Memories of Marauderville IX (MV9) -- By The Day

[Bluerauder]

MEMORIES OF HERSHEY-HARRISBURG, PA
MARAUDERVILLE IX (MV9), 12-16 October 2011
“How Sweet It Is !!” (The 9th Annual Marauderville)

Wednesday, 12 October 2011 (Arrival and Registration)

• 143 miles one-way total. Left exactly at 11:30 AM on time for a rare change. Met up with Blown3.8 and the Shermanator near I-95 North in Woodbridge, VA. Sherm’s car was in the box trailer behind Chris’ Excursion. Sherm was driving the DTR. We pulled out of the lot at 11:45 AM. Harrisburg, PA here we come. It just started to rain as we left the lot. Looks like it is gonna be a nasty ride north.
• Am taking the I-95 North to I-495 to I-270 to 15 North past Gettysburg, PA. Chris leads with the trailer, Sherm is in the rocking chair and I am following up in the rear. FRS radios are locked on Channel 5. Great convoy discipline all the way to Pennsylvania.
• Most of the rest of the SC, NC and south gang is using I-81 North up through the Shenandoah Valley so we don’t have much chance of meeting up with anyone else on this trip. Rain, fog and overcast skies kill any chance of scenic views. Tuesday may have been a better trip.
• Somewhere on I-270 North, Sherman opens up a gap and I move around him to take the 2nd spot. He comes on the radio and says “That Blue doesn’t look any better from the back than from the front”. I think Sherm is just jealous.
• Holding steady at 65-70 MPH. Bluerauder calls for a rest stop at the MD-PA line over the radio with about 20 miles notice. Move to the lead spot with about 5 miles to go. Damn there is no exit to the rest area from the northbound lanes. The sign says to make a U-Turn. This will be the first U-turn of Marauderville 9 and we aren’t even there yet. Take care of business and hit the road just before 1:30 PM. Heck, we are almost there. GPS Jill says we’ll be there by 2:15 PM.
• Depart the rest stop on US 15 South and make another U-turn to head north.
• The rest of the trip is uneventful except for an accident in the I-83 southbound lanes right near the Susquehanna River bridge. Looks like an 18-wheeler changed lanes and put two SUVs into the Jersey barrier. Must have just happened and the drivers did not look happy.
• Still raining as we take Exit 48 on to Union Deposit Road and make the right toward the hotel.
• Pull into the Best Western Central Premier Hotel – 800 E. Park Avenue at 2:15 PM. Pull into the lot that is marked with orange cones and yellow tape that says “Reserved Parking for MV9”. Sherm and Chris take a spot at the end of the lot where he can maneuver the trailer. I pull in behind Papillon’s Black Focus. About 20 cars are already in the lot.
• Meet P71 George in the lobby and chat for awhile before checking into the room.
• Get a room on the 3rd floor in the back. The room overlooks the side parking lot and there are a few cars there too. This is a big hotel and very spread out. I figure the room is 1/8 mile to the lobby. I am gonna get exercise this week.
• P71 George calls me by name everytime we pass in the hallway or the lobby. Wish I could develop that technique to help me remember names. I bet he knows everyone who attended MV9.
• The “McCormick” conference room on the 3rd floor has a sign that it is reserved for Marauderville IX (MV9) and will be known as the LCR room for the rest of the week.
• The sign in the lobby says “MV9 Registration” with an arrow pointing to the gathering room. The planning team is getting set up for registration starting at 3:00 PM. We’ve got about 30 minutes – we’ll be back.
• Take luggage up to the room and unpack. Room is very nice with a King-sized bed and a couch, 42 inch flat screen TV, microwave, refrigerator, coffeemaker and a safe in the closet. This is gonna be home for the next 4 days.
• The hotel has sectioned off the entire side and back parking lot for us. We found out later that they reserved about 170 spaces so that we could all take 2 spots. Unfortunately, we didn't realize that until late Saturday.
• Popped into to Marauderville IX (MV9) registration that was set up on tables outside our gathering room. Haggis & Ladyhawke were selling vendor and 50/50 raffle tickets. They also had a stack of MM.Net fleece blankets and folding chairs for sale. We pick up a bunch of raffle and 50/50 tickets and decide on a blue fleece blanket. I pass up the folding chairs since I already have two of them in my trunk. Need to save room for souvenirs and whatnot.
• Registration tables are set up and organized. Check in with Ms. Denmark and Mr. Man to get ticket packs and door prize tickets for all of the events—Civil War Museum, Chocolate World, Railroad Museum, Strasburg Train Ride, ACAA Museum, and the Hollywood Casino banquet. Mrs. Bluerauder puts the ticket pack in her purse ‘cause I’ll forget where it is. BigDogJim will have this problem later in the week.
• We move on to the next station where we have a choice of goodies bags in Black or Orange. This station is manned by Hammerdown and the FordFrk. We get one of each color bag. Goodie bags have itinerarys color coded by day with maps and directions to every event, Hershey-Harrisburg visitors guide, area coupon booklet, Marauder pen, MM.Net convoy flag, LED flashlight, music mix CD, “Get out of Jail Free MM.Net calling cards and other goodies.
• The final check-in station was for the T-Shirts with Blackened300a and Papillon. The MV9 design this year has a map of the area with icon signs for each of the events that we will be attending. Pretty cool shirts. We get two in XL since I plan to give one to the S.O.B. (Son of Bluerauder) ‘cause Bernie doesn’t wear T-Shirts.
• Several folks milling around in the registration desk and gathering room. Blown3.8, Shermanator, vtwoodsman and Marianne, MyTMerc and Diane, rayjay & Brittany, jabird56 are checking in. Brittany mentions that she still has her stuffed raccoon named “Charlie” that she got at MV5 at Luray Caverns. Meet Shaijack/Barry at the registration desk. P71 George comes down to register. Lots of folks now showing up. My guess is that about ½ the people are here. Meet Go2GuyFL and family in the lobby. He tells me that there are no more Golden Tickets available for MV9 and that genuine ones have serial numbers. SC Cheesehead & Terry show up a little later after making a trip to Amishland to do some sightseeing and shopping. Introduce myself to stluty (now STEPS) (Steve and Trezi Luty). He’s a new member and MM owner and this is their first MM event. I think that they are gonna be surprised.
• MV9 is hosted by the Northeast Marauders (NEM) and the Capital Area Marauders (CAM). I know this because the T-Shirts say so.
• Bernie and I head back to the room to drop off the goodies bags and then return to the lobby. This hotel is fantastic. The lobby is huge with a sunken central bar. Arrival “Happy Hour” begins here at 5:00 PM. Several meeting rooms around the lobby for meetings and breakfasts, etc. Very nice indoor swimming pool is the side atrium and a fitness room off to the side. Despite my best efforts, I won’t make it to the pool …. But I packed my swim trunks and flip flops.
• Meet up with Blown3.8 and Shermanator at the lobby bar. Sherm buys my first drink – Jack and Coke. Bernie has a White Zinfandel. How can it be white when it is obviously kinda pink blush to me. MyTMerc and Diane roll in for drinks along with many of the others.
• Decide to stroll down to the hotel’s Irish Pub O’Reilly’s for something to eat a little after 6:00 PM. About 20 members follow suit. We begin filling up the tables around the bar. The waitress on duty is new – today’s is her first day. Uh Oh, MM.Net gets to be her initiation. One waitress for 20-30 hungry Marauder owners …. This is gonna take time. After 30 minutes, still no service. Shermanator suggests that we order Pizza for delivery. Someone must have heard that and soon we were ordering drinks. Waiting on service were SGT_MERC, 05CrownSport, Blown3.8, Shermanator, Mr. and Mrs. Bluerauder, Mr. and Mrs. MyTMerc, BigDogJim, jabird56. Ken and company elects to sit at the bar and get much quicker service.
• I ordered a “Dirty Hoe” (Hoegarden & Framboise Belgain beer) the wife got a wine. Food orders came much, much later.
• A presentation from the Hershey-Harrisburg visitors center was supposed to start at 7:00 PM. I called Blackened300a on the cell and told him we would be a “little late”. The presentation start was delayed until 7:30 PM. Most of us were still about 15 minutes late anyway.
• Listened to the presentation on Hershey-Harrisburg. Lots to do in the area. Our itinerary is already pretty full for the rest of the week. Finish up with an MM.Net trivia contest with some prizes.
• Went out under the canopy to see people still arriving. Baconbit pulls up from West Virginia. Mike Brown and his entire family arrive in the right lane. Five (5) MMs are unloading.
• BigDogJim, witman40, and FreddieH all arrive in a mini-convoy.
• Talk to MIDNITEMARAUDER/Reggie from NYC. He can only stay for a day; but didn’t want to miss out entirely.
• Pat and james79stang are checking the internet on the 5 computers set up off of the lobby. Pat says that the connection is “Slow”. I find the same thing on my laptop in the room. Maybe just MM.Net overload for the night.
• Hang out for a bit then head up to the room at a little after 9:30 PM. Its been a long day. Don’t think I can do LCR tonight. I am done – time for bed.

