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“Moseying on over to Murphys”
Ironstone Concours d’Elegance
Friday, Sept. 26th, Saturday, Sept. 27th & Sunday, Sept. 28, 2008
Meet Ray & Donna Worster, a very young thinking seventy-something coupe; don’t let the gray hair or the lack of hair fool ya’ though, as these two are always up for any adventure… They’ve climbed many a mountain, on many a continent. Their mode of transportation and entry into the car show – a 1960 Studebaker Lark Coupe. I know what you’re thinking, but rest assured they do own cooler cars than that.
Next on the list is Ray & Verna Jacobs; not as long in the tooth as the Worster’s, at least Verna anyway. She has no gray hair, but maybe her hairdresser knows for sure? The Jacobs’ always welcome the prospect of a fun-filled outing, so the Ironstone weekend is right up their alley. A shiny black ’57 Chevy Bel Air is their ride; a car without running boards, but it’s a very cool car, nonetheless.
Accompanying the Jacobs’ was Harry & Sue Parducci, the “New Kids on the Block”; a welcome addition to the Vintage Automobile Touring Society. Being recently retired gives Harry a ton of time to work on his 1930 Model A Pick-Up. Once complete, Harry and his lovely wife Sue will look mighty fine as they cruise on down the road, but meanwhile they are relegated to the back seat of the Jacobs’ Chevy.
Then there’s Rick & Carolynn Hansen, the youngest of the bunch. Rick is a Leo, which compels him to make detailed itineraries; so detailed, that if you need to stop to pee and it’s not on the itinerary, you’re out of luck. Although he will make an exception for Carolynn, because of that whole “married thing”. Their ride of choice for this outing was Carolynn’s 1937 Buick Special Sports Coupe.
Included in the caravan to Calaveras County was Bill & Cheryl Baxter – AKA: The Newlyweds. All of us know Bill from way back; he’s an old car guy icon and his 1936 Ford 3 Window Coupe is known far and wide. However, we are just now getting to know his beautiful bride; it appears she is fond of having fun and is an old car guy herself.
Frequently found fraternizing with the Vintage Automobile Touring Society is Ken & Susan Hansen. Ken is crazy about cars; especially muscle cars, but Susan finds greater joy in knitting a sweater and I’m not saying that in a bad way, as she knits one hell of a sweater. Their white 1958 Chevy Impala graced the grass; a fine addition to that class.
So there you have it, our cast of characters and now for the tale of our travels…
Our story begins on a Friday morning; 8:45 to be specific. I take that back; the story actually began earlier that morning when we received a telephone call from Bill Baxter. He called to inform us that their efforts to successfully replace a bad water pump resulted in another bad water pump. However, Bill had a Plan B, which was to borrow a friend’s truck and trailer and tow the ’36 Ford to Ironstone, but Plan B meant that they would not be meeting us at the rendezvous point and time. If all went well, they would tag-up with the group at the lunch stop.
So where were we? Oh yes, 8:45 a.m., the Worster’s house, we’re ready to go, it’s now 9:00 a.m. and we’re off. South bound US 101 with a left turn at Geyserville, because one never passes up an opportunity to drive Hwy 128, through the Alexander Valley. The early signs of fall appeared on the grape leaves and autumn was in the air. A pit stop in Calistoga and then it was down Napa Valley’s Silverado Trail and then east over the hill, via Hwy 12, to the City of Fairfield; the location of our predetermined lunch stop.
Our restaurant of choice was Crepes ‘n More on Jackson Street in Historic Downtown Fairfield. They say real men don’t eat quiche; what about crepes? “The Tuna melt sounds good.” The restaurant proved to be a pleasurable pick and before we ate our last bite, Bill & Cheryl Baxter arrived with #10 in tow.
With all of us now present and accounted for, our trip resumed on its Hwy 12 path through Rio Vista and on to Lodi, where we made a pit stop for petrol. Our journey continued and soon we were inching our way up the Sierra foothills to Hwy 49 and its route to Angels Camp, then it was up the grade to Murphys.
