The Touring Chronicle

We all have our idea of how a real hometown should look and feel. Store fronts made of stone, the familiar jingle of a bell when you enter through a wood door. Tin ceilings and tile floors that are smooth from generations of use. People who smile and wave because it's neighborly. It's real. The way it used to be and the way it is today. When we visit downtown Brenham, we will experience an authentic Texas treasure!

I would like to enlighten you with two Brenham attractions we will visit during your stay ---- The Bluebell Creamery and The Classic Wood Carousel.

Bluebell Creamery based in Brenham, Texas, opened in 1907. Up until the late sixties, Bluebell Ice Cream was only sold in Washington County. Then it was offered to the Houston market and the company never looked back. Today, it is available in 20 states and is the 3rd top selling brand in the country. We will have a tour of the facility with a free dish of ice cream and a stop at the Bluebell Store!

Old Bluebell Creamery

The creamery is still locally owned and has a small town atmosphere in spite of it's size. The favorite ad shows an empty bowl and spoon with the caption "we eat all we can and sell the rest"!

Bluebell Delivery truck

A true Brenham treasure is the Classic Wood Carousel. It was built in 1912 and consists of 24 restored jumping horses and 4 chariots. It was found abandoned under a grove of trees in the early 30s in Clay Station, TX .It has been reassembled, restored and is open for special occasions. It will be opened for the Glidden Tour and because the tour will have a western flavor, it will give everyone a chance to ride a horse!

Old wooden horse carousel

I am looking forward to meeting each and every one of you next October 21st. Remember ------- bring your boots and jeans and we'll provide the hat.

VMCCA 74th Annual Membership Meeting and Awards Banquet, Feb. 9-11, 2012, Punta Gorda, FL

A Corvette collection seen at the 2008 meeting in Punta Gorda

Don Royston, the organizer of this years meeting, wants you to know it is not too late to register for the Annual Membership Meeting in Punta Gorda, Florida. Think about how nice temps in the 70's and flowers in bloom compare to what is out your window right now. Don has a great rate arranged at a top notch hotel and he has some great sights and entertainment lined up. You will see the Thomas Edison and Henry Ford winter homes, a 200 car museum. Then there is sunset sailing, a free concert and much more.Click the link in the left column for more info. Do it now before you forget!

Another image from the 2008 Punta Gorda meeting

The Touring Chronicle, How Are We Doing?

With next months issue, The Touring Chronicle will be a year old and we are about to begin a new year. So it seems a good time to assess how we are doing and to ask if you are seeing the kind of content that you want to see.

My approach has been as follows. I see the Chronicle as primarily visual. In depth articles and lengthy tour reviews are best handled in the Bulb Horn. Here, we try to give you a taste of what has taken place and what is coming up soon. Add to that a few pictures, a video or two, and any time sensitive messages that need to get out and you pretty much have it.

So, does that work for you? Give me a little feedback.

Your editor, circa 1958

And now a couple requests: first, I can always use content, particularly of tours, whether national, regional or local. Other events that your region or chapter took part in are welcome as are pictures of restorations, or about anything that VMCCA members might be interested in. Give me a couple paragraphs and several high quality pictures.

One more request: at this point we send the Chronicle to all members for whom we have a valid email address, plus anyone else who requests it. That adds up to only about 60% of our total membership. We would really like to be able to reach more of our members. So, if you know of anyone who isn't getting this publication and might like to, send me their email address and they will be added to the distribution. That goes for any potential members as well. It costs nothing to add a few more addresses and it might get us some new members. Let me hear from you.

Whatsit?

Do you know what it is? See answer below.

'19Dodge

Join the VMCCA page on Facebook!

Facebook has become an extremely popular social networking site, reportedly having more than 500,000,000 users. That is something like one in fifteen people on the planet! There is no doubt that it is a great tool for keeping in touch with people and organizations in a way that was undreamed of and impossible just a few short years ago.

facebook vmcca

We try to keep up with the times so we have created a VMCCA page within Facebook. Join! Contribute! Make it a forum for all things VMCCA. Click on the "Find us on Facebook" box below. Then click Like!

I Believe in the Horse

This is actually a Mercedes Benz commercial but shows some amazing machines and demonstrates how even the most expert people can be very, very wrong when prognosticating.

Mercedes-Benz.tv: 'I believe in the horse'

And Here is a Christmas Special

Willys Overland Christmas Song!

Photo Site - See Link in Quick Links

The Photo Site is one I created primarily for my local chapter, although many VMCCA members from other areas now visit it. It covers all the local, regional, and national events that I attend. Obviously, I cannot attend everything but I would like this to become a site for photos from all our regions and chapters.

So, who has photos from any of this years tours? I would love to share them with everyone. Send them to me!

Contact your editor with content ideas, feedback, or suggestions at holland@frii.com.

Dennis Holland

4200 Wellington Dr.

Fort Collins, CO 80526

Whatsit answer: 1919 Dodge. The actual car driven and crashed into a tree by Jimmy Stewart in It's A Wonderful Life. Owned by Northern Colorado Chapter member Keith Smith.