GRAACA Summer Tour 2023
June 24, 2023
Enola, Fort Hunter & Mechanicsburg, PA
By Angelica Yost
We began our day with coffee and donuts at Adams-Ricci Park in Enola, PA. Around 9, everyone started their journey over a mountain and through some winding country roads heading north to Duncannon, and then across the Susquehanna River to Fort Hunter Mansion and Park.
Originally settled in 1725 by Benjamin Chambers who later founded Chambersburg, the property passed on to Chambers’ brother-in-law Samuel Hunter. Hunter had several mills on the land until the British turned it into a fort during the French and Indian War. Since then, the property has passed through several hands. Today, Fort Hunter is owned by the County of Dauphin and the Board of Trustees for Fort Hunter.
Several tour guides met us that day and split our members into groups for a very informative tour of the mansion. Afterwards, we headed across the road to a pavilion for a picnic lunch catered by Simply Turkey. Some people then chose to burn a few calories strolling around to the many historic buildings including the Centennial Barn, the Everhart Covered Bridge, and the Tavern House.
After lunch, we took a nice scenic drive along the river and through the country to Ashcombe Nursery and Farm Market. Apart from offering a wide array of plants, baked goods, and gifts for sale, Ashcombe’s also has a menagerie of cats, rabbits and farm animals onsite waiting to greet visitors.
Dan and I had a lot of fun planning this tour. Many thanks to everyone who joined us on this adventure. We hope you enjoyed the day and finished your shopping before the storm rolled in.
Latimore Valley Car Show 2023
Saturday, June 10th, 2023
A beautiful day with an amazing turnout!
With only a few weeks for our members to recuperate from the Eastern Spring Nationals, it was time for our annual car show at the Latimore Valley Fairgrounds in York Springs.
Blue skies were overhead, and we had an amazing turnout with 157 vehicles on the show field. There was music, food, shopping at the flea market and white elephant table, and a shuttle to the Eastern Museum of Motor Racing.
The festivities ended with the awards ceremony. This year, winners were treated to newly designed Participant’s Choice trophies shaped like sparkplugs, as well as handmade special category awards.
Many thanks go to everyone who helped make the day a success. It took a lot of hard work!
AACA Spring Nationals 2023 update
2023 AACA Eastern Spring Nationals : 5/18 – 20, 2023
Hosted by Gettysburg Region AACA
Gateway Center – Gettysburg, PA
We are around 5 months away from celebrating our Regions 70th Anniversary Meet. The Region’s tradition has been to mark each 10 year anniversary by hosting a National Meet. 2023’s date will be May 18 – 20 at the Gateway Center in Gettysburg. All chairperson positions have been filled, plaque design and brochures have been completed, and we are working on the shirt design. Our theme will be celebrating our living AACA National past Presidents and/or their spouses. We will showcase the Swigart Museum’s 1947 Tucker Prototype, the “Tin Goose” in the hotel lobby.
A list of chairpersons and their contact information is listed below. Our most vital and treasured assets are you, our Gettysburg Region members. Please call a chairperson today and volunteer to help. An hour or a day is important and needed. We look forward to welcoming our fellow AACA members to our 70th Anniversary Spring Nationals. With your help it will be a successful event.
