The American leading magazine for personalized cars “Hot Rod magazine” puts on every year a tour for there subscribers… this tour is about 1700 miles cross country and passed this year Mid America only two days after their annual Vw Funfest… as we had lots of business talk on Monday we decided to add an extra day to see what this hype is all about… if we where blown away is an understatement, try to imagine to check out 3500 cars in roughly two hours and an half….

yes we are….

mainly what’s happens is that all cars rolled in, one by one, had a quick tour around Mid America premises, lined up for the complimentary lunch and continued the ride of that day….

stunning beauty’s, wowh! all kind of Hot rods here, from brand new cars, Rods, street rods, muscle cars, Rat rods, even a beetle and an over-sized radio flyer…. here is a overview from cars we liked the most and pictures came out the best…:)

the one and only beetle on the whole tour….

Power You can relay on, sleek lines as a pleasure for the eye…

oh yeah they like pink….

can You imagine this on public roads in Europe?  The USA is still the country of automotive freedom! Now this is my favourite size of radio flyer for the next swapmeets!

rat rod style, hmmmmm

Chevrolet Bel Air, they had any year and any color attending, just massive!

the cover car for this years tour!

oh yeah, pick ups are cool!

 was the Magic Bus not a VW bus? hmmm The Who would think different suppose, but this looked cool for sure, Magic on its own…Scooooooby Doooooo!

Hot Rod pur sang!

 If You want to know more about this tour just follow the daily reports on

http://www.hotrod.com/2012/powertour

Mike Yager was so kind to “loan” us his corvette to attend the show in style, sorry Mike I put it in a container and shipped it home, it drove just way to nice, unbelievable performance, and even better brakes! How can we ever thank You!

all good songs to come an end, we have to continue the trip, driving by sunset from Effingham to Chicago by train, another experience, very relax and extreme enjoyable…. don’t jump on this impressive freight train, but take  the next one…. the Amtrak…

what a weekend in the Midwest! we will never forget, to all friends, buddy’s that became half family or more more thanks a lot guy’s! especially Bill, Brian, Mike Laurie, Richard, Blake, Michael, You guys are really unbelievable! the Midwest experience…. we have to re-experience any time fast!

Still in service in a shopping mall somewhere in Sao Paolo Brasil! This old lady sells frozen Yogurt…

We attended Funfest 2012, in Effingham Illinois a VW show organised by Midamerica Motorworks owned by the Yager family.

What can I say? amazing? blown away? extreme well done? After almost 30 years prominent part of the VW community this was one of the best organised shows EVER! Unbelievable, mind blowing, yes indeed, The Yager family knows how to trow a party!

This year was the celebration 40 years after the 15th million beetle produced…

 oh yeah we like combo’s!

 Clean green spotted our attention!

 I was invited to a panel to speak and discuss “collector thoughts” about our VW hobby….. a real experience, especially when not in your own native tongue, but I survived! Definitely something we can do on some European show as well! Steve, the moderator, (completly on the right side here) did a fantastic job!

 Now to attend and become member of BBG busclub of Wisconsin (Wisconsin is called the Diary state) a new member has to wear a cow uniform for entry…. I weared mine with pride! and became full member, other advantages, I can now pay bills in Wisconsin with cheese, as that’s their main product! Altough I warned I will never ever except cheese as a payment for BBT parts!….:) we had a lot of fun all over the weekend, thanks God I didn’t had to walk around the crazy cow uniform the whole weekend! MOOOOOOOOOOOOEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!

 Now that’s a combo…..

 In the Midwest custom is still big! one better as the other, I thought this was a cool lookin’ BUG!

 Hippie style, pure sang!

 Wowh, what low, little creature….. looks cool huh?

 Niiiice!

 all judges and special guests been driven by Mike Yager himself as driver on the Mid America train to the main stage for Saturday evening entertainment…..

 Mainstage Saturday evening act was Eliminator, the ZZ top tribute band, it was just wonderful! Back in time! Good music, beer, all was there, wasn’t it Blake???? YEEEEAAAAAH!

 Offcourse Mike arranged a back stage visit, meet and greet and picture with the band, Mike arranges just EVERYTHING!

On Sunday the fun continued! We just loved this Bus!

Saturday as Sunday I was Celebrity judge and had to pick my choice of the day, Sunday i picked this 1957 oval window, made over 20 years ago, pure, like we love it! Real Cal look from 30 years ago started the whole new inspiration and the VW movement in Europe, hence the importance!  The picture shows my friend Richard who bought the car from the previous owners, a very nice and gentle couple of Tennessee.

all nice things comes to an end, Sunday afternoon, trailers where loaded, tow bars been strapped, we all drive home…. nice sight for us Europeans, the nice oval window convertible pulled by the big pick up truck…:)

 Mike, Laurie, Blake, Michael, Richard, the whole Mid America team, and everybody else we might forget, thanks so much for this weekend! your show is TOPNOTCH  and a MUSTRVISIT during VW life, final! When people ask me, I Will say they have to stop by the Mid (america)West…:) You guys really know what “organising” a show really means!!! Thanks for hospitality, thanks for being our customer, friends and almost family! Just Thanks for everything, I can even not describe with any words…. AWESOME! Congratulations, thanks for one of the best VW weekends of my life!