Wednesday, August 21, 2019

Corvette Caravan - August 2019 - We All Cruise Calgary to Kentucky!



The official map showing the Western Canadian Route

We started planning this trip one year ahead of time.
It’s the first time we have participated. It is held every five (5) years.
We knew no one. We only found out about the event through owning our first Corvette (a 2007 Convertible- Roadster) that we bought in 2018.

Starting back in September 2018 we booked all our Hotel Rooms.
There will be several thousand people and their Corvettes coming!
This is BIG! Close to 10,000 Corvette folks and their Corvettes!

In fact they say it’s the largest mobile car show ever!

There were several groups from all over North America.
In fact as time went on people from Australia and Europe came as did about 8 couples (and their Corvettes) shipped in from Hawaii.

What:
The celebration is the Chevrolet, Corvette. The Venue is the Corvette Museum which is beside the Corvette factory in Bowling Green, Kentucky!

The Why:
The events are every five years.
This one was also celebrating the 25th year of the Corvette Museum. Deemed to be the largest Corvette Caravan yet! \

A small example of the pictures, tours, visits, towns and people.
Sorry I can't begin to label each picture.

As exciting the stories were, we really had no idea on how big it would be and nothing to measure it against. It did not disappoint!

After this event
Barb and I drove down to the Gulf Coast and visited Florida, Alabama, Tennessee (to visit friends) Mississippi, Louisiana and Texas (to visit more friends).
After that we drove home up through Denver Colorado & several other states.
We put a ton of miles on our Li'l Corvette. We decided we bought her to drive & enjoy her not to park her in the garage to just look at!
After more than a month on the road we certainly accomplished that!




Getting the car ready for the BIG trip!

Our 2007 Corvette Roadster is ready to go!


We all met at a Car Dealership in Calgary before leaving town.

Free Lunch before departure!

58 Corvettes from Western Canada did the trip


First night is in Lethbridge
            Rain Rain Go Away!











Dinner at a Lethbridge car dealership





















Every night's hotel was pre-booked to keep us all together.
We took over some hotels & they all organized their parking lots to keep us together and provide security.




Montana somewhere - That's our car on the right





Sorry I can't label all the pictures!

Going to the Black Hills of South Dakota






Sturgis S.D.


Local Youth washing our cars on arrival!




Every town we stopped in had events & tours for us



We want to go camping in South Dakota!


Incredible scenery!




Incredible roads & hundreds of Corvettes!




Will we fit?



We made it through!




Deadwood, South Dakota



A local Car Show in Deadwood


On the road again!


A curvy road to say the least!



You havent lived til you've been to Wall Drug!


Jim Votes: The BEST Doughnuts in the USA!




We even toured a Missle Site
It's a museum now.

That's not the same lake as Alberta's Sylvan Lake!



Guess Who?


A wooden bridge & another unbelievable drive today


Recognize anyone?


You guessed right - Mount Rushmore





Taking over another town!






New friends - They're even from our home town!


Local Car Club puts on a Dinner for us in a park!

The Dells in Wisconsin = Awesome area!



Checking in - Another Hotel




The farther south we got the larger the group and tour became!





We partied in every town almost every night!

Corvettes attract people with Personality!

Some mornings it took forever to get out of the hotel parking lot

The Police Escorts became invaluable!


Another dealership puts on a lunch for us!


A Corvette dealership with snacks, cars & fun!




No Sir, we would not speed!



Lunch at a Horse Racing Park in Indiana


Now we have well into 1,000 + Corvettes!




Reality is setting in on how big this will be!

South of Indianapolis


Corn Country!




Mid America Corvette Parts Warehouse
A huge parts supplier!






Fill er Up Please!






Another concert for us!


My Talented Co Pilot on the radio!


Remember Herby the Love Bug?

We finally arrive in Bowling Green!
Almost a week of solid fun cruising to get here!


It gets a lil bit warm down south


The yellow dome of the museum!


Here we come - Home of the Corvette!


Apparently we are being followed

The largest Corvette traffic jam - ever!


First time to see a real C8 Corvette
They aren't even for sale yet - a Test Car!

Thousands of Corvettes arriving today!


Staying cool in the heat!



This week you park wherever you find a spot 

Food is always one of my favourite parts of travel


They've arranged parts installations at the Museum for us.


Lots of parts suppliers in attendance including Corsa Exhaust.


Another C8 Test Car!




We enter the museum for the 1st time













Free Concert for us - starring Jefferson Starship!


We sang & filled the Bowl at the Museum






 Back home at the Corvette Factory


Sadly we couldn't go on a tour of the factory this time







A display from when the Museum Sink Hole happened!
A whole bunch of collectable Corvettes fell into the hole!







Some of them were saved and some not restored







This one breaks my heart too




Looking down, way down!






Just about every model of Corvette is on display 
including concept vehicles that were never produced






















































My favorite model of Corvette
2013 427 Convertible = Rare!


The person donating this car was a Messner!




More test cars - C8 Corvette




Thanks for your patience looking at all of these pictures!