My Whirlwind to Detroit (and got to meet Miss Amy!!)

[Coytee]

Im back from my whirlwind. Just for kicks, (as contrasted with thinking anyone really wants to hear details) I thought Id give a snapshot of my trip.

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I was going to go to the <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" />Detroit auto show with my Dad. I had wanted to do it for probably the last five years BUT, by the time I remembered anything about the show, it was June/July (and the show is in January).

A number of weeks ago (and I swear this is all true), I was driving to work and ding ding a light bulb went off inside my headDont forget about the auto show this year, its this month

So, as I continued to the office, I was realizing that my wife would NOT care to do a trip like this at all. I was scheming on bribing her with a trip to Canada (Ive never been there) and perhaps a bit of gambling or something.

I get to work and an hour later my dad calls. This was an out of the blue call. As he says hi, he goes on to basically say Well Richard, I got a question for you, no pressure on you for a yes/no, no feelings hurt by me regardless of the answer Richard, every January up in Detroit, there is a big show

At this point, I swear I cut him off and said Dadyou dont need to say ANOTHER word Im IN!!!!!

I really was intrigued how he called the VERY day I remembered it and decided I wanted to go.

Ok, so fast forward and Jay (in Indianapolis) has 3 Heresys for sale. Separate from that Colter had recently emailed me asking me if I was in East TN, as he had just bought 2 Heresys near me and would I consider housing them until someone could pick them up. I said no problem. Turns out they were literally across the lake from me. Been faster for me to swim across, than drive down to the bridge.

Ok, so to cut to the chase

Last week as you probably know, I picked them up and tried them atop my Jubilee bass bins.

Since I was going to be going to Detroit, I realized I could alter my trip by driving through Indy. I could personally deliver them to Colter AND pick up the ones Jay had (that Colter had held for me)

Last Thursday, my dad was going to be arriving in town, staying all night and we were going to be leaving Friday.

I then made the comment that if we left Thursday night, we could get several hours ahead of schedule and that wouldnt be bad.

We left Thursday at probably 6ish, it was already getting dark and raining.

Drove to Covington, KY (across border of Cincinnati) and grabbed a hotel. It was still raining.

Friday morning I wanted to test a new ice cream flavor at Graeters, so at 8:00 A.M. we stopped at their factory and had a cone!! Got back into car and headed into my hometown of Hamilton where we visited with two different, lifelong friends of the family. Left their place & headed to OxfordOhio (MiamiUniversity) to find some info out on an apartment/condo Dad owns there. Did I say it was raining?

From Oxford, we then hit the road to Indy & find Klipsch headquarters and Colter for the speaker swap. We arrived there something like 3:30/4:00.

Got to meet Michael & Amy, a very pleasant experience. Saw Trey again. They gave us a quickie tour of the place, took my dad into the anechoic chamber and gave a short listen to some stuff.

Michael & I finished our speaker swap & we said our goodbyes. Yes, it was raining here too.

We continued on, driving primarily 2 lane county roads, making our way over to I-75. We arrived about 20 miles south of Detroit that evening (Friday), arriving pretty late. The following morning, we were up/gone and eating breakfast and drove into town. We arrived at the show at 8:00, not knowing it opened at 9:00. Not only was it raining, it was much colder than from where we had just been. I did just say it was raining didnt I?

We sat, chatted, talked with some strangers

Doors open at 9:00 and we were on our way. About 12:00, we were basically done having been through the whole place and decided to head south.

At 12:15 we were in the car pulling out of the parking lot (and yes, into the rain) heading due south now for Findlay, his childhood hometown, to visit some friends & family. Once leaving Findlay, we went to Bluffton to visit another cousin of his. Back onto I-75 our next stop was rainy Hamilton to nab one of my favorite pizzas in the world. I keep their phone number in my cell just for this event. Ordered it while on road, drove into town, picked up & headed back out while eating in car. As you might realize, eating the worlds best pizza CAN make driving in the rain a bit more bearable.

We were now in go mode, passing Cincinnati, Lexington, Richmond, Corbin, Jellico and finally making it to north Knoxville (yes, mostly in the rain but it did FINALLY subside while in TN).

I had called my wife and she was going to drive an hour to pick me up.

Driving down 75, to get to my place, you head west and Im about an hour away. For dad to simply drop me off didnt make sense as he was heading east. Oh, I forgot to mention, this was something like 11:30 PM on Saturday night.

Wife agreed and we all pulled into the meeting spot literally, within 3 minutes of each other. Was perfect timing.

Dad just saved 2 hours by not taking me all the way home and decided to drive on to Newport and grab hotel room there. Wife took me home with two dogs in the car.

So, to recap: After leaving after work on Thursday to arriving home late Saturday night, we trekked through Cincinnati, Hamilton, Oxford, Indianapolis, Detroit, Findlay, Bluffton BACK to Hamilton, then home.

All the above created out of the desire to spend three hours in Detroit.

