The Pit

Given the long winter we have just endured, it seems only fitting that the Spring Cruise occurs a little later than usual when the extended forecast shows little indication of snow or ice.  Although most of us need few excuses to step behind the wheel and hit the road, the inaugural 2007 cruise will take “The Movies” as its theme to add a little extra incentive.  The trip will be reasonably short (about 60 miles) offsetting the trip to Mackinac later this summer.

We will begin gathering about 10:00am at the Starbucks at 1560 E Golf Road in Schaumburg.  This is about a mile or so east of Fuddruckers on Golf Road where we have our monthly meetings.  It is on the north side of Golf Road opposite Woodfield Mall between Famous Footwear and California Pizza Kitchen, just east of Meacham Road.  Please come with a full tank of gas to the meeting place.  For those who need to top up, there is a gas station on the corner of Golf Road and Meacham Road.

We will depart from the parking lot at 10:25am SHARP.  Please get there on time!

Our first stop is the scenic town of Woodstock where much of Groundhog Day was filmed.  Interesting landmarks include the “Ned’s Corner” commemorative plaque where Phil Connors (Bill Murray), the intrepid meteorologist, bumps into Ned Ryerson and in repeated attempts to avoid the persistent insurance salesman’s spiel steps again and again into a puddle of water. 

The movie also features the Tip Top Café and although this was shot on a set created for the film, local demand led to its opening as a real café.  It eventually closed down but a “Tip Top Bistro” has taken its place. A lot of cinema history here as we peruse the area.

On the West side of Woodstock Square sits the Old Court House and Sheriff ’s House complex, home to two restaurants, an art gallery, a pottery shop and the Chester Gould-Dick Tracy Museum (honoring the creator of the famous comic strip who lived and worked in rural Woodstock for over 50 years). 

The museum, though quite small is worth  at least a brief visit particularly give that it will close its doors for good at the end of June.

We will have a half hour to stretch our legs and take in the sights before we break for a buffet lunch at the Courthouse Grill at 12:00 noon.  Then it’s back to the cars and off to our final stop at the Volo Auto Museum. 

As with every cruise I would remind you of our usual disclaimers….. we generally cruise with the speed of traffic and each Viper follows the Viper in front of them. This helps make for some care free cruising without having to follow a map. For this reason, it’s important to stay together. While the route has been selected to take us away from traffic where possible, let’s not allow too much traffic to break us up since we’re following each other with line-of-sight.

Please remember to have your cell phone with you.  Your registration form will provide us with your cellular phone number, the day of the event we’ll use these numbers should we need to reach you.  Sunglasses are always another good idea. Also, given the locations we are stopping at, don’t forget your camera!

A confirmation phone call will be made upon receipt of your sign-up sheet.  Please get your registration forms in to Mick as soon as you can. The final forms to be received no later than May 2nd.

If you’ve never taken a cruise with the club, you don’t know what you’re missing.  We’ve taken care of all the details, just come along and have fun.  We’re looking forward to the day and think you’ll find this trip very enjoyable!  If you have any questions, just call or e-mail.

Vipers will roll into the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, to one of the most beautiful areas of the Midwest, and take part of an automotive spectacle that happens once a year!

“Vipers Invade Mackinac” is an event put together by the IL VCA in conjunction with the MCVO Region that takes us into the gorgeous area of Mackinac County. We’ll be surrounded by tree lined roads and the great lakes during the best time of the year for this area. We’ve put together a Viper Club event that will incorporate massive car shows, town parades, casino cruise night, dinner receptions, VIP brunch, Viper scenic drive, custom Viper Club chartered ferry boat tour, and more!

This event has also incorporated events that will be happening in the area which will bring THOUSANDS of cars into Mackinac County! Similar to Woodward, cars will line the roads in the small town of St. Ignace as one of the most spectacular collections of automobiles arrives for the 33rd St. Ignace Car Show. And a plan has been made to create quite the Viper spectacle! It’ll be a car lover’s dream, a chance to show off your car, and some great Viper photo opportunities near the water.

This happens to also be a great place to spend a romantic weekend! With the small towns and of course Mackinac Island, you’ll enjoy horse-drawn carriages, remarkable locales, incredible history, and that world famous Mackinac fudge!! I’m certain (as in my case) many will come earlier or stay later while they’re already up there, to enjoy some personal time and explore. If you’ve been there, you know why. If you’ve never been there, there couldn’t possibly be a better time! There’s something for everyone. You’re going to love this event!

The planning for this event began in 2007 and started in conversation with our own Roy “Father Viper” Sjoberg. As you likely know, he’s a huge part of Viper history as the head and the very first member of the Viper team. A 25 year veteran at GM, he come to Chrysler in 1985. He was tasked with the ambition to explore the feasibility of building a limited production sports car.

