Mitty 2010

[RonDay]

Hi Folks,

Unless you've been hiding under a rock or vacationing on the far side of the moon, you probably know that the BRE Datsuns will be the featured team at this year's Mitty Classic.

Dates are Thursday, April 29 through Sunday, May 2. Here's a link (http://tinyurl.com/yz7yntb" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;) to the info page. There will be a dinner and panel discussion on Thursday evening at the Chalet at the track which will include Pete Brock, John Morton and many of the BRE team members, plus who knows who else from Pete's past will show up.

A number of the historic BRE road course Datsuns will be present including the 1969 Pacific Coast D Prod Champion #44 2000 Roadster, the 1970-71 C Prod Champion #46 Datsun 240Z, the 1971-72 Trans-Am 2.5 Champion #46 BRE Datsun 510 and the #85 BRE 510 guest car driven by Bobby Allison, Sam Posey and others. Plus some of Pete's off road favorites like the 1969 4th place Mexican 1000 BRE Baja #89 510 and the 1973 Baja 500 BRE Baja #300 240Z will be on hand. Add probably more vintage (and modern Nissans) Datsuns and their fanatic owners ever assembled in one place and it's going to be truly a once in a lifetime weekend.

There will also be plenty of on and off track activities and activities for other, Non-Datsun, car nuts.It'll be a great opportunity for drivers of newer Asian imports to see how and from where the Asian Invasion really began.

I working real hard on Corky Bell and his wife to make the trip, too. Into Miatas these day, Corky worked on our original 2000 at his shop in Arlington, TX, in '70 and '71 and spent a lot of time racing Roadsters and 510s. These days Bell Engineering Group is based near Canyon Lake, just north of San Antonio and we usually have dinner and swap lies..., err tales when we get down there.

The east coast 510 crew will be there and no telling who else. This will probably be the biggest gathering of vintage Datsun nuts ever. Did I mention it's bound to be a great event?

[spl310]

If I can get away from family obligations, I will be there.

[Alvin]

Would somebody PLEASE take pictures of this event.

[spl310]

Are any of the Roadster vendors going to attend/support/participate in this event?

[dbrick]

So now I'd have to fly to Solvang on the 24th, then to Atlanta on the following Thursdsay, then home on Sunday! Better start working on Linda. If there will be Roadster Raffles, let me know, and East Coast Roadster will participate, if I'm there or not.

[edward1250]

Ok Dave, I know you can handle this. But i hope you can make it to MidOhio in June? I don't know know if i could make it to the Mitty, would love to try but not getting back from Solvang until the 28th.

Good Luck
Mitch

[dbrick]

Ok Dave, I know you can handle this. But i hope you can make it to MidOhio in June? I don't know know if i could make it to the Mitty, would love to try but not getting back from Solvang until the 28th.

Good Luck
Mitch

Fly to Atlanta and then home. I almost have Linda convinced.

[spl310]

You can make it a cultural event by having lunch at the Varsity...

[RonDay]

So now I'd have to fly to Solvang on the 24th, then to Atlanta on the following Thursdsay, then home on Sunday! Better start working on Linda. If there will be Roadster Raffles, let me know, and East Coast Roadster will participate, if I'm there or not.

Dave,

There isn't am organized car show as such, AFAIK, just loosely organized groups parking and camping together. Check out the event site (http://grassrootsmotorsports.com/events/mitty-2010/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;) for general info.

I'm going to be pretty busy Thursday and Friday, but will get around and see as many folks as I can regardless. Talked to Les last night and he's bringing two cars from his place. He's got the #46 510 in the shop now.

later,
Ron

[Alvin]

All,
I am trying to plan a possible roadtrip to Georgia for the reunion. I want to drive the roadster there from Solvang, CA. We would take the wee off work, and the goal is to be back in San Jose by Monday, May 2.

We would leave Saturday or Sunday April 25.
I am not savvy with geography and site-seeing. Can we take route 66 to Georgia? What would you stop and see on the way/back to CA?
I am also considered about weather. Does it usually rain during this season in the midwest?
Although I have never driven the roadster in rain I don't mind some showers.

Also, can we do parade laps on the track?

Any help would be greatly appreciated. If it it's not feasible we'll consider flying, though driving allows to camp and see the country....I have always wanted to drive the roadster across the US. Do you think this is the right trip?

