News : The sights and sounds of an old car

Saturday afternoon one of the fun events held in Vinton occurred, the car cruise. Yes, I'm sure it's an age thing. Or maybe it's a throwback to the smell of gasoline and the sound of an engine roaring in the garage that brings back a good feeling from childhood. 

I noted the route of the cruise this year. Drivers were directed to drive past the local nursing homes where the older folks were lined up to enjoy cars from their youth or even childhood. The cars came around and it made the day of the residents. They wanted more and several cars returned and didn't disappoint.  

The old cars always bring back good memories for me. Yes, I love the noisy ones. I love the cars that make you turn your head, something an electric car just won't do and never will. There's nothing for me like seeing the Ford pickups from the 60s. Or the sports cars of the 80s. Or the old Mustangs. Even the cars from the 50s that my parents drove, and I only saw pictures of made me take notice.

There's something about the roar of the exhaust, and the smell of the fumes that takes me back to a time when we celebrated our cars. A time when if you had a cool car, you were a cool cat.

This year I noticed something that seems to be growing. The gathering of friends on lawns. The families that made a day of it and sat together watching the cars. 

Even after the cruise had moved downtown to watch the burnouts, people were still sitting outside and visiting, that's so mid-20th century, and it was good to see. There was no rush to get back to what we call life now. There was just talking among friends. On the front lawn. We need more of that. 

Thank you to our cruisers, the organizers and those who made it fun to watch. It didn't disappoint at all this year! Thank you for making the folks at the nursing homes smile and laugh and for giving us a reason to gather with friends on the front lawn.

For pictures of the cars, click HERE.

To watch just one of the burnouts, click HERE.

I'll have to ask my mechanic when it's time for a new exhaust if there is a loud exhaust that can be put on my Lexus...I'm afraid that might be as cool as my old car could get!

Thanks again all who made this event possible!