Monday, August 27, 2012

Rain....a four letter word!


Rain again.  Friday the weather guessers said rain was south near Richmond where we were going so we decided to attend the Fredericksburg Classic and Muscle Car Club’s weekly cruise at VA BBQ in Fredericksburg, VA.  The food there does not agree with Linda or me so we decided to try someplace else on the way to the cruise.  Since we go the “back” way to the cruise and we drive right past a couple places to eat…we decided to try Family Diner, next to Carl’s Ice Cream on Princess Anne St.  We have had some friends tell us of this eatery but for some reason we never tried it….our mistake!  The food was great; the service was attentive and pleasant….and the prices were in line with “Diner” food.  But in my opinion the quality of the food was way above “Diner” food!  In fact we returned Saturday to try some different choices on the menu….another home run!  That was one of the reasons we hadn’t attended the local cruise in a while…it was just too difficult figuring out the food part….not anymore!

I think Friday was the first time I ever went anywhere and forgot a camera….I always travel with one.  But the voices didn’t remind me to take one so I can’t even prove that we were there!  The cruise was attended by 35-45 vehicles….some parking and staying, some just cruising through.  Coach was playing his really cool music all night.  I liked the red & white International 4WD Fire/Crash truck that was very nicely done.  Unfortunately I didn’t roam around much because the Princess and the other ladies formed a circle and started talking….and I didn’t want to miss anything! Hehehe  We cruised home about 9PM and the cooler weather is much appreciated….especially without the rain.

Saturday we were going to cruise to Manassas BK but the rain was intermittent and we didn’t want to chance driving in the rain.  So we got a small group together and invaded Family Diner again, in our daily drivers!  Soon after we were seated some other ‘car’ friends came by to eat too!  We found out that the Diner was hosting a cruise every Saturday….?  Right across the street in a vacant, paved, tree lined lot!  Right across the street from Carl’s Ice Cream!  Hmmmm  I think we may start attending this cruise on Saturdays since we cannot attend the Stafford deals anymore.  This will be great to have something this close and so close to good food….did I mention that the nationally renowned Carl’s Ice Cream is right across the street?  Ice Cream is, after all, one of the 7 basic food groups so you will make the Administration and the USDA sooooo happy if you come out and consume your weekly MDA of Ice Cream!

Sunday we were going to attend the event in New Market, VA but the rain was coming down pretty hard most of the day….bummer.  We have another busy weekend planned coming up but Hurricane Isaac may have something to say about that….we’ll see.

Monday, August 20, 2012

Rain 2....cruisers 1

Our Friday and Sunday adventures were rained out….but Saturday a few of us left the WAWA in N. Stafford, VA and cruised 33 miles to the monthly cruise in Locust Grove, VA.  This cruise is managed by Orange County Cruisers and DJ Ron cranks out the tunes….so you know it’s going to be a good evening cruise.  DJ Ron has changed his playlist a little and the comments I heard were very positive….good going Ron!
This cruise has had difficulty ‘catching on’ this year.  It’s a monthly cruise so there will be only 6 opportunities to attend….and this year rain or the impending threat of rain has kept cruisers away beginning with the first one of the year; http://wherewereyouin62.blogspot.com/2012/04/locust-grove-cruise.html
As I said before this is a great location for about 100 vehicles and Saturday there were about 45 present.  The weather was great, no competing shows near so 50 or so vehicles is what may be the norm for this cruise.  We ate at Mama’s Italian Restaurant and had a ball again….the waitress makes it an event all by itself!  And the food is great too….what’s not to like?  One of the couples that usually travel with us had their ’55 Chevy smacked by a deer a couple weeks ago so they came with us in their daily driver….Ramona said something about wanting to see me get embarrassed by the waitress at Mama’s. I guess that’s something else I can put on my resume’….I provide small group attitudinal adjustments through self-depreciating comical ridicule at the hands of gastronomical specialty providers….that should be PC enough for today’s HR people….Grin
I liked the early white & red Mustang and so did the restaurant owners that picked it to be their choice for best car of the evening.  I really liked our friend’s newly completed bronze GTO….he explained how he hand polished all the chrome and stainless….it looks better than new.  The quality of the finish of his Goat is a testament to Bo & Karen’s work at American Classic Auto Restorations….  They are located in Louisa, VA and you can check them out at; www.acar-inc.com   
About 9PM Ron gave out the awards, to include ‘Best Truck’….which the Princess won?  Tell me again how what works…. I fix it, I drive it, I clean it, I polish it….she gets the trophy?  I guess it’s because SHE is the one that whines, so she gets the award?  OH stupid me….I have just been reminded that SHE vacuums the inside and SHE checks all my cleaning/washing/waxing/detaining work….so it’s like SHE did it anyway….so SHE SHOULD get any recognition involved with the truck….silly me….This is just like being back at work….the minions do the work, the boss gets the credit!  However....I did get an award....of sorts.  Our friend, Debie, presented me with a stuffed hamster dressed in a chicken suit....!....?  And what kind of award was this for?  Makes me wonder.  But Debie likes one of our daily drivers, a Kia Soul. Remember the cool hamster commercials?  Anyway this hamster dances and sings the 'Chicken Dance' song and I was to put it on the dash of my car.  I did.  I shot a video of it.  I can't get that song our of my head....thanks alot Debie.  I hope no one gives me a rock with Grieg's 'Hall of the Mountain King' in it....I think they would take me away if I started humming that tune all the time....chuckle  There will be peace and tranquility in the Shotwell hovel till the next time….but that song has got to go!

