Moving to Tampa

[latamud]

Well, it's official, I finally got the job I wanted and relocating to Tampa. I'm looking forward to getting away from the front plate law. NCFL Viper Club, will be joining you all in a couple weeks. My start date is 9 July.

 

[AbsolutHank]

Congrats buddy....you're gonna have to rent a car carrier to get all your toys down south!

 

[MoparBoyy]

nice, you'll also enjoy being able to drive your car year round. i moved from Chicago a year ago.. best idea ever.

 

[V10SpeedLuvr]

Congrats! I moved to Daytona Beach a month ago. I'm loving it! Hope to see you at a FL event!

 

[3whitevipers]

Welcome to Fla.--you will really enjoy the weather, no emissions testing, no income taxes, and the smooth roads--Dave

 

[ViperPWR]

welcome to Florida!

 

[latamud]

I'll probably be in Tampa in about one week. I'm looking forward to it.

 

[MoparBoyy]

I'll probably be in Tampa in about one week. I'm looking forward to it.

good job missing Debby, i was getting sick of the rain.

 

[2001-V10 Power Nut]

We (NCFL) have a cruise to Sarasota set up for July 7th if your down here already, PM me and I can give you the info. Just a cruise, lunch at Dave & Wendy's, and back, should be fun

 

[latamud]

I've been in town since Friday still settling into the company apartment. I'm off N 12th st downtown for now. I need to find a house that'll handle all my cars. Looking at Lutz, don't care for what I saw in Plant City but might be better buy for what I need. Saw a GTS today jumping onto 275, yellow with white or silver stripes. Tried to catch it but I'm in a mid size rental.

 

[3whitevipers]

latamud--
When you get time PM me and we can meet here in Sarasota. I'm only about 50-60 miles from you depending where you are in Tampa.--Dave

 

[BLUEVIPER]

Ya...and then Dave can PM me and we can all meet up...LOL
Dave #2

 

[latamud]

As soon as I can fid a house I'll be bringing all my toys to Tampa. I left everything in storage in Ohio.

 

[latamud]

So, I moved to Florida last July, had to renew my VCA membership recently, do the funds go to national or to regional? Who do I need to talk to when changing region membership? My avatar still shows Ohio. It's all the same to me.

If I get time to run to Sarasota I'll look you guys up. I'll be home briefly in about a week.

Ya...and then Dave can PM me and we can all meet up...LOL
Dave #2

latamud--
When you get time PM me and we can meet here in Sarasota. I'm only about 50-60 miles from you depending where you are in Tampa.--Dave

 

[denniskgb]

Guys what's wrong with 30 degree weather and rain and sleet

 

[Venomiss]

So, I moved to Florida last July, had to renew my VCA membership recently, do the funds go to national or to regional? Who do I need to talk to when changing region membership? My avatar still shows Ohio. It's all the same to me.

If I get time to run to Sarasota I'll look you guys up. I'll be home briefly in about a week.

Email [email protected] with your information and choice of VCA region.
We will make it happen for you!

 

[latamud]

Thank you Venomiss.

 

[LadyCruzer]

Hi there! It's good to hear from you again. Didn't you come to the Dodge dealership for lunch /car show in the Sanford area last year? You are showing up on my list as a member of the Central/North Florida club. Have you been getting our emails about the 2 events in March ? They are both posted on the forums. Please come join us if you can... would love to see you and glad you're back home safe and sound !

 

[v10enomous]

So where do you have to go in Florida to get a decent reasonably priced home on a couple of acres or more ? Something with privacy Where are all these fire sale foreclosures and short sales people talk about ?

 

[latamud]

Yes, I was changing contracts, going through new hire orientation/house hunting before I left. I was the guy in the rental wishing I had my Viper that day. My wife, Enny, isn't much of a car person, she tolerates it to compromise for me. I do receive the emails thank you and I do pay attention. I'm coming home in a week but not getting much down time, still have to move stuff from Ohio, then come back out here. Not really going to get much rest and relaxation. I'm aware of the upcoming events but pretty sure I can't make it. I think September is going to be my final homecoming though, I'll be more active in the future. So much life passing by, we only get so many summers to enjoy driving. I'm eventually going to hit up the opentrack events MTGTS organizes.
I can't wait to get home. I'm sleeping in an airport terminal for a week waiting for my rotator flight out. I think this is the same feeling of car withdrawal I had that day at the dealership.
I asked about the regional status because under my user name to the left it still shows me in Ohio VCA, Venomiss set me up for success.

