Ode To The NTBA 2002 Nats July 18-20, Grapevine, Texas

[WebMistress]

7/24/2002 Hello Fellow Bucketheads,

Once again we're sitting here lookin' forward to next years NATS! Didn't this year's NATS go by quickly? What follows is merely a touch on the edge of what went on at our meet this year. It's fairly long again yet there is so much & so many that are not mentioned lest it turn into a book. This is from Ginger & my views, all of you will have your own fond memories. And speaking of Ginger, I want to apologize if she barked at you. This was the first outing for her since Blanca's passing. Although she appeared to be mean, in reality, I think she was afraid of everyone without her big 'Sis' there to back her up. I hope ya'll had a great time in Grapevine, we sure enjoyed your presence. And if you want to thank someone, there's some folks mentioned in the words below, they'd love to see a post from yoooooou! I may have said this before, if so, I'm gonna say it again. In the words of Duke Ellington, who would say this to the crowds that would come to hear his Big Band play. To the NTBA I extend the same: "I LOVE YOU MADLY!" There never has been, and will never be, an organization to be your equal!!!!!!! God willing, Ginger, me & maybe a new pup will see YA'LL at next year's NATS! God's Speed Gordon………

ODE TO THE NTBA 2002 NATS
(July 18-20, Grapevine, Texas)

Well, like all the others, it's come & gone,
With others and me singin' the same ole' song.
Maybe the suggestion made on the board was not that wrong,
Being that we should add some days to make the NATS more long!

This is a view made from the perspective of a Texas and his pup,
Who, in anticipation, have been gearing up,
For the National T-Bucket run which is our 'National Meet',
And hopefully, for our participating members, a GREAT BIG TREAT!

But, when you're a member of the 'host chapter', like Ginger and me,
It impacts that perspective view that one would normally see.
Cause each of us worked on projects for months before the NATS,
Yes, our NTTB members were wearing many different hats!

Toolman was incredible, runnin' for months in 'High',
With Renegade T and TNT also runnin' nigh.
These three guys deserve your praise for what they did,
And while you're at it, include Toollady, she wasn't hid!

Scotty, or Raga-T, as he's known to us,
Did a lot of P.A. announcing down by William's bus.
Scotty is our new 'Prez' for the North Texas bunch,
He teamed up with Chris who gave us music in a crunch.

My job on Saturday was at the 'dunk tank',
Where, beneath the water, body after body sank!
Melinda started the day, taking the first bids,
Sometimes being dunked by her and Punkun's own kids!

Janie also sat on that perch for a while,
And through all those dunks, she kept her smile.
But, there was one who was present for most of the day,
How many times he got wet, I'll not attempt to say.
That would be Howard, our own Slick-T,
Having a rapport with kids, one could not believe!
I watched each participant throw at that green button while,
Howard invoked much laughing which produced a great smile.

'Ya done good' Howard, you're too much,
You deserve all our accolades, compliments and such.
As do those on Friday, who also got wet,
Including TNT, Renegade T and Toolman who took the bet.

Now Pat, Howard wanted you at the tank, so did I,
We'd have had folks lined up forever, just to take a try.
I'm sorry to tell you, that your absence may create a toll,
Cause, for a few days, you may be eating from the 'brown bowl'!
The only reason I mentioned this, which may cause a fuss,
Is because you mean so 'cotton pickin' much to us!

And Spanky, we also missed your not being here,
Top Hat explained why you couldn't be with us this year.
So, I'll save my greeting for next year's NATS,
I'll extend them to you then along with Pat's.

Although they were far removed from Grapevine, I must mention next,
Punkun, Melinda and the Seeds, their work ethic was certainly not vexed.
They also started workin' months ago, continuing on arrival at the Hilton abode,
With their trailer in tow, upon which, the give away T rode.

