Dave Rawstrom, Rob Gibbs and Emory Heisler journeyed 30 hours straight-through from AZ to Chicago in a 2000 “Exploder” for Buccaneer 18 North American Championships in Kenosha, WI. Not to worry, Dave, Rob and Emory are still friends.
T-minus 5 days to BNAC: Thanks to Nickel’s Boats stackable trailer design we stack 4 Bucc’s on 2 trailers. Thank you TTL passer by helpers for extra hands!
And they’re off! Yee Old Exploder is packed and trailers are stacked. On to Route 66: Desert, pine trees, high desert plains and we are there. Route 66. Did we get some kicks? No! What did we get?
Painted Desert, nothing, storms, nothing, New Mexico. More storms, more nothing, Texas. Nothing, 200 foot tall cross, trailer flat, nothing, Oklahoma. Sunrise over the one tree in OK.
Oklahoma City, toll booths, nothing, toll booths, nothing,Missouri. Fireworks Superstore, Adult Bookstores, tornado-flattened Joplin, nothing, Girls-Girls-Girls, nothing, St. Louis. Mississippi River, Illinois, corn, corn, corn, Chicago. Hotel, toll booths, toll booths, KENOSHA! That’s it in a nutshell.
It was the first time for all of us to visit Kenosha Wisconsin, first time in Dave’s lifetime setting foot in the state and his 3rd time sailing on lake Michigan, loved the waves!
KYC and Kenosha downtown have great small town character, cool shops (especially for tuxedos), ice cream, good restaurants (mmm… german food) , a real 24 hour Diner, free museum with mammoths, electric trolley ride, and this year a destination regatta.
Monday’s welcome dinner of Brats and Beer was followed by the fastest national membership meeting ever, and was paired with a separate crew party that improved crew morale and left a few sleeping it off in the parking lot.
Racing had everything you could ask for, good predictable winds, time between races for siesta, swimming, chicken toss, water gun battle royale, and competitive group races.
A typical mixture of great breeze, too much breeze, no breeze was combined with equally varied flat water, wind chop on 4 ft. swells, and lazy doldrum filled swells as well.
The RC/PRO had some challenges and reminded us about just how good we’ve got it in AYC racing. The Buccaneer Class Association learned some lessons and the PRO and racers figured out the local traditions. RC will be fantastic next time we visit.
Surprise guests arrived Thursday, Maltbie and Brown BNAC 1 winners. They won BNAC #1 in a borrowed boat but sailed Dave Rawstrom’s boat for their visit this year.
Blind Squirrel party: John welcomed us pirates to his home, really! Blind Squirrel’s combine vodka, Coors light and mystery ingredients. Truly an effective tonic. Buccaneers celebrated with Food, fun, hot tub, and a slide that ejects into the bushes. We have a buccaneer member who owns a real lighthouse, cool!!!
Our hosts Ed and Shannon are a serious “power couple,” hospitality, organization, mix-ology expertise, Puerto Rican sandals, and charm. Thanks for a incredibly fun visit to your home town.
And then, back to Route 66 and 35 more straight-through hours in the Exploder for Dave and Emory. The return run took a slight detour through Kansas, accompanied by an eclectic mix of power ballads on the iPod.
After 65 hours on the road together, even better friends.
ARRRR!! (hold the “gh”)
Dave Rawstrom, #5205, “Red Fish, Blue Fish”
Emory Heisler, #5239, “Erin Morgan”