When my husband and I first began dating back in the 60s, he drove a 1956 Chevrolet Bellaire, turquoise and white. It was a pretty car, but not one at that time in our lives we really appreciated. I can remember it had really loud pipes and as he would coast down the hill in front of our house the mufflers would, as they say, “talk.”
We traveled to the Mississippi Gulf Coast last week for my husband’s first “Cruising the Coast.” I have been a couple of times with my children, but I insisted he go at the least once and see all the old cars, especially the 1956 Chevys.
This was the 25th anniversary of this event and there were over 10,000 cars participating in the cruise. These cars cruise down highway 90 from Pascagoula to Bay Springs and pick up stickers from each town as they go to place on a sheet to show their participation. And ALL OF THEM HAVE PIPES THAT WILL TALK!!!
Our house is right on highway 90 and we can sit on our front porch and view all the cars coming in from two different directions. There was everything from A-Models, T-Models, to pickup trucks, flatbeds and regular cars with the motors on top of the hood as well as concealed, convertibles and covered Corvettes, one big red Radio Flyer wagon made into a car hauling lots of riders, all kinds of motorcycles, and yes – many 1956 Chevrolet Bellaires.
People were camped on sides of the highway for miles and miles sitting in the heat in anticipation of the parade of cars. It seemed to me as if they were waiting on perhaps a sporting game and needed to be as close as they could get. Some of them so close that their chairs nearly touched the road itself. As a matter of fact, one spectator was runover by one of the faster cars.
The event began on a Sunday and concluded the next Sunday. And those people sat there every day. They slept, ate, and visited right there in their spot for seven days.
We had planned to stay for four or five days, but as we got no sleep due to the “talking pipes,” we decided to cut our trip short and we only made it for two days. By Thursday we could not even get out of our driveway, so when we saw an opening, we “cruised” home.
Our little Emmie Jo loves Cheerios and this is a recipe for fried Cheerios that are really tasty and as good as popcorn.
Fried Cheerios
4 cups of cheerios
¼ cup melted butter
salt to taste
In a large skillet melt butter. Add Cheerios and coat well with butter. Stir and cook for about four minutes until Cheerios are coated well. Remove and sprinkle with salt. You can add ½ t. of Worcestershire sauce if desired.
