DRIVE OUTS

Road Trip Anyone?

We’re sure you’ll agree, it doesn’t get much better than firing-up your Vette to go for a drive! As much fun as that is, sharing the road with other members of your Mid-West Corvettes family is definitely the best driving experience you’ll have in America’s Sports Car. Mid-West Corvettes has an endless selection of drive-outs that are planned (and unplanned) throughout the drive season. Trip duration ranges from a few hours up to a week of driving adventure. Best part is you can select the outings that suits your schedule… Our club is very focused on safety so your driving comfort zone is important to us. All cars are required to have a hand-held two-way-radio in the event we have road hazards up ahead the lead car can radio back the information. The two-way-radio also keeps us together so no one gets left behind. Here are several examples of some of our past trips and trips we’re planning for the future… Come and explore with us…

Spring Drive-Out

Our driving season kicks-off with our Spring Drive-out – This is a planned three day (typically Friday/Saturday/Sunday) adventure that finds us heading north into Wisconsin and Minnesota to challenge the smooth winding roads, admire the magnificent scenery and freshness of spring, and dine on home cooked meals at local cafés. Hotels are blocked so all you have to do is call and make your reservations. There are many creative and interesting stops that will not only allow you to stretch your legs, but have been selected to add to your entertainment experience. Always different, always exciting, the spring drive is a “bench mark” example of a well-planned and adventurous weekend in your Corvette.

Same-Day Drive-Out

Our same-day drive-outs are scheduled every other Sunday throughout the driving season. These are typically planned outings with a place to eat at the end of our journey. The day starts ~9:30 with our members meeting at a specified location either on the Iowa or Illinois side of the Quad Cities (depending on the final destination). There is a drivers informational and safety meeting and off we go… We have a lead car that has planned the drive-out and a back-door car to make sure no one gets left behind. The average time one-way to the restaurant is ~2 hours with a stop in between to stretch our legs and a short visit. Many times there are other stops for us to enjoy like a trip through a state park, a winery, or an impromptu stop that we find interesting. Once we have had our lunch, it’s time to head back home or you can split-off and find your own creative route home. You are usually home by 4:00 in the afternoon to enjoy the rest of your Sunday and washing your Corvette. These same-days are many of our member’s favorite activities… short… sweet… and full of fun! Do you have a special route, restaurant, or location to visit, planning a same-day drive-out is a great way to share your favorite roads and locations with the club… consider planning a same-day and if you need help planning, we have many members that have just the right experience to help you. After all, if you lead, we will follow.

Impromptu Drive-Out

Our impromptu drive-outs are our spur-of-the-moment same-days that are communicated through our clubs Facebook page. These are usually unplanned and the destination is decided by general consensus when we all get together and decide where to go. So if the mood hits you to hop in the Vette, and you want to share the drive with us, just send it out on our Facebook page and you’ll be surprised at how many other members were looking to go for a drive as well.

Clear Lake Cruise, Dance & Car Show – Drive Out

Our mid-summer drive-out to Clear Lake, Iowa is a great combination of drive-out, car show, and a fun night of dancing at the famous Surf Ballroom. On the first full weekend in August, the town hosts one the biggest custom and classic car show’s in Iowa. Over 1,100 custom cars converge on the quiet, friendly town of Clear Lake. The festivities start from a staging area on Friday afternoon where everyone can lineup for the cruise and admire all the different cars. Just about every make, model, and year of customs and classics are on hand and it doesn’t take much effort to get their owners to start talking about their pride and joy. The car cruise around the lake begins in the late afternoon, and it’s one of the biggest parades you’ve ever seen, and the best part is  you and your car are a part of the celebration. After the lake cruise, it’s time to put your dancing shoes on and enjoy listening to the 50’s and 60’s music at the legendary Surf Ballroom. That’s what we call a fantastic Friday, full of fun activities and making new friends… but this event is just getting started.

