Bonneville NW Reunion 2013

[Freud]

I think Ray has done a presentation that will be running before everyone sits down.

I'll check with him about it.

I don't know exactly whats in it.

FREUD

[Kiwi Paul]

Um....Freud.....Wondering if you recieved my envelope, contained therein some payment token or other for this weekends Social Events......Hmmmm?

[Freud]

YES Kiwi...............................................

I received it. But you still must show an attitude adjustment

before we can let you in with the other people.

FREUD


oh by the way......THANK YOU !!

[Bob Drury]

  Those of you interested in visiting Jack Coonrod's private Motorcycle and Drag Race Museum will have to wait until maybe next year as scheduling the visit did not work out with Jack's schedule..........
  You can blame me for forgeting to ask Jack until Today............. ulp.........     One Run, out........
                                           :-P :-P

[Seldom Seen Slim]

That's okay, Bob.  I got to see Coonrod's place when Nancy and I were at the Reunion a couple of years ago -- so it doesn't hurt us at all that you didn't make the arrangements for this time -- we've got the past to celebrate.

Sorry we won't be there this year, though.

[Bob Drury]

  However,  I should be around all day until its time to go to the Banquet, so any and all may feel free to stop by and check my stuff out (if Stainless and John Boy don't kipe it first.)
  I am one mile North of the Columbia River and between I-5 and I-205 (about five miles from the Shiloh Inn and due North of the Portland Airport.
  I would sugest you call me before dropping in because my almost two year old Golden Retreiver dictates when we go to the dog park.
                                                                                Bob Drury
                                                                                919 n.e. 82nd ave.
                                                                                Vancouver, Wa. 98664
                                                                                (360) 696-1428 home
                                                                                (360) 241-4768 cell
p.s. I am about 40 minutes from Marlo's

[Freud]

Good try, One Run !!!!

Thanks for helping entertain the folks.

Stainless and Go Nutzkie are having their disguises dropped off at the hotel.

Tell Doggie Golden to be alert.

FREUD

[Speed Limit 1000]

Thank you Bob for asking, we will see you soon. We are thinking about going after lunch to see the Spruce Goose.

[Freud]

Anyone that did not receive an e-mail announcing the banquet and would like to attend next year should

send me their e-mail address and the city in which they live. I'll add it to the data base and you will be notified.

The 2014 event will be Saturday February 22.  

Thanks to Stan Back for the foto of his car. I do not know who did the image.

fotofreud@aol.com

FREUD

[Kiwi Paul]

Freud.....Just wanted to drop you a quick line to say how much I enjoyed the Banquet and Presentation tonight.Probably the best one I have attended, I think.Looking forward to next year. Also-and I have said this before--I am available to help for next year if you need it. Don`t be hesitant to approach me if you think I could help. I will even try to be on time or early next year.......Cheers....Kiwi...

[Bob Drury]

  Good old Ferd pulled another Rabbit out of his Hat last night, which in my opinion resulted in the best Reunion Dinner yet.
 The Burkland/Burkland duo can now be bannered as the Best Stage Act to date as They truely complemented each other with a wonderfull Slide Show (thanx Ray the Rat) backed with a full History of the familly's hobby from the late Fifties up to now.
 Tom was (as I expected) knowledgable, precise, and to the point, talking at great length about not only what and how goals were accomplished, but also being very analytical of the mistakes they made, and how they learned and fixed them which had all of us glued and at full attention.
 Having never met Betty, I figured she was just "Window Dressing"....................  WRONG!
 I wish Betty was my neighbor.  She is a delightfull, funny and warm Lady and We all learned that from the very start A VERY IMPORTANT PART of the Burkland Story from building the giant Semi Canopy, to driving and setting records, to being the "point" person in doing the Tire Tests for Mickey Thompson Tire which resulted in all of us having safe and reliable High Speed (over 600 mph) tires available.
 When Betty laughs, we all laugh!
 They make a great tandem and need to take their show on the road... and Write a Book (hint, hint)... and RUN THE STREAMLINER AGAIN!
 Once again, thank you Glen for what you do and have done, thanks to the racers who drove from Calgary, thanks to the Sleazy Flatlanders from Kansas and Colorado who flew in, as did the Hammond's,Tony Thacker and many others.
 Let's keep this Tradition alive and I hope that next years speakers are:  THE BURKLANDS!!!!
                                                                                             "One Run" Bob Drury