Murphys Suites, our home away from home, was a welcome sight after the long hot drive. Once checked-in, it was up to our perspective rooms for some R&R and a wardrobe change for the evening’s wine tasting and pre-event dinner; held on the grounds of Ironstone Vineyards.
This well attended gathering is the perfect prelude to Saturday’s Concours d’ Elegance… A wonderful opportunity to meet and greet fellow enthusiasts. A little wine, a few hors d’oeuvres and on to the main course. Mmm’ green salad, a tasty pasta dish, baked chicken and salmon, all topped off with a chocolate covered cream puff for desert. “Hey Baxter, didn’t you already eat a cream puff?”
Come Saturday morning, some of us were up earlier than others; there were reports that Ray Jacobs was polishing his car at 5:00 a.m., but that doesn’t sound like Ray; 5:00 sounds late. The rest of us met in the hotel lobby at 7:40 and we departed for Ironstone at 7:50; arriving, as planned, at 8 o’clock sharp.
Paper plates with entrants’ name and entry number written upon them, each of which is staked in the ground, denoted one’s predetermined parking spot; a little guidance from staff pointed you in the general direction of your paper plate and with that, you’re proudly parked for everyone’s viewing pleasure.
Soon the grassy grounds were graced with everything from Austin Healey’s to Lincoln Zephyr’s, to include a marvelous 1934 Chrysler CA Roadster and a racy 1952MG TD Vintage Racer.
Not only were there flamboyant automobiles present, there were also flamboyant ladies; just ask Ray Jacobs. “That Ray is sure a click magnet.” Apparently he likes a good ol’ fashioned girl?
The day was filled with ample time for viewing the various vehicles, but there was also plenty of time for relaxation. Verna, Harry, Sue, Susan and Ken could be found under the shade of a grove of trees, perched on a knoll looking down upon the cars that were on display in the lower field area. Over that knoll, in the upper field, we find Ray & Donna relaxing in their shady piece of real-estate.
Twelve o’clock noon rolled-around and soon a queue was forming for the buffet lunch, so we scurried-on-down and got in line. We found a couple of tables that were reaping the benefit of a market umbrella and there we enjoyed our lunch.
Upon returning to our vehicles, Ray & Verna discovered that they were the recipient of a Best of Class Award, from a class of 29 entries no less... Apparently all of Ray’s polishing paid off.
Soon all the Best of Class Winners were being lined-up in preparation for the Awards Ceremony. Each recipient is given the honor of driving their vehicle on stage, where they are presented their award and of course the Jacobs’ were no exception, as seen here.
Many a beautiful car made its way across the stage; the last of which was the Best in Show Winner, a 1931 Pierce-Arrow, Model 41 Lebaron Convertible Victoria, owned by Tom & Julie Williams of Los Altos Hills.
With the show now over, it was time to bug-out and head back to the hotel and freshen-up for dinner. Our dinner destination was Camps Restaurant at the Greenhorn Country Club in Angels Camp. According to the Google Map, a simple drive; left onto Finnegan Lane from Main Street and a right onto Gold Cliff Road… Sounds easy, right? Apparently not, as we found ourselves going around and around, so we stopped and asked for directions. Unfortunately, the advice was bad advice; we were told to turn left at the traffic light, which is partially correct, but the wrong stop light. A cell phone call to the restaurant put us straight and soon we were on the right track with the restaurant in sight.
Greeting us at the restaurant were Donna Worster’s sister and brother-in-law; residents of Angel Camp. Knowing of our intended arrival, the restaurant had the Library Room ready and waiting. This private room made for the ideal setting for a delicious meal and living conversation.
