2008 Grand Caravan of the Lost Caravan Corvette Club (LCCC)
by David Moninger and Susanne Cleckler

The adventure lasted 11 days, the memories will last a lifetime.

From the laughter filled 1st meeting at a Winery in the picturesque village of Hermann Missouri to the almost tearful parting from the Casino in Cherokee North Carolina, the 2008 Grand Caravan was a fantastic experience. Let me tell you about some of the high points.

Navigator Susanne and I arrived at the Stone Hill Winery late Sunday afternoon to find other participants of the Grand Caravan already well into their 2nd or 3rd bottle of excellent Missouri wine. We had arrived too late for the tour of the winery's cavernous arched underground cellars, but not for a wine tasting in one of three historic tasting rooms where a variety of award winning whites, reds, and sherries were available for tasting.

After purchasing a couple of bottles for our own use, we joined the group for more spirited conversation and then moved the activities to the winery's Vintage Restaurant housed in the beautifully restored building that was the winery's original stable and carriage house. After dinner the sober, designated drivers led the caravan back to the Hermann Motel where sleep quickly overcame everyone.

We awoke to torrential rains on Monday morning - but not damped spirits. After a quick Continental Breakfast and a Drivers Meeting the group left the friendly town of Hermann to explore some Missouri back roads.

The rains let up as we traveled South and at a gas & "Social Stop" we introduced another Corvette Owner traveling East to joys of LCCC. By the time we reached our lunch stop in Ozark, MO the rains had stopped.

Lambert's Cafe is the home of the "Throwed Rolls" and features "Pass Around's" of fried okra, fried potatoes, macaroni and tomatoes, black eyed peas, and sorghum and honey to go with the more traditional offerings of Chicken, Fish, Pork and Beef on the menu. And true to their slogan, the wait staff throws the rolls to diners who are eager to catch and eat the hot, buttery rolls.

Upon arrival at the Hilton Hotel on the Landings in Branson we found they had provided us with special, secure Corvette parking in the garage adjacent to the hotel. And, as we found at several stops, the staff all crowded around our caravan of Corvettes to see them up close & personal.

With many options of things to do during our two days in Branson the group split up during the day, but gathered together in the evenings for dinners and conversation.

Several hours were spent in the Worlds Largest Toy Museum reminiscing about my youth, seeing toys I used to own (and wished I still had). Among the literally millions of toys were many I wished I had owned, and many I had never seen before.

Of course Branson offers many shopping opportunities, including Dick's Oldtime 5 & 10 - a "Dime Store" with practically everything you could want or need in their 50,000+ item inventory. And there were more outlet malls than we had time to visit!

We did a bit of exploring outside Branson and found Big Cedar Lodge on the shores of Table Rock Lake. Owned by Bass Pro Shops, Big Cedar is a resort, a conference center and a popular vacation spot for golfers, fisherman and others desiring a luxurious wilderness vacation. Several restaurants, shops, a marina and a variety of lodging options combine to make Big Cedar a popular vacation and day-trip destination

Driving into and around the resort we several times had to "ford" a creek as the water ran across the road.
Notable also was the Gigantic Fish on the miniature golf course.

A delightful lunch on the patio outside the Truman House provided many opportunities to enjoy the scenery and wonderful Missouri Fall weather.


Our last night in Branson the group met for Dinner at Dick Clark's American Bandstand Grill. After dinner some took in the wonderful musical 50's show featuring Paul Revere and the Raiders. Others tried to visit the '57 Heaven Auto Museum, featuring 30,000 sq. ft. of all makes and models of 1957 vehicles, as well as memorabilia. Unfortunately the museum had closed. Now I have a reason to return to Branson, as '57 Heaven is a "Not To Be Missed" attraction for Car Guys and Gals.

Before heading off to sleep, we enjoyed the multi-million dollar fire and water show that is presented hourly on Branson Landing.

Part One - Click Here for Movie
Part Two - Click Here for Movie

The Grand Caravan's departure from Branson Wednesday morning was met with sunny skies as the group gathered in front of the hotel.

The SHORTEST route between Branson and Eureka Springs is just over 50 miles ... but that's NOT the FUN route!

Since the Grand Caravan IS about FUN, we took the Long Way (245 miles) allowing us to travel Scenic 7 - the Arkansas Byway thru the Ozark National Forest - and then to challenge the famous Pig Trail Scenic Byway (Hwy 23) approaching Eureka Springs from the South.

But first ... a stop in the funky little town of Jasper, Arkansas, Newton County seat, where we gathered in a private room filled with nostalgic stuff in the historic (opened in 1909) Ozark Cafe.

