We must be in the "Sweet Spot" for no rain.
Predictions all around us for rain overnight. Some spots up to 3-4 inches possible. We got none!
This is the way Florida Weather works! The rain can come in waves and be heavy in spots. We are surrounded by water: Gulf of Mexico on the West / Atlantic Ocean on right. That's a lot of water to draw from.
Umatilla, FL is also almost dead center - a little over 60 miles from both coasts. Unless it is a large weather front with all day rain, storms can come with a mixture of light and heavy patches of rain. These patches, within the light rain, can range from very small to large. We may get nothing while an area a few miles away are getting a downpour.
We had plenty of threatening clouds and no sunshine today - along with no rain. As i said; this is the way Florida Weather works!
Our first destination today was Brownwood (Town Square) in The Villages. Brownwood, the newest of The Villages Town Squares, is hosting a 2 day Arts and Crafts show.
This was a large show that filled the town square as well as the surrounding streets with vendors.
Unlike many of these shows, there were only a few merchants with similar offerings. Vendors were from all over the country adding to the variety of wares.
It was nice to see new and unique items. I know my cousin would have spent some time at this booth that featured finely crafted items that approached the intricate skill level that he exhibits when he works with wood.
The layout on some of the streets had the vendors tents set up three wide. This made it easy to go up one side; down the middle, then back up the other side. This way we could view everything without having to repeat our steps.
Charlotte tried on several hats. They can be rolled up really small for storage without losing their shape. The fit can also be adjusted allowing the hat to remain on when we are driving with the top off the Del Sol.
SOLD!
She also found an "Oven Door Towel" to her liking. These are like miniature dresses with a front and back. The sides are not sewn together so they hang over the oven door handle - ready to be used to wipe up any spill.
We purchase a few other items including a jar of terrificly flavourful garlic based spices to add to spaghetti (sauce). The taste of Garlic brought back memories of our visits to Gilroy, CA (Garlic Capital of the USA) . There, depending on which way the wind blew, we could actually smell garlic in the air. We asked the vendors if they were from Gilroy, CA? It turns out that they used to be from
Next on the agenda, was a visit to Spanish Springs Town Square in The Villages. This was the first of the 3 town squares. Today there was a huge classic car show with somewhere close to 200 cars on display. Here they were also lined up around the square as well as up and down the streets feeding into the square.
We decided to have lunch before doing the tour. Margarita Republic Caribbean Grill and Bar had a patio table available so we decided on eating there today.
We order the Fried Green Tomatoes (terrific - especially the horseradish sauce and the Nachos (tasty and huge).
Then, after people watching as we ate, we set out to enjoy the cars on display. This was not only a large show; but one with a little bit of everything. There was enough here to trigger a full blown case of "Auto Droolalgia".
Auto Droolalgia Syndrome occurs when one uncontrollably automatically drools while suffering moments of nostalgia for cars they either used to own (or wish they did).
The first car I drove by myself (I was 12 and we were visiting my Aunt in Florida) was our family's 1956 Buick . Ours Century was painted Black (Middle) and White (Top and Bottom). Multi-toned paint jobs were very popular in this era - two-toned was the norm.
Dad was really torn between buying the Buick or the Dodge Custom Royal. Dad decided on the 1956 Buick. He, along with over 572,000 others helped Buick reach number three in sales which represented nine percent of the total market share.
I had a Corvair (2 door - not convertible). Mine was burgundy. This was GM's answer to the VW Beetle. "Motor Trend" even named 1960's "Car of the Year." It had a rear air-cooled engine with 2 more cylinders (6\) and a lot more power than the VW. Ralph Nader's book: "Unsafe At Any Speed" killed the Corvair. He claimed that the Corvair's unsafe rear suspension design had caused the car to easily flip over during sharp cornering as well as being prone to fishtailing.
Rant Alert: Personal opinion - Nader's book was more politics than science. The last Corvair series (pictured above) shared a scaled down version of the same suspension that was used in the (then) current Corvette. The 1960-1963 Corvair models targeted by Nader were at least as safe as comparable car models sold in those years. This conclusion, ironically, came from a 1972 study by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
Urban Myth: Border Customs Agents accused Corvair (or VW) drivers of trying to smuggle an engine into the country in the trunk. I believe this; since, I have been asked by a Female Border Agent why I had 2 trunk lids on my Del Sol. (I had the top off - it stores in the trunk on a holder that can swing up like the trunk lid).
Then, there was the Avanti! This would still be a great car today! I had my dad all set to buy one (the R-2 Engine w/Paxton Supercharger - Wahoo!). Unfortunately, my mother decided that we should not get one - the PLASTIC BODY (Fiberglass) would never last! (It's not nice to make a teenage boy cry!).
This car was "Guarded" by the "Avanti Trio" (my label). I had a great time conversing with these guys. Car folks are always fun - this trio was exceptional. (I mean that in a good way - grin). They couldn't believe I was Canadian and didn't fish. I didn't have the heart to tell them I didn't drink beer, either! Nice to meet folks with a sense of humour (OK - humor - I'm Canadian: we spell some things
There was also a Pontiac Grand Prix.(We had an SJ w/400 cu.in V-8). This was when the Grand Prix's were not a clone of other GM models. Ours was Beige with a Brown vinyl Half Roof - this along with Bucket Seats and a Center Console, were all the rage. It was also our first auto with air conditioning. How did we live without it before?
This "Hot Rod" was similar to my '31 Ford Sedan. Mine was a brighter Gold w/White Naugahyde top and a Corvette V-8 w/3 two barrel carbs and a Hurst 4 on the (wooden) floor. It was "Chopped" (top lowered) like this one. My music was from a radio (out of a Buick Roadmaster) that would seek radio channels when I clicked the foot control (button on the floor - like the old headlight dimmer switch). I also had a portable record player that would play 45 rpm records....and they wouldn't skip when I hit a bump - honest! (Muntz still hadn't invented the 8 track - what else is a teen to do?)
Rant Alert: What ever happened to GM’s Autronic Eye. In 1952 the company made history when Oldsmobile and Cadillac offered the first automatic headlight-dimming system. When the phototube mounted on the dashboard detected approaching headlights, it would automatically switch the car’s beams to low until the other lane was clear. Despite reportedly being overly sensitive and unreliable, the Autronic Eye evolved, and versions spread to other GM brands and continued in Cadillacs until the 1988 model year. Why can't they bring this back as a compulsory - one that cannot be turned off. I'm tired of drivers, with much more powerful headlights (today), following or approaching with their High Beams on!
There was also a not to common Oldsmobile Starfire Convertible. This reminded me of the many times I spent washing (massaging?) cars in the back yard at home with other teen friends. One friend would bring his Dad's Starfire while I had my Dad's Thunderbird to wash.
And there was also an even less common earlier Oldsmobile Starfire Convertible.
The Sox and Martin 426 Hemi-Cuda drag racing legend was neat.
Rods, Classics, Pick-ups, "Woodies" - even clones (a pair of AC Cobras) - a little bit of everything and all really neat!
Now that I had my "Auto Droolalgia" under control we departed for the RV Park. Even with the top off on the Del Dola, Charlotte's new hat remained on. I guess that makes today a success.
All in all, it was another fun visit to The Villages.
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