Seeking Input from SouthCentral Members

[Chris S]

Hello everyone! In case you haven't heard, I've volunteered to be our new SouthCentral Regional Director. I hated seeing the position vacated, since it meant we've been under-represented in club matters.

I'm a bit limited in my ability to travel much outside of Central TX on a regular basis, but I am interested in strengthening our region and improving the value proposition of membership. We have funding available for regional/local events, marketing, etc.

I have some ideas of things I'd like to do, but first, I'd like to hear from y'all. What would you like to see us doing that we currently aren't? Do we need more local &/or regional events, and if so, what kind of activities interest you?

Lastly, to execute these ideas I'll need help planning and running events, esp. those outside of Central TX. I have to admit that my S2000-related time tends to be centered around the track, but I'll try to broaden my horizons in '12 (while hopefully luring some of y'all to the track as well). Let me know if you're interested in volunteering, and I'll do my best to help take advantage of the regional and chapter funding available to us.

[rick1033]

Wow thanks for stepping up. Well I'm still new to all this but we like to go on drives. Tech meets and a monthly or bi monthly meet would be cool. Regional and local all good with me. Thanks again.

[Rocketman]

Chris, I'd like to publicly thank you for taking on the job. You are a long-time owner (despite a couple of excursions ) and a lifetime member, and I know you will give it your best.

As far as ideas go, I would like to see at least one regional event per year. It could be a track day, a drive, or a just a weekend in the Hill Country, but it would be great to have a bunch of us get together like we used to. I hope the DFW crowd can get revitalized too. You might try to tap into s2ki if you're a member there. They might have something going on that we could join, or may be willing to join us for better attendance. Maybe get Bill Jurasz to take pics. You could expect a reasonable tunout from Houston if it's a weekend thing.

PM me if you want to talk.

[Ulrich]

Is there still any activity in Dallas? We could do a drive (or rather: three drives) from DFW/AUS/HOU and meet somewhere in the middle for a BBQ and some socializing...

[Chris S]

Thanks for the feedback!

Rick - it was nice meeting you tonight. I'm going to help jimmynumbers do a head unit and speaker install when he's ready, probably in a month or so, and as long as he doesn't object will make it an open tech session so others can learn. As far as meets are concerned, we're an equal-opportunity club...any member can plan and lead them. If you haven't driven Harris Hill Road before, I'll be happy to have you (& any other newbie members) down for a 1 hr. free track intro - I go once or twice a month.

Sean - I'm looking forward to working with you, and you practically read my mind w/ your suggestions. I've already been thinking about a regional meet somewhere in the Hill Country.
Maybe before going for something too elaborate, we could plan drives to meet somewhere in the middle for lunch and socializing. Maybe LaGrange? I'd love to move it further north if Dallas would participate, but I suspect we would get a better turnout from San Antonio. I do intend on using club funds to subsidize these events, encourage greater participation, and create a better value proposition for membership.

Ulrich, DFW seems pretty dead at the moment. I've requested the membership roster from Fred, and am looking forward to seeing the geographic dist. of members plus using email to contact everyone and gauge their interest in such activities.

[Rocketman]

Great idea about meeting in the middle. La Grange sounds good, as does Schulenberg or even Shiner if it's not too far for you. Somerville Lake might be cool for a picnic when it gets warmer.

[rick1033]

Thank you Chris nice to have met as well. Let me know if there is anything I can do to help out. Your plans. Love the Harris hill thing I'm sure going to take you up on that. !!!!

[Chris S]

S2K4Me and I are planning to install brake duct kits, plus stainless steel lines for me, probably one night next week. Let me know if anyone wants to come out to hang out and learn.

[rick1033]

S2K4Me and I are planning to install brake duct kits, plus stainless steel lines for me, probably one night next week. Let me know if anyone wants to come out to hang out and learn.

I would like to meet up sounds interesting.

[RavynX]

A picnic in the spring and/or fall sounds like a great idea. Find a central location around La Grange or Shiner would be cool as well.

[speedracer]

I like reading about the regional events from other areas. These include a wine tour in California, Wake the dragon, the Ozarks mountain tour.

Most of these events are weekends that involve driving and hanging our in a cool area. We have some cool areas in our region. Tom seems to have found some good roads on his leaky drive and so I would think that could have a nice weekend in the hill country and possibly combine a drive with some other activitiy, like hanging out at one of the rivers.

