Calling Canadian Drivers in ON and/or other provinces for a Caravan to PUB2015

[Rolf-Dieter ✝︎]

........ Calling Canadian Pagoda Drivers in Ontario and / or naighboring provinces for a Caravan to PUB 2015 .... American drivers (like in 2013) are most welcome to Join along the way.

Joe basically confirmed that PUB 2015 is a go on September 12 and 13, 2015 in an e-mail to me. Now do keep in mind life sometimes trows us a curve and a change is always possible. As of this writing and as far as I know  September 12 and 13, 2015 is a GO.

The main thread is here I------> http://www.sl113.org/forums/index.php?topic=21664.0

I started this thread primarely to organize a caravan here in Ontario, Canada and near by areas.

I spoke to Benz Dr. Dan C. Dan will join us so we have a great mechanic near by should any of our cars have a hick up

I like to recommend the following;-

1) Starting point can be Toronto, ON (this will give Pagoda drivers east and north of Toronto a chance to join in the fun).

2) We need someone to map out a route and once we cross into the US we will follow that individual religiously. Preferred are smaller country roads so the drive will be safe and fun.

3) We need someone to organize contact information including cell phone numbers so we can stay in touch.

4) We need someone to organize stops along the way (recommendations are most welcome) it may be spots were another driver or two will join us.

5) We need someone to organize reservations for the overnight stays in Blacklick, Ohio. I'm sure there are recommendations from past visitors.

6) I will be traveling alone so there be a spot for a passenger in my car. I will find out how many spots for passengers we have and organize filling those spots (if the driver is willing to take a passenger) i if someone still has there Pagode in the shop or comes from further away there be no reason not to join the fun.

Speaking of an empty passenger seat, last year I was invited to participate in a Hamburg, Germany caravan outing. Unfortunately I had to cancel due to a family matter, as I said earlier sometimes life does trow us a curve as we all well know. Filling a passenger seat for the trip might be great fun you may meet someone from another part of the world

Looking forward to joining as many of you from my neck of the woods as possible, so get your car ready there is plenty of time to do so Start your engines and let's have fun.

EDIT NOTES

1) Table added as to drivers that plan to join the caravan as of March 7th 2015 (see attached table) this table will be revised as time marches closer to PUB 2015

2) Please communicate with me via PM and I will ammend / edit the attached table.

3) To make this a success we need individuals to volunteer for tasks I mentioned above, please PM me if you like to take on a task and I will update the attached table.

4) Rolf-Dieter will co-ordinate filling of Passenger seats.  I have an empty seat so PM me if you need a lift. Also, PM me if you have an empty seat and wisch to give someone a lift.

[mdsalemi]

I'm in...

[Jack Jones]

I am also in Rolf.

Mike, are you Canadian.

[Rolf-Dieter ✝︎]

Jack,

Mike is American just our neighbour and near by as we pass his way Mike is the Gentleman that organized and published the book "Pagoda Style" a few years ago.

EDIT ... You can read all about it here ----> https://www.facebook.com/pages/Pagoda-Style-The-Book-and-Paul-Bracq-Editions/235522969856493?ref=profile

[Tomnistuff]

Hello all,

I got your email, Rolf-Dieter.  Thanks.  I've been planning to drive my car to PUB 2015, although right now it's still in pieces.  The timing allows me 27 weeks and 4 days to finish the car and complete a successful shake-down for leaving Quebec on the morning of Wednesday, September 9.

In the absence of a plan, my ideal trip would be that the group meet up in Toronto on Wednesday night or Thursday morning for a Thursday AM departure, going by way of Detroit to pick up American Pagodas, and an arrival near Blacklick late on Thursday.  I'm also assuming that this Canadian group will plan to be there Friday during the day to help with the set-up and to experience Pizza Night as suggested by Sandcrab59.

I'm looking forward to visiting this thread every day so as to participate in the planning.  Since I don't get out much anymore, I would like to absorb the entire experience and not miss anything.

It's minus 15 degrees Celsius tonight (that's 5 degrees F for those of you south of our border) so until May, I'll be working indoors in my office and my heated garage.  I really hope I don't run into anything major during the reassembly.  Many big items (like my engine and my home-designed and built integrated supplemental heat and A/C system) have already been completed as subsystems and are ready to install.

Rolf-Dieter, I would like to help with the planning, since I'm retired and can't work on my car 24/7.  I'll suggest to my Quebec colleagues that they plan to take a few days for what will undoubtedly be a trip to remember.

Joe, thanks a million for agreeing to host this event.  Please let me know if there is anything I can help with or even bring, since hopefully I'll be there for set-up on Friday and tear-down on Monday.

Tom Kizer
An American Expatriate in Quebec

[mdsalemi]

I am also in Rolf.

Mike, are you Canadian.

Dr. Benz gave me a Canadian flag and it hangs in my basement. So, I guess I'm an honorary Canadian. Also, I can cross into Canada easily with a smile. Getting back, our own lovely TSA and Homeland Security make it difficult. Thus I guess I'm more welcome in Canada than here! 

