Updated 6/18/09

Southern California & Southern Nevada

SoCal and SoNev gear-up for another Caravan

With the exception of the caravan sections out of the Pacific Northwest, the Southern California/Southern Nevada Section makes the longest trip of the 2009 National Corvette Caravan. SCSN's fleet of Vettes will depart the AutoClub Speedway in Fontana, California, generally follow Interstate 40 and take five days for the trip to Bowling Green.

Who should register for the SoCal/SoNev Section? If you draw a line from San Luis Obispo, California, northeasterly to the point where the corners of the States of Arizona, Nevada and Utah all meet; anyone living south of that line should sign-up for the SoCal/SoNev Caravan.

SoCal Departure 2003
  With Capt. Hib Halverson driving the lead car, the Southern California Caravan
  rolls out of the California Speedway on June 22, 2003, headed to Bowling Green.
  The "SoCalCar," started with 180 cars and grew to over 200 as it crossed
  Southern California, Arizona and New Mexico.

According to the Captain of the SoCal/SoNev Caravan section, Hib Halverson, SCSN will start from AutoClub Speedway on Saturday morning, 29 August 2009 headed for Kingman AZ. That afternoon after lunch, the Section will reform north of Kingman on "Historic 66" then head for Seligman AZ and the famed "Sno-Cap" drive-in for ice cream and cool drinks. From there we'll continue Flagstaff AZ for our first overnight. The second day, we'll leave Flag, headed for Tucumcari NM. On the way, we'll reform the Caravan in Moriarty NM. Also, between Albuquerque NM and Moriarty we will run some sections of Historic 66. We'll leave Moriarty NM as a Group headed for Tucumcari for our second overnight.

The morning of the third day, we'll roll east out of Tucumcari. About an hour later, we'll meet the Texas Panhandle/Oklahoma Caravan just over the New Mexico line in Adrian, Texas for a "pancake breakfast". That night, in Oklahoma City, the Central Texas Section will join up and on the fourth day, the group will meet the Arkansas/West Tennessee Section. Beyond Adrian, TX, the route and events will be planned by Captain "Tuna" Dobbins' TXPan/OK Section and, later, Captain Jan Marshall's AR/WTN Section.

What can Caravaners expect if they choose to join the SCSN on the 2009 National Corvette Caravan? Plenty of driving their Corvettes, that's for sure. In addition, some hallmarks of past Southern California Sections will probably repeat, such as: a Departure Night Party and driver's meeting on Friday night before we leave, a racetrack departure, Feeder Caravans originating from Ventura, San Diego and possibly, Las Vegas NV, the famed "Caravan Route Book", social events each night and, most importantly, the camaraderie with your old Caravan pals and new friends you're going to meet.

At this writing, six months before the event, Planning for the Southern California/Southern Nevada Section of the 2009 National Corvette Caravan is well-underway. While the detailed information about the trip the "Southwest Four" Sections will make has not been released, there are a couple of important programs perspective SCSN, TX-Pan/Ok, CenTX and AR/W-TN Caravaners should know about.

First, the Captains of the "Southwest Four", "Tuna" Dobbins (TXPan/Ok), Linda Walker (CenTX) and Jan Marshall (AR/W-TN) have agreed to use the same travel services vendor, Gorilla Travel, run by SoCal/SoNev Organizing Team member "Commander" Ron Cohen, to book hotel rooms from California all the way to Bowling Green. Having one travel agency book the rooms enables us to keep the room cost as low as possible. For more information on hotel booking see issue #21 of the eNews, accessible with the links at the bottom of this page, or contact Gorilla Travel at gorillatravel@aol.com.

Secondly, to make navigation on the trip easier for everyone and to assist the Captains of the TXPan/Ok, CenTX and AR/W-TN Sections, the four Captains agreed to all use the same Route Book which covers the entire trip from Fontana to Bowling Green and is being published by a committee led by the SoCal/SoNev Organizing Team's "Commander" Tony Megowan.

The Southern California/Southern Nevada Section Route Description:

Day 1: Leave Los Angeles area and drive to Flagstaff, Arizona.

Day 2: Leave Flagstaff and drive to Tucumcari, New Mexico.

Day 3: Leave Tucumcari New Mexico and drive to Adrian, Texas where we join the Oklahoma/Texas Panhandle Section.

The Route description for the rest of Day 3 and Day 4, can be obtained on the OK/TXpan Section's web page and the Central Texas Section's web page.

The Route description for Day 5 can be obtained from the Arkansas/West Tennessee Section's web page.