[Bluerauder]

Thursday, 13 October 2011 (National Civil War Museum, Police Escort, & Chocolate World). The Morning.

• Up early and in the lobby at 6:10 AM. No one in sight. Still raining. Breakfast is served beginning at 6:30 AM. Back to the room for a shower and shave.
• Pat has placed the official “Marauder Alley” sign at the hotel entry. This has become a tradition at every event that he and Patricia attend.
• Breakfast buffet and coffee in the MV9 Marauder dining room with Fordfrk and Hammerdown. Scrambled eggs, sausage, hash browns, and pancakes. Yum. Seems many of the rest are sleeping in. They will trickle down a little later.
• Driver’s meeting in the MV9 room at 8:30 AM. Convoy etiquette outlined … lights and fogs on, radios dispersed throughout the convoy, follow the leader, keep up with the MM in front. Be in the cars at 8:45 AM ready to roll. Departure is 9:00 AM SHARP. Mrs. Bluerauder wanders out to the lot at 8:45 AM. She had just enough time to grab a coffee.
• Departure for the National Civil War Museum rolls off on time. This is a near miracle in Marauderland. This group is organized and lined up. I fall into line at about 20th spot in the convoy behind Ms. Denmark. We’re rolling. A little chatter on the radio.
• GPS Jill says the trip is 3.2 miles right down Union Deposit Road to Market Street Road to a right onto the museum access road. Everything goes well for about 1.5 miles when several cars take the right fork onto Canby Street. “Follow the Leader” Uh Oh. I am now about 3rd in line behind Blackened300a. Radios are buzzing “stay on Market Street Road”. Others make U-turns and right turns to catch the first group. I hang with Blackened300a. His plates and pipes are unmistakeable. There’s a line behind me. I have no idea where 18 cars went; but I am now #2. Damn, we miss the turn and go 1/8 mile past our turn. The group follows and Blackened300a does a U-Turn. I follow him. He stops at the turn and motions me to make a left. I swing around him and head up the hill to the parking lot at the museum.
• I sit in the lot for 5 minutes. Maybe more. Where the hell did everybody go. I started this trip as #20 and now I am #1 and the only one in the lot. No one else to be seen. A couple minutes later, I see some MMs approaching from the opposite direction that I came in. In another 10 minutes the museum lot will be full. Wow that was interesting. U-Turns, wrong turns, don’t listen to GPS Jill. She never went to museums when she was just a little chip. We’ll get better on convoys …. I hope.
• Walk up the steps to the National Civil War Museum about 9:45 AM. We are about 15 minutes behind the schedule so far. We enter the museum at about 10:00 AM and are directed to the education conference room. FordFrk tells me that I have to sit with the “Losers” on the far right.
• The museum curator gives us a presentation on items used by soldiers during the Civil War period. Muskets, bayonets, cartridge packs, leather meat/ration bags, uniforms and caps. The description of the ration bag was enough to gag a maggot. I didn’t know that the bayonet also made a great candle holder. We are told that the Mini-Balls were not really “balls” at all. The Minié ball (or minie ball) is a type of muzzle loading spin stabilizing rifle bullet named after its co-developer, Claude-Etienne-Minie. The museum uses stories from real life participants letters and writings to recreate the life of people impacted by the war and personizes the experience. The museum is “Not just full of Old Stuff”. After a lengthy talk and a Q&A session, we are released to visit the museum on our own. No flash pictures please. I don’t know how to turn my flash off. No pics here I guess. Bernie and I head to the gift shop to beat the crowd that will stack up after the tour. This was a very good idea.
• I browse the gift shop and pick up several items as souvenirs then head to the cashier counter. The lady behind the counter is having a hard time with the computer. This must be her 1st day too. After about 10 minutes waiting patiently in line with no other people in the shop, I find out that the delay is about a $1.00 student discount for a girl and her mother. I offer to pay the $2.00 difference just to move the line. Just another example of how computers have complicated the simple process of taking people’s money.
• Ms. Denmark sees me in the museum lobby and asks if I can bring the Blue MM to the front of the museum for a “Blue and Gray” photo op with her Silver Birch. CBT/Casey is on hand as the official photographer. I grab a couple pics too. I use this opportunity to put my souvenirs in the trunk.
• Mrs. Bluerauder and I browse the museum and look at all the “Old Stuff”. Very interesting. Don’t think I would have made a good Civil War soldier.
• Back in the lobby Blackened300a and Papillon want to set up an all 4-color pic in front of the museum. I get to be the Blue MM again. After we are all set to take pics, a museum guy comes out and says we have to move the cars off the courtyard bricks to prevent damage from the weight. Marauder/Danny and Bluerauder are fine. The Silver Birch of FreddieH and DTR of Hammerdown are on the bricks in clear and obvious violation of museum regulations. They both back up 6 inches to avoid the hefty fine and jail time. Many pics and cameras were flashing away.
• Joe Walsh and Marianne join us at the museum at 12:00 Noon after the drive up from the Baltimore area. They won’t have much time to see the museum … maybe 45 minutes max.

[Bluerauder]

Thursday, 13 October 2011 (National Civil War Museum, Police Escort, & Chocolate World). The Afternoon.