Hi there! It's good to hear from you again. Didn't you come to the Dodge dealership for lunch /car show in the Sanford area last year? You are showing up on my list as a member of the Central/North Florida club. Have you been getting our emails about the 2 events in March ? They are both posted on the forums. Please come join us if you can... would love to see you and glad you're back home safe and sound !

 

[latamud]

So where do you have to go in Florida to get a decent reasonably priced home on a couple of acres or more ? Something with privacy Where are all these fire sale foreclosures and short sales people talk about ?

Well, my mom lives in the panhandle and she's working on buying a short sale. I bought my house outside of Tampa, got it for about half what it sold for in 2007, but that was when the market tanked. I was looking for acreage where I could set up shop and house all my cars. I settled for suburbia again but my wife and I are very happy with the community and the house. Outside of land we got everything we wanted in a house and then some.

You must be registered for see images attach

Had the lifts installed 1 day, garage doors raised 18" the next day. Later that night my cars arrived, a few hours later I was on a plane to Afghanistan.

I spent a couple weeks with my realtor. We found a lot of foreclosures. I'd really like a few acres with coverage and put up a steel building to do all my mad science. About 25% of the houses in my neighborhood are owner abandoned foreclosures. The previous owner of my house was a doctor that moved to Midwest. She upgraded to a 8000 sqft house.

 

[LadyCruzer]

I do remember meeting you and Enny ! Actually you are still showing up for the Ohio region, so when it is convenient, please email the [email protected] address to request that you be changed to the Central /North Florida chapter. I had added you to our email list, but you are not actually assigned to our region yet. Sleeping in an airport terminal for a week sounds like a challenge !
It's great to hear that you plan on being actively involved when get all settled in. A bunch of us always show our cars at the Lake Mirror Classic car show in downtown Lakeland in October ( usually the 2nd or 3 rd weekend) We all go out to dinner at our favorite local italian restaurant on Friday night; some folks will get a hotel room. Others drive back to the car show the next day. We normally have anywhere from 5-8 Vipers there. I am hoping for a lot more this year. Hope you can join us .

 

[latamud]

LOL, saw your email. Venomiss set me up for the proper procedures to change regional status. For anyone finding this, send a written message to [email protected] and they'll work it out.
So, sleeping in an airport, for a week, I actually have experience with this, which makes this a little easier. Back in December I needed a document notarized, and the unit I was supporting would not service that requirement because I'm a contractor so I hade to travel to a larger base. Well, this base I'm at right now and this specific airport at that. I was here for a 2 minute notary signature and it started snowing canceling flights day after day. The first night I slept on the baggage shelves in my sleeping bag. Day two and three I slept sitting on a folding metal chair the coffee shop. Someone told me about the leather chairs in the USO so I slept there the last few days. I finally caught a flight on the 7th day back to my supported unit. I spent 6 days sleeping in a sitting position. It builds character.
I'm sleeping in style this time, lol. I have a bench. This is nothing though. Last year was sleeping bags on the mud under cammo netting in the rain. I eventually graduated to 30 man tent and cot. I love my job. I get to wear cargo pants and gym shoes to work, grow my hair and beard out like a mountain man and still do everything I used to do when I was in uniform, shaving everyday and keeping my hair less than 1/4".

Lol, my iPad wont rotate it, and there a smile in there somewhere.

You must be registered for see images attach

Yes, I would like to make the October get together. I've been in touch with some of the Tampa guys on the side. I'm still in the "this is a new to me car" phase so I'm going to be doing a lot of catching up. Once I brought the Viper down I daily drove it for a few weeks. In Ohio there was a car cruise-in at various locations almost every day of the week during the summer. I'm going to be hitting up a lot of local shows and getting into the car scene in Tampa. I'm also involved with the Tampa MOPAR club. I have a whole new city of roads I still need to learn. Every day is an adventure. So, I have all this wind down time I tend to do more posting. Once I do get settled in, I would like to volunteer and help out with events with the Viper Club.

