Back to Life; Back to Reality

[area53 at validpath.com (Jeff Toomasson)]

What a whirlwind of a trip! Red-eye to Minneapolis, a day of work on 1.5 hours 
of sleep and then copious beer drinking, a 12-hour drive to Cincy hungover in a 
Kia (Toyota Matrix) followed by more beer drinking, SLEEP  :)  followed by a 
day's worth of beer drinking (Miller time in Cincy is NOON ;) then Brisket then 
SLEEP. Then an 1.5 hour mad-dash to the airport, two flights and finally home! 
SLEEP!!!  :)

It all seems like a dream - I never really thought I'd make it out there prior 
to planning this trip as adulthood responsibilities have permeated my life. I, 
like many others before me, thought it was too far to go for just a car 
gathering. But it's not JUST any gathering. It's Cincy. It didn't take me very 
long feel to welcome, shed the "outsider" paranoia and bask in the essence of 
the event. And other than Rich's mishap, it was truly a pleasure being there to 
participate. Everyone should try to attend at least once in their lifetime.

A HUGE thank you to Daun and his family for allowing us to storm their property 
yet again! Your generosity knows no bounds!

Thanks to Dave Winchell for splitting his hotel room with me (and Allyn  :)

Thanks to Allyn for pressing in my motor mounts for me

Thanks to the SFO security force for not arresting me for unknowingly trying to 
smuggle a Swiss Army knife onto my flight.

Thanks to the Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana and Ohio law enforcement 
agencies for not seeing my frequent triple-digit transgressions.

A few poignant memories:

- Anson becoming monkey-boy at the hotel
- Chatting with Brett (or was it Frank...?) about parenthood and turbo projects
- seeing Lowell Snow's Beiber convertible
- seeing the GRM car in all of its cheapass (tm) glory

It was great to finally meet you:
Daun, Ron, Allyn, Dave W, Brett, Peter, Brian W, Dan B, Kirsten, Dan Snow, Big 
Mac, Drew, Cathy, Julie, Jim, Ben, Rich, Jason, Sara, Mark, Scott, Doug and to 
the others who I can't remember right now I apologize!!  :)

Salty and Marc - it was great to see you guys again.

I hope to one day see you all again!  Take it easy - 

Jeff