• Just after the photo shoot, the rain came back pretty steady and hard.
• There was a brief break in the rain at about 12:30 PM and everyone started down the hill to the cars. Departure time for the police escorted convoy is 1:00 PM SHARP. Cars start moving to line up right away. We will depart in 2 groups of about 27 cars (54 MMs in total). Just sit in the car and wait for the clock to strike one o’clock.
• Right on time the first group starts moving. Bluerauder is about 4 cars back in the second group somewhere about #31 of 54. GPS is primed with the location of Hershey’s Chocolate World. 12.1 miles on Union Deposit Road. We’re rolling again. Back down the hill. The police Dodge Magnum is sitting at the intersection at the bottom of the hill with lights flashing and blocking traffic for us.
• We turn left at the bottom of the hill and take Market Street to Union Deposit Road. There are police cruisers at every traffic light for most of the trip. We are just cruising down the road. Roads are blocked for us. This is cool. Just keep rolling. I lost count of the number of police cruisers that were involved in this effort. Must have been 20 or more from various jurisdictions. I cannot imagine what people were thinking as 54 MMs rode past. FBI convention?? Secret Service?? MM.Net flags waving proudly from the car roof. Wow.
• We lose our crossing escorts as we leave the populated area. I am behind 2 others Blues (CBT and SC Cheesehead) as we approach the signal at Nyes Road. CBT rolls through and SC Cheesehead exercises the go pedal to beat the red. I am trapped and have to stop. Was I supposed to block traffic?? Nobody told me.
• When the light changes, I decide to step it up a bit to catch up. Should be easy with CBT and SC Cheesehead to chase down. The road is twisty and winding. Yo … this is fun. A Lincoln Navigator has jumped in but soon turns off the road to the left. This is a real road course and I am loving the drive. Sure enough I catch the first group with no problem. Some very nice turns and dips to enjoy along the way. Kinda reminded me of the Memamora road during MV7.
• We are nearing Hershey and turn on to Canal Street. Lots of visible flood damage here from one of the tributaries of the Shenandoah River during the recent torrential rains from Tropical Storm Lee. Our last turn on to Hershey Road is controlled by a Mustang police cruiser with a small blue bubble light on top.
• We wind around the Hershey parking lot to the reserved parking area. I am directed to a spot about second from the last in the far corner of the lot. Could be farther from Chocolate World but not by much.
• I head immediately for the restroom about ¼ mile away. Chocolate World here I come. This is gonna be very, very close. Made it with about 10 feet to spare. I was not the only one to make that trip …. I was just the first.
• Time to head in to the Food Court to grab lunch using our MV9 coupons. There are several stations and we have a choice of pizza, soup or sandwich and a drink. We settle on the pizza and grab a table near the back. SC Cheesehead and Terri join us. Sherm makes his way to the Ice Cream station and comes back with a sundae and plops down next to me. The MM.Net crowd is scattered all through the seating area.
• I point out Joe Walsh and Marianne to SC Cheesehead so he wanders over to introduce himself after finishing eating.
• MyTMerc and Diane are here. Blown3.8 is sitting at a table with other MM folks across the aisle. See Hammerdown and Fordfrk as we were finishing up lunch.
• Head back out through the souvenir and chocolate shops to see what to do. There’s a 3D movie for about $10 and a “Make your own Chocolate Bar” for about $15 to $25 depending on the complexity. Razzberry opts for the personal candy bar experience.
• Mr. and Mrs. Bluerauder head to the free Chocolate World tour ride where we learn all about how chocolate is made and ends up inside wrappers and bags and little foil Kisses or Hugs.
• We learn that “Milk” is the most important ingredient in Milk Chocolate. This must be true because I heard it from 3 singing cows. I thought it would be cocoa beans. The tour ride traces the making of chocolate from the roasting of the cocoa beans through the grinding and mix and blending of milk, sugar and chocolate liquor. It is constantly mixed in big tanks until it reaches a perfect texture.
• After the ride, we decide to get out tickets for the 4:00 PM Hershey Trolley ride. We still have about 45 minutes so we head into the shops to pick up miscellaneous souvenir chocolates in tins. Also get some shirts and other items.
• Don’t want to cart these bags onto the Trolley, so we head out to the car and fill the trunk …. Then back to the transit canopy to wait for the Trolley to show up.
• Hammerdown, N40GL, james79stang and Laura join us in line. We board the Trolley just before 4:00 PM and meet the Motorman/driver. The Conductor shows up carrying several baskets of chocolate.
• The Trolley winds all through the town of Hershey for about 45 minutes where we learn all about the history of Milton Hershey and his philanthropy and the Milton Hershey School. We see the factory … still the largest chocolate factory in the world and several historic buildings where the Hershey lived. His endowment continues to fund the operation of the school.
• We arrive back right at 5:00 PM, get a chocolate bar as we depart the Trolley and head back to the cars. Not very many MMs remain in the lot. Only about 6 left. Glad mine was still where I parked it.
• We headed back down Route 322 toward the hotel. We start out leading but end up behind Hammerdown. She got that screenname for a reason. We get back to the hotel about 5:45 PM and head to the Irish Pub for a drink.
• Take a seat in the pub next to pantheroc and Diane who had arrived earlier that afternoon. They mention that several folks are planning to head over to the Texas Roadhouse for dinner leaving around 6:30 PM out front. We decide to go along.
• Meet up with Blackened300a and Papillon who ride with us to the restaurant.
• Haggis and Ladyhawke and several others are already waiting in the restaurant. We need a table for 40; but have to settle for tables of 6. Every group gets a buzzer and we are seated as space becomes available.
• Sherm, Blown3.8, jabird56, Mr. & Mrs. Bluerauder share a table. IWantMyMMNow joins us about 30 minutes later. He must have gotten lost coming from the hotel.
• The bread, blooming onion, and salad fill me up and I start to nod off at the table. Not sure I can even eat a 12 ounces steak at this point. Too late, I already picked it out from the meat case up front. Sherman says the same. Jabird56 doesn’t seem to have that problem. Blown3.8 is punishing some Chili. The wife is happy with her Salmon.
• The other tables are starting to finish up just as we pay the bill and head out the door with Blackened300a, Papillon, Haggis and Ladyhawke. It is STILL raining.
• Paul informs me that he just got a call from Ms. Denmark. She had to run home to take care of some business and was hit by a deer not 4 miles from her home. Everyone is OK; but the Silver Birch MM takes some front fender damage.
• Won’t see Ms. Denmark again until Sunday morning at the breakfast and she arrives in a Lincoln Aviator.
• Back to the hotel with our two back seat passengers, Paul and Voula. Hey, no hanky panky in the back seat.
• Meet up with FordFrk/Jack in the registration room. He needs help with the parking at the railroad museum in the morning. We will depart at 7:45 AM. Mrs. Bluerauder will ride with Hammerdown/Connie and lead the convoy.
• Off to bed. I am bushed at 9:30 PM. Another long day. No afternoon naps.

[Bluerauder]

Friday, 14 October 2011 (Pennsylvania Railroad Museum and Strassburg Train Ride). The Morning.

