Car Show
Post our Philadephia fiasco, I was skeptical about the other Integra we were looking at. The woman who owned it seemed kind of flaky in terms of accessibility, but would send us photos of exactly what we asked for, and provided us with email novellas of the car's history. We were supposed to go Friday evening after traffic died down, but she cancelled (ugh) and pushed it to Sunday afternoon. I was kinda bummed since I was looking forward to it all week. Friday, Friday, Friday..then THWOMP.
Saturday morning we rolled out of bed at 7am and made our way to Carlisle, PA for the antique car show. The weather was a fair mix of everything that day. Craig prepped the car and it looked good. I prepped the trunk with a cooler filled with everything we could possibly want for that day. The plan was to check out the event, then camp out by the car and relax. We passed through ass backwards towns where you can't help but wonder what on earth these people do for a living. Finally at 8:30, my bladder couldn't take it anymore and I demanded that we stop. Right. Now. Luckily, there was a sign for dining and gas on the next exit. You know, those generic universal signs. I was expecting a McDonalds and a Mobil, but instead I got a Texaco with a "restaurant" built into the payment hut. It was definitely a truck stop, and there was nothing else around.
"Craig...you KNOW they've never seen an asian here before, right?" I was half joking with him. Then he parks the car so I can get out, and there's a beater-mobile next to me with a bumper sticker of the confederate flag and the following text: "PROUD to be a REDNECK"
Despite all these glaring signs to hold it and wait for civilization, I HAD to go. Had to. And into the kiosk, I was greeted by mullets galore. Dear lord. I made it back to the car in record time.
More driving, and we're getting closer to our destination, but still, there's no evidence of real civilization. Why on earth did they pick Carlisle?? After hours of driving, my spirits perked up when I saw a Walmart and Home Depot. Wooo! More driving, and we started seeing other cars like a pack of Shelbys and other small fun cars converging onto the fairgrounds. Now I was starting to get excited!
After getting our official registration sticker which you place on the top corner of the windshield, we drove onto the fairgrounds. The lawn was divided up into long rectangular stretches sorted by region. There were a LOT of cars there, and most of them were pretty cool. Craig was excited because there was another car there very similar to his. We found the three other Hondas and I mused at this accessible collection of the common-car.
(We were surrounded by some very awesome Zs and Triumphs and some not so awesome Miatas.)
The fairgrounds were divided into sections. We were on the car show lots, but there was a flea market which resembled a traveling junkyard with select parts of uniquely shaped rust. I had no idea what half that shit was, but I'm sure if you were looking for it, you'd be able to find it. Then, there was a lot full of cars for sale, an area for all kinds of yummy unhealthy foods, and a vendor section where you could put a kit on your Ford Escort to turn it into a Maserati. Yeah, I'm sure *nobody* would notice, just like I'm sure that Louie bag on your shoulder is *real*.
We spent a good amount of time by the 4 Hondas and I watched as the 4 Honda owners inspected each car to pick brains about ideas (and probably to steal design ideas too). The car that was a lot like Craig's was owned by a lady who I'm sure is half insane. She put all this time and money into the car to restore it, and you know what? I still think Craig's car looks better. But, perhaps it's not entirely a reflection on her since Honda changed the interior slightly from her model year to Craig's. It also made me realize that we were extremely lucky to find those other two cars especially at the prices we got them for too.
It was an interesting time. It made me think about my time at Ford doing exterior ornamentation. You know, back then, it was my JOB to know all the differences between cars in similar categories in that model year. It's fun to point out the little things that "change" an old model into a new one, though the body doesn't change. It got me thinking about going back to automotive. I wish that industry was more stable though, and not located in crappy parts of the country.
I think Craig had a good time, and I think it would be worthwhile to go again next year, or every other year. We had to keep an eye on the clock in order to make it back for our evening soccer game. Near the very end, there was this dorky looking guy kind of loitering by the (now) three Hondas, and he asked about the crazy lady's. She went off to scout out the fair. You know what happened? That landed Craig an interview and photos which may be featured in a popular auto magazine. If that happens, you will all know about it.
posted by v @ 2:05 PM
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