For more information on the Southern California/Southern Nevada Section, please see the SCSN eNews issue links at the bottom of this page or email, Captain Hib Halverson at captain.socalcar@charter.net. You can subscribe to the eNews by sending a request to: eNews.SCSN@charter.neteNews.SCSN@charter.net.


So, who's going to plan, organize and run this extravaganza?

"Captain" Hib Halverson
On 9/9/06, National Caravan Chair, Kathie Summers, appointed Hib Halverson, Captain of the Southern California/Southern Nevada Section of the 2009 National Corvette Caravan. Halverson was one of the two Captains of the 2003 SoCal Caravan and is a member of Corvette Club Santa Barbara. He and Wife, Sandy, own a '71 Big-Block Coupe, an '82 Collector Edition, a '95 ZR-1 and an '04 Z06/Z16. Capt. Halverson works in West Covina during the week and lives in Goleta on weekends.

"Commander" Sherry Maples
Maples is the SoCal/SoNev Organizing Team's "CFO" and handles all registration data processing. Sherry's business, Software Liaison, is a Special Start-Up Sponsor of the '09 SoCalCar. Maples was also an '03 SoCalCar Sponsor, an '03 Participant and an alternate Lead Car Driver during the '03 event. Sherry Maples is a member of Pacific Coast Corvettes, owns a '97 Coupe and resides in Orange County.

"Commander" Brent Hicks
Hicks leads the SCSN OT's event planning and staging activities. Brent is an '09 SoCal/SoNev Special Start-Up Sponsor, an '03 SoCal Caravan Sponsor and an '03 SoCalCar Participant. He's a member of the Pomona Valley Corvette Association, owns a '92 ZR-1, an '03 50th Convertible and an '07 Z06 and lives in the I.E.

"Commander" Ron Cohen
Cohen oversees the Organizing Team's relationships with hotel/motel properties along the route. Ron's business, Gorilla Travel LLC was an '03 SoCalCar Sponsor and is the travel agency for the '09 Caravan. Ron was an '03 SoCalCar participant. Gorilla Travel, also, was a Special Start-Up Sponsor of the 09. Ron belongs to Red Line Corvettes, owns an '06 Convertible and lives in the Westlake Village.

"Commander" Tony Megowan
Megowan is the key player behind the Organizing Team's critical "Route Book Project". He and Wife, Paula, belong to Corvette Club Santa Barbara, own an '03 and live in Ventura.

"Commander" Duane Stidham
Stidham assists Brent Hicks with event planning and is involved with the Organizing Team's prerun efforts. He also is the SCSN OT's transportation logistics expert. His company, California Delivery Service, is the presenting sponsor of the Section's "Route Book". Duane owns an '07 Z06 and belongs to the Pomona Valley Corvette Association.

"Lieutenant" Jim Estoch
Estoch was a participant in the '03 trip is organizing the Feeder Caravan which starts from San Diego on Friday morning, 28 August. Jim is a member of Corvettes of Temecula Valley, lives in the City of Temecula, California and owns a pair of 2000 Convertibles one which has been rebodied as a '53 Commemorative Edition.

"Lieutenant" Fred Smith
Fred Smith is organizing and leading the Ventura Feeder Caravan which leaves Paradise Chevrolet on Friday morning 28 August. A veteran Caravaner, having run the '99 and '03 events and a founding member of Corvette Club Santa Barbara, Fred's specialty is planning "club runs" so he was a shoe-in to lead the Ventura Feeder. Fred owns a '91 Z07 Coupe and an '08 Coupe.

"Lieutenant" Elora Stidham
Elora always wants to hide in the background, so many SCSN Caravaners have never met her but, if you went on the 2003 trip; you certainly are familiar with her work. Elora planned, organized and staged the Departure Event the SoCal/SoNev Section held in the night before the Caravan left. Lt. Stidham will once again take up the reins and run our Departure Event for the 2009 Caravan. Elora is a member of the Pomona Valley Corvette Association and drives a 2007 Z06.

"Lieutenant" Inge Stallings
Inge is the Route Book Project's Art Director. She and Husband, Bob, drive an '09 Coupe, live in Goleta and belong to Corvette Club Santa Barbara.

The Southern California/Southern Nevada Section of the 2009 National Corvette Caravan raises money for planning, organizing and operating the event with its Sponsor Program.

The Southern California Caravan Organizing Team wishes to thank the following Special Start-Up Sponsors:

The SCSN Caravan Organizing Team would like to thank the following Sponsors:

The SoCalCar has an email newsletter which is issued periodically. If you would like to receive this newsletter, send a subscription request to captain.socalcar@charter.net


SoCal Caravan 09 eNews
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