Happy 4th !!

[gnrl01]

Hey guys and gals! Hope you all are having a great time with your family this 4th of July!! We decided this morning to do a cruise through my old hometown where I lived until I was about 7yrs old. It was a small town but a friendly town with alot of memories. On the way there we decided to stop in the town of Fontanelle,Iowa and get some fuel in the General where we were asked to join in their 4th of July parade. The people in the town could not believe their eyes and I spoke with countless youngsters about the General and listened to their stories about how they have built models of the car and just could not believe a real live one was there today. It really felt good to see the kids and adults so excited about it, here is a shot of us getting lined up for the parade...






After the parade we cruised to my old hometown of Bridgewater,Iowa where my old house still stands and in nice shape    It's amazing how after 30+ years that this small town has not changed much, the same gas station where I used to ride my bike to for gas for my mini bike and lawn mower still looks the same, so I had to take a shot of the General getting some fuel    Kinda looks like Cooters don't it?




We also stopped where my father used to have his bakeshop downtown where my mother and father diligently worked many years dispatching donuts,breads and many other bakery items to the local Hy-Vees,Copper kettle truckstops and various other businesses. (before hy-vee had their own bakery) There was a patriotic mural painted on the building that sat right beside where my dad's bakery was so I took a shot of it also...




The town grocery store looks nearly the same as it did back when I was not hardly tall enough to get the candy off the counter, still supports the original hardwood floors and the same lady Doris still owns it after all these years..




My last stop through town was the hardest stops which was to visit where both my parents are buried, the family and I make routine visits here but have never brought the General Lee. I thought today was as good as any day to show mom and dad the General. They passed away many years ago but their memory will always be there and instilled in my three boys.




It was a simple but fun trip...time to cook out and go see the Fireworks! Happy 4th!

[Charger_Fan]

Ya know what?? I yearn to live in a town like that again.
I grew up in a town not unlike that one in Arizona...one day, I hope to live there again. There's at least one ton of memories there.


Thanks for the pics & the memory of small-town America...where things were taken at face value. I wish I was there, on the sidelines, to cheer for you & all who were there. I hope sincerely that this is a great memory for your kids.

Happy 4th of July & (more importantly) Happy Independance day for everyone in this great nation of ours!

[Charger_Fan]

Sorry folks, but Glenn Beck was talking about this very thing today & this thread made me sorta reminecent <sp?> of yesteryear...

[gnrl01]

Thanks man, you know what it was wierd driving there in the real General and remembering as a kid playing with my hotwheels in the dirt and not even being able to buy a General Lee hotwheel. I took a gold Hotwheels Dodge Challenger and painted it orange and put my own grahics on it. Back in 1980 that was the closest you could get until 1981 when the first Ertl ones came out, man did I wear those out! Yeah small towns have simple values for the most part and the have a pretty wholesome feel. I hope you make it back to one too!

[Charger1973]

Thats really cool man...  I bet you get alot more reaction out of the small town crowd than in the city.  I gotta hook up with you sometime this summer im having withdrawls.     Better yet, drive the General over and get some pics with mine.   

[gnrl01]

Charger1973 Yeah man hope to see you at the barbecue! This could be a fun low key event, would be cool to make it a weekend camp outing where we could all drink more and tell some car campfire stories lamo! Maybe we could set up our own swapmeet at the state park so fill your trunk

As far as getting more reaction it is pretty much the same as in the city, cool thing is people of all classes seem to be very responsive to the General. I have had Yuppies in Hummers and other high profile vehicles drive by and do the thumbs up! Suits,jeans or naked the response is pretty equal