Polar Bear Run II (Bham, AL) - This Sat. 1/9 We're Going Anyway!

[VroomGrrl]

The originally scheduled Polar Bear Run on 1/9 was rescheduled by the organizers for 1/23. Unfortunately, many folks (entire clubs) had other plans for that date already.

Not to mention that a small group of local enthusiasts got all full of righteous indignation at the idea of postponing a "Polar Bear Run" due to cold - so they are calling it Polar Bear Run II and are going on the original date! And inviting whoever wants to come along.

Of course, I am going with them

Same meeting place: Barber Motorsports Park
Same meeting time: 8:00 - cars leave promptly at 9:00
Same route (basically): covered bridge tour
Same dinner destination: All Steak Restaurant in Cullman.

Details on facebook here: Facebook Invite

Type: Trips - Daytrip
Network: Global
Date: Saturday, January 9, 2010
Time: 9:00am - 5:00pm
Location: Leeds Alabama, @ Barber Motorsports Park
Description
Come one Come ALL, to a Cruise involving Sport Compact and other Sports cars. Be apart of the inaugural Alabama Polar Bear Run. Starting in Leeds Alabama @ Barber Motor Sports Park @ 9:00am sharp. Be sure and get there a little early (around 8:15 to 8:30am) as we will leave at 9am sharp. Restroom Facilities will be available before our trip begins. We will then leave and cruise on the back Roads up through Blount and Cullman counties(stopping here and there for photo opps among the famous Alabama Covered Bridges) we will end up at AlSteak in Cullman for an early dinner. We will leave@ 9am sharp and cruise for an enjoyable day trip.

***

Looks like we will have a fun trip. There are some awesome sights along the way. Did you know that Alabama has the highest Covered Bridge in the World..whoop whoop..seriously there are some great photo opps along the way. Come one Come ALL to the inaugural Alabama Polar Bear Run

Here are a few links if anyone is interested:

Alabama Covered Bridges
Bridges to the Past: Alabama's Covered Bridges -- Bridge Photos

Our Dinner Location---AllSteak in Cullman
All Steak, Cullman - Restaurant Reviews - TripAdvisor

[bart1]

Here are a few pics of when my clud (Heart O' Dixie Region) did a covered bridges tour last fall - we had a pic in Panorama month before last. I am thinking it is less likely I will come to the ride, but I might get inspired. If so, I will probably just come to look at cars.

[Looking_for_911]

Glad y'all decided to give it a go anyway as it took a stroke of pure luck for me to get the day off work. Still gotta do a night shift, but it'll be worth it.
See ya'll in the AM.

[VroomGrrl]

Originally Posted by Looking_for_911

Glad y'all decided to give it a go anyway as it took a stroke of pure luck for me to get the day off work. Still gotta do a night shift, but it'll be worth it.
See ya'll in the AM.

Were you there? If so, I am so sorry I did not get to meet you. We had a pretty good turnout, maybe 50 or so cars. We ended up with a choice of two routes, and I took the road less traveled by the Porsche people - I was the only Pcar in my group.

Turns out that was for the best, as we ended up on an unintended bit of "offroad" excursion, as in a section of dirt road that was very rough for one very short downhill icy rocky stretch. If anyone got video of that I'll come back with a link - it was quite the challenge. I only scrubbed in one tiny spot where there was a choice of either scrub down the middle, or ease right and risk slipping down the 100ft gorge to my right. Ahem. I held to the center, no harm done.

Here's a shot of the diverse bunch I ended up with, photo by Jim Newman:



My husband came along which was great! I loved having his company in the car for the day, and he really loved seeing the bridges, a couple of which we've seen together in the past. I asked him to be in charge of taking photos, and wouldn't you know, he didn't take any pictures of THE CARS, just the bridges & other sites & people I got a few with my cell phone, though.

A few random shots from the day:

[Flieger]

Wow, that icicle shot is really cool (pun only half intended) .

[VroomGrrl]

Originally Posted by Flieger

Wow, that icicle shot is really cool (pun only half intended) .

We were all fascinated with the icicles! In fact, we became rather child-like (childish???)...

We dubbed this thing the Polar Bear Run II Trophy:



The soundtrack to this shot was all my buddies standing behind the photographer making the EEEK EEK EEEK Psycho stabbling scene sound (that's my husband's back)...



I posted this in off-topic requesting caption suggestions...what is he DOING?

[Looking_for_911]

[QUOTE=VroomGrrl;5118573]Were you there? If so, I am so sorry I did not get to meet you. We had a pretty good turnout, maybe 50 or so cars. We ended up with a choice of two routes, and I took the road less traveled by the Porsche people - I was the only Pcar in my group.


Yep,
Mine was the silver one. I chased the mostly-P-Car group.
See you at the next "to-do."

[VroomGrrl]

[QUOTE=Looking_for_911;5120091]

Originally Posted by VroomGrrl

Were you there? If so, I am so sorry I did not get to meet you. We had a pretty good turnout, maybe 50 or so cars. We ended up with a choice of two routes, and I took the road less traveled by the Porsche people - I was the only Pcar in my group.


Yep,
Mine was the silver one. I chased the mostly-P-Car group.
See you at the next "to-do."

Pictures, please!

[Looking_for_911]

[QUOTE=VroomGrrl;5120500]

Originally Posted by Looking_for_911

Pictures, please!

You know what's so strange, I didn't shoot the first photo despite having three cameras in the car (I had to work a late shift Saturday evening) I was too busy trying to keep up and keep my eyes open for cops!

[VroomGrrl]

[QUOTE=Looking_for_911;5120634]

Originally Posted by VroomGrrl

You know what's so strange, I didn't shoot the first photo despite having three cameras in the car (I had to work a late shift Saturday evening) I was too busy trying to keep up and keep my eyes open for cops!

OK we'll give you a pass - I confess I left my own camera on the charger and had to use my cell phone cam. Hubby had his cam, but see above re: he didn't take car pictures!

Here's a couple taken by friends on the now infamous PBRII Hill - and I'm told a video of that section will be uploaded soon, I'll come back with a link.