• Up at 6:05 AM. Not a creature stirring in the lobby. Grab some early coffee as the staff is setting up our MV9 breakfast room. Still raining and wet today. Crap …. Not again. Back up to the room to get ready for my early departure with Jack.
• Breakfast in the MV9 dining room at 7:00 AM with Fordfrk and Hammerdown. Go2GuyFL mentions that we need to coordinate our MM “Dickies” shirts better. He is in solid black (or was it gray?) and I have 2-tone. A few scattered MM folks in the restaurant.
• The Strasburg RR convoy is supposed to depart at 8:15 AM. Hammerdown will lead. Mrs. Bluerauder rides shotgun.
• FordFrk and I head out early and arrive at the Railroad parking lot right at 9:00 AM. The convoy should arrive between 9:20-9:30 AM. Our reserved parking area is marked with orange cones and “Reserved” signs. FordFrk stays down at the end nearest to the train station to direct parking. I head up to the lot entrance and grab my MM.Net flag from the backseat. Jack and I communicate using the FRS radios since this is a very Looooooong lot.
• I decide to use some of the waiting time to clean up the car and do a quick wipe down and ICE job on the Bluerauder. Looking good so far; but the clouds are starting to build again. Clear skies won’t last long today.
• I have been standing at the lot entrance for 30 minutes already. Where the hell is this convoy?? Have we inadvertently put two “geographically challenged” people in the lead car? I wonder. Starting to hear static on the radio … they must be getting close.
• Paul and Voula arrive in the Black Focus and go down to the end of the lot to assist FordFrk when the cars start arriving on site. Blackened300a starts practicing his Viking Techno and Windmill dance routine.
• About 9:40 AM the cars start to trickle in 1, then 2, then another 1. Flagman waves them on to the back of the lot. Haggis yells something at the flagman. I ignore him …. I ain’t getting paid for this gig. MMs are coming from both directions. Where is Hammerdown? Finally, the main body of the convoy shows up at about 9:50 AM after a trip through the Amish countryside, a covered bridge and several encounters with the horse & buggy cruisers.
• The 4 color MMs are lined up near where the Steam Engine will be located in the background for the photo op. Hammerdown (DTR), Jimbok1951 (Silver), SC Cheesehead (DBP), and SMOKE (Black). Sometime later in the day a damn Blue Pontiac slid in on the end of the row. He was still there when I left. Someone had to point out the “interloper” because I didn’t notice it when I took some pics from the train.
• After the cars were parked and the lot was full everyone gathered near the train station (or the bathrooms). MyTMerc catches me as I start to enter the “Ladies Room”. That was a close call. Diane thanks me for opening the door for her. Our train departs at 12 Noon.
• They want us back here to board the train beginning about 11:30 AM. That means we will have about 1.5 hours in the train museum across the street. We can go back to the museum after the train ride if we miss anything.
• Inside the Pennsylvania Railroad museum, we get a brief introduction and we are broken into two groups. Black MMs to the right. Other colors to the left.
• We get a guided tour of the various steam, diesel, and electric locomotives inside the museum. Some of the locomotives are pretty famous like the GG-1 electric and the steam engine that appeared in the movie “Hello Dolly”. Was kinda difficult to hear the tour guide with noise from the construction crew doing work overhead. Some of the areas were blocked and it was apparent that some of the glass panels in the skylight ceiling were leaking. Maybe that is what the work was for …. ??
• A mock up train station, passenger cars, coal cars, refrigerator cars, cabooses, and work equipment and tenders were all there. Trains are cool. Big, heavy and powerful. Remind you of anything??
• There was even a pit area to walk under a train and an overhead walkway to get a view from the top. My camera went haywire and every one of my pics inside was too dark in the area. Guess my flash didn’t work. Low battery??? Didn’t have that problem the rest of the trip.
• Headed out of the museum at about 11:25 AM to cross the street to make the 11:30 rally time. Everyone was milling around either on the platform or in the parking lot. The conductor approached me and said that our “reserved” cars were No. 60 and No. 65. Number 65 has a restroom. Number 60 does not. We were informed that we could begin boarding at any time.
• Since we still had about 30 minutes and it wasn’t raining, I went over to the lot and started to wipe down the Bluerauder once more. Black clouds were already building behind me that I couldn’t see. Paul yells and tells me that I am wasting my time. So, what else is new. This darn rain just won’t go away.
• People start to board the train about 11:45 AM and we fall into line. We load onto Car No. 65 …. Just in case, ya know.
• Stluty (now STEPS) (Steve & Trezi) are seated behind us. N40GL, Steve and Carol Babcock are to our right. Haggis, Ladyhawke, Silversurfer03 and TCBO1 are near the middle of the train across from CBT, Amy and guspech750. Others are scattered throughout this car and the one behind. MMers fill up both cars.
• These vintage Victorian style train cars are very nice and have been recently restored. Comfortable cushioned seats. We have windows too that we can close when it rains. Uh Oh, here it comes again. Close the window. Another MM wipe down wasted.

[Bluerauder]

Friday, 14 October 2011 (Pennsylvania Railroad Museum and Strassburg Train Ride). The Afternoon.

