Conrad – The Over The Hill Gang

2019 Just Cruis’n Car Show

Winslow, Az

October 4-5, 2019
By Conrad Monroe

Hard to believe that this was the 25th edition of this car show. Over the years it has changed and evolved. It is one of the best shows that we regularly attend. This year Larry & Brenda Besore, Steve & Terri Besore, Steve & Cindy Bryant, Jerry Elliot & friend Julie Ann, Paul & Judy Nolte, Ken Schaff & Dee Giuntoli and Michelle and I. Page Barnes drove up with his daughter in the grocery getter.

The city of Winslow has a fairly large community of drag racers that support the show with their cars and participation.
On Friday afternoon they have a Poker Run which pays through the best 4 hands. $400, 300, 200 and 100.

Friday evening they have a Burn Out Contest which is always well attended. As it turns out Show Low was playing at Winslow and our granddaughter is the captain of the Show Low Varsity Spirit Line. After supper Mimi and I went to the Bulldog’s stadium to surprise her and see our girls perform. Shortly after we were in our seats the smoke from the Burn Out Contest had followed us! Most of the spectators from Show Low had no clue as to what was going on!

The awards were handed out on Saturday afternoon and several club members received recognition for their cars. Steve Besore also won the 50-50 and paid for his trip. In past years the Over The Hill Gang Phoenix club was a huge supporter of the show, This year we only had 7 cars at the show, kind of sad. Times change as do interests…

For the next three months Mimi and I will be involved in a lot of family activities which don’t allow much time for car shows. Hoping we can make a few shows in 2020.

Stay safe and have fun!

Conrad…]

2019 Run to the Pines

PINETOP, AZ September 27, 2019

By Conrad Monroe

Once again we missed out on being drawn for the Run to the Pines car show at the Pinetop Country Club. We had some family business to take care of Saturday AM so we didn’t get to the show until later in the afternoon. Steve and Terri Besore were at the show as was Terry and Barb Scott. Also in attendance as spectators were former club members Rod and Nancy Downs who were driving a late model Corvette.

We wandered around a bit and talked with folks we hadn’t seen for awhile, then head down to Lakeside for an early supper.

Next up Just Cruisin – Winslow, Az

Cruzin The Rim

Show Low, Az

June 1, 2019

By Conrad Monroe

1st weekend of June and we are on Frontier Fields in Show Low for our annual car show. This tradition goes back to 2003 with the car show a major part of the Show Low Days town celebration, which includes an Arts and Craft Show, The Derby Down the Deuce gravity car race, stick pony races and our Wiener Dog race. We also have the Show Low Main Street Farmers Market at the down town Festival Market Place Park.

In recent years all of the activities have grown larger so the decision was made to have the event span two weekends, with the Car Show taking the first weekend and the Derby gravity car races and other events the following weekend.

Cruzin the Rim Car Show

In past years the Show Low Days Car Show was very well supported by the club, however in recent years club attendance has been down. Bob Bailey drove his 40 Ford Coupe, Dave and Ann Bennett in their 1937 Cadillac Sedan, Steve and Terry Besore drove their 50 Chevy Pick Up in from their Ranch in White Mountain Lakes and Michelle & I drove our 56 Dodge wagon down the street to Frontier. Also attending was Charlie and Danise Cover who drove their daily driver over from Heber.

2019 Hot Rods & Hogs

Woodland Park, Pinetop, Az

25 May 2019

By Conrad Monroe

The 2nd Annual Hot Rods & Hogs Car Show is in the books. This year we saw an increase of 50 entries over last year, getting this new show up to a total of 105. The show is in honor of our Veterans who have served our country, and it benefits the Love Kitchen of Pinetop, which supports our in need citizens of the White Mountains.

The show is open to all motor vehicles and is more of a car enthusiast get together than car show.

Other than the usual winds for this time of year, the weather was nice, puffy clouds and temps in the mid 60’s to low 70’s.

