Bright sunshine! A little cool but it is winter after all. Linda & I
headed out without our normal caravan, arriving about 1:30, Ron was at
the gate, Dave checked us in and it was time to make the turn by the
clock and find a place to park, with this weekends special event being
the big Corvette show there is a bit of chaos for the "Regulars". This
year however the top three blocks of "Trophy Row" were reserved for the
"Saturday Nite Cruise®". It was The National Corvette Restorer’s Society
(NCRS) 3 day show and it occupied Block 4, the regular spectator parking
and all of the parking on the West side of Old Town, all of the way up
to "Flippers". Over 1100 of the "American Sports Car" from all 6
generations. Row after row of the same car is not the normal for Old
Town but it does happen a few times a year. Many vendors and "Swap
Tables" with everything Corvette with a sprinkle of GM parts, occupied
prime "Trophy Row" Parking and would stay set up over night for
tomorrows finale, dislocating the regulars that support the Cruise to a
parking area behind the A&W north to "Flippers" now that the newer
Corvettes had left. Any 1972 or Older Corvettes were invited to Cruise
with us, it would be more than 80 that joined in with us. The Hudson
Club that was also out today did not have many represented because of
the parking situation. The NCRS show looked as though it was a big
success. This disruption to the regulars only happens once a year in
this magnitude. Some regulars know this and just do other things, stay
home or come out as spectators on this week end. Like Dan & Liz who were
spotted with Ron Simons checking out the cars.
The spectator crowd was very large and Corvette orientated so they had a
wonderful time looking over these cars. I did see quite a few other
Cruisers that either hadn't ever made it to Old Town before or only on
occasion. It is always a sight to see the mixture of Show Room quality
cars to the special one of Hot Rods that make it out on a regular basis.
The "Looney Bin" was occupied very early in the morning by snowbirds so
Larry & Cris were parked across the street, Butch & Steph sold their
Gran Torino, the other Butch, "Big Looney" is in between cars right now
and Bob was busy with the Mason's so he and that familiar GMC pickup
were not out tonight.
Bill & Doris, who's online service let them down, came out to give us
their story from last night and couldn't find us until Marianne called
us on the phone. Amazing how people have gotten so used to us being in
the same spot week after week. With the exception of a few weeks we have
been in the same area for 217 consecutive Saturdays. Today the spots
were occupied by a tent and a dumpster. Even "Flippers" was very busy
and when we went for dinner Jane wasn't able to serve us. Nicky, who had
just came back to work there after time off to have another child, did
take great care of us. Thank You.
Tom & Marge Kennedy were out in their Yellow and White Sunliner. Butch &
Jen in her '64 F-85. Always good seeing them out. Butch spent quite a
while at Old Town Radio with Mike Singer. They are very good as a team.
Shortly after 8:00 Nikki brought us our Flag Winners list, the Red Line
Rodders were lined up behind Daryl, the "Cruiser of the Month" for the
start of this the 865th running of "The Saturday Nite Cruise®". Tonight
it was a little precarious for the Cruise Staff, they would have to
guide us all down through block 4 that barely had a lane clear in the
bottom end, then filter the other 100 plus cars from the West parking
lot behind the ones coming from "Trophy Row".
Even with all this going on, Mike Singer gave the safety announcements
played the National Anthem and the first of the 281 cars made their way
onto the bricks of "Deac Hundley Blvd." at 8:32.
Thank You to Old Town, for letting us bring out our "Stars", to the
Merchants of Old Town for putting up with us every week, to Richard our
Cruise Director and his Cruise Staff for bringing order to this event
every week, our fellow Cruisers for the friendship and the spectators
that come to see this spectacle that was the vision of the late Deac
Hundley nearly 17 years ago.
(Thanks Butch!)
On to the Flag Winners!
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