Got a Saab? Going to be near PA Oct 9? [Archive]

Tweek's Turbos

10-11-2004, 04:19 PM

Saabtoberfest 2004. By Tweek

Saabtoberfest actually started a day earlier for me. GoViggn took up my offer and came out with his brother for Friday night, to help get a fresh start for Sat am. Myself and co-driver/camera man, Rooster had gotten the vid camera ready and had a few beers. When Bill arrived, we walked down the block to the Brea Loch for another drink.

Morning came fast, I woke up first at 4am, took a shower, got dressed and work rooster up. While he was in the shower, I made up the sandwiches. Ham and swiss on marble rye. I also tossed in a half dozen apples and 2 bottles of 3 Philosophers from www.ommegang.com for dinner. Bill and Chris weren't hard to wake up, and were ready to go.

We left the house at 5am, and headed right for gas, and some caffein. I installed a new bulb in my working daylighter. Jeff, the cameraman from the May 8th meet surprised us all. He lives across the street, and held an all-nighter at 5am we was still quite messed up, but wished us a safe journey. :wink: Rooster dropped off his dually back at his 'rents place, and we headed west on Rt 80, and then south on 281. We ran paralell to Rt 81 to Cortland just in case of paving.

It didn't take long after getting on 81 to break out the cameras. I have some vid of Bill and myself passing each other and some minivan. Rooster snapped this pic.
http://www.nysoc.com/albums/album36/Picture_091.jpg
It was 7am and we had been making very good time the whole way down, seeing only 3 PA troopers, guarding construction zones.

We arrived at Eurotech, to find an even bigger shop than last year. The Haddle's had moved the business across town.
http://www.nysoc.com/albums/album36/Picture_093.jpg

It didn't take long to see, that we had beaten last years attendance by at least 10-15 cars. 56 Saabs was a number heard to float around.

The usual drivers meeting was given, and we all awaited the begining to our "Spirited Parade"
http://www.nysoc.com/albums/album36/Picture_094.jpg
Saab Owners came from New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusets, All over Pennsylvania, Ohio, Delaware, and New Jersey for this event. Finally we heard the lets go call.
http://www.nysoc.com/albums/album36/Picture_095.jpg

Group 1 was organized, and began to head out. I was in Group 2, and circled into the back of the garage and lined up just inside of the front bay door.
http://www.nysoc.com/albums/album36/Picture_096.jpg

Going through Wilkes-Barre is a little tricky when you are trying to get 25 some odd cars the few blocks it takes to reach the hills. And once out, we had a few bugs to work out of 2 of the cars, but soon started making progress.

The route was familiar yet different as a 2nd year attendee I knew some of the roads, and remembered some of the more interesting quirks on the roads. (more about this after lunch.) :wink:

The pace was swift, to say the least.
http://www.nysoc.com/albums/album36/Picture_097.jpg

I ended up behind a classic 900 owned by a gent from Jamaica NY. I will be sending him down a copy of my vid, it shows his tailgate for a good few minutes.

During one stretch, a dumptruck was able to sneak into the middle of group 2, but realizing what was going on, he proceded to make better time. Unfortunaley a Geo got infront of him, and we slowed briefly. A few short miles b4 the lunch spot, I admit I lost some patients, and after getting divided at an intersection, re-claimed my spot on a bridge from a slightly confused civilian. Lunch was a few blocks away at this point.
http://www.nysoc.com/albums/album36/Picture_099.jpg

Arriving at lunch was awesome, parking seemed more organized then last year, even with more cars. I was also eager to re-charge the camera and tape more.
http://www.nysoc.com/albums/album36/Picture_100.jpg
http://www.nysoc.com/albums/album36/Picture_101.jpg
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The 4 of us had our ham and swiss, talked with other saabers, and took part in the raffle. Rooster took home some chrom cleaner, and I a gift certificate for some pizza from a 'ria in Wilkes Barre :? . I kept it knowing I would end up back sometime. Just before leaving, we checked out the cars, PaulH, Saabvos and myself, are clearly impressed by this immaculate beauty.
http://www.nysoc.com/albums/album36/Picture_104.jpg

Leaving was a blessing in disguise. After waking at 4am, and eating an hour ago, I was ready for 2 things, a nap, or some more adrenaline. I got the latter. 8)

I now found myself behind a nice classic black 900 T. Father, mother, and daughter out for a day together. We left the park, and made good time, as we enjoyed the wonderfull foliage, knowing that for most of us, snowtires are in the not so distant future. At one left hand intersection, in a small hamlet, we found some fans out in the yard. Everyone gave them a little smoke and screach show from the rubber, and they cheered wildly.

A few more miles in, half of group 2 slightly missed the Y to the left. But a helpfull pickupdriver waved us down, and helped us make the U-Turns. I ended up infront of a 9000 with a lovely young lady driving and presumably her bf riding shotty. Making the tight righter, to put us back on course, my car did something I have never felt b4. It seemed to hop sideways, as I jamed the brakes, with wheel locked fully right, and seemingly instantly flooring it in 2nd. With instant rebound, the car shot straight back up the hill. :wink:

A few more miles into it, we happend onto a road, a road I remembered from last year. The reason last year was called Yumpday. Last year, I was behind Ian and Brent. Brent was outside of the sunroof, trying to film my car. All of a sudden, Ian pulled him inside, as the car seemed to just leave the road. This year, I took some extra steps, with camera rolling, I veered a little more to the left, being the "yump" was on a right curve. Pulling the car hard right and accelerating like a mad man I hit the yump at an angle, but pointing squarly down the road. It seemed like a good 3 full seconds of calm nothingness, b4 the car hit the ground in what dropping a large rock on your mothers best china would sound like. But again, the car rebounded with vigor.

Shortly after, the battery in the camera crapped out completely.

At dinner, I was congradulated by CosmicSaab in the blue 9-3ss from DE as having achieved presumably the sickest thing he had seen all day. Groups gathered and re-lived the day.
http://www.nysoc.com/albums/album36/Picture_106.jpg
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Dinner found myself, Rooster, Abduckted and his girlfriend sharing conversation, and the awesome quadrupel. The meal was wonderfull, salad, vodka riggies, eggplant parm, and veggies. I decided to say goodbye to everyone, and head out at about 7:30ish. The trip back was relaxed, as I headed east on 80, then north on 476 to 81....eager to see some at the next event, and everyone next year.