Monday, September 30, 2013

CIC V E-mail to Pre-Registrants 10/1/13: T-Shirt and Event Information!

Hey Everyone, 

If you are reading this e-mail it is because you have pre-registered for Chryslers in the Canyon V.  The event is set for Saturday, October 12th, 2013.

Thank You for Pre-Registering 

I would, on behalf of myself and the rest of the CIC Event Staff, like to Thank You for taking the time to pre-register for this event!  Your pre-registration is an invaluable tool in terms of helping staff members plan classes, awards, and parking.  Invariably, a lot of people don't take the time to pre-register, but your effort is sincerely appreciated and we have tailored the event as best we can around what we learned from your offerings.  Most folks have "multiple Mopars" and the show's turnout can change from Darts and Dusters, to Chargers and Roadrunners, to E-Bodies and late model Challengers depending on which Mopar is selected to attend.  Clearly, we want the awards to reflect the show field as best they can...That is only accomplished with Pre-Registration, which is once more, why we appreciate you taking the time to help us make this event the best it can be for everyone involved!

Chryslers in the Canyon V T-Shirts: Available Now

Before we get into the event details, I wanted to let you know that Chryslers in the Canyon V Event T-Shirts are now available on the AAM Webstore: http://www.cafepress.com/amarilloareamopars Hopefully you've already seen the posts on the AAM Forum, News Page, CIC Website, and across social media.  If you order now, you should have your shirts in BEFORE Chryslers in the Canyon V.  If you miss out, the good news is these will always be available and ready to print online.

I must stress this...CIC V T-Shirts will ONLY be available ONLINE.  We will not have the shirts "on site" this year.  I have ordered in several sample products from Cafe Press and have been very surprised with their quality.  They are a reputable and well known company with high regards given to their customer service.  

This year's artwork features one of our Winners from last year, Joe's 1968 Dodge Dart GTS.  I had the design done by my friend Courtney and she set it up specifically for the printing process at Cafe Press.  Courtney works for a high end design firm in Dallas and you can see that in her work here.

You can find the Official Chryslers in the Canyon V Event T-Shirts here:

You can order your CIC V Event T-Shirt via this link:

Friday and Saturday Night Activities: Your Input Requested

For those of you coming in from out-of-town...We want to know when you'll be here?  Are you taking off Friday and will get in for dinner, or are you heading out early Saturday and planning to stay the night?  Whatever you are doing, we want to make your full stay here in town the best it can be...Let us know when you are coming, how long you are staying, and when you'd like to have some "extra" activity and we can make it happen.

We can set up anything from a simple dinner to a cruise around town.  Fast food, the Big Texan, local favorites...whatever you are up for, we can make happen.  That said, we need to know what you want to do!  Feel free to post up on the forum, or respond to this email and we will try to set something up for you!

Any Questions?  Hotels, Other Activities, Show Concerns?

If you need any information on the event, you have a few options:

Check out the Official Chryslers in the Canyon Website: http://chryslersinthecanyon.amarilloareamopars.com/

Sign up on the Forum and Post Your Questions: http://www.amarilloareamopars.com/phpBB3

Or, you can simply e-mail me back at this address amarilloareamopars@yahoo.com and I will do my best to help you out.

Whether you are wondering where a good place to stay is, where to park your trailer, or if there is anything for your other family members to do before and after the show, we will be glad to help you out.  

Our goal remains to help everyone have the best time they possibly can...

A Little Info on the Show

This is our Fifth Annual Chryslers in the Canyon event.  We have grown every year and continue to make improvements along the way.  We truly believe this is the Best Mopar Show in the Country.  There is no red tape, no politics, no general bs, and more importantly...no excessive fees!  Car Shows have gotten to a point that the "cheap" ones are pushing $20-30.  If you've attended any "All Mopar" shows you know $25 is the norm and the larger events often push $75-$100+ just to get in..more to show...and even more to race or set up a swap space.  

