disasters – itinerantneerdowell

Along Historic Route 66

Country Classic Cars, popped up from the corn fields near Staunton, Illinois. With an eclectic collection of cars and trucks from yesteryear. Interstate 55 passed by on one side, and old highway 66 on the back side.

The business is a tangled mess of burned out cars and twisted metal from a massive fire a day ago. Between 150 and 180 collectible vehicles were destroyed–inventory has yet to be completed.

Rubberneckers gawked, myself included, as they passed by on I-55. There was a Desoto sedan just like your Uncle Nick and Aunt Martha’s with tail fins. I perused their website on a regular basis after moving from the area.

Their cars were affordable. Some fancy, most were just regular, common cars like our parents, grandparents drove. The business owner rented period cars out for movie productions.

Where else could one see such a smattering of automotive history, from the twenties through the eighties? Hopefully they will stay in business. It’s reported there were a total of 650 vehicles. This will put a dent in the business for some time to come.

–http://www.countryclassiccars.com/–

Rain, Rain–Hurricane Go Away

Nothing’s worse than a hurricane evacuation. The worst traffic tie-ups known to mankind. People have had their cars run out of gas in gridlock. It’s a gut-wrenching decision.

Some with expensive whole-house generators and storm shutters, view it as a challenge. Dueling with Mother Nature–nature always wins in a full-bore onslaught. It’s a high stakes, crap shoot. When away, hurricane news coverage reinforces the tension of not knowing whether one’s home survived or not.

I’ve been on both sides of the issue. Once, because of my own ineptitude, and lack of adequate advance planning. That was during daylight hours. Everything seems worse at night–when wind howls, rafters crack and pop under the strain. If there’s a choice, I don’t intend to ride out another hurricane.