As we entered the restaurant, an attractive young lady was talking to a gentleman just outside the entrance into the restaurant; we all noted that she spoke with an accent… Sounded like Russian perhaps? Well it turned out that the young lady was from the Ukraine and her reason for being there was for the evening’s entertainment… Her beautiful voice serenaded us throughout the evening. Before the evening was over, she would serenade Harry Parducci; the reason so, it was Harry’s birthday. We gave the waitress a heads-up to that fact, so arrangements could be made for Harry to receive a complimentary desert, with the usual candle for the full affect. However, the waitress took it one step further and arranged for the Ukrainian singer to sing Happy Birthday to Harry.
The library’s French doors that lead into the main dining room were opened, thereby giving us clear view to watch this young lady sing her Marilyn Monroe “Happy Birthday Mr. President” Style song.
In listening to her singing during the course of the evening, one could not detect her accent. However, when she sang Harry’s Happy Birthday Song, there was one word that gave her away. That word was birthday; she pronounced it “Birzsday”, so from that moment on, we repeatedly wished Harry a Happy Birzsday. The whole evening was fantastic and the food was oh so delicious; what a perfect ending to a fabulous day.
Sunday morning found us checking out of the hotel and then it was off to the Foothill Restaurant for breakfast. The Foothill Restaurant is one of those places that the locals frequent; you know the type… a Cup of Joe and your eggs cooked the way you like them. From there we headed down the street to do some window shopping in Murphys, but with many of the stores closed we opted to check-out the local fare in Angels Camp. There we found a few shops open for Sunday business; we even made a few purchases.
Once our needs were satisfied, we topped off our gas tanks and proceeded to make our journey home. By the time we reached the town of Rio Vista, it was time for lunch, so we pulled into Gemma T’s Drive-In for a burger and a shake. Having had our fill of fries, we once again topped off our gas tanks and continued our trek home.
Upon arriving in Napa, we choose to continue the path along Hwy 12, through the Valley of the Moon, thereby taking us to Santa Rosa, where we jumped onto US 101 for our final leg home. A brief stop at McDonald’s in Healdsburg for a potty-stop and a refreshing cold beverage, allowed us time to stretch our legs and say our goodbyes, because once we all ascend into the Ukiah Valley, we’d all be heading our separate ways on separate exits.
Though weary and tired, and a bit wind blown at that point, we all agreed that our weekend in Murphys was tremendous… Can’t wait for next year!
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Fun, Food and Friendship Found in Fortuna
Friday, Saturday & Sunday, July 25th, 26th & 27th, 2008
In the past we’ve told you the tales of the tall trees and of the cool sea breeze on California’s North Coast. We’ve previously chronicled our caravan of crazy characters, as their eclectic convoy of cars congregated in the coastal community of Fortuna. Well guess what? We’re going to do it again.
The cast of characters for this year’s pilgrimage to the Fortuna Redwood AutoXpo, were the Jacobs’, the Parducci’s, the Worster’s and the Hansen’s; not in attendance were the Moore’s, as they flew to North Carolina that weekend to visit their granddaughter Ashley, who was attending a leadership conference at North Carolina State University. Their trip to the East Coast also included a run up to New Hampshire to see their daughter Dana, her husband Berry and granddaughter Katie. Their absence at the Fortuna Redwood AutoXpo was apparent; it’s never the same without them.
The trek up to Fortuna was standard issue; we left Ukiah Friday morning at 9:15. We made our usual pit stop at the Chevron Station in Laytonville and it was back on the road; next stop Redway for lunch at the Great American Hamburger Stand. Following our fill of burgers, shakes and fries, we made our way back to the freeway, but we soon found ourselves exiting once again; this time at Phillipsville, which is the being of the Avenue of the Giants. In the past we’ve ventured along parts of the scenic detour, but this time we decided to travel it from start to finish… all 31 miles of it; from Phillipsville to Pepperwood. The detour only added 10 minutes to our journey, but it was worth every minute, as the grandeur of the giants never disappoints. (http://avenueofthegiants.net/Zoom/map.htm )
Just a few minutes north of Pepperwood is the lumber town of Scotia; for years the home of the Pacific Lumber Company. Scotia is a quintessential “Company Town”, and located within is the historic Scotia Inn; the place the Vintage Automobile Touring Society would be calling home for the next three-days and two-nights.