He was up to the task. He was responsible for hand picking the 85 engineers who initially made up "Team Viper". Eventually, with development beginning in March 1989, Roy led his team to what we now know as one of the meanest vehicles on the planet. The Dodge Viper!

In 1992, the first customer vehicles rolled off the line and the rest was bliss. You can see the smiles on the faces that he's helped create. He’s become a celebrity in the Viper world and on this trip he’ll be joining us! He’s also a VIP at the event and all Viper Club members will be a part of the special brunch honoring him and others! He's a great guy, always a joy to chat with, and of course he'd entertain signing some autographs. Here's the detailed plan and schedule of events:

Wednesday – June 25th

This will be the first formal day (optional), it’s meant mainly for our arrivals. Since everyone will be driving (or trailer) to this event, most of the day Wednesday will be used to allow members to travel, check-in, and get comfortable. We have a block of rooms already reserved at our host hotel, the Harbour Pointe Inn. It’s one of the most popular in the area given it’s location to the car show circuit.

For those who come down on this day, there will be a special evening reception at Lighthouse Pointe. It's a complimentary affair, so come early, grab some food, drink, and the take in the views.

Thursday – June 26th

Friday – June 27th

This day will begin with a special VIP brunch with our guest of honor Roy “Father Viper” Sjoberg. The afternoon will be fun filled as we have arranged a Viper Club only boat charter to give us a custom water view tour of the area. Bring your cameras, you’ll love it! It’ll give you a chance to see the area from a whole different perspective. We’ll spend nearly two hours on the lake exploring light houses, checking out Mackinac Island, going under the Mackinac Bridge, and much more. We’ll then return to the same port from which we left. After the lake cruise, cars will begin to line up for the customary “Down Memory Lane” parade. It’ll be the 24th annual run for this event! Cars will assemble in the Mackinac County Airport and be police escorted down through “Memory Lane” (State Street). The Vipers will be put at the front of the parade to accommodate minimal starts/stops, it’ll be great!

Saturday – June 28th
This is a big day as the town will be a buzz for the 33rd Annual St. Ignace Car Show. We’ll see thousands of performance cars, hot rods, collector cars, and customs on display. The event will begin in the morning and be in full swing before noon. The Viper’s will be on display at a special location designated for us as the Viper corral. We’ll have a few hours to peruse the cars and chat with the tens of thousands of people in attendance. We’ll hang out at the historic car show for a while until the waves of people part as the Vipers pull out for a special afternoon treat (we’ll likely draw a lot of stares). We have a very special Viper only cruise planned! We’ll be traveling through some spectacular areas and hitting some great scenery. We’ll take Highway-123 through the cute town of Paradise to visit Whitefish Point on the shores of Lake Superior. We’ll also take some time to visit the Great Lakes Marine Museum while we’re in the area.

Arrival and Hotel Arrangements
We suggest you plan to arrive on Wednesday afternoon. You may also arrive on Thursday, though depending on where you’re coming from, that might not be enough time to make it before the parade. Our hotel for this event will be the Best Western Harbour Pointe Lakefront. The address is 797 N. State Street, St. Ignace 49781. There is a block of 40 rooms set aside with a rate of $129/night (for 3 night minimum) or $149/night (for 2 nights or less). You MUST call and make your own reservations, do so immediately so you can ensure you have at place at our hotel. The Harbour Pointe’s phone number is (800) 642-3318. Tell them you’re with the Viper Club. Most of us will be going up there Wednesday and staying until Sunday morning. You’re of course free to book extra nights if you wish. Rooms are being held only until March 1st!! So you MUST make your reservation with them before that to ensure you have a place!

Cost
The price of the event includes all Viper Club sponsored activities as well as the St. Ignace events. This includes the special Viper Club boat charter, car show, goodie bag, parade entry, museum entry, Lighthouse reception, Tahquamenon Falls park, and the Saturday night club dinner. It’s a great value, both the IL VCA and MCVO Region are subsidizing this event to keep it affordable. The only things not included are certain meals and hotel stay. The total cost per person will be $75. You are free to bring along any family or guests.

Registration
The link below has several forms for the event. Just mail all the forms together with your check, to the Viper Club of Illinois address. We will confirm that we’ve received you registration. A detailed agenda for the event will be provided as we approach the event. Note: While we do believe things will go according to plan, we aren’t responsible changes beyond our control. Please get your registration forms/payment to us quickly. Remember, book your hotel rooms by March 1st! Given the location and limited space we anticipate this will be a sell out event, so let us know if you’ll be attending so we can expect your form and lock in a spot for you.