By Jim Pinkerton

Would'a, should'a, could'a--the story of our lives. Here we were at the Rod Run to the End of the Earth in Ocean Park, Washington on the Long Beach peninsula, and me without a camera. Fortunately Doc Anders brought his--unfortunately, we took pictures of cars, trucks, and the five couples who attended, with only one picture of our club display area, and that taken the day before the event itself.

The Beach Barons club has put on this rod run now for 19 straight years. Doc and Judy Anders, as well as Jim and Sandy Hall having been attending for the last five or six events. This year Elaine and I, along with Don and Cheryl Skinner from Portland, Val and Howard Guenther from Lewiston, Idaho rented a house in Ocean Park that adjoined the one the Anders and Halls rented. What a party atmosphere!

By the by, some 1100 cars participated in the Saturday show, held on (get this!), the Beach Barons own property and facilities. That club really knows how to attract a crowd and put on a show. Meanwhile our group of five couples went to dinner at the Arc Restaurant, not far from the show site, on Friday night after we set up our club display area, and toured downtown Ocean Park where we could (and did) have lunch in a local pub and watched an endless stream of show cars and trucks and trailers--with cars inside or on top of--parade through town on the main route.

We had expected seven club cars, but our group was reduced to six when Howard and Val decided the Lincoln Navigator was a better selection for an eight hour road trip in each direction. There were 13 Cougars at the show in all, spread from one end of the acreage to the other. Inclement weather visited us the morning of the show, raining on our parade, so to speak, but generally cleared up by the afternoon. We walked, we talked, we slid on our sandals like true car buffs.

By the time the show was over and we once again assembled at our houses for a barbeque feast, the street beasts were out doing burn outs on the main drag, some with open exhaust. Seems as though the local police turn a semi-blind eye to these shenanigans as long as reckless driving isn't involved. So, spectators whose houses line the main route bring out the hoses to wet down the pavement, thereby encouraging show-off behaviour, and the boys and girls with hot toys didn't disappoint. What a blast!

This event seems destined to attract more attention and participation by CCC members in the future. All it requires is planning a year in advance, since accommodations are the number one restriction. All five couples voted enthusiastically to do it again next year. Anyone care to join us?

Vintage classics, street rods and cherry customs--like Beach Barons members Bill and Petra Harkins' shoe box Ford--make the Run to the End of the Earth a worthwhile journey. (Photo: Beach Barons Car Club)