… and what a home it was. Built in the late 1800’s, the Scotia Inn has all the trademarks of old world craftsmanship; especially the woodwork in the lobby, which is all finished in clear-heart redwood.
Once checked-in, we retreated to our rooms to unpack and freshen-up. Later we congregated in the lobby, so we could make the short jaunt across the bridge to the tiny town of Rio Dell. There we attended the open house at Kreation’s Body Shop; a restoration shop that specializes in classic cars.
Time to regroup and head on into Fortuna for registration check-in at the Fortuna High School; there we bumped into many friends and acquaintances, including former Ukiah residents Paul & Lucille Durbin who were there as spectators, having driven up from their home in Southern California.
With packets in hand, we were officially ready for some fun in Fortuna. Now for the food part… It was off to Eureka and over the bridge to Samoa, to the Samoa Cookhouse; another part of the logging history of the North Coast. The Samoa Cookhouse fed all the loggers and mill workers back in the day. They now serve the public and have done so for many years. The meals are served “family style” and it’s an all-you-can-eat affair. Fresh baked bread, soup, salad, then the main course. That evening it was roast beef and chicken, served with baked potatoes and corn. For dessert, we enjoyed a peach cobbler.
It was our hope to get back to Fortuna in time to partake in the Participant Cruise, but we arrived just as things were wrapping-up. We cruised Main Street and the Boulevard nonetheless, then headed over to the River Lodge to attend the Sock Hop.
In years past, they had a DJ spinnin’ the tones, but this year they had a live band. Things got underway at 8 o’clock sharp and soon the dance floor was full. The Hansen’s took a spin on the dance floor, but it was the Jacobs’ that really cut-a-rug.
Speaking of cutting, it was time to cut-out and head for the Scotia Inn, as Saturday morning would come bright and early, and it did. 6:45 a.m. found us all gathered in the lobby, where we noshed on some pastries from the Continental Breakfast Bar before heading into Fortuna. Upon our arrival, we found ourselves in the thick of things – i.e. a very long queue of cars waiting to be staged, but that process was soon complete and we were parked and primping in no time.
Carolynn and Donna procured a blackberry pie first thing, before they were all gone. Meanwhile, the rest of our group was scattered in the wind; each off to explore all the various venues. However, we all reunited at 12:00 Noon for lunch at Las Cazuelas Mexican Restaurant & Cantina. It felt good to rest our feet and get our fill of food, but we were soon headed our separate ways once again. For Rick and Ray, it was off to the shopping center to see the 150+ cars at the Show-N-Shine. Lots to look at, including a Vietnam era Huey helicopter, all decked-out for action. For Ray J and Harry, it was off to the swap meet in hopes of finding some fenders for Harry’s project, but alas none were found.
Slowly but surely we all gravitated back to our cars on Main Street, just about the time that officials were passing-out the Trophy Winner Notifications. “Well, will you look at that”, there on the seat of the Hansen’s Buick was a Second Place Notice and on the seat of the Jacobs’ BelAir was a First Place Notice. “Looks like we’ll be stickin’ around for Sunday’s Award Ceremony”.
Four o’clock marked the end of the car show festivities on Main Street; in quick order, the street emptied and it was time to top-off one’s gas tank and get ready for the Poker Run. Soon a line of cars formed at the high school; the starting point of the Poker Run.
Everyone was revved and ready to go, come the 5:00 start time… and away we go! For us it was north to Loleta, then back into Fortuna and up the hill to Hydesville. Hwy 36 brought us back to 101 and into Fortuna for the remaining stops. Little good did it do, as now of us had a poker hand worth diddly and the trivia contest questions were somewhat vague and subjective, which brought us up empty-handed in that regard, as well.
Chow time at Rohner Park. The Participant BBQ was well underway, upon our arrival. All our passengers hopped out to get us a place in line. Slowly we inched our way to the head of the line, where our plates were filled with roast beef, a baked potato, salad and a dinner roll.
