anything at destination it is about a $1,000.00 commitment, plus the time taken off from work ( I am working 6 days a week again at age 68 ), we just cannot justify it.
Too bad, but the 2024 Grand National is in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, a much shorter trip than Albuquerque.
Tim Coy
CLC Southwestern Regions Vice President
Interim Western Regions Vice President
Art Director, The Self-Starter, International Membership Directory
Life member, Rocky Mountain Region
CLCMRC Benefactor #102

1963 Six-Window Sedan de Ville
1972 Fleetwood Brougham - RIP
1988 Sedan de Ville - RIP
2001 Eldorado ESC - RIP
2003 DeVille DTS - sold