DN NA Class

Hello Everyone.  Just wanted to start a thread where everyone could report in that they made it home safe, and any comments about the trip home, border crossing, etc...

216(Richard Potcova), 5456(Ed Gibson), 807(J.R. Francis), and 5219(Kent Baker) made it home to Toledo around midnight last night.  Trip East on 17 was absolutely gorgeous.  We were searched at the Border.  The process took about 20 minutes.  We went into the lobby of the building and answered questions and emptied our pockets.  A team of about 6 agents went through our trailer and R.V.  We didnt see a dog, but I wouldnt be surprised if one did some sniffing around.
807 will make an additional 22 hour trip to hoome In Jensen Beach, Florida on Monday.

3909 (Don Williams), and 5053 (George Reis) have also made it home.

Dan Hearn (US-5352), Wes Wilcox (US-5414), and me (Geoff Sobering, US-5156) got back about 4:30am Saturday.

The trip through Duluth was uneventful (the only deer we saw near the road was about 10 minutes from Wes' house).  The border crossing was also uneventful.  They asked us to wait inside for a few minutes (maybe 10?) while someone looked at the trailer.  Just the usual questions about buying stuff in Canada and the like.

Cheers,

Geoff S.

The Bay City group arrived about 9:30 PM  We too were searched, but I'm sure because of our advanced ages they only held us for a short time.  Jan Gougeon's conditon progressively worsened as we went.  He was taken to the emergency room at Bay Medical as soon as we arrived and is in critical care at this time.   Keep him in your thoughts and prayers.

Bil Coberly

Stan Jones and myself sailed through a quick uneventful border crossing at Sault Ste. Marie. We had passports and Stan identified himself as retired US Military.
We arrived home 1 a.m. Sunday.

Randy Rogoski

Ron and I too made it home safely.  At the border we were asked to go into the garage
and the dog went around our car and trailer.  What a beautiful trip.  It was so nice to
see Lake Superior in the daylight although it also was beautiful in the moonlight.

Fair winds,

Loretta

Ben Shaevitz traveling solo arrived home @ midnight Saturday after an 18 hour trek.  The trip across the North Sohore of Lake Superior was one of the highlights of my life!  No problems at the border even with the 7 bottles of beer I had in my carry on bag. 

T and I wheeled into Newport, RI around 11am sunday with a quick peak around the van at the boarder.    One of the neatest trips of my life!

CA

I made it home about 6pm Saturday EST after a 10 hour drive.  The much anticipated border crossing was uneventful.  When asked about the reason for my visit (Iceboat Regatta) I provided a little additional information about the number of competitors and the fact that it was the North American Championship, etc. loud enough so the agent standing behind the truck could hear me too.  He answered with "Have a pleasant trip" and I was off.  Steve Orlebeke was two vehicles in front of me; they went through his trailer pretty well.  Mike Derusha and Sam Myers were in the Suburban right behind me and they reported no major hassle either.
Very pretty drive in the daylight back through Duluth.  I am inspired to make a trip all the way around the lake someday soon.
In spite of all the waiting around the "Groundhog Regatta" was a lot of fun and a great experience for a novice like me.  Thanks to everyone who took the time to help me and a special thanks to the organizers and race committee for all of their work.

Neil
DN 5444

Merc & I rolled into Cary, NC at 3pm Sunday.  Sunny day and the golf course was full here.  3,300miles for four races, but the one with air was worth the trip.
Hal US 1277

The Traverse City group (Eric Lind, Bill Cutting, Dick and Julie) sailed through customs wiithout having to exit the van or have the trailer inspected.   We had a short conversation with the customs agent about the regatta, and when he asked how we did, Bill showed him his trophy, which rode on the dash for the entire trip.  :)
Got back to TC about 930 pm.  The drive across the top of Superior was spectacular, as everyone has commented.

Missing our friends already and keeping Jan in our prayers.

