For me, the most memorable experience was finally graduating from the Air Force Academy after 5 long years out there. Prep school year plus the 4 at the Academy, it's been the longest, hardest thing I've ever done, and I barely made it. I hate academics! but life as a 2Lt is tons better than as a cadet. I forgot what it was like to be treated as an adult, and not a prisoner
my second biggest memory for this year, was my dad and I going out to Carlisle together. My first national level car show, plus it was with my own car. During the drive, everywhere we stopped, my dad's van was ignored, and everyone gawked at my 'Cuda, and my dad was talking about that, I told him that once we get to the show, my car will be ignored parked next to all the pristine concours cuda's, and his van will get all the attention. I doubt my car got a single vote, my dad took home 2nd place with his van.
The loss of Gary was tragic. Right after the accident, there was a mopar show in Denver at Bandimere race track, and one of our members here (CRT Transmissions?) donated a transmission shield to raffle off, and sent he money to the family. They were making anouncements all day at the show, so everyone at the show knew who Gary was, even if they were members of Moparts.
I met a few moparts members this year, Moparcollector out in Colorado, with about 10 classic mopars, all in various shapes of restoration, from freshly restored to needing new floor pans, drove accross the country with Mark Nixon delivering cars, hanging out at his place for a day, and a few other members at Carlisle, although I missed the main get together that everyone was at.
all in all, I'd say that 2004 was a pretty darn good year.
