Last Sunday after work I checked out a hotrod show that took place along the Wisconsin River in Stevens Point, Wisconsin.

  I have a soft spot in my heart for Ford Fairlanes because that was the very first car my mother owned and it was the car that she drove us down to Springfield, Missouri when she went to college.  The Fairlane we had was exactly like this one, in that teal blue robin's egg color, but rusty.  The car died on us and remained a lawn ornament for several years before my mother finally sold it.  I'd like to think that it was restored and not sitting in some junkyard somewhere.  The Ford Fairlane inspires lots of memories for me...

I'm guessing that these two pictures are of a Chevy Bel Air and a Model A Ford.  Not certain.  I don't know cars as well as my Dad or my friend Greg does.  I'm sure one of them or you out there could tell me.  What I do know for sure is the next set of pix below are of a 1951 Mercury.  This car was very sweetly restored and tricked up the max.  Reminds me of my favorite gangster movies from the '50s and makes me want to watch "Sin City" one more time...

I've never been a big gear head myself and I still don't know how to drive, but I can really appreciate the fine work and craftsmanship that some people pump into classic cars.  I think it's the same reason why I also like old homes that have been restored; there's a timeless quality to that and it makes me feel more at home when things have a history and elegance to them.  The following pix depict another fine example of not just restoration but customization of a classic car.  The owner was also an Elvis fan.  Notice the dice from Las Vegas on the window locks, too. 

There was a nice assortment of other hot rods, too, but not as many as I had expected.  I wanted to see some GTOs or a Firebird (two of my favorite cars).  Even more nice was seeing all these cars parading around town and watching people stare, totally mesmerized by their beauty.  A lot of hard work must've went into these things!

The other car I like a lot is a classic Thunderbird.  This car just spanks of class and sharp wit to me.  I also liked the color of this one, reminds me of burgundy lip gloss.  I wondered if the owner of this vechile was a woman because it has such a feminine touch to it.

I also think that this Thunderbird has a coy little grin.  I like classic cars because there is more personality to them than the ones they build today.  To quote Marv (played by Mickey Rourke in Sin City), "Today's cars all look like electric shavers..."

I got some dinner at a Subway restaurant attached to a gas station across the river where I accidentally took this photo of the people sitting near me...

Before crossing the river to get back home, some pretty vines and trees caught my eye. I like creeping and poison ivy, I think they're beautiful plants. They seem protective, as if guarding the bridge that will take me over the river.

Speaking of the river, here are a few snapshots of it:

I love living near great bodies of water. Here's a place I've always wanted to swim to but never have swam in the river because the current is very strong and the water isn't exactly clean:

I then spent the rest of the evening feeding ducks with this couple.

So there you have it. It was a nice day to chill out by the river. I wish I had more days like that!