September 13, 2014



International Drive Your Studebaker Day - Wisconsin Style The Wisconsin Region Studebaker Driver's Club organized a get-together to enjoy International Drive Your Studebaker Day on Saturday, September 13, 2014. The location was a repeat of last year's IDYSD location(s) in East Troy, Wisconsin and it can honestly be said that this was "by popular demand". A total of 21 Studebakers took part (per an "official" tally by Don Shelton and Rick Rechek) in the event. Some came and left at different times, but these Studebakers were driven! We gathered around 11:00 AM this year at J. Lauber's Old Fashion Ice cream Parlor to allow people to board the East Troy Electric Railroad for a ride to a local store / country market named "The Elegant Farmer".and to enjoy the treats at the ice cream parlor. The town was ablaze with activity that day as some participants took advantage of a bluegrass festival held a couple of blocks away on Main Street. others took advantage of a tour of an oven factory that was having an open house. This writer was told the food at the oven factory was worth the trip...but we had name tags to pass out and people to welcome so your author thoroughly enjoyed eating ice cream sundaes and treats in Lauber's Ice Cream Parlor.The owner, John Lauber is a Studebaker collector and had a Studebaker hearse that he owns parked outside the building. The hearse was not used for its original purpose that day although your author thought he was in ice cream heaven. A few members from the Black Hawk chapter in the Chicago area and the Rock River Valley chapter in northern Illinois came to spend the afternoon with members of the Wisconsin Region chapter. At 4 PM we headed our caravan to Gus's Drive-in on the west side of town and parked in a line along Main Street in a large community field across from the restaurant. A welcome addition was a family who was driving to Gus';s in their 1952 Land Cruiser and parked in line with the other Studes when he saw the lineup on the opposite side of the road. The food at Gus's is great and it is a throwback to the 60's or 70's in looks. Gus's has a cruise-in each Saturday evening in the summer and the interaction was a good opportunity to show off the Studebakers and answer questions about our cars and the club. We would like to thank both Lauber's and Gus's for their help and friendliness to make this day a good time. We were one car short of our last year's record of 22 cars, but this year other nearby chapters were organizing smaller events so it appears more of us are taking a good opportunity to get more Studes on the road for people to see. Next year's event has not yet been planned but we plan in carrying on the IDYSD tradition.
Rick Rechek WRSDC
For more pictures of John Lauber's Ice Cream Parlor go here: http://www.studeski.com/2013idysd/2013idysd.htm



Photos submitted by Rick Rechek


Photos submitted by Buzz Beckman