Lotus Owners Gathering - LOG 36 Princeton, NJ

Rochel and I are going. 
Love my randomly generated? avitar 

The biggest gathering of Lotus in the US was the LOG in Gettysburg, several years ago.  The reason: the most active Lotus clubs are in the mid-Atlantic area.  While there are A LOT of Lotus in Southern California, they don't come out to events like we do on the East Coast.  We have had two LOGs in Colorado, and one in Las Vegas in recent years.  While all three drew a good crowd from Northern California, So Cal was relatively sparsely represented.  (This is much like the experience in So Cal of Major League Baseball and NFL teams located there.)

For this reason alone, we expect the turnout in Princeton, NJ to be large.  I have a history with the Philadelphia club, PALS (Philadelphia Lotus Society), holding a previous LOG.  I was part of the team that organized LOG 15 in the Poconos in 1995.  We drew Lotus people and cars from all over Pennsylvania, NJ, NY, MD, and beyond.  

Debbie and I try to go to LOG every year; we have missed only two LOGS since LOG 13.  We don't always bring our Lotus.  For 6 years after I sold my Europa, we didn't own a Lotus.  One year, the Lotus wasn't running.  Sometimes, (Colorado, twice) it was just too far to take the time off if we drove, so we flew in.  We had a great time, with or without our Lotus.  The people are what makes the difference, to us.  LOG brings people from all corners of the US and Canada.  There are regulars in from England and Germany, every year.  If we didn't go to LOG, we wouldn't see these people.  You can learn more about your car, the marque, and the people who make the cars in a few days at LOG, than almost any other way.  If not for our regular attendance at LOG, we would not have had the opportunity to meet Clive Chapman, son of Colin, and head of Classic Team Lotus.  We have met Bob Dance, the lead mechanic on Classic Team Lotus, and a member of the World Championship Team Lotus F1 squad.  We have met Dan Gurney.  We have met Peter Egan.  These are great people, and they share our passion for the cars.


If you have any questions about LOG, please let me know.  There's no reason why we couldn't have a large NoVA Lotus contingent at LOG 36!  Friday, August 5 thru Sunday, August 7 in Princeton, NJ.  Lots more info on LOG 36 -


www.lotusownersgathering36.com/


--Bob Collum

P.S.:  If you can't do all three days, the Saturday will have the casual concours and panoramic photo of all the cars in the morning, and the banquet with guest speaker that evening.
I am sorry to say, (very unusually for a LOG), there will be no track day, nor autocross this year at LOG.

Pics below - Debbie, with Classic Team Lotus (ex-F1) mechanic, Bob Dance.  Pic #2 - Setting up for the panoramic photo in Colorado Springs, last year.
 

Hi All,


Alan Schulman here. Trying to organize a LOTUS caravan to LOG 36.


I plan on driving up 10ish on Friday. Live in Olney, MD, close to route 95 and route 200 the Intercounty Connector. So far Duncan Black is interested.

-My cell phone is  301-580-5176

Safe travels, Alan

Did I mention this is an event not to miss?  Mark Franke, Debbie & I drove up Thursday, in convoy.  I'll post some pictures of some interesting cars that were early arrivals, but that doesn't begin to describe the experience.  Friends, old and new, as well as people who are a 'big deal' in Lotus history are here.  Arnie Johnson, former CEO of Lotus Cars USA, who was pivotal in convincing Lotus UK that the US needed the Elise.  Speaking of Elise, the woman it was named for is here - Elisa Artioli, granddaughter of Romano Artioli.  Mr. Artioli was (at the time) CEO of Bugatti, who had bought Lotus from GM.  Lotus needed a name for their new car, and, by Lotus tradition, it should start with an 'E'.  He named it Elise!  Bob Dance, former Team Lotus F1 mechanic, and current Classic Team Lotus mechanic is here.  Doc Bundy, Lotus racer, is here.

As for NoVA Lotus folks, in addition to Debbie, me and Mark, Duncan & Rochelle Black are here.  Alan Schulman is here.  Ken Wilson came up last night.  Mark told me he saw Robert Kershner last night.  Mick (Ex-Londoner) is here with his wife.  A good representation!  (Please let me know who I missed!)

I'll leave it to Mark Franke to elaborate, but I believe it's true that you cannot oversell the experience of a LOG.  We will know, later tonight, where next year's LOG will be, and we will let you know here.  It's really not too early to start planning!

--Bob Collum

Some pictures from tonight's banquet at LOG 36.  NoVA Lotus was well represented - Mark Franke took 2nd place at the concours with his Esprit, and I was lucky enough to take first in the Caterham 7 category.

--Bob Collum

Some more pictures from LOG 36 in Princeton...  That's Lotus driver Doc Bundy, helping stage a Lotus gravity racer for the panoramic photo.  A unique Elan.  Rochel & Duncan Black, and Debbie German.

--Bob Collum

I haven't gone through my pictures yet, I only took a couple in the short time I was there. Congrats to Mark and Bob on their victories!

Next year's LOG is in May?? I thought it was always August? I will have to decide between this, "MINIs on the Dragon", and possibly Monaco.

Even though I was only there for a couple of hours, it was good seeing everyone!