March 27th - Paul Weller and Ferd Carson are arranging a trip to the Home Place Restaurant in Dinwiddie, Virginia. Hope to travel there by back roads, and may invite a couple of other clubs to join us!

April 29 through May 2 - Outer Banks Trip - Make plans now!!! Follow the calendar link for more details!

The Tarheel miata Club will meet at 8:45 on the morning of Saturday, March27th, at the McDonald's located off Highway 29 at Cone Blvd. Cone Blvd. is about 5 miles north of I-85, on the east side of U.S. 29.

Don't be late! We'll leave promptly at 9 o'clock, traveling bu non-interstate highways to Dinwiddie, Virginia. We'll make at least one rest stop, about 10:30, at the Burger King located 1/2 mile west of where U.S. 58 and U.S. 360 split in South Boston, VA. If you plan to join the caravan there, let us know so we won't leave without you.

From South Boston, we'll continue on to Dinwiddie, where we'll arrive about 1:30 for lunch at the Home Place Restaurant. The return trip by Interstate highway should take about 2 1/2 hours.

Greg griffith will lead members from the Raleigh area, who will meet at the Wake Forest McDonalds (Rt. 98 and U.S. 1) at 10:45 and depart at 11:00.

RSVP to Ferdinand Carson (336-292-8878) by March 20. Raleigh members also RSVP Greg (919-859-3077).

Paul Weller told Tarheel Tireprints that he has reserved spaces for eight lucky cars for our four-day trip to the Outer Banks on Thursday, April 29 through Sunday, May 2. Paul has the eight rooms blocked until April1, 1999. There may be extra rooms available after that, but you are taking your chances if you do not make reservations now! Be sure to follow the calendar link (above).

Got an idea for the newsletter? Give me a call. I take notes over the phone pretty good. My phone number is (336)644-0656.

Can you write a technical article? Something that is old hat to you may be a revalation to someone else. Jot it down and mail it to me. Don't worry about spelling and grammar - I'll clean it up. The address is 9 Keppen Trail, Greensboro, NC 27410. The mail is checked almost daily.

A new feature of the newsletter will be reviews of interesting, out-of-the way restaurants. I'd sure like some ideas for that!

I'm looking forward to this new job and hope you'll help me fill Paul Weller's big shoes.

Tarheel Miata Club annual dues are due now, so look for a dues notice in the mail soon. Richard Linko, club treasurer, says the dues will be $25 per car again this year, and you get to participate in all the club events and you receive this great little newsletter in return. Most of the money goes for postage, and to buy insurance for the club.

Richard indicates that the event fee will remain $3.00 per car per event.

Seven Miatas (or was it eight?) and one Explorer visited the Dent Wizard on Saturday, February 27th.

Wally selected a nice dent in Greg's door and invited all the club members to fell the dent. Wally explained the Dent Wizard's process is a trade secret, but it is similar to processes used by Dent Works and other paintless dent repair shops. Wally said that repainting a car harms its value, so paintless dent removal is much better. Dent Wizard is not able to remove all dents, and they'll tell you if a dent is beyond their capability. All work is guaranteed.

After Wally answered several million questions, Sales Writer Christi Alderfer invited the group to the lobby for cookies, chips and dip, and coffee. Club members were not allowed to watch the work being done to Greg's Miata.

After about an hour, Wally announced that he was finished with Greg's car, and there was absolutely no sign that there had ever been a dent in Greg's door! When Greg asked for the bill, Wally said there was no charge since Greg had volunteered his car for this demonstration. Christi provided discount coupons for all the clun members!

Shortly thereafter, the club travelled to Pie Works, where they enjoyed pizzas and fellowship.

Thanks to Paul Weller for arranging the visit to Dent Wizard, and to Ruth Luke for making reservations at Pie Works.

There's no way you could call Mary's Diner "fancy". It's just plain plain.

When I was there in january, Mary's Diner was full of plain working people. It looks like a place that truckers would love -- but, oddly, the truckers don't seem to know about Mary's Diner. Perhaps it is because there is no place to park the big rig.

Anyhow, the food was good and plentiful and served cafeteria style. I chose roast beef, green beans, iced tea, and a tossed salad from the salad bar, and my bill was about $5.50. There's a different menu for each day of the week.

Mary's Diner is located at 1203 Piney Forest Road (that's Business US29 North) in Danville, Virginia. Mary's takes telephone orders (836-0132) and FAX orders (836-2797) and there is a new drive-thru window.

Mary's Diner has been in business since 1951, and the building looks like it, but the food is still good, and I'd recommend it. Open seven days a week.