Al N.

Folks- Trolling the general section to gauge interest in yet another Se7en-centric gathering. Very much in the initial stages of planning/scheming...but wanted to get a head count of how many cars we might be able to rally for the Lime Rock Vintage event over Labor Day weekend. Especially the Sunday car show (can't race on Sundays due to local noise ordinance). I had emailed them months ago and followed up with a call today. It's the 50th Anniversary of Lime Rock, which matches up well with the Se7en, of course. If you think you might be able to make it, at least for Sunday of Labor Day weekend, please chime in here. If the thread gets enough traction, Mazda can move it to the events area. -Al

Wow...that thing is both clean and extremely well thought out. Thanks for the update...

One of my last posts before the big old event.... Folks - Wow, I can't believe I'm just one week away from pulling into Tapoco to start set up for USA7s at the Dragon. A week away from having breakfast at Mrs. Rowe's with old friends and new en route. If I don't stop waxing lyrical, I might even get misty about it all. I wanted to let you know that I'll pretty much be offline starting tomorrow. I took all of next week off, and am starting my trip down on July 3rd (someone's thirty-somethingth birthday, btw). Like many registrants, I'm getting in Thursday early evening. Was thinking of going into town (mexican or bbq) for dinner, but perhaps will just settle into Tapoco and start the set up process. If you're around, please come by and find me or one of the other co-organizers to introduce yourself and perhaps lend a hand if needed. FWIW, I just visited the weather.com site and here's the forecast: Fri Jul 6 Partly Cloudy 87°/61° 20% chance of precip Sat Jul 7 Mostly Sunny 86°/59° 10% chance of precip :hurray: What else...oh, I'm happy to announce that Manik, LLC - the Westfield distributor for the US - has stepped up to sponsor the opening Welcome reception on Friday afternoon. Much thanks to Tom M.! Westfield dealer Doug B. will be bringing the just registered Westfield/Miata (the one that was at Carlisle) to the festivities. You might not know this, but it's actually the 25th Anniversary of Westfield (those cheeky monkeys)...really, thanks again guys. In other news, Dick Brink of Texas Motor Works is going to donate some items to the Club for raffle/auction - he mentioned a "7" belt buckle that I'm sure will be most coveted. Dick will also join the swap meet with some parts and other odds and ends. Thanks Dick & Lynn! Some of the materials and memorabilia have started to arrive too. Like this Pencil (a pen might explode if left in car during summer heat): http://www.usa7s.com/aspnetforum/upload/1407178510_Pencil.jpg And these name badges (decided against a fancy lanyard for cost reasons...does anyone really keep/reuse those lanyards?): http://www.usa7s.com/aspnetforum/upload/674833831_Badge.jpg (Billy Joe is the creative director on the art side here at Mint.)

Funny that you mention it Bruce...I'm dropping off my tow vehicle tomorrow AM to get the brake controller installed. Which means that, since my wife is shooting a wedding on Sat, that I'll have to drive a certain Orange car to pick up the trailer & tow vehicle. When can you get there (Flanders, NJ is obviously a lot closer to me than you)? Feel free to PM or email.

I may not have room enough in the pilot for me!

I've always thought my love of Se7ens would help me with my job in advertising. But I never ever thought I'd learn something about Se7ens from reading an ad trade magazine. However, when I sat down o read with Ad Age today...I came across a piece on this effort from Nokia: http://project95.sina.com.cn/index.php It's mostly in Chinese, but apparently Nokia is sponsoring some guy to drive his Superlight R300 across China and blog it via some new phone they have.

I think the fear of ostracisim stemmed largely from perceptions about the UK Club and certain comments made by overly purist members. I would love to come out to LOG (mostly to meet you, Keith Tanner, and Alain de Cadenet!), but the stars would have to align something fierce for that to happen.

As noted on se7ens.net, if i have recovered from 7-7-7 sufficiently, i'm in. Ah, the original Skyline group plus a few more, sounds like fun. -A P.S. mazda, do you want to move this down to events and also start a LOG thread for Skip?

FYI, From TailoftheDragon.com website: BULLETIN: Two motorcycle fatalities in area on Saturday. Neither was on the Dragon. A VRod rider was killed in a head-on collision with a car on US129 near TN336. He was passing other bikes in a no passing zone and met his fate at the crest of a hill. The Daily Times of Maryville got the location right, but the much larger Knoxville News report the death as occurring on the Tail of the Dragon even though it was some 14 miles distant. Do you believe everything you hear and read in the news? Also let it be known that there are more motorcycle deaths on other roads in Blount County than on the Dragon. The second death occurred on the Cherohala just on the North Carolina side. This sportbike rider was new in the seat and fixated on a low side by the rider in front of him. He went off the road and struck a tree. We reiterate that the Cherohala is more dangerous that the Dragon. Please slow down wherever you ride. The Tennessee Highway Patrol had three cars on the Dragon late Saturday afternoon and they stayed until 9 pm. Sunday there were four there most of the day. It seems they focused on the extreme riders only. This is probably a reaction to the death on Saturday even though it was 14 miles away. We believe that enforcement will be stepped-up along US 129 so be warned to watch your speeds from US411 through the residential sections and along the Little Tennessee River all the way to the Dragon.

Mazda- I'm a Lotus Club member and I'm pretty sure that all LSiS are welcome. They're not like some other club which will go unmentioned (of which I am also a member ).

Yesterday, while sorting through the stuff I'm bringing down for 7-7-7 (my helmet, check; wife's helmet, check; kids helmet, check...), I thought of two things that would be great to have...if someone else had them: • Air compressor...AC/DC for tires (not impact wrenches!) • Vacuum cleaner (those pebbles in the cockpit certainly accumulate quckly, no?) Anyone? Anyone? Bueller?

hat tip to Jonny L. for finding it (it's not like I'm looking for a new car or anything!): http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Westfield-SPa-Lotus-Seven-type_W0QQitemZ250132784840QQihZ015QQcategoryZ6472QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Sure, Dino, rub it in....I had a story similar to Skip's (though once I had the plates I got to keep them)!

So I think we have an official rendezvous time and place: 9 AM at Mrs. Rowe's, Staunton VA - just off Route 81. There's a gas station right there. I'd say that people should just get a table (in the room to the left) for the size of their individual party when they arrive...too many moving parts to try and do one big table. We'll know who you are by your Speedcats . See you all soon.

Lentz is the hot one.:jester:

I can't imagine the guys who are driving down to the Dragon from parts much farther than 200 miles. Should have a few interesting stories.

definitely some outages.

Thanks for doing that Rob! Always helps to get a local's perspective vs. mapquest.

Dang, Tom...that was certainly a very high initial spec! Orange was already assembled, so I didn't have much choice in what I got.

Tx. Paul. I think there's going to be quadruplets at least down at 7-7-7...Scott L.'s Superlight is near identical and yours and R1s are definitely from the "gene pool". I also like those side vent things...

Looks like you had beautiful weather...I was stuck doing yardwork.:ack:

I guess one of the things that kind of triggered this thread is a desire to meet more of the folks from the forum...including those from more Westerly parts of North America... (So maybe Drew can install some of those backup lights on all our cars! ) This whole thing's been really fun for me, btw. Watching the forum that Mazda started and the 7-7-7 event grow is really rewarding. -Al

I'm sending you a PM...

They are 17 x 35 and 17 x 37...exchangable for any size, natch. But you're going to have to get to the Dragon via California to snatch either from some of the other attendees....:cheers:

I know exactly what hose that is, Steve. The solution is cutting back the water pump housing just a bit and angling th rack to allow just a little more clearance.