[Rolf-Dieter ✝︎]

Mike you are a true "North American" having done business on both side of the border. I often (when asked where I live) refer to it as North America for I have as many friends in Canada as I have in the US. Like you I also worked for companies on both side of the border and always saw the border as non existing. I see the Homeland Security Department got a one-week extension of the agency’s funding as its midnight deadline approached last night. I do hope something more concrete is done fast to change that.

Speaking of the Canadian flag when I was in Williamsburg, Virginia in September 2013 I put the three flags in the back of my car. I went early to the winery for the concourse on the green (since I did not want to get lost like we did on the way down there that's another story). Anyway, when I arrived at the New Kent Winery to my surprise I was the first Pagoda to arrive and was told where to park. With my three flags in position a Gentleman came to me and announced I would be the lead car and that the show would be opened with all the Pagoda's entering at the same time. I must say I was a bit embarrassed by what he told me and he placed a sign "Lead Car" on my windshield. Soon a second car arrived having Virginia licence plates. A very nice elderly couple, we soon started a conversation. Then came the question why the three flags and I responded ....

"Well I was born in Germany and the car came form Germany, I am here in America right now and I live in Canada. I will always be grateful to the American, Canadian and all other coalition forces that liberated us in Germany" It felt good leading all those fine Pagoda's onto the field to open the show at P50. I will of course bring the three flags along again for PUB 2015

I will never know if the 2nd price "Peoples Choice" was awarded to my car because of the flags, being the lead car or the carwash I gave her the previous Saturday morning in the parking lot using the waste paper basket from the hotel room as a water bucket .... LOL

[Jack Jones]

Mike, you are welcome here anytime. I was in Novi in early February for a couple of days staying at the Hilton and I am in the US at least one week a month and always feel welcome.

[jpinet]

Since i've joined this group, I've heard about the mythical 'Blacklick event' and have been looking forward to be there one day. I need to be in Europe on the 15th for a week, thus leaving the 14th. I'm trying to see how I can make that work; ie drive down there for event with you guys, drive to Toronto on the 14th, fly to Europe from there and drive back to Quebec at the end of the week. Possible. Very possible.

[Rolf-Dieter ✝︎]

Jocelyn, it be a pleasure to have you along. Good luck with your business travels then a relaxed pleasure trip to PUB 2015 will be fun and relaxing. something nice to look forward to.

[mdsalemi]

Mike, you are welcome here anytime. I was in Novi in early February for a couple of days staying at the Hilton and I am in the US at least one week a month and always feel welcome.

What you didn't call? Next time give me a heads up, we'll meet for dinner, lunch, a beer or something...my email is in my profile.

[mdsalemi]

Since i've joined this group, I've heard about the mythical 'Blacklick event' and have been looking forward to be there one day.

Well, the PUB (Pagoda University Blackjack) is hardly mythical. It dates back to 2002, and has been held 2005, 2007, 2009, 2011. I may have missed some years. Plenty written about it in published magazines I cannot tell you about.

[jpinet]

Well, the PUB (Pagoda University Blackjack) is hardly mythical. It dates back to 2002, and has been held 2005, 2007, 2009, 2011. I may have missed some years. Plenty written about it in published magazines I cannot tell you about.

Mythical to me! I heard about it and looking forward to being there this year if possible.
Just read your article on that topic Michael. Thanks!

[ghenne]

I looked at the possible hotel choices in Expedia and booked a room at the Comfort Suites East Broad for Friday and Saturday nights. It could be great if someone local could confirm that it the best/closest choice.

As Rolf-Dieter says, life can throw us curve balls, but I am looking forward to leaving from Toronto early Friday morning. Google Maps says it's about a 7.5 hr drive via London/Chatham-Kent=Detroit.

Looking forward to seeing everyone!

[Rolf-Dieter ✝︎]

Hi Tom,

My planned arrival was around noon on Friday still planning to work out the details as time marches by (we still have time for it . I would most likely recommend (as a first option) to stop some place about 50 miles before the final destination on Thursday night. Of course that is very preliminary at this point in time. Another option would be for example individuals form further away then Toronto like yourself and Montreal plan to arrive on Thursday night and stay over night in London, Ontario then the full caravan can start from London early Friday morning this then would give us plenty of time to arrive by mid day at the site and give Joe and the boys a hand.  We need someone to volunteer and work out those details once we know how many we are traveling together.

Here are some distances per Google maps if form your place, Montreal, Toronto and London .... if we travel along the 401 then once we cross the border get onto smaller scenic routes. All distances are to Columbus, Ohio.

Levis, Quebec 1,484 KM (922 Miles)

Montreal, Quebec 1,233 KM (766 Miles)

Toronto, Ontario 694 KM (431 Miles)

London, Ontario 499 KM (310 Miles)

George, Thanks for your e-mail and post above. Board Members and local area folks will be working on special hotel rates not to worry about this at the moment it is still to early right now. At some point one of our Board Members will provide the details etc. pronely in the PUB 2015 thread. I only started this one to keep the Canadian (and some of our American friends up to date what we are planning).

