Frank... my brother from another mother.... you've just enrolled in the COOLEST four days of your carcrazy life! Without going into too much detail (yeah right) , here's your plan of action:
1. Reliable will be rolling in around noonish on Thursday. Depending on how early everyone at Marvelous MCACN can be allowed access to the convention center dictates how early they can start taking vehicles in. So plan on flying in Thursday late morning. Don't worry about the car if you happen to not be there, but getting in around 11am Thursday ensures you'll probably be there for delivery in the convention center.
2. Proceed via the airport shuttle to the hotel and see about checking in early. Meanwhile, enjoy the holiday festivousness of O'Hare in all its X-mas splendor! In addition to that.... notice all the car guys around you wearing various forms of automotive duds and know you've come to the right place!
3. Wander over to the convention center with your paperwork and get your passes and move in day passes too. Inhale the fumes of massive musclecar mayhem as your retnas detune and start to blur taking this all in.
4. Touch base with your Reliable guy and find out where he is. After that... just wander around and say nothing.... just drool! Meanwhile.... start running into guys from the Yenko site! It's like a long lost dysfunctional family reunion!! So much FREAKIN' fun!!! Repeat Friday... then Saturday.... then Sunday. In this time too.... try and see some cars! That's what Thursday and Friday are for since when the doors open it's like last flight out of Da Nang! Craziness all over!
5. Sunday night, just hang by your car. Go grab a chopped wedge salad to go at Gibson's and wait for your car to get picked up. All the while, watching all the fun as guys move out.
6. Head back to the hotel... enjoy a nice night...and fly out Monday AM. Don't worry.... your car ain't gonna beat you home. You'll get it later that week.
7. Log on to Yenko and post the all to famous "THANK YOU MCACN!!" and "I met so many people but can't remember a thing! " threads!! OMG.... so much fun!!
I think that should answer your questions. Or confuse you even more!
Cheers
Dave