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2001 Georgia POWER WAGON Rally
Thomson, Georgia

May 3 - 6

We have a GREAT time on the 700 acre "Cedar Rock Farm".
THANKS to David, Roger & Frank for putting on a GREAT rally !!!

Where is it ???
Map to Rally

Caroline & I rode about 6 hours in Bussie to make the 200 mile rally trip from Charlotte, NC to Thomson, GA.   This was our fourth Georgia Rally & with Bussie, our slowest travel time yet.   We had a nice ride that Thursday, with Caroline napping just as we arrived.  Met several folks along the way as we stopped for gas & fluids check every 2 hours.   And one older couple from Saluda, GA came to the "static display" on Saturday after our conversation.  Several of the usual suspects were in attendance & we had new cult members as well.  And the notable absence of Bruce & Michele from Florida with their closed-cab WC trail truck.  Many of us had contact with them through Christmas & the beginning of 2001, but nothing recently - we hope all is well & would like to know everything is alright.

I don't have specifics, but about 20 trucks & 40 folks made the effort to be in Thomson.  States represented included Vermont, Ohio, Texas, Florida, Tennessee, North & South Carolina & of course, Georgia.  Vehicles included several civilian PW's in all manner of repair, Bussie a '51 PW with Wayne Coach, 5 townies (and the Burrito Wagon stayed home), several M-37's, a WC-52 & some conventional cab W100 / W200's rounded out the display.

The Sawyer twins made it & we had fun with both in one place.  Both drove (no trailer) Townies - Donnie & Pattie from Texas, Ronnie & Jan from Vermont.  And Ronnie got the "Distance Award" this year - with NDT's at 40psi all the way !!!  Roger K. & Bill G. also drove Townies.   Frank, USMC had several "STOP" lights for Bussie he found digging around & data plates - THANKS !!!  Den Sherman came down with lots of parts, t-shirts & a Townie.  Chuck had a neato WDX with rear pulley & mechanical governor.   Several military vehicles including Bill Wincapaw's PERFECT M-37 & Paul Cook's WC-52.   Dwight did bring his beautifully restored PW, winner of last year's "People's Choice Award" - see below for this year's surprise winner !!!

On Friday, we found the mud hole & started getting trucks dirty, then stuck.  The hole expanded to larger & larger dimensions, until it basically swallowed everything within reach.  We also had a 60 mile round trip to "Heavy's BBQ" - a local tradition for some 50 years.   And Heavy's been collecting anything & everything for those 50 years - endless hours could be spent checking everything out.  Scott & Olivia rode the 60 miles in Bussie & proclaimed it to be the best riding POWER WAGON ever !!!  Smooth ride, lots of legroom, good breeze - really like a PW Limo !!!  And when not riding in style - Bussie served as the perfect, shaded playpen for the growing number of children in attendance.  Sam & Alex seemed especially smitten by Caroline & Bussie.   In addition, Billy, Joseph, Ashley, Alexandra, Kendall & Olivia were all in & out of Bussie during the weekend.  Luckily, nice weather prevailed the whole time - warm during the day with cool nights.

Saturday included more trail rides, more mud & a static display open to the public.  As we got hungry, Bill & Rita Lammers & Bill Wincapaw provided a fine hot dog lunch - THANKS again.  More trial rides in the afternoon & a quick nap at the hotel to get ready for the evening.   Before dinner we loaded up Bussie, with anyone who would go, for a couple of trips around the ponds & made quite a good time of it.  Many were impressed with Bussie's relatively smooth ride over varied terrain.  More BBQ for dinner, with sweet ice tea & delicious banana pudding !!!  Then the door prizes & awards - Den & VPW contributed many t-shirts, mugs & playing cards, I threw in a "Townie-T", VPW added a $50 gift certificate & even metal polish was awarded for a matching ticket number.  As mentioned above, Ronnie got the distance award with a 1,000 mile trek from Vermont.  Bill Wincapaw's M-37 was, again, voted the Military "People's Choice Award".  And Bussie won the hearts of children & adults alike to take home the civilian PW "People's Choice Award".  My wife just doesn't understand the appeal of an old jalopy PW bus & wonders what sort of folks would vote it "best of show".  Finally, in the "Other" category, a Dodge Viper received an honorable mention.  A night trial ride was organized, while others continued to discuss & see videos of the Dodge POWER WAGON.  A late night fuel pump hiccup for Ronnie's Hemi Townie turned out OK, but a backup pump was purchased for the trip home - just in case.