“Hey, where’s that blackberry pie Carolynn and Donna bought?” Turned out that Verna and Sue purchased an apple pie as well. “Mmm, a slice of each please”.
Unable to eat another bite, we determined that it was time to head for the Scotia Inn for a relaxing evening, after a long day. The Worster’s and Hansen’s played a round of Shanghai Rummy, which they always find to be an enjoyable pastime.
Not having to be in Fortuna until 9:00 Sunday morning, we were afforded some extra sleep and time for a leisurely breakfast; we even squeezed in a walk around the grounds, before checking-out. Loaded and ready, we headed for Rohner Park in Fortuna for the Awards Ceremony. Being a first place recipient, the Jacobs’ car was placed in the line-up of winners that would be parading across the announcer’s stage; the rest of us parked in the adjacent grassy field. We had some time to kill before the 10:00 ceremony, so we wndered over to the swap meet for one last look; in doing so, Ray came across a traffic signal… a perfect accessory for his garage.
Seated in the bleachers, we cheered each winner as they received their trophy, including the Second Place Winners who stepped forward to receive their awards; one of whom was the Hansen’s. Jack Moore’s little red Morris Minor convertible won a first in his class, which pleased us to no end. We liked the car so much that we had selected it for our choice for Best in Show, but he had to settle for the 1st place trophy, as a 1933 Franklin retro rod won top honors.
Law requires that when traveling from the North Coast to Ukiah, one must stop and have lunch at the Great American Hamburger Stand, so we obeyed and once again had our fill of burgers, shakes and fries. While there, others from Ukiah stopped to eat, in accordance with the law… The Tollini’s, Bazzani’s and the Draper’s.
One last stop at the Chevron Station in Laytonville to go “Tinkle” and then it was back on the road for the final leg home. Upon arrival home, we were greeted by relatively mild temperatures (86o) and clear, smokeless, skies. We all waved goodbye as we exited the freeway at Perkins Street, each knowing that a good time was had by all.
Nestled amongst the trees of the Sierra foothills is the 1800’s Gold Rush era town of Grass Valley, California
The Worster’s, Jacobs’, Parducci’s, Stuefen’s, Moore’s and Hansen’s ready to embark on their journey to Grass Valley, California
Best Western Gold Country Inn
Tofanelli’s Gold Country Bistro
Lunch Alfresco
Ken Hansen shinning his Chevy
Trophy Winner for “Best British Sports Car”
1948 Dodge complete with Plaid Upholstery
Two Packards and a Puick
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Grazing in Grass Valley
Friday & Saturday, April 25th, 2008
What do you get when you line up a 1960 Studebaker Lark, a 1957 Chevrolet BelAir, a 1942 Packard Convertible, a 1940 Packard 7 Passenger Sedan, a 1937 Buick Sport Coupe and a little right-hand drive 1937 MG Saloon? Why you got yourself a convoy, boy! In this case, a Vintage Automobile Touring Society convoy and it’s headed for the Gold Country.
It’s 12:45 on the afternoon of Friday, April 25th and it’s time to get this vintage vehicle convoy on the road for its journey to Grass Valley, California to attend Saturday’s 23rd Annual Grass Valley Downtown Car Show.
Our caravan of classics was soon headed east on Hwy 20, making its way past Blues Lakes, the town of Upper Lake, the North Shore of Clear Lake and on to the sleepy community of Clearlake Oaks, where it was time to make a pit stop… “Last one to the restroom is rotten egg”.
With empty bladders, and cool beverages in hand, it was back on the road again, with smooth sailing; that is until we came upon road construction on the back side Lake County. As we approached the flagman, we called out on our two-way radios that things were coming to a halt. An unfamiliar female voice came over the walkie-talkie, acknowledging our need to stop. It turned out that the flagmen were using the same radio frequency as us, so we found ourselves having a pleasant conversation with the highway work crew. After informing them of our intended destination and descriptions of each of our cars, traffic was once again moving and the journey continued.