• People in the open car ahead of us are not as lucky. Tickets there were cheaper for a reason. Fortunately, all the MM.Netters are inside enclosed cars ….. well maybe except for RF Overlord who seems to have found a spot in the front car.
• We are informed that this train will take us about 5 miles to Paradise. I didn’t know it was so close. Also didn’t know you could get there by train. Will have to keep this in mind. Outbound trip takes 15 minutes, locomotive repositioning another 15 minutes, and return trip 15 minutes. Roundtrip is about 45 minutes total. Not long but kinda fun.
• The conductor points out places of interest along the way including the Caboose Restaurant, the picnic grove, Corn Maze, Cherry Crest Adventure Farm, largest turkey farm and several working Amish farms.
• Not much to see in Paradise. Was once a stop for trains; but now understand that AmTrac blows through there now at 80 MPH.
• The sun comes out on our return trip but the break is short-lived. It’ll rain some more today.
• Back in Strasburg train station we disembark the train and decide to go to the RR Museum gift shop. Some of the others including BigDogJim, Haggis, Ladyhawke, Joe Walsh and others are considering heading to Miller’s Restaurant for a smorgasbord lunch since it is already past 1:00 PM. We’ll pick up a restaurant brochure with the address & directions inside the RR museum and plan to catch up with the other in 20 minutes.
• We buy some train and railroad souvenirs in the RR Museum gift shop and then notice that it has started to pour down raining again. It is dumping buckets full. This stuff just won’t give up.
• Looks like Drag Racing at Beaver Springs has been cancelled for this evening. Blackened300a has been in touch with BeaverBob at the track. It is too wet for racing tonight. Lots of people were looking forward to this. Disappointment abounds. Oh well.
• Bernie and I take advantage of a lull in the rain to head across the street and stop in the Model Railroad Toy Shop. This place is awesome and is fully stocked with Lionel “O” gauge, HO gauge, and “N” gauge model trains and accessories. I am surprised that I don’t see TooManyFords in here. He has probably already visited and picked up his stash. Look at some of the prices on the Lionel equipment and wonder why I gave my set away to my brother-in-law years ago.
• Pick up just a couple trinkets here and take some pics inside the shop for nostalgia sake. I had a “Christmas Garden” with a Lionel and a Tyco HO set up growing up as a kid. I rebuilt it in the rec room for my kids back in 1990-1991; but haven’t done anything since.
• Still raining hard as we exit the train store and decide just to visit the “Whistle Stop Trackside Cafe”. We’ll just have to pass up on meeting the others at Miller’s Restaurant ‘cause we’ll just get soaked walking all the way out to the car with this downpour.
• Inside the café, some others have made the same choice. Marauderman/Tom and Kathy are near the window. MM03MOK, RF Overlord, SergeantMac, MERCMAN and MERCM’AAM are across from us. Bernie and I just pick up some burgers and sandwiches and a soft pretzel with drinks.
• Finish up lunch and head outside again. Sky is starting to brighten up and Mary/MM03MOK points out a low rainbow in the distance. We take some pics.
• Back out in the lot, I decide to do another quick wipe-down of the MM. Bernie is not too happy with this delay. However, it gives a little time for FordFrk and Hammerdown to catch up with us. Think that they are gonna head over to Miller’s. We decide just to head back to the hotel.
• Less than 2 miles from the RR lot, I get detoured into an Amish Craft & Furniture store. We browse the shop for awhile. Lots of nice furniture at very reasonable prices. Shipping costs back to Virginia would probably eat up any savings though.
• Bernie picks up a few items and I wander out to the parking lot to shine up my MM wheels a bit. I know that this is an obsession … but I prefer it to browsing craft stores.
• While in the lot, I hear an MM exhaust turn right at the traffic light and head out toward Route 30. Couldn’t see who it was.
• After the shopping tour is over, we load up and head toward Route 30. Sure enough, while sitting at the traffic light at Route 30 it starts to rain again. This is really beginning to piss me off today.
• On Route 30, I line up in the left lane and pass MyTMerc about a mile down the road. Seems that was his car that I heard and he had stopped to get gas and I caught him. By the time we get to PA 283, I am way out in front of him.
• Despite warnings from GPS Jill, I take the North Union Road exit off PA 283 thinking that it is a direct shot to the hotel. Seems I got it confused with Union Deposit Road near the hotel. After a mile or so, I make a U-Turn to head back to PA 283. The delay is enough time for MyTMerc to get ahead of me; but not by much. I pass him again on I-83 when he is in the right lane and then join in the right before the I-81 junction. I see MyTMerc coming up on my left so I open a space to let him slide in. Oops … maybe a little premature to be in the right lane. N40GL passes us on the left. I give chase and MyTMerc follows but we have to get right soon. Traffic is all screwed up and GPS Jill is suggesting a back way to the hotel ????? Actually, I mistakenly reset my destination during my U-turn and head off on a wild goose chase. MyTMerc follows for awhile and then decides that I am not going to the hotel. He turns around. I do the same about a ½ mile farther. Back to the Interstate and onto I-81. Even with my detour, I think we made better progress this way.
• Arrive at the hotel around 4:30 PM and head into the bar for another Dirty Hoe and wine. The place is almost empty. Most everyone else must still be on the road back from Miller’s Restaurant and caught in traffic or something.
• See FreddieH and Kelly in the lobby. Kelly says that she has seen Bernie all week. I must have been “Invisible”. For the rest of MV9, I tell Kelly “Here I Am” every time that I see her. LilHwy73 joins up his Hwy73 family after his trip up from the Univ. of Richmond.
• Bernie decides to head up to the room to relax and I wander out to the lot to see several people working on their cars. MERCMAN and MERCM’AAM are cleaning off their car. Soot from the steam engine wasn’t completely washed off their car at the “Do It Yourself” car wash down the street. Dan is PO’d.
• Go2GuyFL has an entire pit crew working on his car. What happened to my helper. Oh Yeah …. She doesn’t do this cleaning cars thing.
• The big MV9 car show is tomorrow morning. Gotta take care of the cars tonight if they are gonna shine in the morning.
• Looks like a cold front is pushing through and the sky is starting to clear. Time for another Bluerauder wipe down and ICE treatment. Under the hood doesn’t look too bad after running in rain for the past 3 days. I spend about 30 minutes working on the engine compartment. I leave the tail pipes and wheels until last.
• MERCMAN points out a huge cloud coming in our direction. Son of a B#@*&%$. I am gonna kick some weatherman’s azz ….. where is IWantMyMMNow when you need him.
• I am on the very last wheel when the sky opens up and we are caught in a downpour. I throw everything into the trunk and trot off toward the hotel canopy.
• Marauderman jumps into his car to avoid the rain. SMOKE is walking down the access road toward me carrying his bucket full of cleaning supplies. He is soaked and muttering something about “It is done as it is gonna be”.
• I head up to the hotel room and tell the wife that it is probably best to eat in the Irish Pub again … since I really don’t want to move the car and run it in the rain again. She laughs when I tell her it rained on me again.
• See rayjay and Arlene in the hallway. She has just arrived to join in the MV9 festivities.
• We head down to the lobby and meet up with jabird56. Told him that I was supposed to meet up with Marauderman at O’Reilly’s. Tom and Kathy are sitting in the back near the fireplace. Table for 4. Jay decides to team up with some of the other sitting at the bar.
• Bernie and I chat at length with Tom and Kathy while waiting for drinks and dinner to arrive. Lots of the conversation was about the Manassas area where they use to live years ago. We have been in that area since 1989.
• After dinner I am back out in the lot. Sky is clear. Time to dry off the Bluerauder for the final time.
• SC Cheesehead, witman40, Mr. Man, Marauderman and others are sitting in folding chairs BSing and drinking some beer and a bottle 1792 Ridgemont Reserve – 8 year old Kentucky Straight Bourbon …. A leftover from the Louisville trip no doubt.
• Witman40 bought NAVCHAPS car. The white Cobra stripes are gone. I tell him that I have a picture of my Blue MM next to NAVCHAP’s at MV III in Detroit back in August 2005.
• After drying off the MM, SC Cheesehead offers me 3-fingers of 1792 with water in a Deer Park bottle. Very nice.
• DOOM is out on the road making loud noises and smoke signals. Justbob roars up from the south followed by CBT and guspech750. Seems they have been having a meeting with some local LEOs on the side of the road somewhere. Not a problem.
• We hang out and chat until about 9:00 PM in the lot and then I head back up to the room. Not gonna do LCR tonight, either. Just time to relax, watch a little TV before calling it quits for the night.
• Sometime later that night Marauderman and Blown3.8 do a karaoke version of “Margaritaville” down in the pub. Sorry that I missed this one.
• Have dreams all night of wiping down the MM again and again. Gimmee a break !!! There just isn’t any way to escape this damn compulsion.

[Bluerauder]

Saturday, 15 October 2011 (AACA Museum, MM Car Show, Awards, Raffle and Hollywood Casino & Racetrack Banquet). The Morning.

