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Camp Delta at Tower Park Swap Meet and Gathering, April 20-26, 2015 near Lodi, CA

Major Asstyrd

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The Military Vehicle Collectors of California is again planning the largest annual MV swap meet and show in the WEST at Tower Park Resort between Lodi and Rio Vista, CA. First Sunday-Monday are for early birds. Best days are Wed-Sat. Last Sunday is pull out day. MVs in any condition are welcome. No registration, admission, or parking fees. There is a campsite wait list and hotels are six miles in either direction. Optional nearby camping is at Westgate Landing county park, .5 mile north of the Tower Park exit and Hwy 12.

This is shaping up to be one to remember. We expect a handful of vehicle types never before seen at any of our Spring or Fall meets since I've been around. I don't mean specific vehicles, I mean nomenclatures! If anybody is expecting to park and display a MV in the paved or hardpan common areas, and have not talked with me, please do via email. I am figuring out what will go where. We have some space on the lawns. Of course you can park what you like in your own campsite.

We do not do formal judging but there will be two special showcases on Friday: Emergency MVs: Police, Fire, Rescue, Ambulance, and Wrecker/Tow Truck will be sponsored by Ron Fitzpatrick Jeep Parts. 0830-1100 in the main display field/LZ by the willow trees. Participants show up at 0800. There will be a People's Choice Contest with prizes of $175 for First Place, $125 for Second, $100 for Third, and a $50 door prize for one VOTER based on one ballot drawn from the box immediately after the display. It can pay to vote for your favorite MV! You may thank Ron personally for sponsoring these awards at his parts tent at spaces 345-346 or go to www.rfjp.com. The winner of this contest will also receive 4 gallons of Gillespie paint from Jon Bircheff at Carson Valley Surplus & Storage, Dayton, NV. His sales area is just to the north of Ron.

The Foreign MV Showcase will be held Friday afternoon 1330-1600. Expedition Imports in Vallejo, CA will sponsor People's Choice award prizes at the same level as shown above. President Scott Ingham is a Unimog and Pinzgauer dealer. He says he is now bringing in Pinzgauers from Austria and is expecting some two and three axle trucks soon. He is also a Continental Tire distributor and is someone to call for deuce and Unimog tire sizes. Contact Scott at www.expedition-imports.com or http://www.mpttires.com.

The MV road run to the A&W Root Beer restaurant in Lodi is back! Don Gomes and John Verissimo will lead this Thursday at 1230. No host lunch and their parking lot is reserved for our display until 1500. See posted flyers at the meet for details. Do you know A&W got their start in Lodi?

In the morning on Thursday the women will do a breakfast at Michael David Winery. On Friday afternoon they will do their usual Madame's Social in the Pavilion and the discussion subject will be 2016 MVPA Convention ideas and activities from the female perspective. Note how quiet it will be around camp at this time!

There is a halftrack discussion group scheduled at noon on Friday with Steve Andereggen as POC - Cabin 366. FYI we would like to display ten halftracks at the 2016 MVPA Convention. Will YOURS be ready?

The EMU-309 UH-1H Huey will probably be back on Saturday afternoon BUT see the other post on this forum for information about donations needed. If we make our goal there will be not only be a helo display but a demonstration at the river with the Huey and John Sorensen's PBR 210 patrol boat which he is cruising from Napa on Wednesday or Thursday. This would happen at 1300 Saturday with the helo coming into the primary LZ (display field) at approx. 1320 for static display. For this reason the spud gun shoot is being moved to Thursday morning or may be cancelled if we have too many display MVs in the field. Spudders please bring your equipment.

Awards for Longest Distance Driving a MV to the meet, Longest Distance Hauling a MV, Longest Distance Travelled, and Hard Luck Award Getting to the Meet. You must sign up for this recognition. We are not mind readers! Forms are at the MVCC booth and by each restroom.

Steel Soldiers members wanting to meet and socialize are welcome to give me the time and location and we will put it on our Official Activities Schedule Flyer. This can be at a campsite, KOA Kabin, or in the Pavilion as long as it does not conflict with something else. Contact John at the info below.

For those who have not been to the April version of this meet (we do a smaller one in September), please look closely at the MVCC website for camping reservation procedure unique to April and the parking dos and don'ts. http://www.mvccnews.net/event_pages/tower_park/tower_park_spring.htm
KOA has plans to punch out a group camp area to the east but until then we have a campsite wait list.
Most important parking issue is to not park "civilian" vehicles and trailers in the campgrounds unless in your paid campsite. Use the levee for cars/trucks and the trailer field by the old guard shack for trailers with overflow across the road.

Also mark your calendar for the 2016 MVPA National Convention to be held in Pleasanton, CA on August 11-13, 2016. We'll talk about it at the Saturday morning meeting in the Pavilion.

Activities Coordinator is John Neuenburg at in_garage@hotmail.com or 415-491-1601 (home).


Eleguns Damon.jpg
 
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Major Asstyrd

Active member
306
91
28
Location
CA
Many updates to the OP including adding Ron Fitzpatrick Jeep Parts as a showcase sponsor, plus news about the UH-1H Huey situation. See another post about that.
 

bigmike

Well-known member
Steel Soldiers Supporter
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Location
Dixon CA.
Any ideas for a SS member get together this year or even a drive around the delta? I've offered chili dogs in previous years but had only a couple folks partake. How about a show of hands on who will be here. I'll be there 4/23-4/26 cabin #230. Feel free to stop by.
 

bigmike

Well-known member
Steel Soldiers Supporter
2,004
354
83
Location
Dixon CA.
BTW,
I'll be bringing a bunch of MV stuff to sell/trade as well as MV windshield glass. If you want something unique in Windshield glass, let me know now and I'll bring it with me.
 

Major Asstyrd

Active member
306
91
28
Location
CA
We could list a SS gathering on the official activities schedule that is handed out at KOA check in and is posted around, but deadline for this is this Sunday morning. Let me know please. At times even the Pavilion is available. The major activities that relate to the Pavilion are listed on the Activities Schedule that is fairly current and is posted on www.MVCCNews.net in the event area.

There is a campground map on the MVCC website too that is pretty cool. Interractive - you click on the campsite and it tells you who has the reservation. Also lists last names and campsite numbers, and nearby lodging. We still have a camping wait list but there is room for some in the display area if you camp with military gear. Stash car on levee, hide the red ice chest, etc. Folks wanting more info should send me a PM.
 
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