Monday, August 6, 2012

A night to remember....

Friday evening Fred and the Princess & I raced south from the WAWA in N. Stafford, VA to beat the rain to Fredericksburg and the weekly cruise at VA BBQ.  This event is hosted by Fredericksburg Classic and Muscle Car Club and is a real fixture around these parts.  We have been trying to get there for 3 weeks but the rain has had other ideas….this week we would fool Mother Nature…..grin.  The forecasted rain doubtless kept a lot of people away but about 30 brave rodders came out anyway.  There was no shortage of unique vehicles joining in either.  The white ’17 Model T center door is a very unique piece; I saw it once about 4 years ago in Manassas, VA but have been keeping a vigilant look out for it since.  And the yellow traditional hot rod pickup was special too….a little noisy (did I say that?) but must be what fun is all about.  The most curious and cool car was the red/black late 60’s Austin Mini….with a late model Honda VTEC motor and front clip!  This is hot rodding personified!  I bet this car owner knows how to have fun!?  We cruised on home around 8:30 and cleaned off the truck to be ready for Saturday.

Saturday Jim & Linda, Ron & Jean, Fred & Debie, Dan & Ramona and the Princess and I left the Stafford WAWA and cruised 70 miles south to Mechanicsville, VA and Burnettis Italian Restaurant.  This is another weekly cruise that we like to attend a couple times a year, the last time we rolled south for the cruise, the restaurant was closed for renovations!  This time the heat must have been a deterrent for a lot of people because only about 35-40 people showed up!  There were some nice cars rumbling through but most only stayed a couple hours then drove away looking for a cool spot.  I didn’t take any pictures of the cruise….I was trying to stay cool too!  The crowd was thinning out around 8:30 so we all packed up to cruise home.
The cruise home is usually uneventful as the road is in great shape and the cooler air helps the cars and the people.  But….mother nature has a way of spoiling things….either rain, lightning, earthquake, volcano eruption or some other distraction.  But tonight something paid us a visit that is always on the mind of a hot rodder driving in Virginia at dusk.  We were in a normal group formation traveling with about 8-10 car length spacing between cars at about 50-55 MPH.  I usually have to lead and at night the headlights of vehicles in back of me hurt my eyes so I don’t scan the rear view as much as I should.  The first thing I noticed was the mirror got dark….the rest of the group had disappeared?  Had the mother ship missed me?  Then the walkie talkie started to chatter then the Princess started to chatter….then one of our phones rang in the truck!  Someone had a deer run into them.  We turned around and raced back to the scene to find that Dan & Ramona’s gorgeous black ’55 Chevy had a messed up right front fender….and door….and hood.  Ramona was shaken up but no visible injury….Dan was just upset!  This is particularly upsetting to them….they bought a new Chrysler Town & Country land yacht a couple months ago and got hit by a deer 3 days after they picked it up from the dealer!  Their other minivan got hit by a deer last year.  Deer are not welcome around the Cranes.  We cruised the remaining 30 miles home….we were all just a little more focused on what was on the side of the road the rest of the night.  It really sucks to have your hot rod messed up by a deer....or anything....but at least everyone walked away from the incident with all their body parts in the same place and working like they did when they left home....we are thankful for that!