I don't like to push my car more then 300 miles in one day, so people from Montreal, or further away like Tom would most likely make a stop over or two I'm thinking. Of course we do need consider stop times for gas, coffee etc. Should we leave early say 7am from London, Ontario (and there are no delays at the US border) then we can figure about 6 to 7 hours travel time (not pushing it and including the stops).

[pj]

Hello Dieter and everyone,
It's so cool to think of a caravan of Pagodas, like we had for P50. (I made it as far as W-burg that time -- W for Wallaceburg, that is.)

I will help the planning in any way I can from my base, also in London, not far from Dieter's house. For myself, I will probably get my schedule from work only a few weeks before. Probably I will have to drive my regular car and zoom down there for late Friday.

[mnahon]

Many great ideas here. Rolf-Dieter, thanks for getting this started.

In my own case, I will attend PUB, but I'm not sure it'll be with my car---it will depend how much time I can get off work. I could try to do a Thursday evening/night run from Montreal to Toronto or London; and join whoever is leaving from that area on Friday morning.

The backup plan is to fly.

[Rolf-Dieter ✝︎]

Please refer to FIRST POST ... Edit Notes 1 to 4 and table attached to the first post of this thread.

[UJJ]

R-D:

I am planning to join the caravan in Chicago. Please keep me posted.
Thanks, Urban

[Rolf-Dieter ✝︎]

Okay Urban will do :-)

You and I may be the only ones in our trip to Blacklick, Ohio ... since I modifyed post 1 (adding the table and some notes 1 to 4) there has been very little response. Only Tom and yourself provided some feedback. However, no one voiced any interest in helping out to plan some of the steps. I know it is still 6 months away still in my book half the job is planning it. So I hope to get some feedback or it might just be a solo drive for me to Blacklick, Ohio and that's okay too.

[Benz Dr.]

I am also in Rolf.

Mike, are you Canadian.

He's a wanna be hoser. He will have to learn how to drink Tim Horton's diesel fuel before we give him the nod.

[Benz Dr.]

Mike you are a true "North American" having done business on both side of the border. I often (when asked where I live) refer to it as North America for I have as many friends in Canada as I have in the US. Like you I also worked for companies on both side of the border and always saw the border as non existing. I see the Homeland Security Department got a one-week extension of the agency’s funding as its midnight deadline approached last night. I do hope something more concrete is done fast to change that.

Speaking of the Canadian flag when I was in Williamsburg, Virginia in September 2013 I put the three flags in the back of my car. I went early to the winery for the concourse on the green (since I did not want to get lost like we did on the way down there that's another story). Anyway, when I arrived at the New Kent Winery to my surprise I was the first Pagoda to arrive and was told where to park. With my three flags in position a Gentleman came to me and announced I would be the lead car and that the show would be opened with all the Pagoda's entering at the same time. I must say I was a bit embarrassed by what he told me and he placed a sign "Lead Car" on my windshield. Soon a second car arrived having Virginia licence plates. A very nice elderly couple, we soon started a conversation. Then came the question why the three flags and I responded ....

"Well I was born in Germany and the car came form Germany, I am here in America right now and I live in Canada. I will always be grateful to the American, Canadian and all other coalition forces that liberated us in Germany" It felt good leading all those fine Pagoda's onto the field to open the show at P50. I will of course bring the three flags along again for PUB 2015

I will never know if the 2nd price "Peoples Choice" was awarded to my car because of the flags, being the lead car or the carwash I gave her the previous Saturday morning in the parking lot using the waste paper basket from the hotel room as a water bucket .... LOL

Interesting. That's the first time I ever heard anyone from Germany thank us for liberating them. We did, but I guess I never thought of it that way before. Not a good deal for anyone to go though but the outcome seems to be OK.   

[Tomnistuff]

Hey Rolf-Dieter,

I think I may have to join another convoy, since you seem to be planning to detour through Chicago to pickup Urban.  That's about 800 miles round trip out of the way.  If he had said Detroit, that would be better.  Urban, did you mean to post on the main thread or on the Canadian thread?

Anyway, I'm sure we can work things out.  If my car is running, I'm going to be there.  When and how should we start finalizing dates and times and rendezvous points for the convoy?

Since I appear to be pretty much the farthest away, at least from the Northeast direction, I will make a straw-dog proposal to post so we can all take pot-shots at it with the objective of arriving at a final "Horaire/Itinerary/Zeitplan"?  I can start with the route map posted by ghenne as a starting point.  We have to pass near Benz Dr. anyway, then meet up with mdsalemi in Detroit, so that pretty much confirms the route.

I've always worked best and fastest under pressure, so If I don't COMMIT to something, I may lose the incentive to get the car done and start dragging the job out.

Tom Kizer

[Rolf-Dieter ✝︎]

Tom, I have no intention to go to Chicago my route will be as shown below, if Urban plans to join our group then he needs to come near to that planned route somewhere someplace

Dan, I always felt like that. On another note I hope you can join us I even let you plan the route from your shop onward so we can avoid express ways and enjoy a nice Pagoda outing along America's byways

[UJJ]

Ok, my mistake about Chicago.
I plan to meet with Panzer82 in Minneapolis/St Paul and drive with him to OH.
Urban