FREE ALL MOPAR SHOW: Chryslers in the Canyon, or CIC as many AAMers refer to it, takes that format and flips it upside down.  You pay NOTHING to enter the show...all you have to do is show up and have fun.  There is a park entry fee $5 per person (although they sometimes give us a discount), but it is well worth the price.

BEST SETTING FOR A SHOW: Do you grow tired of run down fair grounds, or hot, mall parking lots?  Chryslers in the Canyon takes place in scenic Palo Duro Canyon State Park.  If you've never been think of the Grand Canyon, but on a smaller scale.  You will get incredible shots of your Mopar in the canyon.  And if you don't want to do it, Della will!

PROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHER ON SITE: Unlike some events, which aren't even archived via pictures, CIC V is fortunate enough to have Della Moyer on site.  Della shoots the entire event, and will even do "special" sessions with your Mopar, you and your Mopar, the family and the Mopar, or any combination thereof...She is quick to upload the pictures and you can then order them on her Smug Mug site.  It is very easy, they ship quick, and you will have those once-in-a-lifetime photos of your Mopar to display year round.

YOUTUBE VIDEO: In addition to Della being on site to get pictures of the event and your Mopar, we take entry videos that will chronicle your Mopar coming down into the canyon...Similarly, we get walkaround videos of the entire show field.  You can view these for free, anytime, on our YouTube Channel.

AWARDS: For a free show, CIC V offers a lot of hardware.  If you bring a great Mopar to the event, you are likely to go home with some hardware.

Chrysler Power: Chrysler Power will once again be represented on site and you just might see your car in the magazine...

Door Prizes and Surprises: We have a few more tricks up our sleeves...Guess you'll just have to show up to see what they are!

Event Details

What: Chryslers in the Canyon V
When: Saturday, October 12th, 2013 10 AM - 3:40 PM
Where: Palo Duro Canyon State Park
How Much: $5 Per Person Park Entry Fee, No Charge for the Show

Meet Up and Cruise to the Canyon

We will meet up Saturday, October 12th, 2013 at the Walmart Parking Lot (1701 N. 23rd Street).  This is located right off of Interstate 27 and Hunsley Road (FM 3331) as you head South towards Canyon.  If you leave Amarillo southbound you will see Kimbrough Memorial Stadium to your left (east)...it is where West Texas A&M University plays football.  As you begin to go downhill, Hunsley Road is your next exit to the right (west).  Walmart is right there.  We will meet in the southeast corner of the parking lot...We should have a few cars out early to ensure you spot them.

From here, we will begin dispatching cars in small groups.  We will take Hunsley Road (FM 3331) East Bound across I27 until we hit Washington Avenue (FM 1541).  This is a nice, long stretch of Farm-to-Market roadway with very little traffic.  At the intersection with Washington you will turn right (south bound) and continue on until the stop light.  At the light you will turn left (east bound) and this puts you on State Highway 217...which conveniently takes you to where it ends, Palo Duro Canyon State Park's main gate.

I have to stress that all these roads are paved, very low traffic, and even the parks roads are smooth, paved surfaces.  There are no stretches of unpaved road or water crossings on the way to the show lot!  Once at the gate you will simply tell them you are there for the show (most of the staff members will know this and likely be excited to see what you are driving and inquire where you are from).  You now have the parks paved roads to lead you downhill (have passengers ready with a camera to capture the sights!) and once you get to the bottom, you will see a big building on the left side of the road...This is where the show is taking place.  Pull in and try to park with other cars similar to yours (ie if you are in a 69 Superbee look for other B-Bodies).  We should have CIC Staff to help direct you, but if not, look for someone similar to your ride and head that way.  If you have a trailer, just drive another 20 or so feet past the lot's entry and turn right...This will take you to our overflow lot for trailers to park etc.  You are welcome to unload your car on the show lot, or let it rumble in from across the street.

