Date: Sun, 9 Aug 1998 04:57:34 EDT
Reply-To: ThingGuy@AOL.COM
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <Vanagon@vanagon.com>
From: Steve Lashley <ThingGuy@AOL.COM>
Subject: Hot August Nights - Reno
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On very short notice, (2 hours), I had to fly from St. Louis to Reno to run
the Busch NASCAR race simulator during the "Hot August Nights" event. The guy
who drives this 40 ft. tractor-trailer rig around the country went on
vacation, and his relief had an emergency and backed out. I just happened to
have stayed late in the office when the call came in.
If you are not familiar with this event, this is the premo hot rod and classic
car meet. There are thousands of hot rods here, and as I type this, I can
still hear them screaming up and down the streets outside my hotel. I was
told that there will be more than 15,000 street rods here.
In the middle of all of these Chevys, Fords, and Mopars, were just a few VWs.
I spotted one '67 peach/white doublecab with a surf board on back, and a
camperized
'67 green/white panel. Also a couple of bugs were around, and I spotted a 21
window bus with some graphics from a distance.
Tonight the streets were lined with spectators, while the rods backed up
traffic for miles as they drive past, stopping to smoke their tires, or shoot
flames out the pipes to the crowds cheers. There were also quite a few cars
hopping along with their adjustable air suspentions. The funiest was the RV
hopping along with them. The Reno police put up with this for the most part.
When I headed up to my room about an hour ago, the police were trying to get
the crowds out of the street, and back on the sidewalks.
The past 2 days all I have been doing is running people though the simulator.
I've never seen so many tatoos in all my life. Even though I only saw a
handfull of VWs here, the hot roders and the VWers, don't seem all that
different. There were quite a few cheers as the 21 window passed by on the
street. Back in St.Louis, you would never see a Veedub at a rod event.
Although I have been to my share of VW shows this year, I much prefer the
campouts. I had planned on being at the Straussenfest show in St. Louis later
today, but no big deal. After all it is only a car show.
I'm out of here tomorrow night, and I can't wait. I hate casinos, and I can't
stand to see people throwing away all their money.
Later,
Steve
'74 Campmobile
SKL Enterprises
Importing German Side Tents and Accessories for Bus, Vanagon and Eurovan, and
Carver Propane Heaters
http://members.aol.com/tentinfo
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