i would like to start off this thread by saying.. I'M NOT DRUNK !!!!

Anyways, off to my point.
This past weekend, Sunday to be exact i went to my very first actual Mid-A Meet & Drive at FFSkip's house for Valve Adjustment Day. I was able to hang out with alot of friends from the other side of the bay that i rarely get to see, and meet alot of new people... overall i had a blast.
Some things happened that day that just gave me a total new level of respect towards all members of the Mid-A Group. I've been to gatherings, club meets, and all sorts of things over my 5yrs in working and tuning imports. But never once have i ever went to a meet where i felt so welcome. Skip, you are a great host.... never once did i feel out of place or uncomfortable in any shape way or form. As well, lunch was great.... i just wish i didnt burn it off so quick walking up and down your driveway

Then a lil bit later we decided to go have some real fun... we went for a "drive". Now this was my first actual drive with the Mid-A group... i am new to RWD so i question myself alot, you can ask anyone from the local hampton roads about that. through highway driving... standard roads i am fine, but when it comes to an actual drive down winding twisting roads.. i just question myself alot. we went through our first section that kinda got us held up by traffic... so following my good buddy tenblade (steve) he slowed down to well under speed limit to allow everyone else go get ahead and then just floored it and took the road. i was still doubting myself.. and my car but i just followed steve's patterns and watched when he braked.. and i had a blast. I learned a whole new way of driving and trust for my abilities as well as my cars.

Then on the way to the second drive getting back to my rough highway driving.. we were coming up on the interestate and i was coming up behind a van very fast, so i pulled myself back into the feeder lane and downshifted back into 3rd at 65... tapped the brakes then floored it around her. then tapped the brakes and shifted 4th and got back in with traffic. around ths time i looked in my rear view mirror to see a HUGE puff of smoke behind my car. i immediatly got on my RFS and told everyone i am shooting smoke, so i'm pulling over. i then get over and look behind my car to see a line of 8+ other S's pulled over to check it all out. Everyone was showing true concern.. offering idea's and comments about what it could possibly be.. really trying to help. thank you so much guys.. its REALLY appreciated !

Then finally we got back to the final run spot... i had a blast, but i just felt with what happened to my car i should take her a lil easier than i wanted to. so i backed her down and really felt like i was holding people back. so anyoen that was behind me on that run, i apologize if i held you back from having true fun. but on the 2nd time, on the way back i pulled back and asked everyone to go infront of me while i road behind with w1ngman (dave). dave thank you for slowing down... allowing me to still drive hard and have fun, but going reasonable enough to not piss off my car anymore than i already did.

Then on the way back to ffskips to call it a day. as i was following my good buddy w1ngman i decided not to be _____ (well, those from HR know what i'm talking about )... and ran through a red light and got pulled over. total put a spoil on the end of my day, but non-the-less. as everyone can see from my picture in the Valve Adjustment Post.. it aint nothing but another piece of wallpaper for me ! anyways, after we finally left skips the hampton roads group decided to stop by taco bell to grab a quick bite to eat. being directly after i just got a ticket i decided not to eat.. just lost my appetite. but tenblade (steve) & poindexter (alex) kept asked if i was okay, or wanted a bite. unfortuntly i didnt have any cash in hand since i always just use a debit for anything i need. so they were open to spare me a few bucks so i could get a bite. thanks guys.
during eating dinner they asked what was wrong, and i told them. i was just a little frustrated since i just got a ticket, its just cash i didnt have in hand to spend right now, especialy since i justZ got a reckless that i go to court for 6 days before this one.

but then the night came to an end... and something happened that just really set the night. a little bit after dinner a friend from S2Ki.. someone i only really know over S2KI came up to me and said chad, if you need any help with the ticket, just let me know okay? i wont say who it is, so please dont ask. but the person that did that, plesae know that you have just got a new level of respect from me that some of my closest friends dont even have. even though i am fully okay, and will be fine... it truly did mean alot to me. thank you so much.

 

Well, that's no fun


Seriously....Chad,

Great post! You summed things up quite well. Skip and Janet's meet (I'm not sure what to call it anymore) will certainly go down in the win column

I have enjoyed reading all the comments about it and all the different threads too - the enthusiasm behind the Mid Atlantic and all S2000 owners is a power that not much in this world can really compare to!

 

so in the end what was the diagnosis of the smoke?

 

Oil overfill.




Chad, you are always welcome to drop in, as is any owner. Our first meet was a Charlottesvill Run. Mind you, we had met no one except through the site. We were so nervous as to whether or not we'd fit in. Didn't know if we fit in financially; socially. We even planned an "escape" route... we'd just say that we had to get back home because something had happened with the kids.

I was so nervous I had knots in my stomach. We arrived late, but you all already know it wasn't because I was driving slowly. I got lost! We finally get to the destination to find a couple of other owners already there. ricosuave sticks out as the first person I spoke with. He quickly instructed me that we "back in" to our parking spots. We also learned that another group was arriving shortly. Still nervous and not feeling "the love" yet, about 5-7 S's roll up. Straight butter, yo!!! Off da hook! that loosened us up a bit. Had our bagel sandwiches... chatted on the curb with Luft46. Bees were bad that day.

Still wasn't sure about the whole thing. We started driving. Then we started really driving! I saw the cars in front of me handling everything, so I knew my car could handle it and believed my skills could handle it. We had a ball! Almost all of us got a ticket. Janet had bruises from the sealbelt across her shoulder and chest... pulling some g's!!! In the end, we were smitten by the community. We owe much of our ownership joy to that day. We have a great car, but we have better times when we can share it with so many others. What's kinda neat is it was Tenblade's first! Look how it's affected him, too!

Thank you for sharing, Chad. Happier stories will follow!

 

LOL Yeah, I remember that day. We had done a C-ville run just a few weeks before that one and it was probably the third best run ever I went on. Rodney did a great job putting those drives together. It was really hot that day! I also remember me and Steve had some fun on the way back.

Here's a pic for old time's sake:

 

Chad,
It was good to see you there on Sunday... sorry for the ticket (damn po-po).
See, we're not a bunch of snobs.... like the dragva people think
take care brutha!

 

Great post Chad!

The good news is that you've reached your bad luck quota for the year and it's just starting March. My crystal ball says good times are heading your way!

I too was extremely impressed w/ this Sunday's meet. I've never been much of a group follower and can't stand organized anything. But the laid-back styles of our Mid-A owners enhanced by Janet and Skip's warmth and hospitality really brought an early Spring to VA.

Best of luck buddy!

 

dood, sorry to hear about ur ticket. just bad luck I guess...but dont worry about it too much, it's ok! It was great to meet you and I'm glad nothing too serious happened to your car when I thought it exploded behind me on the highway!!

 

[QUOTE]Originally posted by s2k paradigm
I'm glad nothing too serious happened to your car when I thought it exploded behind me on the highway!!