By Corky Guenther

The Southern British Car Club of Greater Chattanooga has for 29 years sponsored a car show at the Chattanooga Choo Choo hotel; once Terminal Station in Chattanooga, Tennessee, a former railroad station, owned and operated by the Southern Railway. Priscilla and I have attended the show starting in 2009. This year we were the only CVBMC members attending. The trip through the mountains of western NC is one of the primary reasons that we go. The leaf color is generally excellent to spectacular.

We left about 8:00 AM Friday October 30^th and checked into the hotel around 3:30 PM. We registered for the show and even had time to wash the TC before dinner. First time for that - meaning I didn’t have to get up prior to dawn cracking on Saturday to do it.

The venue changed this year. Previously the dinner on Friday night was been held in an open hall “Track 29” and the rooms were in “Building 3”. The hotel property is undergoing an 8 Million dollar renovation and not a moment too soon. This year all of the show events were in a ball room which we thought was an improvement. We also were booked into “Building 1” and while the lobby was not yet completed, the rooms had just been completed and were much improved. As usual the Mid-South Concert Band played during dinner Friday evening.

Saturday morning dawned – well actually dawned is perhaps an exaggeration. It did get lighter outside. It never really rained but kept threatening and a jacket was comforting throughout the day. Saturday afternoon, we took a driving tour of Lookout Mountain and the surrounding area. Dinner and the awards ceremony Saturday night was also in the ball room.

Sunday didn’t really dawn either. While we didn’t get wet (top up no side curtains) it as a dreary trip home. Overcast and cool with periods of light rain. The bright spot was stopping to visit with Jerry and Kris Sicard for about an hour. We found them both in good spirits and Jerry feeling better after his bypass surgery.

We’re looking forward to returning next year for the 30^th year event.