Crusin' the Gut

Last weekend DH heard of a car show in Vancouver, WA. called Crusin' the Gut.  We rushed over to Vancouver thinking it would end in the early afternoon, and found that it continued well into the evening.  Unlike many car shows, this one actually had the cars cruising down Main St. rather than just sitting on the street for viewing. 

The cars had to be older than 1972 and I heard there were well over 1,500 cars exhibited.  It was a free event, and all people had to do to participate, was to donate a couple of cans of food for Share House, a local food bank.

I don't know much about 'muscle cars' except that I like to paint them in watercolor, but the hydraulics looked fascinating.  They could move side to side, up and down and they put on a good show.  It was a far cry from the 'hopped up' cars of the past.

I always love the decorative hood ornaments like this airplane above.

People lined the streets in lawn chairs, watching the day long parade of cars. Some bars and restaurants set up beer gardens on their patios, but mostly it was a family event that everyone enjoyed.

Fun car colors you never would have seen in the 50's, 60's, or 70's.

These signs were posted everywhere, but later in the evening

we saw a car roar down the street with flames shooting out the back- a real crowd pleaser.  

  At dusk things really fired up and it was fun to see these cars in action.  It was a beautiful summer night which has been rare in the NW the past couple of years.

It was fun to step back to time when life seemed much simplier.  The local Kiggins Theater, played American Graffiti throughout the day, and hamburger joints did a great business.  It reminded me of Crusin the Main (Main St. Walnut Creek, CA) back when I was in high school, when hanging out at the pizza joint after a football game was the highlight of the week.

Remember when 'car hops' brought your food out on trays that hooked to the door and you ate in your car?  My girlfriends and I would sit for hours drinking A & W Rootbeer, eating french fries, and talk for hours about the 'Big Hunks' at school!

Celebrating a time when Hot Rods ruled the day and crusin' was a way of life...Oh yeah, gas was 32 cents a gallon!