So, with those jobs we were responsible to do,
It kept me from meeting some of those I never knew.
But, I finally got to meet Nitro and his Lady,
Did get to see BT, who's now from Katy.
And quite unexpectedly I met Robert, aka, 'Bad To The Bone'!
Plus another Robert that makes Austin his home.
Stitch drove his 'low T' with Curt, our Hemi 'rep',
They came from Chicago, just a short step!
Then Ron, aka, Nas-T showed up under my tent,
Sure glad he introduced himself before things were over and he'd went.
Kerry smith's T was there with Potvin Blower attached,
Several members wanted to view that car to see how it was 'hatched'.
Kevin was there with his car lookin' as fantastic as ever,
There were so many new T's, each one, being individually clever.

Eman and Bew-T came, maybe baring one tiny grudge,
That being, that they didn't bring one of their pups named Smudge.
Eman was our very first Sergeant-At-Arms,
All night he sat with our T's, guarding them from harms.

Ceec and Mary came in their huge red rig,
Arriving when the give away T ticket sales weren't very big.
They started sellin' tickets, being really bold,
When Austin Ranch time came, most of the tickets had been sold.

Sota and family arrived via Tub-T Limo,
Everytime they attend, I think it's 'Primo'!
But, this year they did not ONLY ride,
I saw Sota and wife DRIVIN' a T, beaming with pride.

I think it was Thursday that Carton Bandit did appear,
And immediately, to my Holley, him I did steer.
Within a few minutes the ole' three-O-two was purrin' again,
Once again, it allowed me to go for a spin.
Mark didn't stop there, he went on to help others,
Just as always, it's like we were his brothers.
Diane was with him, so I told them, with no emotions to lack,
"Please return to us, we want you back"!p> And low-n-behold, Fred was able to make it this year,
But, this time he brought someone with him, all the way here.
It was Karen, Fred's wife, making that trip with no fear,
Even though Fred had to drive it all the way in third gear!
Fred gets a big 'thumbs up', for bringing Karen to our meet,
But, Karen gets two 'thumbs ups', about that I'll be discrete.
The first is for travelin' with Fred instead of takin' a bus,
The second one is a 'biggie', it's for puttin' up with all of us!!

BC and Son Jesse did an interesting thing,
Right in the middle of our three day fling.
They assembled a Spirit Car, man it was great,
What's more, they did it in one hour plus minutes to the thirty-eight!
They stayed up with us from midnight through early Sunday morn,
As did Devin, aka Fifty One Cards, Scotty and TNT, till the sun was born.

There was a 'Lipstick Cruise' for women alone,
And they proved that they could handle those T's on their own!
Toollady jumped in and took the lead,
She knew the roads in Grapevine, that's all the ladies would need.

Some of you knew that Street Rodder chose to attend our event,
It blew us away when their number one 'Photoman' was sent.
I think Eric Geisert must be partial to T's,
Workin for Street Rodder, many cars his film has seized.
Yet he came on Wednesday, before the NATS began,
I suspicion that he must have put a lot of film in the 'can'!
Cause he was as busy as, not only one, but a hive of bees,
I truly hope that, 'his fancy', our T's did please.
True photographers are rare for they are endowed with great art,
One look at Eric's Street Rodder pics qualifies him for that part.

Painless impacted us in big fashion this year,
Especially the Wiring Seminar to remove our deepest fear.
And they can make custom kits for our 'leetle' cars,
Which will, most assuredly, keep the spin on all four 'tarz'!
I never realized what a really big outfit Painless is,
It appears that they are 'numero-uno' in the wiring 'biz'!
And they, like Street Rodder, encompassed our entire meet,
To the point of 'gittin' in our 'leetle' cars to go poundin' the street!

So, Street Rodder and Painless, for all the attention to us you have paid,
You've elevated us to the highest cumulus, where our minds now are laid.
We're used to going to cruise nights and other shows with no judges attention,
Some of them even ask, "Do these things even have a suspension?"
I feel compelled to speak for the entire NTBA,
Knowing that my words are inept when I try to say,
How we were honored that, at our NATS, you did stay.

So, I'll say a big thumbs up for both of you,
To the NTBA you are definitely 'True Blue'!
There is one 'hope' that I would like to express if I might,
That Street Rodder & Painless would be with us next year, at the Kansas site.

