New Product: Curb-Alert

New product to prevent scraping the front end of the Corvette when parking.  Here's the link:

http://www.mamotorworks.com/corvette?frame=11564&utm_source=Corvette_Email&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=V07116

Corvette Car Wash

Today was car wash day for the Corvette.  Driving from Wisconsin to South Dakota and back on our recent road trip left the car full of bugs, locusts, road tar, and grime. 

Before Pictures

 

Rinse, Wash, Rinse, Dry

 

After Pictures

D's Car Wash Tips:

1.  Use two buckets of soapy water. 
Use the first bucket for wiping down the dirtiest areas, typically the buggy front end and the lower rocker panels.  Give these areas a pre-wash.  Reserve the second bucket for washing the entire car.  Use a bucket with a raised grate for the second bucket.  This will reduce the chances of scratching the car because the grit will drop to the lower section of the bucket away from the washing mitt.

2.  Keep the car continuously wet during the washing phase to reduce water spots. 
Re-rinse liberally, as needed, to prevent water spots.  Installing a soft water spigot will also help battle the spotting.  A single connection can be installed that will deliver hot and cold softened water.

3.  Get a wheel/rim brush and rim spray cleaner. 
Scrub hard-to-reach spaces inside the rims and brake calipers by using a wheel brush.  This is an effective and efficient approach that doesn't cause hand bruises.  Also, use rim spray cleaner for the best sparkle without water spots.

4.  Open the trunk, doors, and hood as a last step when drying.
Water will collect on the inside edges of the trunk, hood, and door jambs on a Corvette.  Open these areas and dry the water with a soft towel.     

D's Recommended Car Cleaning Products:
Meguiar's Gold Class Car Wash
Meguiar's Hot Rims Aluminun Wheel Cleaner
The Absorber, drying skin
Meguiar's Quik Interior Detailer
Meguiar's Gold Class Rich Leather Cleaner/Conditioner
Stoners Invisible Glass Premium Glass Cleaner
Mother's California Gold Clay Bar
Meguiar's Quik Detailer
Meguiar's Mirror Glaze Show Car Glaze
Meguiar's  Hi-Tech Professional Yellow Wax

The Original California Duster

A Weekend in Deadwood

Welcome to Deadwood, South Dakota.  Deadwood is a thriving tourist town in the Black Hills with a Wild West kind of charm.  With numerous restaurants, hotels, casinos, and nearby outdoor activities, the place is a tourist's dream.  There's something for everyone here.  Shoppers, historians, and gamblers alike will find something that peaks their interest at this old time gold mining camp in the gulch.

We spent a weekend in Deadwood for the last leg of our trip to the Black Hills Corvette Classic car show that began with Hot Summer Nights in Sioux Falls.  The destination did not disappoint. 

Favorite Activity:
My favorite activity of the weekend was a wine tasting at the Belle Joli' Winery shop on Main Street in Deadwood.  The wine tasting included a range of six locally-produced South Dakota wines that ended with a unique cherry dessert wine that was served with dark chocolate.  My favorite wine of the six was the Days of 76, a full-bodied red blend.  Very good.  The shop sells wine-related gifts in addition to wine.  There's also a patio with umbrella tables in front of the shop--a great place for relaxing with friends over a bottle of wine.

Favorite Casino:
My favorite casino was The Lodge, main reason being was that I won a little money here.  The Lodge is a full-service Vegas-style resort just outside of Deadwood on US Highway 85.  The casino is spacious offering table games and a large selection of the newest slot machines.  This casino doesn't have the small town charm of the Main Street casinos in Deadwood, but it does have generous player's club rewards and an open atmosphere.  The only negative of this place is the location. 

Favorite Hang Out:
My favorite hang out of the weekend was the veranda at the Franklin Hotel.  This is a great outdoor place to relax and socialize.  We met an interesting couple from California who were on a cross-country road trip. 

Overall, I'd rate our trip as an 8 on a scale from 1-10.  A longer stay would have been better.  I felt too rushed with our short stay from Thursday night to early Sunday morning, especially with long drives on each end of our stay.  Odds are high that we will return some day.  I'd like to ride the George S. Mickleson trail with our bicycles.  From what I've read, the trail is 109 miles of moderate riding that skips across the scenic wonder of the Black Hills.  Sounds awesome.

