QUOTE(VegasRacer @ Jul 7 2004, 04:28 PM)
Great read James and Ginger.
I really like the "snorting caterpillars" line.
Your description of the opening night atop the parking garage is genius.
C'mon Slits. Let's see yours. Please!?!
Hmmmmmm, I guess I can post it for a laugh.
or three............................, after all it is a LOSER
......................,
The WCC
Exactly where does one start to explain the experience of attending the WCC? It was three days of fun in the sun; it was our time to revel in the glory that we, 914 owners, were about to embark on a journey from which none of us would return the same.
One must keep in mind that the 914world.com is not a true club. No officers, no dues, no meetings, just a group of individuals sharing on a web based bulletin board. In itself, it is quite remarkable that 2000 friends exist without really knowing each other.
In the beginning, it sounded like another local get-together from those of us that looked at it from a distance. Protests over the cost and time were expressed on the board and each question was calmly answered by the organizers. From the protests grew an interest. From interest grew a passion to be there; to be part of an event whose roots had been forgotten in the fog of life and faded by time..
Are you old enough to remember the glory days of Sports Cars? The rallies, the road-races, all the social events by marquee and the intensity embodied by them? Do you remember the passions that exploded? Do you remember the great times we all spent together? For us, the WCC was the recreation, if only for a moment, of those moments lost in the haze of passing time.
There were the “newbies”. Those that weren’t even alive when the vehicles were built, burning with a desire to experience that golden era from stories their kindred had told them of those days. Could they, for the first time, experience passions which were so fondly told, while sitting in the cold garage, covered with grease and oil? This was to be their chance, to be a part of an event that would ignite the passion in their future, to carry on the legacy.
Each of us, followed the trek of Dave Hunt and his family as they chronicled their odyssey from Gig Harbor, WA. His first post on May 28, “Just hitting the road. Gonna spend tonight in Eugene, OR, tomorrow night in Eureka, CA. Then Frisco.54 degrees and showers with possible thunder showers. Can't wait to get out of here.
Dave “ As each day passed they would post where they were and what they had done with an image. The passion to be at the WCC rubbed off on the rest of us.
There were others that made tremendous efforts, to make their way to the WCC, further heightening our desires to be there. Rich and the Alien was an almost unbelievable story itself. Bringing an unfinished 928S powered 914 via trailer from Duluth, MN, a family project to be completed and run at the WCC. Excitement ran high just to see this beast.
Others were bringing a variety of conversions. There would be an electric 914 that produced astounding numbers in the quarter mile. There would be a Nissan V6 powered 914. There would be the ground pounding V8s in the crowd too. All these were teasing the attendees along with normal 914s which ran from rough to concours and everywhere in between.
From the Netherlands, Jeroen was coming. Noted for being a 914 guru, one could only wonder what would draw him from the comfort of his home to such a far away place. It had to be the karma generated by all the members of this internet community that brought him; to see “friends” he only knew by name.
From Colorado, Mike Ferguson was going to make a 2300 mile round trip to be part of this event. He later lamented on his sore butt, but said he would be there for the 2005 event. Arizona and all points West people were committing. What energy was brewing to commit to travels from such far reaching places; the dream was being reborn.
All were working feverishly up to the last moment to get our cars road worthy for the event. Innumerable posts detailed the late nights and lack of sleep preparing for the event. Jenny summed this up in her post, “This is really sad. I tossed and turned all last night. I was dreaming, but dreamed it was next thur instead of yesterday, and I was freaking out because my car wasn't ready, and also 'cause I knew I had to get up real early for all the events. I was afraid I would oversleep. I was relieved when I woke up this AM. Phew! It was a tiresome night! ”
Offers of help were freely given. Jeff Keyser replied, “We are getting close now... I can feel it! See you on Sunday Jenny.” At HPH on Sunday, the doors were opened and volunteers came to help the owners assemble their cars. They will be ready for the WCC.
For those that couldn’t complete their tasks, laments were offered and encouragement expressed by the others to join anyway – crawl, walk, drive anything – just be there was the cry. Bernie Thomas called me two days before his intended departure and told me he had dropped his newly rebuilt tranny and broke the case. “Do you have a case”, he asked. I answered that of course I did and it was his. Fate stepped in though when he went to start the completed car, it siezed and wouldn’t make the trip. Bernie and crew showed up anyway teenerless.
The WCC had progressed beyond a car exhibit; It was becoming the joining of distant friends, only known by their names on the BBS and a sharing of a passion to be part of something greater than themselves.
The first morning, when we all met on the top level of a parking lot in a no name town, was pure excitement. While winding up the levels to the top, constantly wondering “what would I see” rounding that last turn. The anticipation, the passions grew ever steadily.
Rounding the last turn and seeing all those 914s parked in two lines was awesome. The drive down the middle was awe inspiring as a Royal Wedding or a Military ritual. Each car we passed saluted our arrival, but even more inspiring was each person had the broadest smile on their face and a hearty wave as a greeting. The emotions, the passions were cursing through all of us. It was an aura of energy that kept growing and growing. It was as if we had known each other forever.
The drive to breakfast was incredible. A long line of the energy being released outwardly as we motored out of the parking lot, down the streets and onto the freeway. Faces of the drivers and passengers embossed with smiles that paled the rising sun. The hum of the engines was in harmony. Each car moving with grace through time and space to the appointed destination as if no others existed. I could see the faces of people as we passed by. By their smiles and waves, they to, were being affected.
Astonishment greeted us; the photographer, who stood on the grassy knoll, photographing each car and contents as we paraded by. Set against the rising sun at his back, provided a surreal vision as if he were recording the rebirth of the past, the beginning of the new. It was at this point that I and everyone knew why we had come. It was an awesome shared experience, with feelings that cannot be described by words. Only the faces could show the passion and joy.
The remainder of the first and remaining days and nights were absorbed in this surreal world which only we the attendees and our not forgotten missing brethren through our words could feel. The air was alive with the electricity of anticipation of what was next and who else would we see face to face. What friends we are, what an experience we shared; the world was ours. The dreams came true and will continue into the future all due to an event simply called the WCC.
(I think this was the last draft, as it still has a few errors in it - I've got it spread over 3 computers - so............,)
So last-minute inspiration does pay off...
Good point!
I think Slits has his actual name in his signature anyway.