Emma's Museum of Junk was closed, but did provide for a photo op.

While our rides waited patiently for the next adventure!

The caravan stops for a photo op at the beginning of the Pig Trail Scenic Byway.

I pose by the sign

Part way up the Trail we stop at Turner Bend, on the Mulberry River

When we arrived at our hotel in Eureka Springs we were greeted with this Welcome message on their sign.

Participation for the members of the LCCC Grand Caravan in the 2008 Eureka Springs Corvette Weekend had begun!

The first event of the 2008 Eureka Springs Corvette Weekend begin on a sunny Thursday morning with an Autocross at Davis Chevrolet, a Chevy dealer in a nearby Berryville. Attended by many of the 615 corvettes registered during the weekend, many spent some or all of the day watching the Autocross, socializing with fellow vette owners, checking out the shirts & hats for sale, and enjoying the smoked BBQ ribs prepared on site.

One of the fun things about road trips are the un-expected sights found along the way. This sign, for instance, was on the road to Berryville.

Two Grand Caravan members participated on this short, fun autocross course.

I was disappointed with my performance ... but had a lot of fun.

Doug Hanson excelled with his experienced driving but faster runs took his class later in the day.

Score sheet for David's and Doug's Autocross Runs	Mary Hanson and Susanne Cleckler enjoy the AutoCross from the comfort of their chairs.
Doug and David's Corvettes A Wide Variety of Models and Colors among spectator and participant Corvettes	Has anyone seen a Red Corvette?

Thursday afternoon was free time to explore the area.

Many of the Grand Caravan members took advantage of the trolley service provided by the town to visit this commercial center, thus avoiding the risk of getting hopeless lost in a maze and dealing with a decided lack of parking spots.

My adventurous spirit however compelled me to drive around the area to see what we could find. First we stumbled upon the Crescent Hotel atop one of the taller hills. Built in 1886 and recently renovated, a walk to the top floor provided a commanding view of the surrounding area.


Too early to see Fall Foliage, but the lush green tree tops hinted of the color that would soon follow. Visible above the surrounding tree tops was the 67 feet tall Christ of the Ozarks statute erected in 1966. Located near the statute is The Great Passion Play, largest attended outdoor drama in America. Also on the grounds of The Great Passion Play is the Christ of the Ozarks statue (the largest Christ statue in the North America), The New Holy Land Tour, a full-scale re-creation of the Tabernacle in the Wilderness, a section of the Berlin Wall, a Museum of Earth History, and a Bible Museum are all on the grounds. Several members of the caravan spent time with these engaging venues.

Traveling around "downtown" Eureka Springs Arkansas is a unique experience. The main shopping street, Spring St. winds its way down a hill ... it seems the whole city is build on hill sides ... past the Basin Park Hotel which offer's entrances from ground level at all eight floors! Tourist souvenirs, local artists works, and antique stores mix with coffee shops and sidewalk cafes.

"My Parking Space Luck" was working and I found a parking spot on the street, right in the middle of the Eureka Springs' shopping area.

Victoria style cottages and homes populate steep winding streets. Wikipedia says "The town's winding, hilly, curved streets form 16 "S's", a large "O", and numerous "U's" and "V's," yet the town has no perpendicular street crossings."

Other sights we found while exploring the Eureka Springs area included Magnetic Spring,


Many hours were spent in group socialization outside of the motel rooms.

On Thursday evening the conversation moves inside for a Pizza Party ....

AND watching the historic Palen / Biden Vice Presidential Candidate Debate on TV.


Friday morning brought the challenge of the EconoRun.

Coasting down hills at break-neck speeds, crawling up hills with the eye on the Instant MPG read-out, driving 20 miles an hour in 6th gear - all part of the 2008 EconoRun. The 3+ hour drive took us up hills and down thru the dales of the beautiful area surrounding Eureka Springs.

One of the notable sights along the route was the Beaver Town Bridge, a 554-foot single-lane swinging bridge built in 1943 over the White River. Called the "Golden Gate of the Ozarks" this bridge is often referred to as "the bridge to nostalgia" and was featured in the 2005 movie, "Elizabethtown". [ Floods overcame the bridge in the Spring of 2008. Click Here and Here if you'd like to see some flood pictures.

With the top up and the a/c off we managed to achieve a 37.51 miles per gallon run ... good enough for a 4th place in our 97-04 Manual Class and a trophy plaque. The class winner of our 97-04 Manual Class recorded an outstanding, and unbelievable, 54.50 mpg overall, best for all classes.

Doug and Mary Hansen also trophied with a 34.43 mpg average ... good enough for 3rd place in their 05-09 Manual Class.