Once we find the right venue and the right time of year, it should be easy to continue to organize from year to year.

[Ulrich]

Rumor has it that there are actually a number of vinyards that one could visit in Texas as well...

[jimmynumbers]

Chris - I have no objection to making our stereo work a tech event for others to attend as well.

I just got back from NM. Although I have not opened the boxes yet, I have packages from Amazon and Modifry sitting on my desk! (The Amazon box looks too small to contain the Dynamat...it may just be the Polk speakers.) We'll get together soon!

Thanks for taking on this leadership role! You can count on my help in any form that it is needed.

[Chris S]

Thank you all for the great suggestions, they all sound fun. To make these happen, though, we need volunteers to help orchestrate these events, as my free time is relatively limited these days. I am committed to organizing the tech days, managing the H2R partnership, and arranging an event at the track in the near future, but I only have bandwidth for a supporting role much beyond that in the near term. If you like an idea enough to spearhead making it happen, I'll commit my support and cross-regional promotion (where applicable), but I simply can't plan all the events.

I'll arrange 2 tech days in Austin in the near term. 1 for jimmynumbers' stereo install, and another for a brake duck (x2)/stainless brake line install that S2K4me are planning in the near future. I'll send out invites once the dates are set, just be on standby for possibly short notice.

[SondraS2k]

I would be remiss if I didn't throw my hat in to assist wherever I can be useful, however, I would like to not be involved with anything regarding Harris Hill Road.

Here's a few ideas I've had:

- a track construction tour of COTA
- winery drive
- day trip to Shiner (catch: it has to be a weekday, since Shiner is closed on weekends)
- weekend overnight trip to Leakey/Kerrville
- group attendance of Formula 1 watch parties (there's a great one at Six Lounge at 1:30 every Sunday that there is a race... stay tuned for updates once F1 season is upon us!)
- regular happy hour gatherings (it got to where it was just me and Jack showing up, so I quit)
- maintenance/tech days (I have talking to John at JC Auto Spec in the past about hosting us and allowing us use of the lifts for minor maintenance)
- group attendance at an autocross
- dyno day ( could do in conjunction with another club to provide needed numbers)
- drives to Hamilton Pool, Enchanted Rock, Krause Springs, etc,
- join up with Tejas Miata for their Drive in Runs (Gatesville)

BTW, if you guys do your stereo install on Sunday 1/22, that conflicts with Spokes' annual tech day/membership party.

[Chris S]

Sondra, would you (or any other Spokes tech day/membership party participants) plan to attend the speaker install event if not held in conflict w/ the Spokes event? It hasn't been formally scheduled yet, but I'll make sure to avoid that date if it means you or any other Spokesters who want to attend can.

[SondraS2k]

Sondra, would you (or any other Spokes tech day/membership party participants) plan to attend the speaker install event if not held in conflict w/ the Spokes event? It hasn't been formally scheduled yet, but I'll make sure to avoid that date if it means you or any other Spokesters who want to attend can.

I would, for sure. I need to procure some brake lines to do install on my own car, and if I can get them here fast enough, I'm in!

[Chris S]

I think you're confusing the speaker install (which I'll host at my place) vs. the brake work that Scott and I are doing at his place. We made a sig. dent in his ducting project on Sunday. I wasn't happy w/ the aesthetics of 2.5" ducts on the AP2 bumper, so I just ordered the Quantum ducting kit yesterday, and we'll work on installing it sometime after it arrives.

[rick1033]

how aboout a run to the beach. or something make it a destination people want to go to. give us an excuse to put some miles on our cars. how about out of town carshows? no need to enter just attend. there was a very nice brittish roadster show in Round Rock last summer. i spotted 2 s2 out running around the show. i parked next to one. the lonestar round up is held in austin and should be coming up soon. congress gets filled with all kinds of cars that weekend. we could all just go for a cruse. i like sondra suggestions. regular hh would be very nice. but i sometimes work late. if i new a set time and place where to be i could still make it there. see you guys laterz

[Chris S]

Rick, all great ideas, but we need volunteers to plan and execute them!

Any member can plan and promote an event - so feel free to organize something (in a dedicated thread for the event) and get feedback re: members' interest.

I'm an admitted track junkie, so most of my car-related time seems to revolve around going to the track and prepping/maintaining my car for it. That said, I try to attend other local club-related events as time permits.

Sondra and I have briefly started talking about a regional meet, but it's prob. at least a couple of months away.