• Up at 6:00 AM. It’s AACA Car Show Day. Get two cups of coffee down in the MV9 breakfast room and then head back up for the S-S-S routine.
• Back down for breakfast at 7:00 AM. Blackened300a, Papillon, and FordFrk cars are missing. Think that Haggis and Ladyhawke are gone too. They must have headed over to the car show lot to get set up at the AACA Museum.
• Weather has held during the night. No more rain after the final wipe off. Just cool enough that there is very little dew on the Bluerauder. Not even enough to worry about. It’ll dry enroute to the museum.
• Out in the lot at 8:30 AM. Car Show starts formally about 9:45 AM. Decide to head over a little early and bypass the convoy. Will need a little extra time to set up the display this morning. Temps are kinda cool. Bernie wears my leather MM jacket and I grab my company insulated vest.
• Arrive at the AACA museum about 9:00 AM. FordFrk hands out dash plaques and directs me to the “Naturally Aspirated” section of the lot.
• Pull in next to Blackened300a and FastMerc near the DJ’s BBQ Food Stand.
• Kinda windy and cool today. Gonna be tricky with the display boards.
• Unload the trunk. Put up the folding chairs and start setting up the display …. Showboard, plaques, flags, DVD player. 1:18 model in the rear deck. Spread out my show binder and some miscellaneous items in the trunk. The framed window sticker and 1st day photos of my MM is set in front of the bumper. The wind grabs my MSRP sticker frame and blows it 3 cars down the road. Set it up in my back seat. Its a work-around but will have to do in this wind.
• Use some of the remaining time to do a final ICE wipe down on the car and the wheels just as the rest of the cars show up in convoy. Understand that this convoy goes smooth as silk. Blown3.8 videos the entire trip and posts it up at 2X speed.
• Hammerdown was leading this convoy too and pulls in next to me. For the next 15 minutes or so, MMs continue to roll into the lot and find a space in the NA or Supercharged area. The Non-Marauder area is down the far end of the lot. Papillon’s Ford Focus and SergeantMac’s Shelby GT500 are parked down there.
• Lots of milling around until the official voting ballots are handed out about 9:45 AM. All the ballots are due back in at 11:30 AM. I take some time to walk the lines and take some pics. Time to vote. Paul reminds me NOT to vote for myself.
• SMOKE and Marcella were not called to duty helping to tally up the votes like they do at Carlisle. The MV9 team has this covered.
• Whitey comes up and introduces himself. He is disappointed that there was no racing on Friday night.
• Lots of different car show categories. Bernie and I walk the lot twice trying to pick cars. Have to explain NA and SC and some of the other categories to her. Try NOT to influence her decisions and let her pick who she wants to pick. Better that way.
• Finish voting and drivers and partners line up next to the cars for the aerial photo op. It seems someone convinced Marauder/Danny to go up in a “cherrypicker” to get photos of the MMs. With winds up around 30 MPH, that trip to 30 feet high in the bucket was death defying. You got guts Danny.
• Bernie and I chat with Razzberry in the parking lot.
• Finish up photos and head up to the AACA Museum to visit the galleries.
• We are informed that the awards, raffle and door prizes will be done at 1:30 PM in the 2nd floor car club room at the AACA Museum. That means we have about 2 hours to browse the museum, gift shop and grab a bite to eat at the food trailer before heading up to the room.
• Lots of nice cars and displays at the museum. Vintage Cadillacs, a ‘70s Rolls Royce, a Crosley, one of the original Fiat 500s, a ’57 Mercury pace car, a 50’s mock up of a drive-in theater complete with ’54 Corvette, ’57 Chevy BelAir station wagon, ’50 Chevy Coupe. Most impressive were the vintage gas pumps with a price of 17 and 9/10 cents per gallon. There was also a Golden Gate bridge mural behind a display of Corvettes and Camaros. Kinda neat. The old time gas station was also kinda cool from “back in the day”.

[Bluerauder]

Saturday, 15 October 2011 (ACAA Museum, MM Car Show, Awards, Raffle and Hollywood Casino & Racetrack Banquet). The Afternoon.

• Wait in the 2nd floor lobby area until the room is opened at 1:30 PM sharp. You will notice that all the times were “Sharp” – give or take. Upper lobby has display cases with various car and truck hood ornaments. There is also an excellent view overlooking the entire car show lot for breathtaking pics.
• My count at the car show was 67 MMs: 38-Black, 14-Silver, 10-DTR, 5 Blue and 1 Silver CrownVic (05crownsport), 1 White Grand Marquis (SGT_MERC) and 1 Black Focus (Papillon), 1 Black/Silver stripe Mustang Shelby GT500 (Sergeant Mac), 1 White Mustang (??), and some miscellaneous vehicles SUVs and sedans.
• After everyone took a seat in the room, awards were announced immediately
• Here are the awards roster for the Car Show and the Drag Racing ….

Car Show

1st Place Best in Show - NA: Blackened300a (Paul)
2nd Place Best in Show - NA: 03mmmonroe (Russ)
3rd Place Best in Show – NA: Bluerauder (Charlie)

1st Place Best in Show - SC: DOOM (Jake)
2nd Place Best in Show - SC: Ladyhawke (Chris)
3rd Place Best in Show – SC: Rick-n-Miami (Rick)

Best Engine – NA: FastMerc (Mark)
Best Engine – SC: Shermanator (Sherman)

1st Place Best Daily Driver: Baconbit

1st Place Best Interior: SMOKE (Jonathan)

1st Place - Over 100K mileage: james79stang (James) Actual mileage was 187K.

1st Place - Non-Marauder: SergntMac (Mustang Shelby GT500)

Best Display: FreddieH (Freddie)

Special Awards

Steve Babcock’s Choice: DOOM (Jake)
DJ BBQ’s Choice: DOOM (Jake)
Long Distance Award (driven): droppointalpha (1,450 miles – Galveston, TX)

Drag Racing was cancelled on Friday evening due to rains all week and wet conditions.

LCR Winners

Thursday night – Papillon (Voula)
Friday night – pantheroc (Jerry)
Saturday night – Hammerdown (Connie) and Go2GalFL

• Lots of very nice prizes for the vendor raffle, door prizes, and the 50/50 raffle to benefit The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.
• Haggis acts as the raffle MC moderator. The rest of the MV9 planning committee assists with handing out prizes. Chris, Paul, Voula, Jack and Connie keep track of the winners.
• James79stang took the 50/50 raffle to the tune of $580.00 and then kicked back a portion to the charity. Nice touch James.
• Each attendee received 2 door prize tickets in their goodie bag. As numbers were drawn at random, winners received a variety of car care products, T-Shirts, hats and lots of other items.
• The vendor raffle tickets were $10.00 each or six (6) for $50.00. Below is a list of the prizes that were given away:

1 Marauder car cover donated by MM.net
1 generic car cover donated by MM.net
1 car cover donated by Blackened300a
1 custom underhood liner donated by Spectragod
1 ScangaugeII donated by Linear Logic
1 JLT CAI donated by JLT Performance
1 orange watts link bar donated by Sparta
1 torque wrench donated by Brown Line Metalworks, LLC
1 set of SS hoses donated by TCE Performance
3 LCM Repair Certificates donated by fastblackmerc
3 EATC Repair Certificates donated by fastblackmerc
1 Musclemerc fuel filter donated by Mr. Man
1 stainless steel Marauder inserts donated by SS Inserts
1 Marauder license plate frame donated by SS Inserts
1 Marauder Interior LED Light Kit donated by fastblackmerc
1 Godshead watch donated by fastblackmerc
2 Godshead watch donated by Spectragod
1 Godshead watch donated by Ms. Denmark
1 Mercury Marauder Zippo Lighter donated by MM.net
1 1934 Ford stake bed truck die-cast donated by NAPA
1 1969 Mustang Boss 429 die-cast donated by NAPA
1 Michael Waltrip Nascar 2007 Camry die-cast donated by NAPA
1 Michael Waltrip Nascar 2009 Camry die-cast donated by NAPA
1 1963 Corvette Sting Ray die-cast donated by NAPA
1 Jim Beam '34 Ford Roadster model car donated by frdfrk/Hammerdown
1 Snap-On Fluorescent Angle Light w/ 25' cord reel donated by Ace Hardware Store in Cockeysville, Maryland
1 Terlingua Ball Cap (adjustable) - Yellow with Black Lucifer logo donated by SergantMac
1 Terlingua Black nylon Windbreaker (Large) - Yellow Lucifer logo on back and left breast donated by SergantMac
1 Terlingua Canvas Tote Bag - Yellow Lucifer logo donated by SergantMac
8 camping chairs w/MM.net logo donated by Haggis/Ladyhawke
6 blankets w/MM.net logo donated by Haggis/Ladyhawke
1 set of Martyo fender badges donated by FreddieH

