Whose going to Bloomington?

[Geoff C.]

My bus ticket has a departure time for next Tuesday. I haven't been since 1990 or so. Are Shirley and John still in the Office or manning the Gate? I have such fond memories of their warm welcome's.

Geoffrey Coenen

PS Anybody run I-80 from NY to IL recently? In the 80-90's in PA 80 was shixxy from the crooked contractors greasing the state inspectors to allow substandard work and materials. But OH, IN and IL weren't bad, and seemed better maintained. But my data is old.

[mike cobine]

Re: Whose going to Bloomington?

Going. I got my hotel late, so I'm in Naperville.

[Joe L.]

Re: Whose going to Bloomington?

Geoffrey-----

Not me, I'm afraid. I was tentatively planning to go but I changed my plans a few weeks ago for a variety of reasons. I do plan on attending the NCRS National Convention and I have everything set for Carlisle, too. Next year, I definitely plan to get back to Bloomington, though. I did that place every year from 1987 through 2002, but I have not gone the last few years.

One thing, though: a lot of the "feel" has gone out of Bloomington and it sort of "detracts" from things for me. It's like everyone used to complain about the dust and mud of the original fairgrounds and, later, the "Interstate Center". So, now they've got a beautiful venue with no dust to speak of, but it's just not the same. In retrospect, I think that the best facility that they ever used for the event was the Illinois State Fairgrounds in Springfield. That really had everything-----size, facilities, and "feel". Folks didn't appreciate it at the time, but that was the best yet.

[Tom R.]

Re: Whose going to Bloomington?

My first Bloomington was Springfield so I've always thought of it as cool as all hell...I'm from Illinois but reside along the coast in SC. Now when I make the pilgrimage, I stay with my sister in neighboring Wheaton...so, I'm literally minutes away which makes it extremely convienent.

Yeah...I'll be there!

[Donald O.]

Re: Whose going to Bloomington?

I'll be there, but I live in Bolingbrook, 25 miles SSE of Pheasant Run.

[John S.]

Re: Whose going to Bloomington?

Went to the very first Bloomington in 72. Going to be there on Wed. morning. Hope you can get threw the 80/90 traffic buy 6 in the morning, they are doing some work on the road a usual. A 500 car auction wow, maybe we will see a slight down fall in the market. A friend of mine just sold his not running, wrong motor, Eckler frt. end, but had a real 435 hp tank sticker, green w/ saddle int. for 70 grand and got 55 grand out of the parts he had collected for it. john

[Warren F.]

Re: Whose going to Bloomington?

I'll be there too. Went to my first Bloomington show in 2001, at the other location, I think Springfield, I liked last years show a whole lot better, great grounds, and LOTS and LOTS of Corvettes and PARTS! This is now an annual trek for me, no more missing this and Carlisle ever again, or until they no longer DO an all Corvette meet.

[Ken Susnjara]

Re: Whose going to Bloomington?

I'm going. Went for the first time last year and really enjoyed it although I was towing an MGA to a Corvette event. This year I am working day and night to get my 58 finished enough to bring. I will pull it behind my motorhome and stay in the field next to the event. I hope to park my 58 with the Solid Axes guys if I can work through the registration requirements.

[Clare Carpenter]

Re: Whose going to Bloomington?

We drive I-80 out to NJ-NYC a couple of times a year. I-80 thru OH has been completely improved and is nearly new to include a series of really nice rest stops complete with food and fuel. Most of 1-80 in PA has also been rebuilt over the last several years and is in much better condition than the PA turnpike to Carlisle. I can't speak to I-80 thru IN. Leaving from SE Michigan, I take 1-94 to I-94-80 in IN. Traffic conditions thru Chicago suburbs are extremely heavy during commuting hours plus road construction/repair. Timing on that segment is key.

I like the new facilities at Pheasant Run, more shade, less dust, nicely centralized. I been twice since the event moved there and went twice while it was held at the State Fairgrounds in Springfield. I've never been when it was held at "Bloomington".

[Michael H.]

Is Anyone Returning To Florida..

...from the Bloomington event with an empty enclosed trailer/truck? I still have a 63 coupe in Illinois that I'd like to ship to Florida.

[Richard S.]

Re: Whose going to Bloomington?

I'm looking forward to Bloomington again this year......Springfield and Bloomington were great facilities.....Chicago is easier to fly in to and lots more options too......will be buying parts too.....will Dr.Rebuild be selling any at the site??

[Harmon C.]

Re: Whose going to Bloomington?

I will be at space M-128 stop by and say hi.
Lyle

[mike cobine]

Re: Is Anyone Returning To Florida..

Close, but no. I'm returning to Florida, and hopefully with a trailer, but with a Corvette on it.

[mike cobine]

A lot more to Bloomington than the show

While it was nice at Springfield by having the Special Collection on site where you could go in and out all day, the early years at Bloomington were the best experience.

1. The layout was mostly grid.
2. The mall and other stores were convenient for girl friends, wives, and catching real food for lunch.
3. It was a real Corvette event - show, swap, driving, racing. They originally had autocrosses.
4. Bloomington-Normal is a college town. Night life was great.
5. Great evening cruising, lots of wide boulevards with Corvette roaming all over.
6. A lot of people stayed right across from the fairgrounds or on several of the streets leading to it.
7. A party was impossible NOT to find.
8. Clubs attended en masse. Going to Bloomington was like a long Corvette parade stretching for miles and miles.

Springfield:
1. Springfield had almost no one staying near the Fairgrounds.
2. The layout of the fairgrounds wasn't logical and there was a lot of wandering to find people hidden behind things. You could really get a terrible swap space if you weren't careful.
3. Traffic on IL54 was terrible coming in from I-55.
4. It was less than a 2 hour drive for me.

Joe, the "feel" goes out with each year, as the commercialism grows. It has been commercial for a long time, but it seems like each year it seems to find things we did for fun and somehow charge us for that privilege the following year.

[Steve G.]

Re: Who's going to Bloomington?

I went to Bloomington for the first time in 1980, the year I moved to Illinois from Mass. I have gone every single year since, although teaching at the Workshops for 18 years certainly helped me get there regularly.
Even though every year there is a different set of complaints about certain people, events, personalities, locations, attitudes... whatever... I will always go. That what Corvette people do.

PS... toying will selling the SWC there, but, but...