Friday we cruised to the Dairy Queen in
Fredericksburg, VA to attend the weekly cruise.
Tonight was to be “special”. Nick
had convinced some of the big tire car guys to attend the cruise and if they
showed it would indeed get real noisy!
The Princess & I rolled in early so we could dine at the DQ. This is not little finger in the air dinning
but just good old solid American food….it always pleases. Some other cruisers started arriving and
coming in to eat with us….too cool. When
we went back outside the lot was half full and the music was cranked up.
As the sun’s shadows were getting very long the
background din was interrupted by the growling and snarling of something….something
that would not be ignored! The Pro
Street cars were rumbling into the lot!
Five of the gnarliest street machines around jockeyed for proper parking
among the other rides. They moved back
and forth guiding the beasts precisely where the drivers wanted them….it is a
kind of dance all hot rodders do as we park but the big tire cars defiantly
dance with a different tune! Before they
safetied them down the crowds began to gather….and they soon were inundated with
people! Those kind of cars are what is
at the heart of hot rods for me and evidently a lot of other people too!
But….there were other cars too! Bill’s Model T Racer draws a pretty
respectable crowd too and Bob’s ’33 Ford with the supercharged flathead harkens
to our roots. JV’s T-Bucket is like
it's right from a 60’s hot rod magazine cover!
I think that’s why many like the hot rod culture; it brings back
memories of a happier time….maybe? When
we had to leave the big tire cars were still in the lot….but it was time for us
old folks to be home. We found out later
that some of Fredericksburg’s finest closed down the road by the Dairy Queen
and allowed the Pro Streets to exit, quickly and noisily to their waiting
trailers….grin I probably missed the
video of the year by leaving early…. I
did get to shoot some artsy fartsy pictures anyway….fun.
Saturday we left the start point in Opal, VA and
began our 120 mile odyssey to Wardensville, WV and the monthly cruise at the
Quarter Mile Diner. While we waited in
Opal it began to rain….not just a shower….but real rain! Oh well….we had stayed home too many times
this year because of rain and we were driving a “road” car that is ugly
underneath and doesn’t mind road spray too much….so we shook our fist at the
rain and Fred & Debie and the Princess & I left on time for the mountains. In Sperryville Bob & Benda and Butch
joined us for the day. After we crossed
one mountain in the rain we made a pit stop in Luray for fuel and bladder
control. We then proceeded over the next
mountain by a very lesser traveled road.
Rt. 675 winds through the woods on a narrow country road….no side lines,
no center lines and in some places no guard rails! It is fun but does demand the drivers
attention all the way! We dropped into
Edinburg, VA then continuing on Rt. 675 we climbed into West Virginia and rode
the ridge of the last mountain that paralleled the WV-VA border. The road was full of switchbacks and
inclines, up and down! The countryside
is almost pristine in places….just beautiful.
Somewhere before we got into WV the rain stopped and by the time we
arrived in Wardensville it was dry!
Our four dirty rides parked in the lot of the
Diner and before we stepped away from them the host of the cruise, Scott, was
upon us….smiling and shaking our hands welcoming us to his little corner of
heaven. I met Scott on Facebook. I have so many “friends” on Facebook but I have
never met half of them in person. Scott
invited us to his cruise early in the year but it rained the first time we were
scheduled to visit but it worked out just fine this time. The Diner is owned by a genuine gearhead that
has tasteful auto memorabilia throughout the inside of the Diner. There is also a garage next door with more automobile
memorabilia around it….it was a very cool place to take pictures. And the food!
The menu is auto centric with selections like El Camino salad, Rag Top
Po’Boy, Malibu Tenders and it goes on. I
had a Nitro Burger. It was very tasty
but I thought it might put a little pop in my step….no luck! I guess I’m ready for a rebuild….grin After we finished we said our goodbyes and
cruised on Rt. 55 to the Mother Road, Rt. 66.
Yes we have part of it in Virginia!
We cruised another 75 miles home to end the marvelous adventure. You have to come out and play with us
sometime. All that road spray will wash
off and you don’t want to miss another opportunity to make some memories….or….you
can stay home and watch TV….choices
No comments:
Post a Comment