What a wonderful weekend!
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I haven’t had 4 days in a row that good since I don’t know when!!! Great stop at the Admiral’s in PCB, great float down the Rainbow River, and two fantastic days of diving the springs and “fellowshipping” with yall!!! I don’t think we even sat in more than about 5-10 minutes of traffic in the 1500+ miles we drove.
The accommodations, the food, the sites, the dives,... Really could not have been better.
Thanks most of all to the rest of you who came, for just being you! We’re an eclectic, and possibly even an eccentric, bunch of individuals to be sure, but therein lies the group’s greatest strength. No matter the challenge, somebody’s been there / done that, and is ready to jump in with advice and assistance. Further still, the people I’ve met over the years through VDH have a conspicuous and profound streak of decency running through them which sets our Merry Band above and beyond other groups drawn together by common interest. No doubt there are clubs of hot-rodders and historical reenactors populated by many very nice people, but to a man (and woman), every single person connected with VDH that I’ve come to know, has always gone out of their way to offer their friendship and support to an uncommon level. It’s pure supposition, but it may be due in part to an inter-dependence resulting from all this touchy, old, nostalgic gear, combined with a philosophy rooted in the concept that we are trying to get to a place, physically, where we are not only guests, but are very vulnerable ones down there underneath all that water with the fish... both those factors, kinda mixed together, producing an attitude that doesn’t have room for selfishness, or impatience, or pretence.
It’s either that... or maybe just that a bunch of weirdos, naturally attract even more weirdos...
kinda like a Star Trek convention...
Regardless, I’m truly proud to consider myself a part of the whole, and I want to thank all who attended for making it such a naturally good time. Thanks also to all of you for extending yourselves to my friend David who came along with me, and for making him feel both welcome and involved. Based on the size of his almost constant grin, I’m thinking we set a pretty good hook there, and it will likely be the first of many VDH appearances to come.
Live Long and Prosper,
Fred
p.s. – EXCELLENT picture, Jillian!
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