The Big Celebration: BANQUET



Leaving Iowa City, IA
Thank you Wolfords!!!

 

Pirates Peggy and Julie cruising during the race!

 After a good Post-Briefing Breakfast, MANDATORY, on Sunday, June 26th, the teams were excused for the afternoon, doing what they wanted to do, at their leisure, then coming back together for the big BANQUET!! Julie went to Pensacola, FL with other teams to the Naval Museum while Charles and I went to Dauphin Island, AL for lunch (we'd been to the museum 2 times earlier this spring).  Great fun at Barnacle Bill's Marina Grill!  Thanks, Frannie, for your wonderful therapy session! Later, Julie met us for cocktails in our room to get our final pirate gear together for sharing with the other teams, our last time together!!  SIGH :-(  We gathered our newfound friends closeby to enjoy the evening celebration.  Charles told us that we might be in for a surprise, but, we kept telling him we were out of the race and to not expect anything.  He was so excited for us!  The SILENT AUCTION was in full swing!  Running around trying to be the highest bidder on items we thought we needed ;-)))  Great fun and a wonderful cause for future Air Race Classics!!!! Bidding was CLOSED!!   We all sat down for a wonderful prepared meal.  Enjoyed visiting with friends, saying our goodbyes and farewells.  The awards banquet began!!!  Sitting there cheering on our friends that were winning was great... and for all those fantastic teams that weren't winning anything.  We were ALL present, ALL teams that participated in this wonderful event!!  How rewarding was that!!!??!  All of a sudden they called out " Julie Thomas and Peggy Tucker, Classic Racers 13, better known as the Pirates of the Mississippi, 2nd place Leg Winners for the Great Bend, KS and Borger, TX leg!!! "  Oh my goodness!!  Charles was right!!!  We were listed on the roster as Incomplete BUT had won a leg prize prior to that!  Can't describe the feeling of happiness!!  We ran up to gather our beautiful bronze charms, handshakes, and photos.....Charles said I was shouting with my arms up?!...he was most likely right again.   We were thrilled!  In spite of our placement on the roster we were WINNERS!!!  Go Pirates of the Mississippi!!  Lucky 13 wasn't all that bad afterall!!!  Great experience we'll never forget!


2nd Place Leg Prize



Pirates Charles and Julie during Teledyne tour
Mobile, AL



Peggy and Charles
Barnacle Bill's
Dauphin Island, AL





Teledyne Continental tour
Mobile, AL