ABear Posted April 18 Share Posted April 18 Its' another Spring/Summer/Fall Car Cruise time of the year in my area and I am prepping my old hand me down family car for this year.. Start up was successful for the most part, it is old, it is cranky and it is smoky and hopefully it is a bit less stubborn this year than last yr (only able to make a couple of cruises as the car was having a bunch of sit down meltdowns requiring multiple "winch-o-shame" moments and a few pushes from very nice car folks). Around my area we don't have formal car shows with judging and points, instead pretty much have "bring what you got" type of car cruise in's which is a blast. Show up early enough and get a neat "dash plaque" for the event. A couple of the cruises in my local area that has become so popular they close off Main Street to general traffic and all the cruising cars park on the sides and the closed street is packed with people walking from one end to the other end all day long.. Typically meet up with a friend and former coworker and shoot the breeze near our cars.. Even have found a nice online cruise event planner that lists car cruises per State.. https://www.carcruises.com/cruise-listings/ Not perfect, but for my area works fairly well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rocketraider Posted April 18 Share Posted April 18 Moonshiner Tickle hosted one at his Tickles' Table restaurant last Saturday, and plans to host them 2nd Saturday afternoons thru October. I was pleasantly surprised at the cars and people that showed up because I've gotten a bit jaded to a lot of the cars and especially owners who haunt cruise nights in this area. When you've seen the same old stuck-in-the-80s cars and their owners who peaked in high school for 30+ years, you'll sometimes wonder if it's worth the effort to visit a cruise night. I was especially pleased to see the number of younger people (under 40!😄) who brought out completed cars and works in progress. Two boys I mentored 20 years ago brought 70s Chevy trucks and dragged me over to show me what they were working on. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TAKerry Posted April 19 Share Posted April 19 A bear, what is your general area? Here in MD the 'car show season' started a couple of weeks ago. From now until Memorial day there will be a couple of shows each weekend. I know of 3 this Saturday within about a 20 mile radius. I went to a small one last Saturday but only stayed for about a half hour then went for a nice long drive. I dont mind shows all that much but for the first couple of years my car was on the road I went to everyone I could get to. I burned out quickly doing that. In the last 2 or 3 years I have gone to very few. I found that the drive to get there was more enjoyable than sitting around for a few hours doing nothing. I do try to get to the cars n coffee cruise ins. People show up and leave when they want, and nothing formal going on. I like all old and some not so old cars. When I go to a show I like to walk around and see what is there. It amazes me how many people go and put up a campsite beside their vehicle and wont move after that. Thinking their car is the best one there and no need to look at anything else. Then there are the people that wont talk to you about their car when approached, like you are bothering them. All kinds of people show up and it makes for a great perspective on life in the car world. 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MotiveLensPhoto Posted April 19 Share Posted April 19 2 hours ago, TAKerry said: It amazes me how many people go and put up a campsite beside their vehicle and wont move after that. Thinking their car is the best one there and no need to look at anything else. Then there are the people that wont talk to you about their car when approached, like you are bothering them. All kinds of people show up and it makes for a great perspective on life in the car world. Second that! It would be easier for them to just sit in their own garage for the same result. 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MotiveLensPhoto Posted April 19 Share Posted April 19 (edited) The season is basically the same here in Chicagoland. I don't drive mine after the first salting of the roads in the winter, or until after a couple good rains in the Spring. But if the weather is nice in February I'll drive around. The semi-organized shows usually start in mid-April, but a lot of planners are a little cautious because people avoid the rain, so there is no point in planning something that doesn't have a good chance of good attendance. And for those who are in Illinois, Wisconsin, Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska and Kansas, I maintain a google calendar of all the events I know about. You can access it by going to http:/www.calendar.google.com and then search "Heartland Region Car Shows and Cruise Nights" and you'll have access to it. It also has AACA, BCA and ROA events around the country. Edited April 19 by MotiveLensPhoto (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ABear Posted April 19 Author Share Posted April 19 2 hours ago, TAKerry said: A bear, what is your general area? North Western PA. Unpredictable cold/wet or snow type weather until May here, but there are cruises posted for April here. Just not the kind of weather for me. My only working antique doesn't do much more than 20 MPH and is not enclosed so have to trailer it to events. 2 hours ago, TAKerry said: When I go to a show I like to walk around and see what is there. It amazes me how many people go and put up a campsite beside their vehicle and wont move after that. Thinking their car is the best one there and no need to look at anything else. Then there are the people that wont talk to you about their car when approached, like you are bothering them. I generally don't get to walk around much, my car has some pretty fragile leather fenders and the seat and top are in bad shape. Have to keep close eye on it, kids AND "adults" for some odd reason are attracted to touching the fragile parts.. So, a lot of the time I will stand beside the car and talk to anyone that takes an interest in it.. Great way to spend a day! Wife and Daughter will often roam and take pictures of the cruises, I should see about getting some of those pictures from Daughter. 2 hours ago, TAKerry said: All kinds of people show up and it makes for a great perspective on life in the car world. X2! I am always amazed at the level of workmanship of a lot of the cars that shows up at the cruises, from the gritty I pulled it out of a creek original patina to nicely restored to the over the top hot rods. Kind of like them all to look at, although kind of Mustanged, Camero'd, Chevelle'd, Bellaire'd out as those are pretty common and over done around my area.. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr B Posted April 19 Share Posted April 19 3 hours ago, TAKerry said: It amazes me how many people go and put up a campsite beside their vehicle and wont move after that. Thinking their car is the best one there and no need to look at anything else. Then there are the people that wont talk to you about their car when approached, like you are bothering them. All kinds of people show up and it makes for a great perspective on life in the car world. There are some clear psychopathologies going on among these people. Unlikely new or unique (for them) behaviors, they just choose car shows as another venue to display them to the world. 🥱 Robert Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
60FlatTop Posted April 19 Share Posted April 19 The last car show I went to, not cruise night, was pretty much this coupe unloading all their imported furniture from the Big Lots store and squatting. The cruise nights seem better, maybe because they don't last all day. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ABear Posted April 19 Author Share Posted April 19 44 minutes ago, Dr B said: There are some clear psychopathologies going on among these people. Unlikely new or unique (for them) behaviors, they just choose car shows as another venue to display them to the world. 🥱 Robert Some of those I suspect may be groups of social buddies, sort of like a group of people with similar interest and likes that often gather in a garage to look at there cars and down a few brews.. When a chance to bring what you got to the street happens, they gather up a few friends with cars and display them together.. I don't fault them for that or fault them for "camping out".. Most of the folks I have met at cruises are very open and talkative, but you have to be the one that steps into their world to strike up a conversation. I don't fault them for that either.. For myself, it is a great way to get out, meet people and talk cars and automotive history 😀 Younger generations will not get the full picture of where automobiles started and how we have gotten to the current automobiles if we do not take an active role of teaching automotive history. You would be shocked (pun intended) on how many people think that "Tesla" of today is the pioneer of electric vehicles and don't realize that EVs actually existed in the 1880's. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Billy Kingsley Posted April 20 Share Posted April 20 Cruise in season starts May 1st here in the Hudson Valley. I can't make the first one since it conflicts with my scale model club meeting but I will be at as many as my health allows me to make. Last year I only got to three all year due to my health and other factors and I will be increasing that number this year for sure, even if my health doesn't play along so well, I'm going to force it. I miss it too much not to. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Harwood Posted April 20 Share Posted April 20 Our first cruise night of the year is May 3. From there, it's the first Friday of the month through September. Maybe we'll see you there. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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