Julie
US DN4868

Lots of great stories and memories which can only be described as the most extrordinary regatta I have ever been a part of.  We had no venue to sail the day before check in.  The Toledo RV sat at a truck stop in Bay City for hours waiting for the conference call and decision as to where we were going (or not).
Then JD and Jim find the perfect plate of ice that stretched for probably a hundred miles - but neglected to put in their order for wind.
Drama on the ice was more in the order of  "are we going to get the regatta in" more than the racing itself.  Small doses of wind each day paying a visit at random times was something I never waited around for before.  Wind shifts and random pressure was simular to a small lake - not an open expanse of ice.  And the various interpretations of the regatta management bylaws was also an added twist to the craziness of the first (and hopefully the last) Ground Hog Day Regatta.

I second that. 

We got into minneapolis around 7:00pm on Saturday,  with a nice daytime drive down the north shore.   When I went inside at the border crossing, there was a couple sitting there, and said that they saw the article on the front page of the newspaper about the iceboating, the couple asked if we got the regatta in.  It was nice to be able to say that we did. 

What a crazy regatta.  It's hard to believe the dates lined up perfectly with the 4 days of no wind or light and variable wind.  I learned a lot about regatta management too.  I think everyone worked really hard to make the regatta happen.

Chad Atkins and I rolled into Newport RI after 28hrs on the road, three of which we spent snoozing in a McDonald's parking lot.  I thnk we put 2400 miles on the van in total.  WOW.

Well worth the drive!  We stayed for the awards and party and weren't disappointed.  Next morning was painful but we managed to live through it and enjoy the drive along the north side of LAke Superior-  it was frozen and looked sailable for about 300miles!!!

Amazing.

Thanks to all for finding the site and putting on a great regatta in spite of the conditions-  was fun to use the idle time to catch up with people and bat the breeze-  Great to see everybody, hope everyone made it home safe.

I'm already looking forward to next year!

Cheers, MR T   DN US 5224

Oh no, sorry to hear that- tell Jan we are all thinking of him and wishing him a speedy recovery-

I'm looking forward to following him around the track next year!

Jim "T" Thieler, DN US 5224

  If someone has the address of the hospital and Jan's room number, please post it so we can send him our best wishes.
                                                                                                        Bob

   Please keep us informed of Jan's condition.

Thanks,
DNUS1006

Comeon guys.  How about some personal privacy!

What is on display here is genuine concern for Jan.

Keep him and his family in your thoughts and prayers  ...

If there is more we can do I am sure they will let us know.

Ayes

Bruce Williams and I (David Frost) stayed around to sail on Saturday.   It was worth the wait.  The wind was up until around 1-1:30.  We stayed around to help a new DN skipper, that Bruce knew from Hobie sailing, set up his new boat he aquired after the regatta and teach him the fundamentals.  Mike Madges and his son Matt had a ball sailing and learning under Bruce's watchful eye.  Me, I stumbled around like I had stayed out all night celebrating with Ronnie.... Oh that was Bruce, I was in the hotel a little after midnight.... but there were a few micro shots along with a few beers.  Anyway the day was as beautiful as all the rest, only with more wind and more spectators all coming out to see the races.  I have never seen my boat photographed so many times or had as many kids sit in it to have there picture taken.  And dogs, they were everywhere, you couldn't swing a dead cat without hitting a dog.   Afterwards we returned to Mike's house for dinner and to meet the rest of the family and for Bruce and Mike to catch up.  After many tempting offers to spend the night, we finally headed out of town around 8:00.  Like all those who left Friday evening or Saturday morning, the desire to be home and with my family finally kicked in.  We drove till after midnight, got a room and some much needed rest.  The rest of the drive was uneventful, including the border crossing where the agent new what we were doing, where were attempting to do it and that the wind could have been a lot better.  Although the bakery in the Soo was as good as always.

Looking forward to returning to Thunder Bay in the future.  Possibly for the Northern Challenge a week or two ahead of the Western Challenge.  I hear they often have ice on their inland lakes at the end of October or beginning of November.

David