[dbrick]

I would plan a northern and a southern route, watch the weather and decide. I'll see if the pilot can beep the horn so you know when to look up and Linda and I will wave from the plane

It's about 40 hours on the road each way any way you go, $ days to drive out will be pretty nice, but the return trip would be a 2 day+ marathon. On the bright side, Atlanta is 8 hours closer than driving from Solvang to Watkins Glen! Might sound silly, but if you add up the gas, motels, food, 4 more cans of Anti-MonkeyButt Powder and time from work etc., may be worth considering flying home and getting the car transported?

[Linda]

Here's a weather site that tells you all about number of rain days, ave temp etc for any city:
http://www.weatherbase.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
If you have never driven thru some of these beautiful areas you might really enjoy it.
I think you can take Hwy 40 across then drop down from Nashville to Atlanta.
Lots of nice camping in the South.
You could always drive across and fly back...have your car transported back.

Linda

[spl310]

SWEET! I hope you make it Alvin!

Yes on the laps - the dip into the chute is fun!

[RonDay]

All,
I am trying to plan a possible roadtrip to Georgia for the reunion. I want to drive the roadster there from Solvang, CA. We would take the wee off work, and the goal is to be back in San Jose by Monday, May 2.

We would leave Saturday or Sunday April 25.
I am not savvy with geography and site-seeing. Can we take route 66 to Georgia? What would you stop and see on the way/back to CA?
I am also considered about weather. Does it usually rain during this season in the midwest?
Although I have never driven the roadster in rain I don't mind some showers.

Also, can we do parade laps on the track?

Any help would be greatly appreciated. If it it's not feasible we'll consider flying, though driving allows to camp and see the country....I have always wanted to drive the roadster across the US. Do you think this is the right trip?

Alvin,

It'll be great if you make it. While you can take 66 roughly half the trip, it's really not practical for the whole trip since its route basically runs from LA up to Chicago. That's just a bit out of your way. :>) I do wonder if you can drive in the time frame you state. Weather in late April, early May is usually moderate but you may also run into spring storms, some of which can be heavy.

I used Google Maps to run a route. You're looking at 2500 miles each way. Unless you're an ironman or share driving, that's a solid three days each way. It runs you on I-5 from San Jose to near Buttonwillow where you catch 58 through Bakersfield to Barstow, where I-40 starts. From there you stay on I-40 through Flagstaff, Albuquerque, Amarillo and Oklahoma City. IIRC, from Barstow to OK City you follow 66. Some of the old road is still there and sort of accessible. I think 66 went north from OKC, but you follow I-40 through Ft. Smith then down to LIttle Rock. Ft. Smith is in the Ozarks and the drive in that area is gorgeous. Stay on I-40 to Memphis where you take US-78 SE to Birmingham, where you catch I-20 and stay on it to Atlanta and on to Braselton.

Tons of things to see on the trip. Memphis is great, especially if you're into music and/or Elvis Presley. The Albuquerque area is pretty and you'll often see some pretty spectacular hot air balloons. Santa Fe is about 45 minutes north and worth the side trip, if you have the time. The Flagstaff/Williams area is nice and the gateway to what I feel is the one must do stop, the Grand Canyon. One full day there will wet your appetite, but you can spend a lifetime. It's an incredible experience.

If you don't have a GPS, or even if you do and you have a Windows laptop, I'd suggest getting Microsoft Streets & Trips with the GPS dongle. I have Streets running on an XP partition on my MacBook and I think it's much better than a dedicated GPS, if no no other reason than the 13 inch screen is easier to see with my 63 year old eyes than the smaller screens on GPS units. And I'll be using the laptop to record audio during the dinner/panel.

Hope this gives you an good idea about the scope of the trip you're considering. I'm taking the last week of April and the first week of May. It should be an easy two day trip going for me. I'm stopping for a day or so to visit friends on the way back.

If you want to talk just let me know.

Ron

[sleepyzzz]

i would look at dropping down to Pine Bluff out of Little Rock, AR and make a run thru the delta, where you would hit I 20 at Vicksburg, MS. if your into history, there is a great cival war national park there where you can drive thru, and not see everything in a day's time.

and if you have a for sure day and approximate time of when you are going to be in Little Rock, that would be very tempting to make a run down with you from there. again, the wife won't go, but i might take one of my sons. lots of good campsites, but be prepared for mosquitoes. they are terrible down there, and will ruin a good camping trip.

on route 66. my wife and i tried driving on some of that route on our way to St. Louis one year for vacation. it was so chopped up, and time consuming, we gave up after a few hours of getting on and off, and making all sorts of detours. there were some interesting old tourist traps if you have the time to run it though.