2017 National Convention

There are rumors of a "rolling convention" contingent, driving Route 66 in DeSotos.

John, we are planning on coming and taking Route 66 from its beginning in Chicago or just South of Chicago. This will be our fourth trip on Route 66 and were are looking forward to it. If anyone else is planning on driving 66 out there we would be interested in caravanning out there. We have have all of the turn by turn directions and other info from our previous trips. I would like to hear from anyone else interested in doing Route 66 out there and possibly putting together a group. We wont do it in our '52 though, we will be driving modern.

Fellow De Sotophiles!
The upcoming November/December Issue of our De Soto Adventures will feature many of the attractions available around our 2017 convention in San Diego. One I might have missed I picked up from our 2017 calendar is the Pebble Beach Concours d"Elegance on Sunday, August 20.
The proposed "2017 National De Soto Club Progressive Convention" itinerary, revealed in the magazine has been created to provide the possibility for a National De Soto Club presence at the concours.
The main idea of scheduling the westward trek is to allow area De Soto members to meet and greet the caravan during their scheduled stops. The schedule is a proposal as published and will need a lot of input between now and then and this forum is the perfect place on which to post your comments, questions and/or observations.
We have invited those with interest and no computer access or savvy to mail or telephone the editors who will then share any input on this forum.
Now all I have to do is convince my better half that we'll be away from the grandkids for almost a month and spend the greater part of that time in a chopped '42 De Soto Custom Coupe! Wish me luck!

My wife and I had been excited about driving to San Diego for the 2017 NDC. Our last NDC was in Reno.

Our excitement however was short lived when we saw where the NDC was taking place. The Crowne Plaza in Mission Valley.

The location is up against a freeway. In an area with nothing around it. Not someplace one can park their classic car and walk to various things like choices for lunch or dinner. So, one would have to pull out their classic car to do pretty much anything.

Oh, and did I mention that one wing of this hotel is 125 feet from the interstate freeway? Yep, and if you read the last 18 months of Yelp reviews on this place folks that got unlucky and got a room on that wing facing the freeway said they did not get a lick of sleep. Bad cheep sliding glass doors.

The deeper we got into the reviews of this place, the more disinterested in the place we became. The rooms in general are old and tired. In some cases lots of stains in carpets and in mattresses. One reviewer saw what they thought looked like a bed bug on their mattress.

The reviews of the on-site restaurant were less than kind. The fact that there is not a bunch of other selections within walking distance is not encouraging. Lack of competition off site usually means a captive and crappy restaurant.

What really concerned us though was parking. Many reviewers talked about the fact that this hotel is a big place with lots of rooms and not so much parking for its size. Many reviewers stated that when they came back late in the evening, that there was no parking spaces to be found open.

There were other comments to the effect that the parking spaces were very small and that a large car could not even fit into the spaces. People talked about their doors being dinged. People talked about their cars being broken into.

Ten days prior to the NDC is a very large annual party at this complex called Tiki Oasis. Basically a big party for people who love all things Tiki. My question is what shape will the facility be in 10 days after such a large party?

I sent an email to the NDC organizers about my concerns. What I got back was that the venue was picked on price. Well, California is not Ft Wayne and Kalamazoo. If one is going to try to come up with a place that has prices the same as Ft Wayne and Kalamazoo in California then one is going to end up in a dump.

My questions as to ample parking space, given the reviewers comments, and over night security were not answered. I do not see how such a large facility is going to turn over to the small Desoto Club double or triple the parking spaces that a car convention requires. The Hotel will not cause a parking problem for their other guests or events for the relatively small NDC. The fact that this place is parking constrained is a very real issue.

All in all, we are not inclined to gamble that the venue is not going to turn out to be a pain in the butt (read bedbug joke here) or put a restored car into a sliver of a parking space and risk damage. The location is one that will require that one take ones car out for just about everything and the parking on return may or may not be there.

Given the totality of the choice, I think we will pass. The sad part is that we were looking forward to a West Coast NDC. We also had tentatively arranged with others to come as well. I know that some of them will not be going since we are not. In worrying about price as opposed to worrying about quality, I think the Club has made a mistake.

Since we have to set our schedule for March 1, 2017 to March 1, 2018 by the end of January 2017...we likely will not be attending.

As an aside to this years NDC, the club needs to look hard at how it does things. Doing things the same old way with the same old set of assumptions has not reversed the decline in participation that is affecting all car clubs. This years NDC is a prime example of that same old way of doing things.

James, the solution to your concerns is really quite simple. You don't have to stay at the host hotel. Check out other hotels close by and stay there. We do it sometimes and always find a place nearby that works better for us. You might have a short commute but you can participate in all convention events, hang out there and go back to your hotel to sleep.