To mention again the judges at cruise nights and other shows,
And how their interest in our 'leetle' T's never grows.
Conversely, remember our NATS Cruises and the public's reactions?
Anyone see a mouth without the corners being retracted?
Let's see now, isn't that called a SMILE?
And I believe we saw them mile after mile!
That is when the corners of the mouth stretch from ear to ear,
So, let's stick with the public judging, let it be the test,
These other judges are jealous cause we started and STAYED with the best!

People often ask, "What does Buckethead mean?"
Here's an example that is pristine.
Friday night, Ken Helms car had a violent disagreement with a railroad track,
Which left his 'leetle' nostalgia T with a severely injured back.

Both rear perches were busted 'clean off', that sight had to sting,
There sat the body, resting on top of the spring!
Ken told his wife, "I'm not gonna let this keep us from the NATS 'fling'!"
One quick cell phone call, a car hauler did bring.

Then it was off to Ken's Column Shop in Dallas,
Which immediately became a 'welding palace'!
Bead after bead with grinding in between till Ken was pleased,
And suddenly the T was up off its' knees.

A little splash of paint over the welds that were once hot,
And a few minutes later Ken and his wife arrived at the Hilton parking lot.
p Although Ken's membership card may be brand new,
He's the essence of a Buckethead thru and thru!

Now, I saved Luggy for last, cause he had his own 'Saga',
At times, things weren't working, said in Spanish, he was comin' up 'Nada'.
First came the Corvair box adjustment, which was pre arranged,
The surprise to us was that we had to make the box and column estranged.
But, Luggy took everything apart and the adjustment was made,
Then he reassembled it all, as across the front seat he laid.

A test drive proved that the Vair box had taken the cure,
But, that ole' front wheel wobble was still there, for sure!
We yelled, "We're gonna 'string up' Luggy"! You should of seen the eyebrows raise.
All we meant was that we were goin' to the alignment phase.
After a while, we were done, and Luggy took another test run,
Returning to tell us that drivin' his T was NOW great fun.

So we celebrated and prepared for our late night cruise,
Unfortunately Luggy was doomed, to suffer another case of the 'Blues'!
Half way through the cruise we stopped to rest at Bruton Smith's track,
When we decided to return, to Luggy's engine, no life came back!

Now picture this, Luggy's Ford, as dead as can be,
With Chevy guys all around, as far as the eye could see.
Then came the 'comments' that we all know so well,
But, Luggy handled it so greatly; I have not the words to tell.

I suggested he lock it in low and have someone pull him to thirty-five,
With the key on, the engine would kick and then he'd be able to drive.
Eman was elected, since Luggy hadn't done this before,
So the track security guy hooked up a tow strap, and began pushing pedal to floor.

Then came pulls of thirty, forty to sixty with NO success.
Upon finding out that converter was a thirty-two hundred, there was distress.
In typical Buckethead fashion, someone brought his trailer,
And, the next day Luggy found the reason for the failure.
A piece of powder coat had wedged between the engine ground,
Once that was fixed, his engine cranked up with that wonderful, 'livin' sound.

We may not have a James Bond within our NTBA confine,
But, we have Luggy, he's our "Double-'O'-One", and he's licensed to SHINE!
Luggy, I think for crusin', you're finally 'good to go',
I'm gonna step back and watch your happiness grow.

I apologize for leavin' out so many others,
Cause the NTBA IS like a family of Sisters and Brothers.
And this Ode only covers a wee part of what went on,
The only way to know more, is to come along.

Now the baton has been passed to Gordon and his Cowtown T 'gang',
My guess is that they will pull next year's NATS off with a great big 'bang'!
We want the next NATS to be better than the previous year,
That should keep this wonderful Alliance firmly in gear!

So, for Gordon, the NTTB wishes the greatest success,
And also for all those who help you, no less.
We're looking forward to coming out Overland Park way,
With the luxury of a few days stay.

So, I'll close out while saying, we'll see you next year,
When, toward Overland Park, our T's we will steer.
Where I, myself, will once again renew,
My effort of meeting those Bucketheads that I never knew.

Herman T. Quackenbush July 23, 2002

aka T-Pilot with Pups

aka John Eplen