Our next intended pit stop, this time for petrol, was Marysville, but an unscheduled stop in Colusa had unfortunate consequences. One of our vehicles, which will remain nameless, wouldn’t start; likely the victim of a vapor-lock. Twenty minutes of tinkering corrected the problem and we were once again eastward bound.
The aforementioned petrol pit stop in Marysville was conducted in quick order and without incident. After weaving our way through the Marysville highway maze, we were on the open road and soon found ourselves making the climb up the foothills, past the tiny town of Smartville and into the Penn Valley… almost there!
Upon arrival in Grass Valley we headed directly to the appropriately named Gold Country Inn. Once checked-in and luggage unloaded, we all freshened-up, for it was time to head to Tofanelli’s Bistro and what a delight that turned out to be.
Seated on the patio of this charming downtown restaurant, each member of our party of twelve was treated to an incredible meal. The portions were immense, the service astounding and when it came to taste, the food was a culinary delight. Then came dessert; again the portions were colossal. Two of us had the triple-layer chocolate cake and the term sliver of cake did not apply; we’re talkin’ 4 inches wide and 5 inches tall… death by chocolate.
Of course the best part of any meal is the conversation and camaraderie and we were knee deep in both well past the 9 o’clock hour, then it was back to the hotel for nighty night time.
Rise and shine, time to get our butts in gear and head for Historic Downtown Grass Valley… off, like a herd of turtles! Our registration confirmation indicated that check-in began at 8:00; little did we know that the unofficial check-in time began around 6:00 am, but not to worry, we were all parked in the thick-of-things and within close proximity, to include Ken Hansen, who arrived earlier that morning in his ’57 BelAir Convertible.
Historic Downtown Grass Valley is a picture postcard perfect town, which made for a Norman Rockwellesque venue. Car shows held in historic downtown districts are often the ideal locale and Grass Valley’s downtown certainly proved that point.
No chance of getting bored here; not with all the wonderful shops and businesses at your disposal. Plenty of restaurants; something for every taste come meal time and if historic houses are your thing, Downtown Grass Valley is surrounded by wonderful architectural examples of Victorian and Craftsman Style homes.
Classic cars were of course the featured attraction and there were plenty of them to admire. The nice thing about it was the variety of vehicles. As expected, there were lots of Hot Rods & Street Rods and an array of 50’s & 60’s vintage favorites, such as Mustangs, T-Birds, Tri Chevys and the like. What was unexpected was a wonderful showing of Sports Cars… English stuff, like Austin Healeys, Jaguars, MGs, Morgans, and even an Alvis. Italy was represented with several Alfa Romeos and of course a Ferrari and there were plenty of Porches to show off German engineering
Also in attendance were numerous original, unmodified cars, to include a Franklin. Seeing such cars is always a treat for our group, as “original” always floats our boat. Our six original type cars added to that flavor, making for well rounded representation of that genre.
3 O’clock rolled-around, signaling the Awards Ceremony; the style of which was Sponsor Related Trophies… Best Paint, Best Flames, best this, that and the other. We were pleased to see the Franklin win a trophy, but no trophies for our group; looks like we’re going to have to paint some flames on that Studebaker Lark.
Time to pack-it-up and make our way home. All present and accounted for… Tallyho! Once again Marysville was our location of choice to top off the gas tank and then it was off to the town of Williams for a “Deli Delight Dinner” at Granzella’s temporary post fire digs.
With legs stretched, bellies full and another bout of banter between buddies, it was back on the road for the final leg of our journey home. Another collection of Lake County bugs on everyone’s grill and windshield, but that didn’t prevent us from seeing US101 as we entered the Greater Ukiah Valley.
Exit stage left at the North State Street off ramp for a brief rendezvous to collect all the walkie-talkies and say our goodbyes, and just like that the Grass Valley Adventure came to an end.