2019 International Meet
June 20 - 23 in Castle Rock, CO
Driving Tour, Friday June 21, 2019:

    Palmer Lake - on the north edge of El Paso
    County, situated at the high point between
    Denver and Colorado Springs known as the
    Palmer Divide (7,200'), Palmer Lake affords
    sweeping views of the Rocky Mountain foothills.
    Downtown Palmer Lake features shops, cozy
    restaurants and a museum run by the Palmer
    Lake Historical Society.   Here visitors will find
    everything from antiques to homemade jewelry.
   

    Monument - this growing residential area
    features rolling, arid hills and views of Pikes
    Peak to the southwest adjacent to the Pike
    National Forest and just north of the United
    States Air Force Academy.   The wooden
    sidewalks of historic downtown Monument,
    headquartered at Second and Front streets, lead
    to a folk art gallery, a Victorian tea house and
    gift, antique and toy shops.

    US Air Force Academy - is both a military
    organization and a university.   The visitor                 center was named in honor of Arizona Senator
    Barry Goldwater.   The Academy is attended by
    approx. 4,000 cadets who study all aspects of
    becoming an Air Force officer.   Exhibits, videos,     snacks and gifts are available.   Discounts are
    offered to active or retired military personnel
    with ID cards.
     
    Garden of the Gods - has outstanding geologic
    features including beds of deep-red, pink and
    white sandstones, conglomerates and lime-               stone that were deposited horizontally, but               have now been tilted vertically and faulted into         "fins" by the immense mountain building forces       caused by the uplift of the Rocky Mountains.           The following Ice Age resulted in erosion and         glaciation, creating the present rock formations.

    Pikes Peak - is one of the most famous summits
    in the United States.   The 14,115 foot fourteener
    stands 8,000 feet over the "Pikes Peak region."
    The discovery of the mountain dates to the early       1700's but wasn't called Pikes Peak until an
    expedition led by Zebulon Pike arrived.   The
    recently paved road from the entrance gate to the
    welcome center at the top takes 18.5 miles, gains
    5,500 feet elevation & making over 150 curves.


On the road again !     There's a song in there somewhere.      

A Colorado Tourist Attraction   By Bill Schaefer

Many Met owners are beginning to plan their June road trip to Castle Rock, Colorado for the largest gathering of Mets and Met owners in the world.   Some prefer to take the Interstate highways, traveling in caravans to assist a broken down member, if needed.   Others take the roads less travelled, winding their way through some cities that have been lost to time.   These roads are where you'll discover some of the best roadside attractions in America.   Who wouldn't want to check out the SPAM Museum in Austin, MN?   Or Carhenge in Alliance, NE?   Or the largest ball of twine in Cawker City, KS?   Well, the Rocky Mountain Mets have an amazing roadside attraction that'll make you go "Holy Cow!   I'm glad that didn't happen to my Met!".

A decade ago, member Dixie LaHood woke up on a Saturday morning and went out to his garage to get his Met ready to bring to one of our local member tech sessions.   What met his eyes was utter destruction.   The night before, someone had driven down his garage alley and sprayed Dixie's garage door (and others) with an assault rifle.   While the Met was severely pockmarked, it still ran just fine. Instead of having his car repaired, he's left it as-is and it's a conversation starter to say the least.   Dixie's Met will be at our festivities so come take a look at a Castle Rock roadside attraction and be amazed.   Dixie will be running our hospitality room at the hotel so stop in, introduce yourself, and talk Mets!
- FYI - Dixie now enters his Met in the "modified" class at the car show.