So, who has been to any of the big shows this Summer? Back in the '80s, I used to attend at least one Car Craft show per year, somewhere in the country. My very first show ever was the 1981 CC NorCal Nats in Sacramento. I drove my '66 Coronet 500 with my then-girlfriend from Tacoma, WA and diverted up to Lake Tahoe in the process, so it was a pretty good trip. Gas then was a whopping $1.34/gallon (adjusted for 2008 inflation, equal to $3.55 today!). On the little money I was making then (and equally small obligations!), I made that trip without any problems, even thought the damn steering box crapped out on me near Placerville!

Every year after that, up to 1987, I went to at least one CC Nats event, somewhere! Mostly, it was either DuQuoin or Springfield, Illinois, and they were all a great deal of fun!

Nowadays, it just isn't the same. Gas is over four bucks, got lots and lots of obligations, and the Coronet has a puking trans front seal. I was really hoping to do part of the Hot Rod cruise, but that didn't happen. This year has been really strange. We have an election in which neither candidate is worth electing as President. Prices of everything are going apesh!t. I've got four projects that I just don't have much enthusiasm about. Even parting out cars has become a chore, rather than something fun, because no one wants to spend any money, and shipping costs have got out of hand!

But, you know what? I still go out and enjoy my cars that are running, even if they have to run $4.00 gas. May not be able to do the long road-trip shows like in the '80s, but I'm still going to enjoy my rides before the bastards in power try to take them away from me!

Enjoy your day.