By Jim Pinkerton

Not to be outdone by a show of a similar name in some gambling town in Nevada, the town of Lewiston, Idaho holds a weekend car show extravaganza each year in August. Members of the Cascade Cougar Club have attended this show for years, eight years in a row to be exact, but who's counting?

Local CCC members Val and Howard Guenther throw open the doors and gates to their house up in the orchards above the town of Lewiston to those other CCC members lucky enough to have made the trip to Lewiston for this extra fun event.

Over the years the CCC group has gone to the sprint boat races, cruised the Snake River, ventured into Hell's Canyon, and gone for various road trips, all as parts of this fun weekend. This year's participants included, in addition to Val and Howard, Doc and Judy Anders, Don and Cheryl Skinner, Rick and Karen Morehouse, Jim and Elaine Pinkerton, Jim Compton, and Marc Ogren, who made the long trip over and back successfully in his white Lincoln Zephyr. Later, at the show, these members were joined by Mike and Keyna Willett, and Tim and Barbara Weza, as well as Darin Felton and Ed Hill, the latter two Cougar-less for this event.

Besides the show, itself, on Saturday and the concert in the park on Saturday night (this years' opening act, the Grass Roots, and featuring Mary Wilson and the Supremes), the week started on Thursday with a car show featuring about 300 cars at a local dealership. This was followed on Friday by the CCC group taking a road trip to Pullman, Washington (home of Washington State University) with a stop for lunch--where else but the Cougar Café? Then we toured up to the Cougar Gold Cheese plant and the on-site creamery where we watched a video tour of the creamery and its operations (overlooking the floor operations at the same time), followed quickly by a retreat to the counter for ice cream goodies for all, and several items of cheese for those so inclined. We followed this with an interesting diversion out of town (called being "lost"), finally wending our way back to Lewiston via the scenic route--the Old Spiral Highway down into the river valley.

We had an impromptu tour of a local car collection, hosted by a long time friend of Howard and Val's, and a blow-out meal served on the Guenthers' back patio, set amid peacefully parked Mercs and Lincolns.

This continues to grow as a favored touring stop on the summer show circuit for die-hard CCC members. More Cougar folks should take advantage of this show and the hospitality of Val and Howard Guenther who, because of their location, roll out the red carpet as a means of participating in the club activities. Those of us who attend have them to thank, a million--Real money, even down in that gambling town in Nevada!