May Day, May Day.........Hello everyone! I hope that all is well in the world of SAAB out there. This month has to prove more weather friendly and predictable than the last. Then again, in which state do most of us reside?

I would like to begin by thanking everyone who both organized the event, and those who participated in the first annual Mississippi SAAB Tour, sponsored by Meyer Garage, Andrews of Princeton, and The SAAB Club of North America. Despite the pouring rain, snow, and wind, there was a field of thirteen (13) brave and rugged souls, from four different states that attended from all over the country. There were cars of interest from a two week old '02 9-5 wagon, to Aaron Erickson's 376K mile, '85, 8 valve 900. There were even a couple of convertibles that showed up (tops up of course) One adventurous soul even flew in from Maine! It's too bad the weather kept so many people from attending the drive, as earlier feedback indicated that over 30 cars would have been present. Anyone up for a fall tour called SAABtoberfestmidwest? All of the details and photos will be submitted for inclusion in the next issue of "NINES" magazine. Thanks again to Chad Payne and Paul Ellis for all of their efforts!

Other successful fun filled events include the SAAB Club of Iowa meeting in Fort Dodge, Iowa at Tom Donney motors, April 13th. Good friends, food, and stories once again proved a great time. Thanks again to Tom and crew for the fine hospitality! You can check their current SAAB inventory @ http://www.donneysaab.com.

The adopt-a-highway cleanup April 20th was enjoyable as usual. Eleven of us had the opportunity once again to stretch our legs and help out the environment to boot! We had the usual club sponsored breakfast at "Little Oscar's" and shared many good stories. Thanks to all who showed up, and thanks to those who were there in spirit on that chilly morning. ; )

This month's program will be provided by Stew Roberts, of The Foreign Service in Roseville. Stew will be covering SAAB care regarding regular maintenance and service intervals for both your newer and vintage SAABs, along with some very useful tips and knowledge. Other related topics may include the use of silicone brake fluid in SAABs, and the discussion of Stew's custom electric powered truck if anyone is interested! For next month's program we will have a special guest officer who will discuss the finer points of speeding. He will provide the perspective of your local and state constabulary, and will touch on how to try and avoid a ticket once you are caught! (Besides slowing down that is)

Let it be known, that this will be our waitress Paula's last evening with us. Paula has been our friendliest, quickest, and sharpest waitress we have had yet. She is going back to her home town of Albert Lea to get married in June, and start a family. There will be a card for everybody to sign, and a little "Thank you" or extra gift of some kind would be very well received. Thanks, Paula!

Shane Donohue asserts that we have a positive cash balance in the club treasury, and more is welcome anytime! We would like to reiterate the fact that the monthly club meetings are open to the general public, and all are welcome. If you would like to attend, the meetings are held on the first Thursday of every month (except July), at 7:30 P.M. The location is at the Ground Round in Roseville, MN, next to the Har Mar Mall. Thanks, Shane.

-May 26, The Yudchitz first annual open house and swap meet. Bring your vintage SAAB parts to sell or trade with your fellow SAAB buddies. Friends and family are welcome to participate. Enjoy the scenic drive to Stevens Point, Wisconsin for what will prove to be a fun time. Activities include the parts swap, special Swedish rally driver guest speaker, good food, car show, photo contest, scenic rural tour, tech talks,

-June 8, Andrews 29th Anniversary Annual Open House, in Princeton, Minnesota (just 45 minutes north of the cities). This fantastic all day event has been a favorite among midwest SAAB owners for many years. Among the day's events will be a SAAB concours, SAAB parade as part of the local Rum River Festival, scenic rally-tour, fantastic Swedish food, tech sessions, distinguished guests, parts sales, a special vintage parts auction containing the balance of Eric Johnson's two-stroke collection, awards ceremony, and so much more! For further details, you can check out their website @ www.andrewsofprinceton.com. Be sure to attend!

Have you visited the club website lately? You can do so by visiting www.mnsaabclub.org. Check out the latest events calendar, newsletters, member pages, web links, and soooo much more! Please feel free to submit your photos and contributions to be posted on the site. Thanks, Jason!

Have you registered for the national SAAB convention in August? Believe it or not, the 1,200 registrations that were open are filling up fast! Don't delay, sign up today! For more details, you can visit the SCNA site @ www.saabclub.com. This will be a huge 20th Anniversary event in Cincinatti that you shouldn't miss!