[Stainless1]

Well, while ORB covered the bases a little, he hardly touched the surface of what a great presentation Tom and Betty Burkland made.  Those of you that failed to come to the event missed a couple of good presentations, Marlo on Friday and car visit on Sat, and then the "biggie" Saturday night with the Burklands.  I said it multiple times over the years, Tom is one of the luckiest guys in the world... born into a racing family... what any of us wouldn't have given to have a mom and dad like Betty and Gene.  I met them in 78 when Gene ran the Studebaker... didn't know as much about that one as I thought.  Do now. 
FeRd, great job getting us all together again... while you provided a full chair Betty and Tom's presentation only required me to use the edge.  Wonderful stories, family, tire spinning, racing... all I can say is WOW!
I know it gets harder and harder to top the last event with the next one... Good luck next year... of course you could try to get them back to tell us more.
         

[Brian Westerdahl]

Freud:  Thankyou for the great evening.  I really appreciate the effert you put in on this event.  It was all good.  Food was great Speakers were great.  It doesnt seem like 12 years.  Again Thank you very much.
Brian Westerdahl

[Freud]

Well I suppose it's time for me to give my side of the story.

In 2011 Gene Burkland was inducted into the Dry Lakes Hall of Fame and Betty and Tom accepted the hardware.

For the many years that I have been to Bonneville I had never really connected with the Burklands until

when the 'liner rolled. I went to the trailer and told Gene what I had seen and described the strange action

of the parachutes.That was the largest amount of time I had spent in their pits.

Then at the 2011 Gas Up I was asked to introduce them.  My body of knowledge was limited but I did have an

opinion of what it took to accomplish what they had. Then the two of them took the microphone and in their

low key manner they accepted the award for Gene. The section of them in the Gas Up foto album has a warmth

that is easy to feel. Their acceptance was sincere and moving.  I saw the remaining strength of that team thru

the camera lens.

I talked to both of them after the ceremony was concluded. It was as though I had known them forever. At that

time I started to think of them as the "entertainment" for The Bonneville NW Reunion for 2013.  Durning the past year

Tom and I had some correspondence regarding the Treit and Davenport streamliner. Tom was always so helpful and

he made comments, with his engineering background as the basis for his statements, that were direct hits. It

would have been handy if he was a neighbor to Hume as the car was built.

So I asked them to speak. I know Betty must have figured it was a trap. When I left them to their own to compose their

package I made it as simple as possible. Whatever amount of time you want or need.....it's yours.

They didn't have to use fotos, but they did, they didn't have to draw graphs all they needed to do was tell their story  AND THEY DID.

It was like a family get together after "the folks" just returned from their trip to New York. No glasses tinkling, no chairs

sliding and squealing as the leg slid across the floor, no interruptions by the clean up crew. Just reverent silence.

That silence showed both respect and fascination.

Baseball players frequently describe hitting a homerun as "so easy." When everything is just right success comes easy.

The evening was "so easy" when we had Tom and Betty as our home run hitters.

They just aren't under contract for next year. I wish they were.

I don't know how to thank them with the praise they deserve.

FREUD

OK you folks that attended, please tell your impression of the evening.

We need to get more people in attendance.

Our side kick pals should also enjoy what we do each year.

Give Ray Therat some time to post fotos. He's doing my foto job on Marlo's 'liner this week.

gf   www.bonnevillenwreunion.com

[wheelrdealer]

Freud:

Glad to hear. Speaking to a crowd and holding thier attention is an art...and it really helps if you know your topic, connect with the audience and are comfortable in your own skin. Sounds like Betty and Tom did all of that well. It all comes together with a great host...Dr. so cheers to you for putting it all together again this year. I see from the 2014 invitation you have already started planning next year.

Glad to hear the great feedback.

BR