Somewhere on the downhill drive, or at the lot's entry, I'll be set up to film you pulling in to the lot.  The lady with the giant camera that will motion for you to stop real quick is Della.  If you want any special shots of you and your car done later, just look for her and let her know.

Setup and Registration

Once on the lot feel free to set your car up, check out all the other rides, and have a good time!  We have reserved the Mack Dick Pavilion once again and you can find outdoor shade all around the building and if you need a restroom, simply head inside.  It is air conditioned and we will have tables and chairs set up for folks to relax.

We do ask that you register for the show.  We will have two items for you to fill out: a notebook and dash card.  The notebook simply asks for your name, contact info, and distance you drove to the show.   The dash cards let you pen your name and pertinent car info.  Why do we do this?  Simple...we give awards!  If you have come in from out-of-town, we won't know who you are...We want the awards to be a surprise, so instead of having to ask around and tip you off, it will be a surprise when we call out "John, 1971 Cuda, Rio Rancho, NM" etc.  Just more exciting that way, is it not?  The notebook is optional, but we need to know who gets the Long Hauler, so if you came in from out-of-the-area we encourage you to sign in!

Lunch

Lunch will be up to you...You can have a big breakfast before the show, bring down a sandwich, plan on a Texas sized supper, or whatever floats your boat. You can eat on the lot, or inside the pavilion.

Restrooms

As mentioned, restrooms are inside the pavilion.  We ask that you enter the pavilion to use them...There are outside doors to the restrooms, but they need to stay locked.  Staff will routinely lock them should they become unlocked.


Have Fun!

We can't stress enough that the #1 Goal with Chryslers in the Canyon is to simply have fun.  We want you to enjoy yourself and head home with great stories.  In turn, we hope that next year when you come back, a friend or two will join you.  We have relied on this grassroots, word-of-mouth method to grow the event and it has worked wonderfully...The reason for the success?  People are having fun!!  If you see a car you like, talk to the owner.  Build networks, take pictures, fish for leads on parts and cars..That is the point of the event...to get like minded people together in one place and to have fun with it!

Awards

This is probably the toughest part of the day...We will start the awards as soon as possible, but the target time remains 3:40 PM.  We will ebb and flow with the day, so it could be sooner, or it could be right on the dot.  If you need to leave early, please let us know.  We generally present awards to folks that stay.  If something causes you to have to leave early and we had already slated the awards, we might ask you to stay a quick second so we can present you with your hardware.  For everyone else, we hope you stick around and have a good time!

Winners

If you do win an award, we would like to ask that you head across the street to the overflow lot for a special picture with Della.  These pictures will not only chronicle your win online, but they could very well be seen in some Mopar magazines!

Donations

Chryslers in the Canyon V is FREE.  You pay no show entry fee, no fees to be eligible for awards, and nothing else out of pocket.  That said, there is a small group of AAMers that make up the CIC V Staff.  In addition to working the event, these folks account for all of the funds needed to make the show happen. Awards add up fast and the pavilion is certainly not rented out for free.  If you had a good time, we would like to ask that you help us continue to be able to make the event better by chipping in...While we realize most shows run you a lot, donations of $5 and $10 are appreciated and will be put towards more awards, or reserving the pavilion for next year.  There will be a honey bear plastic container you can put your donation in...Again, not mandatory and it will in no way impact your chances to win...But anything is appreciated.

After the Show

A lot of the CIC Staff will be staying late to clean up the pavilion.  That said, if you need directions, a suggestion for dinner or anything along those lines feel free to ask....we are glad to help.

There may be an "official" after the show event (See above), if so we will post it up!

Once you are home, early in the week you should start to see pictures and videos turn up online...I will e-mail you all the link to Della's CIC V SmugMug as soon as she has it ready.  This is where you can preview and order your event photos.  You can also check the CIC Website, AAM Forum, and our various social media presences for other pics and the YouTube videos.  A week or so after the event I will email you with a wrap up including the Winners, Pictures, Videos, etc.

