Cascade Cougar Club

EVENT:.	Mustangs & Cougars at the Courthouse
SPONSOR:.	North Olympic Mustangs Club
DATE:.	April 17, 2004
LOCATION:.	Port Angeles, Washington

By Steve Eitzen

There are few places that rival Washington's Olympic Peninsula for breathtaking beauty. The drive between Gig Harbor and Port Angeles offers a delightfully refreshing kaleidoscopic visual feast of greens and blues; and, when you throw in a great classic Cougar and Mustang show, you have the makings of a great weekend road trip.

More than a hundred Mustangs and Cougars owners took advantage of clearing skies over the Pacific Northwest to trek across the Olympic Peninsula for the twenty-first annual Mustangs and Cougars at the Courthouse show held on Saturday, April 17. This event, sponsored by the North Olympic Mustangs Club, was originally held on the Municipal Pier in Port Angeles, but not long ago the show's popularity forced a change of venue to a parking area near the Port Angeles Courthouse in order to accommodate all the cars.

While the 2004 Port Angeles show opened under overcast skies, the sun soon prevailed, leaving only scattered clouds to cast cooling shadows on the Mustang and classic Cougar participants.

Of the hundred or so cars participating in this year's event, about 20 were 1967 through 1973 "classic" Cougars. Most of the remaining participants were Mustangs; ranging from year one cars on up through 2004 versions of Ford's popular pony.

Second and third generation Cougars were well represented by a cross section of hard- and ragtop Cats. Here, Bill Herbert's 1969 ragtop attracts well deserved attention from a couple of show visitors.

Among the Cougar enthusiasts at the 2004 Courthouse show were Elaine and Jim Pinkerton; Noel and Jeff Bingaman; LaDonna and Karl Gehlhaar; Jim Compton; Bill Herbert; Jim Hall; Mary and Dennis Welch; Lonnie Sparhawk; John, Roman and Cameron Benoit; Ruth and Ken Hogenkamp; Janice and Jim Murphy; Randy Smithheiser; Rand Gilbert; Scott Ferguson; and Steve Eitzen. Dixie and Dan Minikin also made the trip, but were Cougarless due to a mechanical ailment that chose their moment of departure to make itself known.

The 1969 XR-7s of Jim Compton (foreground) and Steve Eitzen. Steve received the long distance award, having made a round trip of about 1,600 miles from Sacramento to attend the show.

Of particular interest to Cougarophiles were the appearances of two XR7-Gs at this year's Courthouse event. Scott Ferguson drove his "new" G down from Vancouver, B.C. and Elaine and Jim Pinkerton brought the maroon XR7-G sunroof Cat they recently purchased from longtime CCC member, Mike Willett. This is a former Hertz Rent-a-Racer; and, as Jim points out, the G could have been rented from Hertz back in 1968 for $14 a day and 14 cents per mile. There are no indications that Elaine and Jim plan to continue that practice.

First generation Cats included Elaine and Jim Pinkerton's XR7-G (foreground) and Jeff Bingaman's 1968 XR-7. These cars were chosen first and second, respectively, in the participants' choice judging of 1967/68 Cougar coupes.

Judging at the Port Angeles show is participants' choice and the winners in the five Cougar classes were as follows:

CLASS	FIRST PLACE	SECOND PLACE
1967/68 Coupe	Elaine & Jim Pinkerton	Jeff Bingaman
1969/70 Coupe	Steve Eitzen	Jim Compton
1969/70 Convertible	Mary & Dennis Welch	Bill Herbert
1971-73 Coupe	Rand Gilbert	.
1971-73 Convertible	Lonnie Sparhawk	.

Lonnie Sparkhark's immaculate 1973 XR-7 convertible was on hand to represent the last of the classic Cougar breed.

. .

Scott Ferguson (left) and Jim Pinkerton (center) debate a subject of grave import; while Karl Gehlhaar wisely remains a neutral observer.

Cascade Cougar Club Recorder, Jim Compton carries out his responsibilities as a participant judge with an eagle eye for detail. This is something of a rare photo because Jim is typically on the other side of the camera, snapping the images that appear in these Event Reports.

Photographs by Steve Eitzen

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