Doug accepts his plaque for the 3rd place in their 05-09 Manual Class of the EconoRun.

With little time to spare after finishing the EconoRun, everyone hurried to start the afternoons Photo Tour.

Just off Arkansas Highway 12, War Eagle (Grist) Mill is a scenic building on the side of a river that is home to not only the Bean Palace Restaurant, but also hosts craft shows in the Spring and Fall each year that are two of the highest attended craft fairs in the country.



Next stop on the Photo Tour was the Turpentine Creek wildlife refuge, which is a safe haven for big cats such as tigers, lions, leopards, and cougars. Additionally, they have bears and other animals that visitors can watch for an extraordinary wildlife adventure.

Two cats (kittens!) have been adopted by the Eureka Springs Corvette Club Weekend, and have been named Corvetta and Zora.


Are these LCCC members IN a cage, or watching animals in a cage?


Friday night we joined with the Razorback Corvette Club at their motel for a BBQ, fun and conversation.

Saturday morning we found a Pancake Breakfast being held at the local elementary school, and after stuffing ourselves with pancakes, sausages & bacon, and all the OJ you could drink, Susanne and I went exploring again.

Taking a back road near the school brought us to a group of rustic homes and cabins built near Lake Lucerne with its rustic Resort entrance,


and a bit further on this tranquil scene


After our side trip we set off for the big Owner's Choice Care Show which attracted most of the weekend's participants plus many of the area's residents and visitors. Doug and Dan entered their cars in the show, while the rest of us provided moral support.

Dan talks to a visitor about his car,

while Patti takes a break
One of the fan favorites.

The Awards Presentation brought Fame (but no Fortune) to the Lost Caravan Corvette Club as we sweep the Long Distance Awards for the furthest to travel to the event with Doug and Mary Hanson taking first for their trek from Arizona, Susanne and I taking 2nd for traveling from Florida, and Dan and Patti took 3rd for their Maryland starting point.

Following the Car Show and the Awards ceremony, was the Poker Run.

Corvettes fanned out over the area's roads on two or three different routes, seeing some new sights and revisiting some roads traveled previously. Our three of a kind turned out not be even close to being a winner ... but the fun drive made winners of all of us. Entrants where taken to checkpoints on Table Lake.


and in a campground.


That evening, the LCCCers were invited to join LCCCer Bob & Kris Klein at their lake view home on Beaver Lake for snacks and cocktails.


Following our visit and cocktails, we all caravanned to an excellent dinner at the Horizon Restaurant overlooking Beaver Lake at sunset.

Proving there is never a dull moment on an LCCC Grand Caravan, after an early morning breakfast and drivers meeting we started out on the next leg of our journey - East to Tunica, MS. A leisurely drive thru the Ozark Mountains, and miles of flat land in Eastern Arkansas brought us to a bridge over the Mississippi and into the Memphis suburbs. Heading South toward Mississippi we encounter a road block due to an accident. Winding thru residential areas, following a stream of other cars taking the same detour,` the Lost Caravan avoids getting lost and we are soon on our way again on the toad to Tunica.

The Harrahs' Grand Casino is a series of floating barges on a "pond" jutting off of the Mississippi River. Our luscious accommodations where on Terra Firma, with a wonderful view of the casino at night.


Susanne & I and Doug & Mary sampled the Southern comfort food at Paula Deen's Buffet (fabulous) while others checked out the Steak House and the Italian dining options.

Up early again on Monday morning we set off for our fist stop of the day, Borroum's Drug Store in Corinth, Mississippi's oldest drug store in continuous operation. Established in 1865 and still in the Borroum family.



They have a working old soda fountain (circa 1930s), a great Indian artifact and civil war collection.


We were too early to enjoy their Slug Burger, but we did try Coca Cola from Syrup with added flavors, ice cream floats, and other goodies.


Camille Borroum Mitchell, the pharmacist, is the great grand daughter of Dr. A.J. Borroum, who started the store when he came home from the civil war in 1865




We traveled a bit of the scenic Natchez Trace Parkway and headed for Waterloo Alabama, site of an encampment for the Cherokee Indians by the Tennessee River during their forced relocation by the US Government. The route they followed is called the "Trail of Tears"




As at many of our stops, conversation among drivers and navigators was always interesting and often entertaining.
Lunch was enjoyed at the Riverwalk Cafe before heading out to our next exciting stop.



You can't travel thru North East Alabama without stopping by the Unclaimed Baggage Center in Scottsboro, AL to see the latest treasures gathered from unclaimed airline baggage. A giant outlet store with clothing, jewelry, electronics, books, and much much more, kept our group occupied for an hour or more.

