What a Convention!
I just wanted to let you all know what a “healing experience” the Inaugural 348-409 Convention was for me. As my friends all know, I am a poster child for poor health and why we should take better care of ourselves. Having numerous heart/back surgeries, insulin-dependent diabetes, severe peripheral neuropathy and other little insidious disorders that have tried to put me away have just humbled and depressed the heck out of me.
I was advised by the doc’s to not attend the convention as the walking, excitement, dietary restrictions, blah, blah, blah… Well let me tell you this folks, best damn therapy I’ve ever had was attending the convention! When I returned and went to the doctor’s and WOW! My blood pressure was lower than it has been in 10 years and I just found out today that my blood chemistry was similarly within healthier parameters AND I lost 4lbs. that week! How was this possible?
Well, let’s see…Seeing old friends, making many new ones, being in the same group with people like Hayden Proffitt, Tom Jacobson, Delmer McAfee, Allen George, Bill Horvat, (I could go on and on) my dear friends; Doug Marion, Denny & Deb Ford and Phil & Candy Reed et al all at the same time. Meeting many of you was a treat indeed and that alone would have made the trip worthwhile; Aaron Adam, Bob (ww), Dean, DQ, Donnie, Fred, Mike, and this (alphabetically) could go on and on. Seeing all of that iron and horsepower made me feel like a kid in the chrome accessory department at JC Whitney’s. And as Phil Reed would say: “Can you imagine the cubic dollars in that lot?” :eek:
And the Z-11’s….NEVER will we again get such an opportunity to be mere inches from the real deal! The event was put together so that no one (short of weather) could possibly be disappointed and we all owe a debt of gratitude to Phil & Candy Reed and associates
for making this the experience of a life time for most of us. I know for a fact that Fat Block Productions put this together for love rather than money and I hope we will see more conventions if they can be supported. There were 300+ expected to attend and less than half that number registered at the event. For those who were not able to attend, it's very hard for you to imagine the magnitude of what really happened this past week....all the people and cars that were all together for the first, and possibly, only time!!!
Since returning, I’ve been wrenching on the ’09, walking more, reducing some med’s, watching my diet and looking forward to the next convention. My wife says that I have more spunk and a better outlook than she has seen in years. I must tell you that the convention was better than a Geritol, Ginko and Viagra high colonic!
Any opportunity to see old friends should be considered for that fact alone. Our "Super Chevy Indy Group" has lost three in just the last year, Marty Didzerekis, Doug Fleming and parts guru Chuck Scharf. They may be gone, but never forgotten as the good people that shared this fellowship with us.
Y'all know that the Hemi Owners Group H.O.G. (not to be confused w/Harley Owners Group) has thier rituals on a routine basis S-o-o-o-o just call us the WOG'S!
For those of you that couldn’t make it for one reason or another… don’t miss another as it could be “just what the doctor ordered!”
Well, good night, good health and God bless you all.
"Your only limits are those that you choose to accept."
I've got to agree with Jim on the health benifits too! And WOG's... Sounds good to me. 