On Sunday, February 13, 2000, Pascal and Lilan Gademer, Russell Glace, Rick Hill, and John and Cindy Gommel from the SFJC joined the Stingray Corvette Club in a drive to brunch at the Seminole Country Inn, in Indiantown.

This was a day to remember, as Stingray after Stingray pulled in to the Publix lot on PGA Boulevard, joined by Russell Glace’s red ‘52 XK120, “Oscar,” Pascal and Lilan Gademer’s beautiful new silver ‘00 XKR, Rick Hill’s red ’69 series 2 Etype (right) and John and Cindy Gommel’s British racing green ’73 series 3 Etype (below right). By contrast the many colors of the corvettes added to the attractive group. Many shoppers wandered over to ask questions and just plain admire the cars.

During our mini car show in the parking lot, the Stingrays made an almost jewel-like array of different versions of the same beautiful design in many different colors and variations, some with side exhausts and air-scoop bonnets -- ah, I mean hoods! Others were equipped with everything from fuel injection to useful accessories to reduce wear on the shift console (notorious in corvettes for getting scratched and dented). All were “driver class,” of course, but in pristine condition down to the last carburetor.

And, as we formed a convoy to pull out of the parking lot on our way to the Seminole Inn, we could not help but remark on what a nice picture we made as we drove along the 20 miles from PGA to the Seminole Inn. This was to be a feeling which returned as the day wore on.

Following an interesting brunch at the Seminole Inn, and time out to watch a convoy of Harley Davidsons rev up and pull out, we again joined the Stingrays in a run past Lake Okeechobee to our next destination, the 391st Bomb Group Inn/Restaurant in West Palm Beach. Again we had the pleasure of watching ourselves in convoy as we toured an almost deserted Highway 98 to 441 East and in to West Palm Beach. During the run we turned off to tour the steep roads up to the picnic and dock areas dotting the lake, a sudden lesson in “mountain driving” for some of us newcomers to Florida and Lake Okeechobee!

Our idyllic drive with only ourselves for company came to an end as we entered the environs of West Palm Beach, but we finished our day with the Stingray Club with a few drinks at the Bomb Group, a fascinating place in itself. We felt privileged to be able to join the club for a beautiful day out and would like to thank Paul Sharone and his associates for inviting us along, not only “for the ride,” but for a fabulous day of companionship with the Stingray club members and their families.