The Sights of South Dakota

Traveled the state of South Dakota from Sioux Falls to Deadwood on Thursday last week for the Black Hills Corvette Classic.  A slide show of the drive follows:

Hot Summer Nights: Slide Show

Arrival into Sioux Falls for BHCC

Made it to Sioux Falls about 2 pm local time.  Traffic was light and traveling was pleasant except for a near miss with a bathroom emergency.  The public waysides were all closed in Minnesota due to a state government shut down.  The closures shut down our options for an easy restroom stop.  Yikes!  I never knew how few gas stations can be found on I-90 in Minnesota.   Each exit is at least 15 miles apart with no guarantee of a place to stop.  Things got dicey, but luckily, we made it to a Texaco station before complete disaster struck.  The trees along the roadside were starting to look pretty good. 

Only saw one State Trooper in Minnesota (rare) and also noticed that a road construction project looked abandoned (no workers on the scene; lots of empty trucks and abandoned equipment).  

We're getting sporatic light rain showers here in Sioux Falls.  Should be clearing up shortly.  

Hot Summer Nights is due to begin at 6 pm. 

On The Road

Early morning packing for the trip to the Black Hills Corvette Classic is underway.  There's a lot of stuff to put into the trunk of the Vette.   Corvette sales people say that two full-sized sets of golf clubs will fit in the trunk of a C5.  Tthey're probably right about the golf clubs.  There's a fair amount of room in there.  We always seem to pack it full on these trips, even so.

Heading out in 20 minutes.   Expect to be In Sioux Falls by mid-afternnon...

The BlackHills Corvette Classic: July 12-16

My favorite Corvette event is happening this week in South Dakota.   It's the Black Hills Corvette Classic, sponsored by the Sioux Falls Corvette Club.  This annual event kicks off in Sioux Falls with fun activities packed into Tuesday and Wednesday culminating with Hot Summer Nights on Wednesday evening.  Hot Summer Nights is one of best downtown festivals in the country featuring Corvettes, Harley Davidson motorcycles, music, and food booths. 

On Thursday, participating Corvettes will travel together in a huge 400-car Corvette caravan on a 400 mile trip across South Dakota from Sioux Falls to Spearfish.  This is something to see, for spectators and participants alike.  The event activities continue from Thursday through Saturday at Spearfish and at various scenic areas throughout the Black Hills.  This is an awesome event.  I've attended several times over the past 8 years.  Always had a great time.

This year marks the 40th anniversary of the "BHCC."  Planned activities include Poker Runs, a picnic, an Autocross, several guided road tours, Vette Street, seminars, a BBQ, a casino crawl, and more. 

Here's the link to the official event website and schedule of activities:  http://www.blackhillscorvetteclassic.com/

My husband and I will be heading to Sioux Falls early on Wednesday morning to attend the event.  Hot Summer Nights--here we come!  See you there.   

Nice Car

And now, a little more about me and my Corvette...

My husband "D" and I live in southern Wisconsin.  We own a yellow 2003 Corvette convertible that we bought as a brand new car off the showroom floor in 2003.  This flashy car not only looks good, but it goes fast (350 hp with a top speed of 175 mph).  We absolutely love it.  Nice car! 

Our yellow Corvette at Spearfish Canyon, South Dakota

Here's something fun:
USA Today is posting a photo gallery of "Reader Corvettes on Vacation."  The gallery will be updated each week in July.  Here's the link:  http://mediagallery.usatoday.com/Reader+Corvettes+on+vacation/G2409

Introducing My Corvette Blog

Welcome to the first post on my new blog!  I am a rookie blogger looking to post my experiences as a Corvette owner and road trip traveler. 

In addition to diary posts and photos, I'll be sharing comments about my favorite things to see and do while traveling to a particular destination--favorite tourist activities, restaurants, hotels, etc.  I'll also share thoughts about car stuff that might include Corvette facts, Corvette accessories, the Corvette Racing Team, or other random things that pop up along the way. 

Join me on my journey through the blogosphere.