Vintage in the Valley

Saturday was actually a warm and sunny day. The ferocious winds we've been having regularly had died down and the temperature was close to 60F, so Elliott and I decided to visit Strasburg, a small town less than 30 minutes away, where they were having their Vintage in the Valley day. We found a parking spot close to Main St easily and as we turned the corner, classic rock and oldies from the 70's were blasting out from speakers set up on the pavements. Right up my alley, and I was soon singing along.

There was a sizeable collection of classic cars, their chrome and vibrant paintwork gleaming and glinting in the bright sunlight, polished panes of glass dazzling us, and proud owners relaxing on folding chairs at the backs of their prized vehicles. It felt wonderful to stroll around without a jacket, although it was a little chilly in the shade. But the best part was not wearing a mask, and evidently everyone else felt the same way, as only a small handful of people were wearing protection. It finally felt that maybe COVID has gone for good. Let's hope so. Everyone seemed to be cheerful, as if a bad storm had passed. We were all taking photos but happily moved quickly to one side so we weren't in each other's shots, with a cheery "Sorry!" or " Let me move out of the way!" I didn't see, or wasn't aware of, one single angry person. It was delightful!

 

 

Neither Elliott or I had felt like lugging our heavy cameras about so we snapped shots with our phones instead. It felt liberating to not be encumbered with any chunky equipment, and not to keep rubbing my shoulder where the Sony strap would have been digging in.

I forgot to note what many of the models of the cars were, I was so busy looking them over, but these two are a 1934 Ford Coupe at the front and a 1939 Chevy 2 door sedan behind it. Magnificent colors, I couldn't pick a favorite, and the interiors were equally impressive.

This chopped retro coupe from 1949-51 was my favorite of the show, possibly a Mercury?. Its chrome was dazzling against its black paint and it could be nothing but admired. And tremendously so. And I did.

I've never seen a dashboard dial like this before; all the information within one dial. This was a 1936 Plymouth 4 door sedan.

Considering that there weren't that many vehicles here today, the show was very impressive. I was seeing quite a few models for the first time, and this group was certainly pulling the crowds in. We left the admiring people and loud music to wander down Main St, peering through windows and browsing through vendors' stalls. We spotted a beautiful retro trailer, about 10ft long, being used as a clothing boutique, and climbed aboard. We weren't interested in the clothing but wanted to know how big the interior was and whether Elliott could stand up inside. We loved it, and our search continues for one of these that we can convert into a shed / sitting room.

I found this metal decoration on a booth for $12! I grabbed it quickly, it will be a beautiful addition to a flower bed or against a fence. We chatted to another vendor who made his own pens and other items from wood burls which he dyes and then carves. My pen has a Civil War rifle embellishment, with a bolt action and bullet shaped barrel.

This chap, the Walking Mall Poet, had a queue waiting for him. You give him a subject and withing 5 minutes, he types out a poem for you. What a novel idea, and his website is here.

We had lunch at the Box Office Brewery, walked around a bit more, and then decided it was time to head towards home. But first we needed dessert, so ice cream sundaes were polished off in Middletown while sitting in the sunshine, although it was beginning to get chilly. It had been lovely to spend a day enjoying ourselves outside, but a native plant order is ready for pickup soon, and then gardening begins!