Magazine

Runabouts to Rockets

President's Message

Runabouts to Rockets
Volume 39 #4
April, 2020

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As I write this it has become apparent that the focus of the entire universe is on Coronavirus. The NBA, NHL, MLB, NCAA March Madness, NASCAR cancellations among sporting events combined with multiple school closures, extended spring breaks and reverting to distance learning or telehealth have certainly changed the landscape for at least the near future. Since this is what I do professionally (infectious diseases work) my telephone has been “blowing up” with questions about it all. On the national or grand scale no one asks my opinions which is good. I personally extend my best wishes to everyone in this Club and elsewhere and hope no one becomes the beneficiary of this illness. I am reminded of Josey Wales comments, “Dying ain’t much of a living, boy”. It is important to stress the low mortality risk for this infection at 2-3 percent so dying is not very common- there have been 15,000 plus deaths from influenza compared to 61 from COVID-19 so far in the U.S. I have lived through polio, Hong Kong flu, the original Swine flu, Y2K, the Dotcom crisis, SARS, H1N1 in 2009, the Ebola scare and the Impeachment trials. This, too, will pass. Of course with the “runs on the bank”, so to speak, you are more likely to run out of toilet paper than to get sick.

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I am currently planning on attending the pre-war swap meet in Chickasha, Oklahoma. As of yesterday it is not canceled. Mark Santos, one of our board members, is crossing it off his bucket list by attending this year and is doing me a great favor by hauling to the Meet from Wisconsin my newly acquired 1923 Olds 43A touring car where I will pick it up and bring it back to west Texas. What a great hobby! Mark has been having a ball fixing the myriad tweaks (gremlins) applied to the car over its near century of use; the car was a fixture at a resort in northern Wisconsin for quite some time. The lady who owned the car reveled in driving it around and giving folks rides around the resort and to town. Unfortunately she is in her mid to late 80s and can no longer drive. My interactions with both she and her daughter were terrific; needless to say she is heartbroken about letting it go but realistic about the car. She is glad it will not be modified.

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I have made my reservations for the Meet in Auburn, IN in May; hopefully this meet won’t be canceled either but it remains to be seen. Steve Moskowitz and Greg Minges have been involved in this meeting of the NAOC cars and the AACA meet in Auburn. Clearly there will be lots to do with the Auburn, Cord and Deusenburg museum among the things to see. Check this issue of the Runabouts for further details; hope to see you there. Soon thereafter the Homecoming followed by the NAOC meet in Lansing are currently planned. Live long and prosper! As always thanks for supporting the NAOC.

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—Rick Winn (#914)
Slaton, Texas​