• I can’t remember who won what; but P71 George offered me his Mercury Marauder Zippo lighter that he won. He said that he didn’t smoke and didn’t need it. He was insistent that I take it. Many thanks George.
• Seems everyone was winning prizes except for FreddieH, 03mmmonroe, and Bluerauder. Our numbers were not even close in the drawing. Guspech750, CBT and justbob were cleaning up with prizes. Vkirkend was “Winning”. FreddieH finally hit a couple in a row. Then 03mmmonroe/Russ. Bluerauder finally picked up some NAPA hats and MM.Net bags near the end. 
• 71Cyclone and his wife were sitting behind me at the raffle. I think she got a kick out of my comments on all the NAPA hats.
• The entire award and raffle process took about 1.5 hours and a short break was needed after all that excitement. DOOM took credit for a “spill” on the stairs when one of the staff came in to clean-up. DOOM said he just couldn’t contain his excitement. Ha! Ha!
• Following the short break, Steve Babcock presented the “Mercury Marauder Story” and held a Q&A session for the attendees.
• Bernie and I headed back to the hotel a little early and arrived there about 4:00 PM and headed to O’Reilly’s Irish Pub. You guessed it. I ordered another Dirty Hoe.
• Departure for the Hollywood Casino and Racetrack is set for 6:30 PM. Just enough time to head up to the room and rest up on the bed and watch a little of “The Dirty Dozen” on the OPN channel (Old People’s Network) commonly known as TCM – Turner Classic Movies.

[Bluerauder]

Saturday, 15 October 2011 (ACAA Museum, MM Car Show, Awards, Raffle and Hollywood Casino & Racetrack Banquet). The Evening.

• Change clothes into sport casual for the banquet and head down to the lobby at about 6:15 PM.
• I meet jsignorelli (Jim and JoAnne) in the lobby and he asks about the convoy. I tell him that I plan to leave a little early. He and Blown3.8/Shermanator follow me out of the lot. Sherman is wearing his “Gambler” jacket especially for the casino. Marauder/Danny drops in on the line. I see 5 cars as we cruise up the highway.
• I tell Blown3.8 that I am moving left because it is 9.8 miles to the turnoff. Cars drop into the left lane and I drop the hammer. We are cruising at 70 MPH and Blown3.8 comes on the radio and says “What about the 5 miles under convoy rule?”
• I said that I can see all 5 cars and that it doesn’t appear to be a problem … keep on rolling. Sherman comes on the radio and says that I get a “D” in math because he’s got lots more cars behind him.
• We pull into the entrance of the Hollywood Casino and FordFrk comes on the radio and says to look for him at the stop sign. He directs us to the right and says that “Haggis is Over the Hill”. We all knew that, right?
• Gordon points for me to make a left and I can see a line of Marauders off to the right at the back of the lot. I turn in, find a spot and back in.
• As I get out of the car, I notice that the line of Marauders is still pulling into the lot. Seems that I left with 5 cars and ended up with more than 25 behind me.
• After some brief milling around in the lot, we find someone who actually has the directions to the banquet room. Marauder/Danny brought it with him.
• BigDogJim arrives late, after dark and mentions that he had a hard time seeing FordFrk and Haggis enroute to the lot. Looks like official MM.Net orange reflective vests will be added to the MM.Net store soon.
• It was pretty complicated …. Down hallways, up elevators, more hallway, stairs, another elevator …. To the back of the Casino. We see Blackened300a and Papillon at the end of a very long hallway.
• We check in with Paul and Voula and produce our tickets and are directed to our table. Wow …. This is incredibly nice. It is set up like a wedding reception with tables for 10 all decorated with 4 balloon in Marauder colors. There are even favors on the table wrapped in material representing each of the 4 MM colors – Black, Silver, Red and Blue. This is really nice.
• The banquet room has floor to ceiling windows that overlook the racetrack and we have primetime seating for the races.
• I head on over to the bar for drinks and then back to the table to chat. Take the opportunity to snap some pics to.
• DOOM mentions that MERCMAN looks good all dressed up.
• Our tablemates include: Blackened300a, Papillon, FordFrk, Hammerdown, Haggis, and Ladyhawke.
• The Hollywood Casino marquis says that we are in the John Henry & Le Grand Jour rooms … Welcome “MercuryMarauder.Net and Marauderville IX”. This is truly First Class all the way.
• MM.Net are sponsors of the 7th race at Penn National race track. Steve and Carole Babcock, MM03MOK and RF Overlord, and Sergeant Mac go down to the winner’s circle to present the winning trophy to the jockey after the race. We see it all on the closed circuit TV and can watch the ceremony out our private window overlooking the track.
• I bet on “Easy ‘n Breezy” in the 8th race. Since I am conservative, I bet for the #9 horse to show. He wins by 20 lengths. I pick up $11.00 on a $10.00 bet. Should have gone for the win and collected $18.00. A 10% return on investment in 10 minutes ain’t bad though. That’s it, I’m done gambling.
• Mrs. MyTMerc has picked 4 winners in a row … Wow. She’s addicted.
• The banquet staff calls the first two tables to go up to the buffet line. The rest of the MM group hear the dinner bell and swamp the buffet and create a long line. They must not get out much.
• We just sit at the table and wait for the line to die down. The waitress comes over to our table and says that she will call our table soon …. She doesn’t know what happened. Apparently, the Marauder gang was h-u-n-g-r-y !!!
• This is a very nice buffet with just about everything and anything that you could want. Beef, chicken, fish, stuffed potatoes, vegetables, salads, and pretzel rolls. I leave with a plate piled high. Plenty left for 2nds or 3rds for those who need it. I don’t.
• Then we visit the desert table …. Wow !!! Finish up with a cup of coffee or 2.
• Browse the room again and take some pics of couples throughout the room including 03mmmonroe and Dana, pantheroc and Diane, stluty (now STEPS) and Trezi, P71 George, DOOM, CBT and guspech750 and others.
• After dinner there’s more horse racing and chatting and photo ops.
• Talk to 03mmmonroe about my EATC “O” ring problem and he says to give him a call about 7:00 AM in the morning. He hands me a business card with his cellphone number on it.
• I make my way to the couch for a quick after dinner “nap”. 05crownsport catches me and posts the pic on the MM.Net site.
• This has been one heck of a banquet. Real Class. I was quite pleasantly surprised.
• Joe Walsh and Marianne bail out just before 10:00 PM. He's gotta drive back to Baltimore tonight and catch a plane to the west coast at 8:00 AM in the morning.
• Others are starting to leave now too.
• At about 10:00 PM, some of us head down to the Casino to cash in the $5.00 coupon on some slot machine action. We all know that is just a teaser to get us down there.
• As we enter the casino, it is all flashing lights and neon. Slots are everywhere and there is a constant eerie humming sound coming from the hundreds if not thousands of slot machines.
• We head to the Cashiers Station and convert our coupon into a casino card with our own personal PIN. It take me a while to figure out how to use the card. It actually took me longer to figure the card than to lose the $5.00. I “cashed out” with 25 cents left so that I had a souvenir that I didn’t lose it all.
• Bernie tried her luck and won a couple times only to put it all back into the machine. Hey, that’s the way it works.
• MyTMerc and Diane did about the same. Then I lost them in the crowd. I think that constant humming noise has a hypnotic effect on people. Most of the players that I saw looked like Zombies pushing buttons.
• We decide to head back to the hotel. We pass FordFrk and Hammerdown and direct them to the cashier’s station. Further down the red carpet, we run into Blackened300a and Papillon and point the way to the cashier.
• I am done for the night and head toward the exit door and back to the car. It is about 10:15 PM. Steve Babcock is ahead of us and he heads to an SUV in the lot. Looks like a Ford Escape … maybe, maybe not.
• I-81 South is running fast …. Follow the crowd at 75-80 MPH all the way back to the exit. Arrive at the hotel lot a little after 10:30 PM or so.
• Looks like some more interlopers have infiltrated the lot. There’s a Lexus SUV parked in the spot DOOM occupied all week. There is a Toyota jammed near the end of the 2nd row down near rayjay. The side lot has some trucks pulling trailers some other miscellaneous interlopers.
• Looks like a wedding reception or rehearsal dinner is wrapping up based on the folks in and around the lobby.
• We head up to the room around 11:00 PM. This has been one great day at MV9.

