FYI FORD MustangSteve's Ford Mustang Forum / You’re not going to believe this.

**Posted by Hornman** 9/14/2022 8:43 AM

We had made the decision to attend this year’s Bash (thanks Josh), so I made hotel reservations and bought some Bash T-shirts. Because of the trouble I have been having with my back (I turned 75 a couple of days ago, happy birthday Glen), I knew that the 23 hour round trip in the Green Hornet was not an option. Since we nearly took Amtrak to Chicago for the Michigan Bash, we decided to take the Amtrak Texas Eagle from Fort Worth to St. Louis, rent a car and drive over to Vandalia. Until yesterday. Amtrak cancelled our train because of the impending freight rail strike. I checked Southwest and learned that we could get last minute tickets from DFW to St. Louis for only twice what the Amtrak tickets cost. Luckily I checked for rental cars before I bought the airplane tickets. There were no rental cars available in St. Louis! By then Cathie had already cancelled the dog’s boarding, so I admitted defeat and spent the next several hours breaking reservations and getting refunds. Total cost of our non-trip: zero dollars, but lots of aggrivation.

This is the second time in a month we have had a vacation cancelled out from under us. We had a Mississippi River cruise from Minneapolis to New Orleans, but Viking didn’t get their new boat ready in time and cancelled the first six weeks of cruises.

MS says the Bashes are about the cars and I love cars. But I agree more with Bullet Bob when he says that the Bashes are really about the people. Cathie and I were both looking toward catching up with everyone. Maybe next year?

**Posted by MS** 9/14/2022 9:04 AM

Ron, there is always the opportunity to go to the mini bash in Corpus in January, but mini bash rules apply!

Yes, bashes are about people, and their old cars, which is how all of us came together in the first place.

If i had gone online in 2003 and posted that a bunch of guys were gathering for a hamburger in Carrollton, Tx, without Mustangs or cars or other bonding agent as a theme, how many would have shown up? With Mustangs as the theme, over 100 came.

Glad to hear you are still in the game.

Next year will be 20th annual bash and it is hoped to be a good one! See you there.

I am sure missing out on #19 as well.

**Posted by TimC** 9/14/2022 10:58 AM

Ron, Great to hear from you. Sorry to hear you won't be cruising in the corn this year. Janet & I were thinking of you a few days ago, and were reflecting on how you and Cathie welcomed us to the Bashes many years ago. Greyhound??? LOL Maybe next year....

MS, I can only imagine your disappointment. I trust your recovery quickens.

**Posted by Tubo** 9/14/2022 8:58 PM

So go get MS’s Bash Mobile. Drive that rascal!!

Tubo

**Posted by Nos681** 9/15/2022 7:37 AM

You’re right, I can’t believe it.

I thought all three of ya’s had fallen off the edge of the Earth. LOL

Take care of your health….all of y’all.

**Posted by Hornman** 9/15/2022 4:38 PM

Imagine how grumpy I am sitting here seeing on TV that the railroad strike has been averted and there was no reason for Amtrak to panic and cancel all those trains. The Federal Govt couldn’t afford to allow a railroad strike.

**Posted by Ron68** 9/18/2022 1:52 PM

MS wrote:
Ron, there is always the opportunity to go to the mini bash in Corpus in January, but mini bash rules apply!

Yes, bashes are about people, and their old cars, which is how all of us came together in the first place.

If i had gone online in 2003 and posted that a bunch of guys were gathering for a hamburger in Carrollton, Tx, without Mustangs or cars or other bonding agent as a theme, how many would have shown up? With Mustangs as the theme, over 100 came.

Glad to hear you are still in the game.

Next year will be 20th annual bash and it is hoped to be a good one! See you there.

I am sure missing out on #19 as well.

And that was a really great bash too! I still have my original "MustangSteve Birthday Bash" t-shirt. I was the one who would have won for longest distance traveled to a Bash - until Hakan showed up! I have made three bashes over the years, and maybe next year I will make it four. It is a long way from the upper left corner to those bashes in the lower right or the middle - longer than I would like to drive my 68. I did drive to the bash in Kalispell as that was in range for me. Guess I'll have to fly/rent a car to the next one. Wish me luck...