Happy Motoring,
Don Barlup & Karl Krouch
Chairperson – Don Barlup: (717) 877-4766, [email protected]
Co-Chairperson – Karl Krouch: (717) 576-7241, [email protected]
Chief Judge – Dr. J. Stanley Stratton: (717) 460-8371, [email protected]
Registration Chairperson – Sue Gingrich: (717) 582-8681, [email protected]
Field Marshall – Bob Channell: (717) 465-7356, [email protected]
Banquet Chairperson – Bill Sangrey: (717) 609-5983, [email protected]
Club Merchandise Chairs – Stew & Sarah Gardner: (443) 794-8893, [email protected]
Flea Market/Car Corral – Howard King: (717) 660-8206, [email protected]
Trophy Chairperson – Tom Zinn: (717) 688-4051, [email protected]
Publicity Chairperson – Karl & Mary Krouch: (717) 576-7241, [email protected]
Finance & Budget – Allan Maybee: (717) 731-9726, [email protected]
Trailer Parking – Butch Saltzgiver: (717) 637-0332, cell (717) 877-8711
Security – Bob Channell & Don Barlup
Program – John Sayler: (717) 796-1895, [email protected]
Program Advertising – Deb Sherwood: (717) 697-0411, [email protected]
Tours – Jerry Black: (717) 334-3638, [email protected]
Signs – Fred Gable: (717) 476-7245
Hospitality, 50/50, Raffle – Pat Shaffer: (717) 258-4964, [email protected]
Annette Yost: (717) 660-8000, [email protected]
Photography & Meet Write-Up – Angelica Yost: (240) 651-9071, [email protected]
Cruise Night – Tom Dawson – Chesapeake Region
Upcoming: GRAACA Fall Foliage Tour
Saturday, October 22nd
The Tour will begin with a visit to a collection of vintage motor scooters from the USA, England, Italy, France, Germany, Austria, Czechoslovakia, Russia, and Japan. An example of what many call the first motor scooter, a 1918 AutoPed, will be on display along with a few vintage motorcycles. This is not a museum but is rather an assemblage of two wheelers that the owner finds amusing to look at. Coffee and donuts will be served.
Two-lane back roads and fall colors will greet us as we tour into York County and cross the 1930 “Veterans Memorial Bridge” that was the replacement of the 1800’s “Burning Bridge” into Columbia, PA to visit the National Watch and Clock Museum. This museum takes us from the beginning of clocks to the development of pocket watches and the “auto clocks” seen in our early cars. We round out the day with a catered pork barbeque picnic lunch in Hellam’s Emig Park.
Coffee and scooter collection 8:30-9:45. Driving Tour leaves at 9:45am.
Cost is $25.00 per person. Deadline to register is October 12th. Registration in the Sept/Oct issue of the newsletter.
Questions? Call: Karl Krouch, Sr. at 717-576-7241 or Mary Krouch at 717-576-7245.
Directions: From Gettysburg: take route 15 North to Wesley Dr / Rossmoyne Exit, turn LEFT at the ramp traffic light. Travel 1.4 miles to the 4th traffic light, get in LEFT turn lane (Sheetz and Turkey Hill Gas on opposite corners) Turn LEFT onto Simpson Ferry Rd. Continue 0.1 mile for a RIGHT turn into driveway just after Jeffery’s Flowers. AACA sign will be at street. Address: 5215 Simpson Ferry Rd., Mechanicsburg, PA 17050.
From Carlisle: travel Route 641E Trindle Rd. into Mechanicsburg. At the Rutters traffic light, take the RIGHT Y (Yield sign) onto Simpson Street. Continue 2.4 miles to tour start on left. Get in the center turn lane, turn into the driveway between M&T Bank and Jeffery’s Flowers, proceeding to parking lot behind these businesses. Address: 5215 Simpson Ferry Rd., Mechanicsburg, PA 17050.
GRAACA Summer Tour
Sunday, July 31st. Break out the antique cars! July 31st we will meet at the Eastern Museum of Motor Racing at 8:30 am for coffee and sweets. We will then leave on a winding tour of back roads to visit an herb farm and a local farm market. After a scenic drive you will end up back at EMMR.
Ladies will be having a luncheon tea inside, including finger sandwiches, scones and sweets. Ladies should wear a hat to tea. Guys will be having a “grill out” with a hot dog fixin’ bar, sides, dessert and a tech talk about fixes for your cars. The tea will be limited to the first 40 ladies that sign up. If you miss out on the tea you can join the guys outside for lunch. There is no cut off for outdoor lunch. Cost is $15 for ladies and $10 for guys. Make sure to polish those cars. Parking at EMMR, we are sure to have admirers. Any question please call Annette Yost at (717) 660-8000 or Pat Shaffer at (717) 258-4964. Registration deadline is July 15th.