[TBrennan]

Did Cadillac show the new 08 CTS? Or a CTS convertible, there've been rumors of one.

[colterphoto1]

Richard, it wasn't about the car show. It was about spending all that time with Dear Old Dad. You told me on the phone that the trip was taking a bit longer than expected due to you guys stopping in on some old friends of his around Cincinnati. That is all just precious. I'd kept the gang appraised of your arrival time as it approached. Thanks for the numerous check-ins.

If a man didn't have any belief system prior to this trip, he surely must after all the bizarre 'coincedences' you enumerated.

That you lived so close to the speakers I purchased and you independently purchased speakers at my place of business.

That our trades involved Heresies on both sides (your's the triple set and mine the KP201's)

That you and your Father thought of the Auto show on the same day.

That you and your wife arrived at the meeting point at nearly the same moment.

Not to get too spiritual on this thread, but I believe this trip was orchestrated. Heck from the get go it was weird. I was down in Mississippi with Dtels and Dtel and I were up late one night when my email popped up this pair of KP201's that I bid on totally as a lark. He was stunned that I was buying more Klipsch and the ease with which I hit the Confirm Bid button. I do that a lot, and only a few come through as true great deals. Anymore it's just a matter of faith for me that I just buy Klipsch about anywhere in the Easter US, KNOWING that some Forum Brother will get them to me. I didn't drive a foot to collect my prey in this instance.

It was a pleasure meeting you and your father. Nice gentlemen both of you. He was a bit befuddled with all the technology but I'm glad Trey found some music to his liking for the CS700 demonstration. (probably one of the few first of those outside of our office or the CES show, btw) It is difficult for any of us to give a mini-tour without sounding techie so I'd bet he had a million questions for you when you left the parking lot. I thought it was funny that your Dad said 'well if you have two of these speakers for him and he has three for you, why don't we just go pick up the one?' He didn't understand that they were different series, but good thinking there Bob!

Think back to the conversations you and your Father had in your little journey. If you're of the type that writes much or is sentimental, this might be a good story to journal about. Think to the many topics you two talked about as you made your way from destination to destination. Good stuff man!

And that Graeters at 8 am, what a crazy treat that must have been. Just two big kids rolling down the road with Klipsch in the trunk. Great story, thanks for sharing! And thanks for enjoying Klipsch!

Michael

[Coytee]

Did Cadillac show the new 08 CTS? Or a CTS convertible, there've been rumors of one.

Hi Tom,

Ironically, I'm not a huge fan of the new style Caddilacs and therefore, didn't pay a LOT of attention to them. With that disclaimer, I think the answer is yes to the CTS convertible as I DID distinctly notice a convertible that had the same rear end as their current lineup. I remember thinking "hum... we have a Mercedes (SL) clone" (not that they look alike but that WAS my initial thought)

I didn't pay much attention to the Caddy's and though we DID go through the Dodge area, it seems we totally wiffed on seeing the Viper.

I'm not suggesting this is WHY we missed some of the cars, but I DO think the Nissan display had the prettiest girls working the displays. [A][:#]

[Gilbert]

but I DO think the Nissan display had the prettiest girls working the displays. [A][:#]

My Man!! You got your prioritys straight. and lets not forget the Ice Cream stop.... you da man!

[jacksonbart]

Sounds like a nice trip.

[picky]

coytee: It's too bad you didn't have a bit more time, I live just a few miles south of Cobo Hall where the auto show is near I-75. If you could have driven another 5 miles Friday night, we could have put you and dad up with a room! Bummer, dude! I'm glad you made it back home safe. That was quite a trip.

[dtel]

Michael is correct, in the long run the car show or the speakers don't matter, you will remember the trip with your Dad.

Also very true about the way things come together, scary sometimes !....... I was very surprised when he bought those Herseys, having know idea how to get them, and was not even concerned about it. It was like Ha I just won some Heresy's in Tennessee cool ! Like they would just fly to him, Ok he was close, they drove there!

He has much more experience at this than me , and much more cool about it, obviously ! You DA Man ! [Y]

[Amy]

Coytee,

Your dad has a great personality--I can see where you get it! []

I really enjoyed meeting you both.

[colterphoto1]

[]

[3dzapper]

Richard, All the blah, blah, blah about a few days with your dad, meeting Amy, touring Klipsch, seeing a few cars, is all fine and dandy. How about the important stuff, does that pizza place deliver?

Rick[]

[dtel's wife]

Coytee,

I want to know where the ink pen was...you know the one you go to sleep with at night?

See "Two Channel"..."Spontaneous Group Hug", which by the way you missed out on because you were running around the eastern United States.[]

Seriously, I am glad you got to spend some quality time with your dad and meet some of our "favorite folks" while you were gone.

[nannerneck]

Sounds like a good trip, run by Indi and time with Dad!

[PhilMays]

Very, Very Nice!!!

[Jay481985]

sounds like a fun trip