The Rockability Road Tour 2009 a Huge Success
The tattoos, piercing and brawling at the past Rockabilly Road Tours are legendary and that’s just the chicks! This year’s gathering of rust and all things crazy-on-wheels was an off-the-charts success. And nobody was brawling. Over 100 cars lit’em up on the track on Saturday, while over another 100 cars showed up for the party at night. Many chilled out to live bands, BBQ’s and cold beer. It lasted well into the wee hours of Sunday morning…for many it turned into a large outdoor sleep-over.
             Once again, Miguel and his band of merry men, The Lifters Car Club, worked for months to make this show one to remember, and it was. The attendance was over 1300.  It was estimated to be the largest attended event this year at The Barona 1/8 Mile Drag Strip.

             Throughout the day cars arrived from all over Southern California. A steady stream of vintage metal rolled through Wildcat Canyon snaking their way towards this county’s biggest gathering of old school rods. Many vendors set up shop…suffice it to say, if you needed a T-shirt, you had more than a few to choose from. 
             The Betty Boop babes were hot. Overall, many of those who showed up were more than darling. It wasn’t just the hair or fashion statements some were making, it seemed as if it was a total lifestyle. They were looking back to the fifties, to a simpler time and a great escape from the world, as we know it today.
            The rumor is that a date is already in the works for next year. Also, you can go on Youtube and see a really cool video of one of the crowd favorites, The Purple People Eater, burning rubber down the track. And next time you run into Miguel, thank him for the rockin’ good time you had last month.

The Big Fix?  By Ed Zimmerly
        Unbridled consumerism raised its ugly head again recently, with the advent of the “Cash for Clunkers” program. Let’s get something straight. I drive an 8 year-old truck with about 150,000 miles on. By “clunker” standards, it more than qualifies for some serious FREE stimulus money, but I’m not interested. It needs to be washed but there’s a water shortage, and that’s a whole other story. 
       Like my father I believe in fixing things not replacing them. Last time I checked they aren’t giving these new cars away, just sweetening the deal a little. I doubt the clunker program will fix any economic problem. The Big Three haven’t suddenly retooled their factories to put out a product that any consumer should spend free taxpayer clunker money on. Even with the clunker incentive, these cars are not priced right. It’s more irresponsible spending, and yet Washington is touting this as one of the best recovery programs to date. 
         I think the solution starts with someone manufacturing a car or truck that anyone would want to buy at an affordable price.  I can’t remember a time when I knew someone who was raving about a new car they “just had to have.” 
       There is a better solution to our ailing automotive industry. With automotive plants closing and unemployment rising to an alarming level. Think of all the businesses along with those who are unemployed that could benefit from just “repairing” cars. Throw in a billion dollars of stimulus money and we’re all doing the happy dance. Let’s call it Big Fix!  I know what you’re thinking, but the bottom line is that we need to start living within our means and fixing what we got instead of discarding cars like they were disposable razors. Americans spent a billion dollars in clunker trade-in money in less than a week… not to mention the staggering amount of money taken in on new car loans. The Big Three is happy, local dealerships are happy and the bankers are happy...and for the time being, the new car owner is happy, at least until they need to start making those payments.
    So, has our nation’s economy suddenly turned around and I missed it? I didn’t think there were that many working folks who felt that secure about their employment. So secure that they wanted to take on new debt. And if I see one more car blinged-out, perfectly quaffed car dealer on TV gloating about how much he’s helping to save the economy, I’m gonna puke.
           I miss that simple, deep-seated passion I used to have for new cars. The idea to get the best miles-per-gallon along with the ability to survive the impact of a head-on with a semi-truck is a valid one. Lately, all I’m learning is that life isn’t priceless, and, in fact, it’s just gotten a little more pricey. I guess buying a reasonably priced car that hauls ass and sounds bitchin’ has become impossible and just too un-cool…for many of us, the thrill is gone.