Shopped out, the caravan pulled out of the parking lot and promptly lived up to our name of the Lost Caravan Corvette Club by getting LOST! We saw no cows during our errant ways, but certainly a line of Corvettes all turning around in various driveways in a decidedly residential neighborhood must have caused the residents of Scottsboro to wonder what was going on! After a bit of discussion on the walkie-talkies, we found our way back to the highways and rolled on into Tennessee.

I've driven thru Chattanooga many times on my way North up I-75 from Florida, but had never spent any quality time in this interesting city. The Caravan stayed, appropriately, at the Chattanooga Choo Choo Holiday Inn, home of the train and the depot that made the Chattanooga Choo Choo famous.



After cleaning up from a long days drive, we hopped on Chattanooga's free transportation system and headed downtown for dinner at the Big River Grille.

The next day was devoted to exploring the sights of Chattanooga, starting with the Incline Railway. Running up the side of Lookout Mountain, the railroad has a steepness angle of more than 72 degrees near the top. The train cars are built on an slant to compensate for the steep ride.



Dan and Susanne talk in front of a Burning Bush across from the uphill train station .


Headed back to the hotel after the train ride, 1/2 the Caravan got lost again. Listening to them chattering on the walkie-talkies had the rest of us laughing ... it's all part of the fun.

Regrouping, we all took the free bus back downtown and had lunch at the Mellow Mushroom.


After lunch it was walking tour time. But was there some confusion as to the direction? With some looking, we finally did find the Walnut Street Bridge. Originally erected in 1890 to connect downtown with the North shore. Of course, you can't expect THIS group to follow the rules! Are they lost or what?


The Walnut Street Bridge is now reserved for walkers only.


And on the North side of the Tennessee River was Coolidge Park and Tennessee Riverpark, and an old business district.

We venture first to the parks and are drawn to the Chattanooga Carousel, a Merry-Go-Round that everyone had to ride.


The ride featured some of the most interesting animals I've ever seen in a Carousel.


Recovering from the wild ride, we make our way to the fountain, surrounded by animal statutes.

David rides a horse,

Susanne rides an elephant,

and Dan thinks great thoughts!

A park employee takes our group picture in front of the fountain before we leave Coolidge Park.


We all head back to the Choo Choo Hotel after exploring other parts of downtown Chattanooga.

Later we meet up for dinner at the Station House restaurant "Home of the World Famous Singing Servers." Live music and yes they can sing. Our waitress was not only attentive, she had a beautiful voice. We got the waiters and waitresses to try a few bars of the Beach Boys favorite "Fun, Fun, Fun . . . Till Daddy takes my Corvette Away."

Tired from a busy day, we all head back to our rooms for the night. Tomorrow is the big challenge. We need to get some rest to get ready.



We left Chattanooga with an overcast sky and a forecast for rain. Not the ideal conditions for tackling the next phase of our Road Trip, but there was no opportunity to wait for better weather. So we charged on to the TAIL OF THE DRAGON

318 Curves in 11 Miles, the Tail of the Dragon (US Rte 129 in Tennessee and North Carolina) is considered one the world's best motorcycling and sports car roads.

By the time we got to Rte 129 the rain had started, so after a quick stop Punkin Center Store, we proceeded at slightly less than breakneck speeds to insure a safe arrival at the other end.



David's C5 leads Doug's C6 thru some of the curves.


A "'Must Stop" on the Dragon, is the Deals Gap Motorcycle Resort - a great place to relax, have lunch, and buy souvenirs.

The At Deal’s Gap is the famous "Tree of Shame." The tree displays parts from motorcycles that didn't make it thru the Dragon. Each part has its own story, and many of these stories do not have a happy ending. The Tail of the Dragon is not to be challenged if you are not ready.

After lunch and back on the road we made a quick stop at the Fontana Dam, the Biggest Dam in Eastern United States. The view was fantastic, and had it not been raining it would have been even better!

After surviving the Tail of the Dragon our band of intrepid travelers forge on thru the rain to Cherokee North Carolina and the Harrah's Casino, our last night of the Grand Caravan.

Our final dinner was held at the Selu Garden Cafe in the Harrah's Hotel, and much fun was had reliving the events of the last week and a half. Everyone agreed it was a Grand Time and would do it again. Discussions also included the possibilities of the 2010 Grand Caravan to the Northern States and 2011 with a visit to Florida.

Since some were sleeping in the next morning, and others heading out early, sad farewells were said after dinner.

The next morning Corvettes headed West, South and East, back to their home grounds, with a lifetime of memories.