Next week we have the Cruzin the Rim Car Show in Show Low and the following week we have Show Low Days and the Derby Down the Deuce, gravity car races…

The USA that I grew up in during the 1950’s is alive and well in the White Mountains of Arizona.

Conrad

Soul Cafe, Scottsdale, AZ

18 May 2019

By Betty Bailey

Thank you to Jim and Carol Dalton for introducing us to the Soul Cafe in Scottsdale. The venue, food, service, and company were enjoyable, and it was a beautiful day for a drive.

2019 Route 66 Fun Run

May 3 to 5, 2019

Seligman to Topock, Az

Every year we have the opportunity to celebrate Route 66 which tied our country together through the Great Depression, Dust Bowl and World War II. The Route 66 Fun Run covers a good portion of what remains of the “Mother Road”. Tom and Val Altgilber and Michelle and I are the only club members to make the run this year. Michelle and I travelled with a group of friends from the White Mountains. We drove our 56 Dodge and other than Rick and Dana Heck who drove their 34 Ford Cabriolet, everyone else drove a collection of Corvettes, Mustangs, a Porsche, Mercedes and a Hellcat Charger.

We drove over to Williams on I40 on Friday and spent the afternoon being tourists in all of the shops that line Route 66 in Williams. Stopped at Cruisers for refreshments and stuck around for dinner. Williams is a great little town, if you have a chance be sure to attend their car show later this year.

On Saturday AM we drove down to Seligman where the official start of the cruise is held. The town was full of car groups staging for the cruise. Several groups from various countries rent new performance cars, for the run. One of the largest groups this year was from Australia, decked out in various Mustang GTs.

Our 1st stop on the cruise was at Peach Springs, which is the jumping off point for trips to Hualapai in the Grand Canyon.

After Peach Springs we stopped at the Hackberry, AZ General Store for lunch, and looking at all the memorabilia that the owner has collected. We then headed down 66 to Kingman to take in the car show and spend the night. While at Hackberry we met up with Tom and Val Altigibers and had a nice visit with them.

On Sunday we made our way down to Oatman, stopping a Cool Springs on the way, again a place filled with great memories of the Mother Road. As usual, Oatman was a madhouse with cars, motorcycles, pedestrians and of course the local Donkey herd who have the run of the town.

After Oatman the cruise continues on to Topock, AZ which is the end and where they pass out the awards. Our group from Show Low, headed north on US95 to Laughlin NV, where we spent the night. Rick Fernau signed us up for a Show at the Riverside. The show was three very funny and talented musicians from the group Ole’. It was literally a 90 minute ROFL…

All in all, a low key fun filled weekend. My kind of car show…

Until the next time,

Conrad

2019 Goodguys Del Mar

April 5 to 7, 2019

Del Mar Racetrack, San Diego, CA

Photos courtesy of Carol Boen

Some of the Over The Hill Gang that made the trek to Sunny Southern California for the 19th Annual Goodguys Show at Del Mar. Michelle and I, love the Del Mar Show, but we had family activities that took precedence…

2018 Goodguy’s Southwest Nationals

Westworld – Scottsdale
November 16-18, 2018

This had to be one of the largest Goodguys shows at Westworld. On Friday the Polo field was 3/4 full as were all of the places on the asphalt around the Big Tent. On Saturday everything was full! This maybe due in part to the fact that Goodguys raised the age of the cars up to and including 1987, a move not well supported by some of our club members. The Swap Meet was by far and away the largest one yet. Bob Kerkle sold out all of the original 500 spaces, found an additional 50 and sold them out as well…

2018 Southwest Nationals Swap Meet

There also was a record number of vendors in the Big Tent and down on asphalt lot below the Big Tent. I didn’t have a chance to go through the vendor area down on the asphalt, but did spend good deal of time inside the tent looking at the displays and chatting with the folks working the booths. Allways had a display of four 1937 Fords that were owned by one customer. The beige 5 window coupe was extraordinary. Powered by a Ford Coyote 5.0, it took a lot of careful design work to put that wide engine into the narrow engine compartment of a 37! Rumor had it that over $400k was spent on the build…

Vendor Displays

For Saturday the club met at registration, at 6:15 AM and we all went in together so that we could park together. We parked midway down the field and close to the Swap Meet. Paul, Bob and Greg had spaces in the Swap Meet and all three did quite well selling most all of what the had brought in.