On Sunday morning we gathered, hemmed & hawed a bit more & reluctantly got packed up.  We stood around & watched as trucks were driven onto trailers, parts were secured & folks generally got ready to head home.  We pulled out with the last of them - taking all the two lane roads home again & enjoying a slow ride in a loud bus.  Already looking forward to next year !!!

The Georgia Rally has really turned out to be a nice, family-oriented POWER WAGON gathering.  Lots of wives & children are now in attendance & it certainly makes for a GREAT rally !!!  Please plan on coming in next year & bring the whole family !!!

Cheers, JB

Pics - "Back" button to return...
("Refresh" page if all pics do not come up - seems common with AOL.)

Leaving home...
Caroline (4 1/2) & Daddy ready to go.  This was our
fourth rally !!!
5 Townies !!!
5 Townies !!!
Dennis, Roger,
Bill, Ronnie &
Donnie & Pattie.
Trucks...
Cedar Rock Farm,
700 acres,
lots of trails.
NICE PLACE !!!
More trucks...
Old farmhouse,
open space,
shade, woods & fire pit.
And more...
Room for many
more next year !!!
Bring the PW &
the FAMILY !!!
Donnie or Ronnie ???
Hmmm,
is it Donnie
or
Ronnie ???
Pulley...
Chuck's '48 with Rear Pulley.
Governor...
And here's the
mechanical governor.
HEMI
Beautiful
315 HEMI
in Ronnie & Jan's Townie.
George...
George & his
very nice '46
with new tires.
Nice tires !!!
TSL Super Swamper
13/38 - 16's
Sam, Sam I am...
Sam checking out the view from a bus...
Play time...
POWER WAGON playpen !!!
Fun in the bus...
Bussie was the
children's choice.
And Scott's too !!!
Caroline peeking out...
Caroline being a bit shy...
Trail ride...
In search of
MUD...
Keep on truckin' !!!
Follow
the leader...
MUD !!!
Ahhh...
Got one stuck...
Oops...
first victim.
Big tires, big ruts...
Firmly stuck...
Helping out...
Returning a favor.
Paul stuck...
Paul got mired...
Lower angle...
Lower camera angle.
Rolling along...
Easily winched
out.
Roger K...
Roger K. taking the high road...
Bill...
Townies OK going in, but not now...
Bill close-up...
Bill G.'s townie
close-up.
George...
Now, all avoid
mud hole !!!
Roger A...
Roger A. on the
way out.
no_suv.jpg (65402 bytes)
NO SUV !!!
Heavy's...
Heavy's BBQ - our 60 mile lunch trip.
Group pic...
Group pic with
" Heavy"...
Other...
Other...
Ashley...
Caroline & Alexandra...
Gather 'round...
Awards ceremony...
Lots of folks...
Good crowd !!!
Best of Show...
People's Choice Award - Civilian !!!
Den & Caroline...
Mr. Sherman & Caroline...
Roger...
Roger loading up...
Dwight...
Dwight ready to
head home.
"People's Choice Award"
Award close-up.
Good-bye...
Olivia & Caroline,
until next year...
Bill's PERFECT M-37
People's Choice Military, Bill's M-37
(Bill W.'s pic)

 

movie.gif (701 bytes)Downloadable MPEG's...movie.gif (701 bytes)
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Not stuck yet...
Made it !!!
Got one !!!
Stuck !!!
Another victim...
Paul stops...

P.S. - If you have additional rally pics, send them along (to JB) & I'll put them right up. 
And any comments / corrections about the page or information here are appreciated !!!

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