[Bluerauder]

Sunday, 16 October 2011 (Farewell Breakfast, Goodbyes, and Departure).

• Up at 6:00 AM. Make a quick trip down to get two cups of coffee from the hotel MV9 breakfast room.
• Pat and Patricia are packed and ready to start their trip back. I think he is headed to St. Louis, MO. They will miss the breakfast. Pat has packed up his “Marauder Alley” sign and “Marauder Parking Only” sign that has graced the hotel entrance since Wednesday. Shermanator and Blown3.8 departed at 4:00 AM headed to MIR - Budd's Creek for some track action today.
• Back to the room to get showered, dressed, and ready to roll after breakfast. Start to pack up and take some things down to the car. Make two trips by 7:00 AM and then call 03mmmonroe/Russ. He meets me down at the car with his tools.
• He has the EATC popped out in under 5 minutes and gets the “O” rings from Mr. Man. Russ goes into the hotel since he needs a flat spot to work on. He is back in 20 minutes and reinstalls the unit and the dashboard trim piece. Thanks for the fix Russ. Total time was about 30 minutes …. Including 10 minutes of First Aid for an injured finger during the screwdriver maneuver.
• Mr. Man and jabird56 are also in line for the EATC fix. I mill around in the lot and then go up to the room. The wife is packed and we take the rest of the stuff down to load the car.
• Ms. Denmark arrives in the lot with “Buddy” in her Lincoln Aviator to participate in the farewell activities. It’s a shame that the Thursday night “deer incident” caused her to miss the Friday and Saturday activities. At least she’s OK and the car can be fixed.
• DOOM seeks out an opportunity to catch a pic with him and Steve Babcock out under the hotel canopy.
• Bluerauder and the Mrs. head in to have breakfast right at 8:00 AM. Breakfast runs until 10:00 AM. This time the buffet is supplemented by an omelette to order station. I opt for a western omelette this morning and load up the plate with other breakfast goodies. This is a real breakfast buffet spread this morning.
• Lots of people down for breakfast and after we are done, we go from table to table to say our “Goodbyes”. Too many to mention. Good friends all. What a terrific group of people to spend a week with.
• Headed out to church at about 10:00 AM. About 6 miles. We arrive in the nick of time. Not a real problem ... remember I've seen "Paradise" and know how to get there.
• We hit the road at 11:30 AM. Stop at the rest stop on Route 15 just inside the Maryland line.
• We continue our trip south on MD 15 to I-270 south to I-495 to I-95 South.
• We arrive home at 2:00 PM after a nice drive through the scenic country side of Pennsylvania, Maryland and Virginia.
• What a Blast!! MV9 was terrific in every way possible. The rain didn’t dampen spirits in the least or impact on the activities (except the racing on Friday). It was a really great trip and a fanstastic time with old friends and new ones.
• If you missed Marauderville IX (MV9), you sure missed out on a Great time.
• Don’t be missin’ the next one. Ya hear.
• Marauderville X (MV10) will be in South Haven, MI from 12-16 September 2012.

THANKS FOR THE MEMORIES GANG & A SPECIAL THANKS TO BLACKENED300A, PAPILLON, FORDFRK, HAMMERDOWN, HAGGIS, LADYHAWKE, MS. DENMARK AND MR. MAN FOR DOING ALL THE PLANNING, COORDINATION, LEG WORK AND THE SET-UP ON THIS EVENT. YOUR EFFORTS PAID OFF IN SPADES AND THIS WILL GO DOWN AS A REAL FIRST CLASS EVENT FROM START TO FINISH. THANKS TO ALL WHO MADE MV9 IN HERSHEY-HARRISBURG A TRULY MEMORABLE EXPERIENCE. WE HAD A GREAT TIME. HOPE YOU ALL DID TOO.




I apologize if I did not meet or mention everyone in this thread. I tried the best I could. My memory is not what it used to be.

Was unable to highlight names/screennames in Post #5 ^^^^ because I was up against the 10,000 character limit for that post.

[Bigdogjim]

Nice write up Charlie! I think you must have one of those pocket recorders?

[Haggis]

I believe he is bored.

[wickedmerc]

WOW Charlie! That's some write-up. Please tell me you were taking notes....LOTS of notes. If not, that's a crazy memory ya got there!

[TooManyFords]

Bernie and I take advantage of a lull in the rain to head across the street and stop in the Model Railroad Toy Shop. This place is awesome and is fully stocked with Lionel “O” gauge, HO gauge, and “N” gauge model trains and accessories. I am surprised that I don’t see TooManyFords in here. He has probably already visited and picked up his stash.

How right you were! I picked up two HO diesels for my layout, one a Pennsy GP15-1 and an SW1500 road switcher C&NW. Both with DCC, but I had to go to their in-town store to get the DCC decoder for one of the engines. The second store was bigger and I could have spent more...

Thanks for the recap!

[HammerDown]

Charlie, I knew you wouldn't disappoint!!!

Fabulous write-up. Enjoyed the reading to see what I may have missed while doing staff duties.

Thank you, Thank you, Thank you!!!!!


I'm printing it for my souvenier folder!!!

[CBT]

Holy cow I can't remember what day I got there much less what I did each day