James, the solution to your concerns is really quite simple. You don't have to stay at the host hotel. Check out other hotels close by and stay there. We do it sometimes and always find a place nearby that works better for us. You might have a short commute but you can participate in all convention events, hang out there and go back to your hotel to sleep.

Not so simple if the parking situation is as bad as the reviews portend at the NDC site. I also, don't relish driving around San Diego every day to and from events. The point, at least for us, in going to a NDC is two fold. One to go to the car convention. The second is to have a vacation. Years ago the NDC in Frankenmuth and in Reno provided both. I do not see the "entire package" for 2017 delivering on both those items.

I also do not see anyone actually addressing my concerns. Just one comment from the organizer about keeping the price down and now one from you telling me to stay someplace else still does not address the parking and security issue to the NDC site.

It may be that everyone has a great time. It may be that the cars are not squeezed into tight spaces. But, by ignoring the reviews and focusing on price in the California Market, it is a gamble to say the least.

James.

Or wait till next year where if all goes well, it could be in the beautiful Ozarks in Branson, MO. Centrally located, plenty of space, plenty of motel/hotel options, plenty of activities, all affordable. Branson is also the home of "Mr. DeSoto" Bob Schmidt.

Being an ex-Michigander, I am familiar with Frankenmuth which, as I remember it, without a doubt was one of the most beautiful and well maintained small cities in the world. I loved that place (in the summer).

Anyway, let's see how it goes. Comments are welcome.

"It's delightful, it's delovely, it's DeSoto"

Happy New Year!

Hello Les,

How long will it take you to drive to San Diego from the Chicago area?

Sounds interesting...................

Mark Waite
Eau Claire,WI

Hi Mark, if you just drive straight out there on Route 66 without a lot of stops it can be done in about 7-8 days to Santa Monica. That is an average of about 300 miles a day.
But, to enjoy Route 66, and the many interesting places along the way, an average of 150-200 miles a day or 12-14 days is more practical. If we get a group together and most are doing the Route for the first time I think 12 days is a good plan. Add a day if we do a side trip to the Grand Canyon. It is only about 65 miles off the Route but it will take a day to enjoy it.
So I guess the answer is it depends on how you want to do it but I think the 7-8 days is a minimum.

Thanks for the heads up and research, James. I'll make it a point to find accommodations at another location.

I did notice that there is a $13 per day parking fee at the hotel. So here's a question for the organizers: Can things be worked out with the hotel so that club members and folks coming onto the hotel grounds for the Saturday show be 'comped' for the parking fee ?

Ron

The fee for parking for those that register under the NDC group is negotiated down to $4/day, if I'm reading the convention brochure correctly.

The fee for parking for those that register under the NDC group is negotiated down to $4/day, if I'm reading the convention brochure correctly.

So for those of us staying offsite, will we still incur the $13 fee per day for parking ?

Ron

Sounds like a question either for John or the hotel.

I was the chairman for the 1996 13th Annual NDC Convention. So I am talking from experience from hosting a major event of this size. When we hosted the event the NDC wanted the cost of the hotel rooms to be as low as possible, but as the quality of hotels are in the area then the cost are going up each year. So yes trying to get the best price and best location sometime conflict with each other.

But the first concern that the NDC Board and Trustees should be addressing are the location of the convention and the amenities that are being provided to the entire NDC membership. The prior suggestion was that a convention site should be selected in approx. a two year or no later that a 18 month span prior to the selection of the convention. This would provide the NDC trustees and the organizing committee to address issues such as parking, room fees, meeting rooms and what the proposed schedule would be for that host site.

Since it is getting harder to find a person or persons and or a Sanctioned NDC local chapter to run our National Convention and Car show it is now much harder to plan in advance and have the presentation material available at the current convention to present to the Board and members that are attending. from first hand experience it took me approx. 18 months to plan the a convention that had a record turnout or Desoto members and cars.
I am not tring to put down the current convention and or any past conventions, but the pre planning is the most important aspect of organizing and hosting a convention. I know it has been a long time since we held a convention on the west coast and I wish the convention organizors all the best for a safe and successful convention. But the key word is PLAN and PLAN and PLAN for the next 5 months. If the convention hosts would like to discuss they are free to contact me directly via my home phone/ I live near Valley Forge PA so I am 3 hours a head of your time.
Rich Hartung
desoto1939@aol.com

Or wait till next year where if all goes well, it could be in the beautiful Ozarks in Branson, MO. Centrally located, plenty of space, plenty of motel/hotel options, plenty of activities, all affordable. Branson is also the home of "Mr. DeSoto" Bob Schmidt.

Fred...Branson is one of my wife's favorites so looking forward to next year if your plans develop as suggested. I've hosted a convention before - as have many others - and have also been Chief Judge for a convention so I am volunteering my assistance in a support role as I know you don't have a lot of local support.

Mark