MAA Events: 1996 Vegas to Atlanta Drive

Mustangs Monthly Magazine

"3000 Mile Stampede - December 1996"

Article by Jerry Pitt and Mary Jean Wesche - Continued Page 2

DAY FOUR: Mustang Ok, to Bossier City, LA

Mustang Police escort to Martin& Lelani Nagle's Mustang Gas-N-Go!...thanks to the Nagle’s for the complimentary breakfast driver's meeting...door prizes...keep safe distance...it's OK to lag behind...thanks to the Oklahoma Mustang Club...rain again...... cars join in the caravan...onto Mesquite Texas...Jerry Pitt, driving Mike Hedges' 1969 Mach 1, breaks down...needs new V-belt...send help...never mind, got it running...local club members join us on the highway to escort us into Mesquite...first traffic jam of trip...lunch...relax...mini car-show at the Town East Mall with all these beautiful Mustangs...Police escort out of town...beginning to wonder?..rain...Sam Haymart checks the trip computer and gives the latest weather and traffic information...hey, just where is that computer?.. "lights on"....Your blinker's still on...pace car is at mile marker "189" repeated thru the caravan...onto Shreveport...another police escort into Bossier...greeted by the Red River Classic Mustang Club.....stay at the Isle of Capri Hote1...free tickets to their casino, free buffet----try your luck...car show at the Convention Center......security for all cars... rain...farewell lunch reception at hotel ballroom...lots of hospitality...get some sleep...Today'smileage:420

DAY FIVE: Bossier City, LA to New Orleans, LA

Several motorcycle police to escort us out of Bossier City...leave at 7:45 today...door prizes...drivers' meeting...it's OK to be a little strung out on the highway...give the truckers room...they've been kind to us, so far...CB comes alive from Pace Car, "that intersection we just passed is flooded, don't take it"...too late...California Boy just tried to drive through it...new CB handle-California Buoy...on our way to Baton Rouge for lunch...Lafayette, route 149...turn off onto I-l0...State Police have highway blocked, bad accident, delay...find a large lot, quick...stage again...local club member Tony Gregory happens upon the group by accident.....welcome K-Code Mustang talk....road closed for a long, long time.....change of plans.....stay in Lafeyette for lunch.....rain! the likes of which come of these people have never seen.....flooded parking lot. Toby Russell doing water donuts in the parking lot with his yellow'93 Limited Edition convertible...let's get going...stay off I-10, flooded bridges...take alternate route...sorry to the Baton Rouge Mustangers, unforeseen circumstances forced us to take an alternate route...rain stopped, there are seven convertibles in a row on the highway...CB comes alive, "We should all be ashamed to be driving with the top up in this nice weather"...group pulls over, en mass, tops down, hands waving...much fun on the ride into Slidell...let's go into New Orleans tonight no thanks, Jerry, we're tired...go on and have a good time...OK, he's been gone 20 minutes, who has a key we can try on Jerry Pitt's door...you'll never guess whose room key opened the door...let's redecorate the room for him...he'll never know who did it, or how many participated...want to bet?....phone rings at 2:00 AM...who rearranged my room?....where's my mattress?..go to sleep! Today'sMileage:392 miles

DAY SIX: New Orleans, LA, to Atlanta, GA

Phone rings at 6:00...where's my shaving kit...look under the bed if you can find it, Jerry...group staging at Slidell Outlet Mall...Pace Car at the mall looking for the group...where are they...whose lost, us on them?.....find the group...Lynn Ziraldo (slightly drenched '86 GTconv.) gives Sam a necklace from last night's trip into New Orleans...it looks good on you, Sam...drivers' meeting...Sam, stay out of the fire ant beds...door prize to the person who found the mill parking lot first..."lights on"...safety...on our way to Montgomery, Alabama...pace car is at mile marker 15...wait, Alabama has mile markers and kilometer markers...confusion reigns,.....let's help push Mike Judy's modified'69 Mach1, he needs his daily jump-start...meet at the Mall after lunch...travel guide says Mall is on the right...sorry, mistake, it's on the left...can't miss it...on our way to Atlanta. .Sam Haymart checking the trip computer: we can make it to Atlanta time...let's pick up the pace a little, are you with me?..it's OK to get there in two groups...no rain, no rain!...5:15 PM, arrive at Atlanta Motor Speedway...WE MADE IT! MCA will have a welcome parade for us at the Pony Party on Saturday...come' see us at the booth...attend our banquet Today's Mileage: 445 miles

SUNDAY NIGHT

Show's over...banquet...thanks to the Bergeron's for serving the caravan as the tow vehicle...announcement of Ford tour when caravan arrives in Detroit...congratulations to all in our group (75%) who won awards at the MCA show...get some sleep.

MONDAY

The caravan leaves for the Homecoming Trip.