Dan Burdett brought coffee and donuts for Saturday morning, unfortunately the Scottsdale Police came by and told us that it was against the rules to bring in any kind of potluck, BBQ, cans or bottles. All food and drink was to be purchased at one of the food vendors. Everyone had brought in food for the pot luck lunch which we had surreptitiously so as not to call the attention of the considerable number of Scottsdale Police Officers.

Club Cars Attending the Show…
Sorry Steve Besore I did not see your Chevy Truck!

That about sums it for this time. With all of the negative changes that have been made to this show I am beginning to question the value of these shows to the folks with prewar hotrods and customs.

Paul Nolte’s 1956 Rambler

After the club’s breakfast putt to the Crosswinds Restaurant in Payson, Michelle and I followed Paul and Judy’s cabin in Pine to see his enlarged work shop and the 1956 Nash Rambler hardtop project that is nearing completion. It is powered by a 350 SBC/Turbo 350 set up. Paul has tried to keep all the neat Rambler bits and pieces. It is painted in a nice ivory over beige tutone.

1956 Rambler Hardtop

It should make a really nice cruiser, when he gets it done.

2018 Just Cruis’n Winslow, Az

Another great Just Cruis’n Car Show in Winslow! The weather was exceptional, the organization and attention to detail was again very well handled by the Host Club. This was the 24th year for the show and it drew a record 217 participants. Sad to say but our club participation was down from past numbers, having said that, the ones who did make the trip had a great time.

Making the trek up to the High Country this year were Page & Linda Barnes, Dave & Ann Bennett, Ron & Carol Boen, Steve & Cindy Bryant, Ken & Dee Schaaf and Larry & Sandie Wibeto. Steve & Terri Besore and Michelle & I drove over from Show Low.

One of the things that I have always enjoyed about the Winslow Show has been the large number of drag cars that the show pulls. Winslow has a good sized racing community that turn out and support the show. The Junior Dragrace program is also a big part of the car hobby in Winslow that is supported by the kid’s family and friends.

The gang did quite well at the Awards. Ken & Dee won $100 in the Poker Run, while the rest of us all received awards for our cars.

The La Posada Hotel (www.laposada.org) was the last of the Fred Harvey hotels and restaurants built along the Santa Fe Railway in the western US. It was designed by Mary Colter, one of the finest architects in the west. It was opened in 1930 and lasted until 1957. Passenger air travel had replaced the passenger trains. Interstate 40 was nearing competition and would bypass Winslow and La Posada which were located on the Mother Road Route 66. The current owners acquired the property in the early 1990s, and began restoring it one room at a time. As soon as a room was finished they would add it to the hotel.

In the early 2000s the Just Crusi’n Car Show was located at the hotel. On the car show weekend The OTHG Phoenix would end up renting almost all of the available rooms. On Saturday nights we would have a theme party in reception lobby. Always a great time for everyone.

After several years the car show was moved down town to its current location. This was during the Great Recession of 08-09, which took its toll on the car hobby. The local club and its supporters kept after it, have built the show to one of the best small downtown venues that I have attended.

This year we decided to stay at the La Posada for old times sake. We found it to be better than ever. This year we had a room in the part of the hotel that once housed the Santa Fe Railway offices. I have posted a lot of photos from the early days that will give you an idea what the original hotel looked like. Here are some photos of the newer area where we stayed… brought back many many good memories.