Planes, Trains & Automobiles Event
Saturday, July 23. Rain date Sunday, July 24. The GRAACA will hold its 2nd Annual car show in the parking lot behind the Northern Central Railway Station located at 2 West Main Street, New Freedom, Pa. 17349. We will be joined by members of the Blue & Gray Miniature Aircraft Squadron who will be showing some of their planes, Train patrons will be dropped off at the parking lot after completing a ride.
Hours are 11:00am to 4:00pm. There will be a food truck on site for lunch on your own. There is no cost for this event. Deadline to register is July 13. Contact Bob Channell 717-465-7356 if you have questions.
For train excursion ticket information please call NCR at 717-942-2370 or visit www.northerncentralrailway.com.
GRAACA Summer Picnic
Sunday, July 10th. Again at beautiful Codorus State Park just east of Hanover, Pa. Enjoy the enclosed air-conditioned Classroom Building overlooking the lake, or bring a folding chair to enjoy the view outdoors. Arrive 11:00 a.m. or after; serving will commence around 1:00 p.m.
Bring your antique car and relax with fellow club members. The region will provide grilled hotdogs, hamburgers, drinks, silverware, cups and plates. To help offset the cost of the event, the cost is $5 per person (free if under age 12). Each member is asked to bring their favorite summer dish or a dessert to share. Please write down the recipe to share with friends! Refrigeration is available.
Registration deadline is July 3rd. Contact Don Barlup (717) 582-3209 or Karl Krouch (717) 576-7241.
DIRECTIONS TO THE PARK: From I-83, take exit 8 and drive 17 miles on Rt. 216 west to the park. OR from Rt. 30 turn onto Rt. 116 west, travel 7 miles, turn left onto Grandview Road, continue to next signal light, turn onto Rt. 216, drive 2 miles to the park.
DIRECTION WITHIN PARK: The Classroom Building is round and easy to notice.
If entering the park from Sinsheim Road: Turn right onto Rt. 216 (Blooming Grove Road). Cross over 2 bridges. Turn Right onto first road to the right (Marina Road). Follow road straight to the end where you will see the Classroom Building overlooking Lake Marburg.
Past Event – GRAACA Spring Tour
On Saturday, April 30th, the Gettysburg Region met bright and early at Performance Motors of Hanover for a “coffee and cars” event. The owners of Performance Motors were very generous and not only provided us with coffee, tea and donuts, but also kindly sectioned off a portion of their lot just for our club. In addition, the showroom was open which is full of Mustangs and other interesting vehicles, including some bumper cars. This seems to be a popular event and Performance Motors will be a hosting another “coffee and cars” on May 14 from 8:00 to 10:00am if anyone is interested.
After getting our directions and walkie-talkies from tour organizer Bob Channell, we headed out on a relaxing, scenic drive over to the Royal Farms in Hampstead, Maryland where we met up with members of the Chesapeake Region before making our way back to PA to visit Treasured Motorcar Services in New Freedom. They were having their Spring Open House & Car Show which was free to attendees. Beef-it-Up catering was onsite serving up delicious pit beef and pulled pork.
After filling our stomachs, perusing the many cars present for the show and on display at Treasured Motorcars, and possibly even making a few new friends, we went for a final 10 minute drive over to Brown’s Orchard & Farm Markets. Many members walked out with various goodies including sweet treats, fresh produce, and flowers.
It was a beautiful day for a leisurely drive. We couldn’t have asked for better weather. Despite a few people experiencing some car trouble (happens to the best of us), I think everyone enjoyed themselves. Bob did an excellent job organizing the day’s activities, which were made all the more enjoyable since we were not on a strict timetable. Many thanks go to Bob and everyone else who helped make the day a success!
Lots more photos can be found on the region’s Facebook page!
