Well, my birthday was last weekend. Used to spending the day time alone so planned a good solo road trip, which is what I do every year. As it turned out, my pops flew down from Alaska and surprised me. He, mom, and I all hung out for the weekend (she's been here for 5 months cleaning up family stuff after my grandma passed away) and had a great time. Took them both to the airplane last Monday. So this week it's been 65+ and not a cloud in the sky. My buddy turned 30 last night (friday) and we went to a brass band concert. Pretty cool even if it wasn't my style, figure a little culture is good every now and then......one of our mutual friends at the concert mentioned there was going to be the last cars and coffee today (Saturday) at a grocery store. Never been, so figured I'd go. Got up at 6:30 and washed the Mustang in the freezing morning air and headed over. Usually there's quite a few exotics, but today was just a few Porsches and an Austin Healy, but both those 356s are real, not replicas, so that was cool to see. Healy was same owner since '71 and gorgeous. Made a few new friends, and the guy with the white 911 is going to come autocrossing next year with us. Said he's been interested and done some track days, but didn't know anyone that was involved in autocross here, so exchanged numbers and got a new racer for our scca chapter. Left there about 10:30 and decided to take that road trip I had planned the week before for my birthday. Dunno why, just got a wild hair and decided to head to Great Falls about 150 miles away to this little dive bar in a crappy hotel called the Sip n' Dip. I hadn't been there in probably 30 years, used to go there as kids. It makes the top 50 dives in America lists every year. It's a real crappy kitchy tiki bar, and the kicker is behind the liqour is a glass wall into the swimming pool, and they have "mermaids" that swim in it. You can also see regular guests swimming which is kinda weird, never thought about it when I was swimming as a kid hahaha..... Decide I'll take the racetruck as the road between here and there has some absolutely epic corners and a lot of old cars and stuff along the way. Never know when that next ostrich deal is coming around and you have to haul a big block or two in the trunk. Drive was going fantastic, then I look over at a biker bar in a little town called Vaughn and "holy crap" there's a '71 Hemi Cuda. And a couple Chevelles. And a Mach 1. Cram the brakes and swing in just in time for a little show to pull in. Really nice cars, nice guys. Kicker for us is one guy has a nice stepchild GS with a 455 Stage 1 swapped in. Can't find him but talk to his buddy who owns a Chevelle convertible a bit. Guess the Buick guy also has his parent's original '69 GS 350 he's restoring as well. They've owned it since new, so told him to tell his friend about this site and to check it out.... B.S. a bit and hit the road. Get to the Sip n Dip, and its exactly like I remember. Looks like a place you'd find off the strip in 70s or 80s Las Vegas. Perfect, and just what I was wishing it was like. The "mermaids" don't swim until after 6 p.m., so I was too early, but still enjoyed a beer and one of the best white Russians I've ever had. Girl behind the bar let me take all the pics I wanted. Leave there and I have one more stop to make: Ford's Drive In. Super cool place, been open in the same location since the 50s. As I'm pulling in there's a big red Buick pulling out. Guy gives me the thumbs up on the truck and I stop him for some pics. Car is beautiful, and stock except for the nice candy brandy wine paint and donk wheels, which aren't my taste, but still a nice car. Guy is a cool dude from down south, lays rubber leaving. Get my drive in quality (read: delicious) cheeseburger and fries ordered and delivered by a carhop for $5.99, snap some pics, and head out. Just as cool as I remember. Drive home was great. Perfect weather not a cloud in the sky, and toward the end had a few moonlit pullovers for some pics. Truck ran without a hitch, got to do some nostalgia, saw some cars and met some cats I never would've known before. Just a great day. Sincerely hope all yours went just as well! Here's some Saturday pics. 1st one is me and my dad last week on my birthday, but the rest are from today (ok yesterday, didn't finish this post before I fell asleep hahahaha)......
Still lots of bugs out! Came home and my dog Chopper was exactly where I left him on my chair and looked at me like I interrupted his day hahaha
Happy birthday Lucas.. That GS stepchild you came across, even though the engine is swapped for a 455" stage1, it's still 95% original..
Great weekend Lucas! Great Pics! Gotta love a good cheeseburger!! And the way those little diners throw the bun on the grill to toast it a little! Making my mouth water for one right now!! Too bad about the bugs or you could’ve shared a better windshield sunset with us. Thanks for taking us on your trip!!
