[ROVERNET - UK] Northeast Rover get togethers

[S Manwell]

After reading some of the banter last night about new events, differing 
tastes in Rovernet content and some blasts from past Rovernet 
discussions, I was reminded of my own early experiences with Rovernet 
and RSTCA. 

I think Steven Dibdin summed up the experience that I and many others 
have had via Rovernet:  yes, it *is* good to know that I'm not the only 
Rover nut in the [fill in your region].  Glenn Wilson and I were 
impressed via Rovernet that there really were numerous Rover fans in the 
US, so he started the Rover Saloon Touring Club of America and I pitched 
in soon after.   Since then RSTCA has aimed to support and maintain a 
network of US Rover fans via our sporadic newsletter, the website and 
organizing get togethers.  No small part of RSTCA communication happens 
via Rovernet too.

So far most of the get togethers have been in the northeast, but in 
recent years John Burkhard has been organizing events in the southwest 
too.  In the northeast I have organized an annual get together since 
1998 and we have met in smaller groups at shows or to salvage parts from 
various parts cars.  So far the northeast get togethers have been in 
Litchfield, CT (1998 and 1999),  New York's Hudson Valley (2000 -- what 
was the town Stephen?), Cazenovia, NY (2001), Rhinebeck, NY (2002), Lime 
Rock, CT (2003), and Red Hook, NY (2004, 2005).  Many of these events 
have been held at a car meet that serves as an anchor, but for the past 
two years, Stephen Beer has generously hosted us at his family's home.

We have had anywhere from six to thirteen Rovers at the late 
summer/early fall "annual" get togethers, and we've also had smaller get 
togethers earlier in the year at meets in Carlisle, PA, Brookline, MA, 
Waterford, CT, and at Dermot Harvey's place in  Garnerville, NY.   The 
Rovers have ranged in age from 1947 to 1984-ish and range in age of 
attendees has been much wider than that!  The car scrapping "events" 
have been in Red  Hook, NY, Liverpool, NY and Jefferson, Maine.  Some of 
you have been subjected to my scrapbook of photos from most of these 
events, but I'll have to work with Stephen Beer to add some of this 
history to the website.

I think that this history shows that there is sufficient interest to 
sustain two northeast Rover events with one early in the season and one 
late in the season.  I think Dirk's event-under-development-for-2007 
makes sense as an early season event and I'm hoping that we haven't yet 
worn out our welcome with Stephen and family late in the season.  Also, 
one is more accessible to eastern New England, the other more accessible 
to those farther west and south.  In fact, the cost of gasoline is one 
argument for having multiple events in different areas so that each 
event is close for a different group of people.

--Steve Manwell
Eastern Massachusetts

Steven Dibdin wrote:

> Hi Dirk,
>
> I'm certainly interested in your Rover get together for next year. 
> I've seen the back end of one P5 and a SD1 sometime in the late 
> ninties other than that that's it for the nine years I've lived in the 
> US. It would be good to know I'm not the only nutter in the Eastern 
> seaboard!
>
> What can I do to help you with this? I'm down in NYC but I'd like to 
> get involved if I can.
>
> Regards,
>
> Steven Dibdin
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