The main car show event is on Saturday and the cars just keep rolling into the town (and regular traffic literally shuts down for this car show). There is much to see, do, and many places to eat as you look-over the cars and polish yours for the show. As a participant, you are also a car show judge as you select your favorite cars by their category. The CLASS Car Club hosts this premiere event and they have been presenting this event for over 30 years.  The car show is very well planned and there are an abundance of awards handed out and Mid-West Corvettes have placed well in their categories. We are most proud of winning the club participation award three years straight for having the most club members in attendance. In the early evening Saturday, you can sit back and relax in the park, and let the Rock & Roll band take you back to the 50’s and 60’s. This all-day event will definitely satisfy your craving for custom and classic cars. Sunday morning comes all too soon, and it’s time to head home and talk about the cool cars at the Clear Lake Car Show and your dance moves at the Surf Ballroom.

Fall Drive-Out

Our Fall Drive-out is the perfect culmination to a great driving season. This is our October 3-4 day weekend drive, and depending on the year, we either travel up north to Winona Minnesota, or south to the Lake of the Ozarks. Autumn provides us with the beautiful fall colors and the clean, crisp autumn air, stopping at out-of-the way places.

The Winona fall trip produces some of the best driving experiences this northern state has to offer. Taking the Mississippi river road up through Iowa & Wisconsin, stops include Stone’s Apple Barn, and a meat & cheese market. The magnificent views from Pikes Peak State Park give you a 5 mile view upstream and downstream of the Mighty Mississippi. Folks in the small towns we drive through come out of their homes and businesses to watch the Vettes pass by… it’s almost like an instant Corvette parade. At the end of the day, we have a social gathering back at the hotel where we dine, have a few beverages, and talk about whatever comes up. Join us and you will quickly see that there is definitely much to do, see, and eat on this run.

The Lake of the Ozarks 4-day fall adventure is also one of our fall drive-out alternative destinations. The Hotel we’ve selected over-looks the lake and you can choose from many activities like trap shooting, golf, a walking trail, and of course the amazing scenery, and the winding roads that traverse through the hills and valleys of the Ozarks. Here we meet-up with our club host the Lake of the Ozark Corvette Club. They are the consummate hosts and experts on the roads and special attractions in the area. The club interaction is an excellent opportunity to sit down and share club ideas and functions. We always come away with new friends and new ideas to tryout when we get home.

So whether the plan is to travel north to Minnesota or south to Lake of the Ozarks, you can be sure you will thoroughly enjoy the perfect celebration of the fall season with friends and the Corvette.

On The Horizon

About the future — About every 4 years we plan a trip to the Home of the Corvette, Bowling Green Kentucky. We are in the planning stages for our 2017 trip to this heritage destination. This is a 5 day drive-out in order to take in all that Bowling Green has to offer. A portion of the plan is to take the club tour of the Corvette factory, visit the Corvette Museum, and we are trying to schedule some track time for our members to experience what it’s like to drive their cars on the Corvette Museum’s raceway. During our stay, there will be other drive-outs planned, and if you’ve never driven highway 100… you’re in for a treat. We have a very nice hotel and the restaurants are within walking distance. Lots of creative places to dine and the food selections are endless. Again, there will be numerous stops along the way and there is always a car-show or two in the immediate area you can choose from. If you have been on this drive-out before, you know what the feeling is like to drive up to the place your Corvette was born and want to re-live that experience. If you haven’t had the experience… you need to join us on this trip and live that feeling.

Join Us For Our Next Adventure

As you can see, our drive-out selection is extensive, but all are not listed here and there are many more to be created and planned… Our club is always up for a new and exciting adventure. If you have an idea for a drive-out, please see our club’s Social Director they are experts in drive-out planning. Need help planning your first one, just ask and they will be happy to help you through the planning stages. So whether you want to lead or follow, we welcome you to drive with us… we’ll help you put some enjoyable miles on that Corvette!