Conclusion

Hopefully that brings you up to speed on all the latest.  I can't stress enough that this year's CIC V T-Shirts will NOT be available on site, and will only be available ONLINE.  We fell like this is an improvement and I know you will be impressed with the quality screen printing from Cafe Press.  Similarly, if you have any questions or concerns, just let us know!  We would also appreciate any insights on your travel plans so we can try to set up Friday or Saturday night events for you to enjoy.

This is shaping up to be another great time...We've got around 100 pre-registered for the show and based on how many local folks I know have not pre-registered, but will be there, it is adding up to be a very solid gathering of Mopars from all eras!  If you have any friends on the fence, prod them to come out and have fun.  The show season has already slowed down...you've got to get your fun in while you can!  As we like to say, "If you don't have a good time at Chryslers in the Canyon...we'll refund your money!"  That is something I stand behind!!  

Once again, a big thanks to everyone for taking the time to pre-register...it is much appreciated and truly does help us set the event up as best we can.  We are 11 days out now and it is going to be a good time!  Thank you for your interest and let us know if you have any questions!


Lance "TexasStroker"
Founder, Amarillo Area Mopars
www.amarilloareamopars.com
Chryslers in the Canyon: All Mopar Cruise and Show
http://chryslersinthecanyon.amarilloareamopars.com
Lone Star Mopars
www.lonestarmopars.com
Mopar 10 Registry
www.mopar10registry.com

Wednesday, September 25, 2013

Chryslers in the Canyon V: Official Event T-Shirts Available Now!

Well, as promised, you can now order in your Official Chryslers in the Canyon V T-Shirts!

Just head over to the AAM Storefront and click on the Chryslers in the Canyon V Section:
http://www.cafepress.com/amarilloareamopars/10436288

The shirts are all designed on white, as it was voted the color of choice.

The AAM Logo is on the Front, Left Chest and the back features the full rendering of Courtney's custom artwork!

These shirts are screen printed, so they are a step up from an iron on, or vinyl transfer look and should keep you cooler in the summer months.

I have ordered one in, had no issues with the order process, had the shirt in about a week, and it passed my scrutiny.  Here is what the artwork looks like on a real shirt:


You can also see it up close in a quick, video review:

<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="344" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/YbrbuErWeNg" width="459"></iframe>

There are of course other CIC Products up for order like some CIC V Stickers and various water bottles etc.  You can find more info on those products here: http://home.amarilloareamopars.com/

I can only personally vouch for what I have ordered in...so far the finish and initial quality has been very good.  When ordering, what you see is what you get.  If you see a product and the design doesn't look right, or up to your standards you have two-optoins: Don't order it, or buy it and hope for the best.

If you have any questions feel free to ask.  Cafe Press is a very reputable third party retailer and as much as I would like to stay "local" it has proven far too difficult to find someone that is into shirts/stickers etc, will take on work, does their job, and actually does it well.  I foresee no issues with Cafe Press and if you have any trouble, you can contact them directly and should get your issue resolved in a quick and professional manner.

If you want to see the CIC V Shirt, or any other of the merchandise I have ordered in let me know and I will try to make it happen.  If you order now you should have your CIC V Merchandise in BEFORE the October Cruise Night.

Hope you enjoy it, and again, a big thanks to Courtney for designing the CIC V Artwork for us!

Monday, September 23, 2013

Chryslers in the Canyon V T-Shirt Artwork by Courtney

With a few folks asking, we figured now was as good a time as any to let you in on the artwork for Chryslers in the Canyon V's T-Shirts.

You can expect order information and a preview of the finished product sometime in the next few days.

We took our Chrysler Power Magazine, Best Classic Mopar Winner, Joe, and pinned his 1968 Dodge Dart GTS against a canyon setting with the iconic lighthouse.

