The Perfect Car Show
Friday, October 12, 2019, Alexander City, AL
The day begins with an early morning sky slowly turning pink on the eastern horizon. A cup of coffee on the deck of the rented house, shared with 10 of the finest friends anyone could have watching the sky slowly light up and erase the stars from view enhances our beginning. Stories and lies are shared and then the slow trek begins out to the trucks for the 20-minute drive to town where the cars await. After a quick McDonalds breakfast, we get to the cars, and leisurely unload them from their trailers.
All the cars start with a crank or two, but the old purple Hemi is having some morning sickness. Once it passes the car fires up and the windows in the office building next to us are rattling while several car alarms spontaneously erupt nearby from the slowly rising crescendo of sound from God's sound pipes: an open-headered race hemi. The day's weather looks to be perfect-sunny and high 70's and the sun is turning the paint jobs into shimmering oceans of colors of all hues.
We line the cars up in order to begin the quick 2-mile jaunt to the Russwood Estate, a little worried about the slicks and overheating concerns on the Hemi, not too worried about the rest. Expecting a long line of cars in front of us, we are pleasantly surprised to see our friend Chet as a volunteer ushering us right in, with no one out front.
As we crest the driveway under the house's overhang, we observe a scene from a Michael Irvine art portfolio. Rolling waves of color appear in all directions; greens, oranges, yellows, blues, even pink, purple and cranberry! Wings are tucked into shaded tree-sheltered nooks and crannies throughout the gently rolling hills. Dozens, no, hundreds of wing cars appear from all view-points and a helium balloon would be a perfect spot to watch the event.
We back the 4 wing cars under the shade trees, but not so close that sap falls on them, and set up our 8 camp chairs and a blanket for the baby under the pine tree canopy on the soft floor of pine needles, marveling at the sensory overload of colors, cars, sounds and people.
The 10 hours passes in an instant. Memories of dozens of introductions and discussions intermix with pictures, food, cars and best of all, stories and camaraderie. Faces get matched with names and screen avatars, engine bays get mingled with visions of consoles and gauges but the over-riding theme of being among a group of fellow wing-lovers is the constant all day.
As the day winds down, we are all looking at each other in amazement-perfect weather, a spectacular setting in the shady, grassy vistas of cars, marvelous food, spectacular cars and magnificent hosts have made this the perfect car show.
Thanks Tim & Pam Wellborn, 700 fellow car nuts and to the dozens of volunteers for having made this day one of the finest days of my life.
well stated, my friend. it was an event for the ages.
thought about stopping by on the way through jeffersonville, but a 230 am door bell....
Ernie, thanks to you, Gary, Stuart, Chris and Ian for stopping when the truck "burped" and helping me get going again. Enjoyed lunch at that rest stop and the discussion at the reunion. My wife said to tell you guys if you ate those cookies she baked using Colorado agricultural products that you might want to avoid a urine test for a few days.
Bob
it was nice watching the other travelers enjoying the sight while we dined
looking forward to the next time hanging out with you and the crew
p.s. - the wife is still my favorite Jennings
Recorded on GoPro camera mounted on special tail mount like I used for Alaska and Key West trips. This one is mounted on tail of gray metal flake bird. 440, 4 speed.
From parking area to Russwood Estate and Parking cars
https://youtu.be/67lqS4SDW4c
More to come as he goes through them
Matt Johnson, wife Valerie and Baby Nora-their first car show. He drove the gray bird 900 miles. How cool would it be to say your 1st car show was the 50th aero car reunion.
That was cool. One of these times I'm going to have to make it down there :popcrn:
Quote from: taxspeaker on October 15, 2019, 09:17:24 AM
Recorded on GoPro camera mounted on special tail mount like I used for Alaska and Key West trips. This one is mounted on tail of gray metal flake bird. 440, 4 speed.
From parking area to Russwood Estate and Parking cars
https://youtu.be/67lqS4SDW4c
More to come as he goes through them
:coolgleamA: thanks for sharing :cheers: :popcrn: