|
2007 SPRING NATIONAL SOUTHEASTERN DIVISIONAL MEET Once again we were able to visit the lovely town of New Bern, which is the 2nd oldest city in North Carolina named after Bern, Switzerland. Having the 2007 Spring National Southeastern Divisional Meet at one of the most picturesque cities of the South was really a treat. New Bern was founded in 1710 by Swiss Adventurers at the confluence of the Neuse and Trent Rivers. This “City of Southern Surprise” displays its long and colorful history along its tree-canopied streets in an astonishing variety of restored old homes and churches. The meet was held on the streets of this historic and restored downtown New Bern. The Tyron Palace, once the lavish home of a royal governor, serves as the centerpiece of this historic city. We arrived at The Riverfront Park Comfort Suites on Thursday evening where we enjoyed complimentary hors d’oeuvres, beer or wine. We enjoyed the lovely setting overlooking the Neuse River watching sailboats and fabulous yachts go by. We ate at Captain Ratty’s Seafood & Steakhouse which was excellent. On Friday, after enjoying the complimentary breakfast at the hotel, we set out to explore the town. Trailers and vehicles were checking in at the various hotels. We met Bob and Dorean Cirilli and had lunch together at Captain Ratty’s again. Howard attended judging school where he saw Harvey Eger and heard that he had a bit of bad luck. When Harvey was backing his Model T out of the trailer, the yoke came off the steering and he lost control of the car. The car sustained some damage to the fender, hood and radiator when it struck the tail gate cables. Harvey seemed to be more relaxed over this problem than Howard would have been. We had dinner with Harvey and Susan at the Harvey Mansion. which was absolutely delightful – both the food and atmosphere! There were 414 vehicles registered for the meet on Saturday. One of the highlights was to watch a completely disassembled Model “T” be reassembled and driven off in less than 15 minutes. The thunderstorms that were predicted held off until the evening. They were lucky. The First Capital AACA Chapter promised everyone a Royal Welcome and we both agree it was just that and more. Howard & Bettyann Finney 7 |