All artwork was designed and rendered by Courtney.  If you like her work and have a project in mind, send me the details and I will forward it on to her.  She stays pretty busy, but will take on extra projects as she is able...Advanced notice is key.  She is currently employed by a high-profile design firm and I know you won't be disappointed with her work.

With that said, here is what Courtney came up with:


Pretty snazzy, is it not?

We opted to place the AAM Logo on the Front, Left Chest:


And the CIC V Artwork Centered on the Back:


I have a sample shirt in-hand and will post up some pictures of the final product once everything is set up for ordering.

For now, feel free to grab the artwork and set it up as your Avatar on any Forums, Twitter, or User Pictures on Social Networking sites like Google + and Facebook.

A big thanks to Courtney for helping us out by making the CIC V Artwork for the shirts!






Friday, September 20, 2013

Chryslers in the Canyon V: Have You Seen Us in Mopar Muscle?

Hopefully you have been staying busy this Summer, but as Fall rolls around and the days get shorter there is more time to sit back and enjoy some print publications to get your Mopar fix.

And, if you have been doing just that, you likely noticed Chryslers in the Canyon V listed in the last few copies of Mopar Muscle!  If not, check it out here...

This is the November 2013 Cover...It is on newsstands now for $5.99:


If you turn to Page 79, you will find a listing for 
Chryslers in the Canyon V:


Not too shabby, eh?

Please remember to keep spread the word about Chryslers in the Canyon.  This is a true, grassroots event and we get the best turnout by word of mouth from past attendees.  That said, many thanks to Mopar Muscle for taking the time to include us in the listings!

If you can't find the magazine locally, you can get an e-subscription online.  Just head over to Mopar Muscle's website and take in all your options:


If you're a subscriber, let them know you want MMM at CIC V to enjoy it with you!  Chrysler Power will be there ;)


Sunday, September 15, 2013

CIC V Updates: 75 + Pre-Registered for a Great Time

Well folks, earlier this week we clipped the 75 mark in terms of pre-registration!

An awful lot of the folks that pre-registered are coming in from out of the area...While it would be great if we had the local crowd pre-register at the same clip, you have to realize that this does one key thing...

It bodes very well for yet another great turnout!


In the past, it has not been uncommon to see actual turnout outpace pre-registration by 20-60%.  In fact, our best turnout more than doubled pre-registration!

We never know what will happen until the day of the show, but we can all work towards spreading the word and getting even more folks involved in the action.  I have been to everything from small town shows to big national events and no one does what we do.

Best location in the country, no entry fee, and a guaranteed good time.  Good luck getting that picture of a lifetime at the local strip mall, or fair grounds.

Our goal has been to keep things simple and keep things fun.  We want folks that take time to attend Chryslers in the Canyon to not only make it an annual staple, but tell their friends back home about it...That is just what has happened and that is why each of our past events has been the best yet.  You can expect that trend to continue at CIC V!

Let's take a look at what we currently know:

Chrysler Power is back!

Della Moyer Photography is once again shooting the event and private sessions!

New Mexico, Colorado, Kansas and Oklahoma will all be represented!

Lubbock, Midland, Odessa, Abilene, Dallas, Austin, San Antonio, and more are all sending Mopars!

Mopars from all eras are slated to attend...Nostalgic Race Cars up to Factory Fresh!

Lone Star Mopars Online Magazine will be covering the show and featuring rides!

The famous "rolling car show" videos will return for their 5th Year!

And we have tons more in the works:

CIC V Artwork by Courtney will be revealed later this week!

Shirts and More will be up for order soon!

Several other big announcements are coming!

If you haven't done so, please pre-register:
http://www.amarilloareamopars.com/cicvregistration

Also, feel free to sign up on the forum if you have any questions:
http://www.amarilloareamopars.com/phpBB3/index.php

Stay tuned and please make plans to join us for Chryslers in the Canyon V on Saturday, October 12th, 2013...We guarantee you, your family, and your Mopar will have a great time!