RE: Joining a club
Chuck, The Central Velley Modelers was one of my clubs and I worked the Castle show for years. I was supposed to work last years show but I said if the gas prices hit to high I couldn't do it. It's over 4 bucks A gallon this year and A 7 hour drive so no I won't be making it. Just the food and lodging now is out of reach and sleeping in my van for four days is way over kill on my body.
No IMAA here at all in my area. I pulled my engine and gear out of my last surviving giant and stuck it in A nice stunt plane because it was too much trouble to haul out A big bipe just for A day of flying.
We do have A club at the north field here that puts on one very good IMAC contest every year and the other club at Bennett field has A 3-d and Electric show. I try to always make it to the IMAC.
NO BIG VENDERS though like Castle had, I sure miss the deals. Plus the auctions we had at the Merced club every year, sometimes A couple A year. Racing, Fun Flys.
And I loved flying at the Fresno Club, good events and one of the better sites I have ever been to.