A sunny day in Virginia....

Friday we planned to visit the Chick-fil-A in Ashland, VA but no one else showed up at the start point so we opted to visit our home cruise at VA BBQ in Fredericksburg, VA.  Saturday was shaping up to be a very busy day so the shorter commute distance Friday night would be better for us old folk.  As it turned out a lot of other people decided to visit the Q with us!  About 50 other cruisers came and went before the night was over….

A school bus yellow ’71 Ford Ranchero rumbled in….it was a 429SCJ car.  We had a ’71 GT 429CJ, I didn’t like the hood scoop of the SCJ so I ordered our car as a CJ.  I also had it factory painted the brown metallic they painted the Pinto’s that year, you could do that back then.  I also ordered it with a 2.73 rear gear as it was going to be my freeway flyer….but that’s another story.  It is always cool to see something you used to own, joining the gathering.  A lot of the usual suspects filled out the lot….a nice evening.  We cruised home and stopped by KFC to take some yard bird home for dinner, yeah at 9:30….in the PM. 

Saturday we began our day at the 13^th Annual, Fredericksburg Classic & Muscle Car Club; Car, Truck & Bike Show….whew!  We have attended this show from time to time in the past, one year it rained so hard we had to get in our truck to keep dry!  Our canopy was hosting everyone within 50’ that didn’t have their own canopy!  But this day was unfolding to be perfect, a little warm but just beautiful.  We arrived early to get “our spot” and save 7 other spots for our group.  The Princess and I set up our canopy and waited for the sleepy heads to arrive!  One by one they rolled in with Lou & Arlene last….Lou’s Princess needs her rest….or….maybe Lou’s GPS guided them via Richmond or something….it’s a process….hehehehe  We set up three canopies as close to the tree line as we could without rolling down the hill.  It was beginning to get hot but it was a Chamber of Commerce, picture perfect day!

This show historically attracts over a hundred cars but this day they would have 122 cars registered, the most ever!  A great day for their club….which uses the money from this show and the 50/50s all year at their Friday & Saturday cruises to make the Christmas season a lot brighter for many local families.  They really do a good thing for some local folks.  There were many very nice cars attending the event, you just have to check the pictures to appreciate the variety and quality of the rides.

The club invited a few vendors….many shows don’t do that anymore and I think it’s a shame not to invite local businesses to the dance too.  Something I had never seen before at a show or cruise was an NRA booth/table.  You must remember this is central VA….not northern VA….we believe in our Second Amendment rights down here and it was very refreshing to see the NRA represented.  One of the “car” ladies that drive a cool yellow new Camaro called Bumble Bee also dresses up in a “transformer” costume and entertains the kids….and a few adults too me thinks.  Kandy always adds to the positive experience of events whenever she is there, especially for the kids.  The DJ/Announcer was perfect, the tunes fit the day and the announcements were not overpowering.  Wes was in the outdoor kitchen making hot dogs….some of the best car show hot dogs around.  Kim and her cohorts were extorting money from the contestants with the 50/50 sales.  The winner (the owner of the ’59 BOS Chevy)  won over $300…..he gave back $100 to the club for their Christmas fund. 

If you have been following me for any length of time you know the trophies are not a focal point of my experience at shows.  And I seldom report on who won what…. but the Best of Show on Saturday was won by a flawless red/white ’59 Chevy Impala, complete with a 348….just a very nice piece anyway you look at it.  The BOS trophy was the nicest trophy of it’s kind and probably wouldn’t fit in the trunk!  Remember it was a ’59 Chebbie, with an 8 body trunk!  Think about it.  And there were many other fine examples of the car craft here in Virginia.  Arnold’s purple ’57 Chevy convertible is one, a candy red ’51 Ford PU is another, also a black ’49 Ford shoebox and a few others that peg the cool meter….just check out the pictures.

It was turning into a real hot, muggy day and we still had things to do, and places to go.  We broke camp and followed Lou to an ice cream place he & Arlene found recently.  We always have to check out any ice cream establishment within 300 miles….it’s a public service we provide!  This one was on Rt. 3 between Rt. 20 and Lake of the Woods.  It’s a little trailer deal that sells only Hershey ice cream.  The parking was a little crazy but the ice cream was great….especially on a hot day….and it was getting hotter….like a 400 megaton nuclear explosion hot!  I think the pinstriping was melting on the farm truck.  After we made the ice cream disappear some of us made our way to Orange, VA about 25 miles away and the monthly cruise at the Burger King on Rt. 15 in Orange.

By the time we arrived at the BK, about 4:30, the effects of over 9 hours exposure to the day’s heat had taken a toll on our old bodies was taking effect.  We parked our hot rods in the sun, nearest to the planned Italian restaurant we were going to dine in.  The A/C was more than welcome….it was a life saver!  I usually take 6 bottles of water for the Princess and me to drink….they usually last all day….we were down to one left!  And the Princess had been drinking some diet soda as well as the water.  So when we sat down in the restaurant I think we both drank 38 gallons of diet Pepsi, should have been water.  We took a long time to eat so we could cool down but eventually other people began coming in and staring at us….we not so graciously gave up our table. Back out in the heat we quickly found out how tired and worn out we really were.  The cumulative effect of not enough hydration, too much UV and other nuclear radiation from the sun, a mostly sedentary life style and an over 71 year old out of shape body, fell on me like a ’57 Buick Roadsmasher! We staggered toward our chairs under a large sycamore tree and collapsed….we were DONE.  I couldn’t bring myself to go around and take pictures of the nearly 200 cars that were present.  Next time we can’t plan to be out in the heat all day….  We had an uneventful 58 mile cruise back to the Shotwell hovel and the A/C.  We parked the farm truck in it’s place, on our Quick Lift ramps and fell through the door into our home.  We didn’t unload the truck till Sunday.  I can’t remember being that tired and worn out.  It really was a great day….at least what I can remember…..grinning…..I love this hobby!


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