I do remember meeting you and Enny ! Actually you are still showing up for the Ohio region, so when it is convenient, please email the [email protected] address to request that you be changed to the Central /North Florida chapter. I had added you to our email list, but you are not actually assigned to our region yet. Sleeping in an airport terminal for a week sounds like a challenge !
It's great to hear that you plan on being actively involved when get all settled in. A bunch of us always show our cars at the Lake Mirror Classic car show in downtown Lakeland in October ( usually the 2nd or 3 rd weekend) We all go out to dinner at our favorite local italian restaurant on Friday night; some folks will get a hotel room. Others drive back to the car show the next day. We normally have anywhere from 5-8 Vipers there. I am hoping for a lot more this year. Hope you can join us .

 

[LadyCruzer]

Wow! I love your upbeat attitude about your airport living conditions. Most people would be complaining and crying in their beer, but you have found come silver linings. Inspirational! I certainly would not have recognized you! You look totally different with all that hair--lol!We are going to keep you busy in your Viper and with the club when you get home. I appreciate your offer to help -- and I'll take you up on it !

 

[LadyCruzer]

You won't believe this ,but we have a brand new member in Sarasota named Rachel. She is also in Afghanistan and is coming home around August! She bought a black 2006 SRT10 coupe that she hasn't even seen yet ! I asked her to get signed up on the forums and look for "latamud." We 'll plan on having an event for you guys when you both get home later in the year. Until then, I hope your luxurious bench at the airport has provided you with a bit more comfort. Stay safe and we'll talk soon!

 

[latamud]

Well, I'm a glutton for punishment. I ran into an old friend last night and he hooked me up with a warm place with a bed near the terminal. I only slept two nights on the bench lol. I think we've all experienced moments of discomfort that we put up with to get to the next point in life. I know I'll be home in 5 days, nothing can ruin that. I fly out in 4 days with a layover in Dubai. I have been trying to meet up with one of our club members that lives out there. We keep missing each other due to schedule issues but I think I'll make it work this September. On my way back through Dubai in April I'm meeting up with one of the SRT-10 truck guys out there. I'll take lots of pics.
That's very cool to hear about Rachel. That's how I bought my Viper, 6 months before I was able to drive it. Lets do something for her when she gets back. Randall and the Ohio chapter already went out of their way for me during MOPAR Nationals for my first club event. I sat next to Marv Spatz and had a great conversation. I looked him up later that night, he's our club national president. I pretty much bought up all the auction items that day too. I have a man cave and garage to arrange in the new house. I had my day. Let Rachel have hers.

 

[latamud]

Well, I'm a glutton for punishment. I ran into an old friend last night and he hooked me up with a warm place with a bed near the terminal. I only slept two nights on the bench lol. I think we've all experienced moments of discomfort that we put up with to get to the next point in life. I know I'll be home in 5 days, nothing can ruin that. I fly out in 4 days with a layover in Dubai. I have been trying to meet up with one of our club members that lives out there. We keep missing each other due to schedule issues but I think I'll make it work this September. On my way back through Dubai in April I'm meeting up with one of the SRT-10 truck guys out there. I'll take lots of pics.
That's very cool to hear about Rachel. That's how I bought my Viper, 6 months before I was able to drive it. Lets do something for her when she gets back. Randall and the Ohio chapter already went out of their way for me during MOPAR Nationals for my first club event. I sat next to Marv Spatz and had a great conversation. I looked him up later that night, he's our club national president. I pretty much bought up all the auction items that day too. I have a man cave and garage to arrange in the new house. I had my day. Let Rachel have hers.

 

[LadyCruzer]

Marv is a terrific guy, and I 'll get to see Randall when he's in Sebring on the 16th. I am SO glad to hear that these 2 guys took good care of you for the MOPAR nationals. The Viper "family" is a wonderful thing ! Yes, we wil definitely do something for Rachel when she gets in . Safe travels, may you have warm beds from hereon. Let me know when you 're officially back in the states safe and sound.

 

[Marv S]

You are going to really enjoy the Central Florida Region. Active with a variety of fun events. Lots of energy and great people. Your SC Viper will feel instantly at home. Hope you get some time to spend on your projects.

It was really enjoyable getting to know you in Ohio and cannot say enough thanks for your service to the country both while active and after.