Car Shows, The Smell of Gasoline and Rubber, And Throaty Exhausts

Car shows? Anyone who knows me knows I am in love with older cars. And the best place to see these vehicles is a car show. I have dragged my family to museums, airports, restaurants, businesses, and more to see all the cars in one place.

Born in 1955, I had the experience of my dad and a host of neighbors who taught me how to work on cars. I was infatuated with motors and all that made them work. Lawnmowers, tractors, boats, cars, and motorcycles, I put a wrench to all of them. My dad had an affinity for cars, and we had the gamut of what are now “classic” cars. All of our neighbors where we lived worked on cars, trucks, and more, and they always needed the help of a young boy to “get that wrench.”

When I was 9, a local gas station and garage took me on, and the trek was on. Pumping gas, changing oil, and learning about cars. (Grateful to Peter, Mickey, and Peter.)

Not fast enough? We can fix that!

I could not tell you when I visited my first car show. (There were always lots of older cars in the parades of my youth.) in 1988, a friend of mine from Vermont was showing his panel truck in the Lake George area, and I believe it is that show that I can point to and say that is when I began to get to shows on a regular basis.

Over the years, I have “dragged” my family and a few friends to these shows. I remember the first time I took my daughter and her children to a car show in New York. I took the long way over, and as we drove by the view of Fort Ticonderoga, I told them the history of the Fort and the surrounding area. They listened intently. (Okay, I may have told them there were some stragglers around to be on watch about.) And as we came closer to the city and the story continued, we were on a straightaway, two “loud” classic cars passed us. Mariah stuck her head out the window and yelled, “I love old cars and the smell of gasoline.” And so, the legacy continues.

September 2019 Adirondack Car Show

I love the bright colors, chrome, throaty sounds, and the smell of gas and rubber in the air. But more than that, I love seeing the generations coming together. Add in the restoration of vehicles that were rusting in barns or under trees, and the metamorphosis is worth watching.

Each year members of our family head over to the Lake George region to a nearby campground, where the beauty of the area, the comfort of family, a love for cars is to be enjoyed. We are 1 week away from heading over!

My wife, daughter, and grandson headed to a local car show this past Sunday. My daughter said it was a preparation of sorts to get us in the mode for next week. It was a good show with about 50 cars and a good variety. Classics, new vehicles, and some customs. It was a good time, a beer truck, burgers and dogs, and music from DJs Jamie and Rebecca Denno (JD N Bee).

This coming Monday, Labor Day, some of us will head over to a show put on by Frogg Brewing at their new location they will be moving to in Swanzey, NH. Tina, Jacob, and I hit this show last year; it was a great time. We are looking forward to it.

And then, on Tuesday, we head over to Lake George. After a couple of days of kicking back, the Adirondack Nationals start on Thursday, September 6. Car show by day, cruises by night. Yep, can’t wait. This is one of the most fun shows we go to. Especially the cruise that begins at night. We take our camp chairs, cooler, and cameras and watch thousands of cars cruising the streets of Lake George.

Car shows aren’t for everyone, but they are for many people. Good clean, wholesome fun, restoring history and showing fantastic creativity.

Be looking for this year’s thousands of pictures!