Page 10. Whtby Fre Prose, Weclnesclay, JIJRO 22, 1994 e~) by JiI Mclntosh Tales of 'back then'5 After the brutal winter we had, who ecpected that suznmer would be this warin? This is «classic cruising' weather and our old cmr are seeing daily service (as they do every summer) -- it's just too nice to leave them at home. My husband, who bought a 1966 Dodge' convertible last winter, would gladly buy the groceries one item at a time if h. could, just so h. could go back to the store with the top down in between. Such weather calis for stopping and looking, and our first stop was the Brooklin Spring Fair car show a couple of weeks ago. It's arnazing when you realize just how many really nice old cars we have in Durham region, and many of them were on display there. But when it was tirne to get my photographe and talk about the cars, I found that we have just as many really nice old-car owners, too. One of the joys of this hobby is the fact that many of the car owners are stili interested in the era of cars tey had when they were new. This may flot seem like much, but these owners are a living legacy and most are only too happy to share their memaories over a fender or leaning on a runjiing board. les- great to read in a book that Ford Model Ts had springy suspension and thin tires to get them over the bad roads. It's even better te sit and talk to someone who actually drove today's paved, highways when they were little more than rnuddy buggy trails. One of my friends, now in hie eighties (and stili driving a 1927 Pontiac), told me how bis faxily used te corne out te Whitby from Toronto in their Model T. It would take -theim moot of the day and required a littie trick when gong up the bll in the Rouge Model Te didn't have fuel pumps te force the gasoline into the carburetor. Rather, the fuel tank sat above the engine and the gas dripped into it by gravitY. Coinguhill, the gas wouldn't foe,ancithe'car had to make its way up the bill backwards in reverse no that the tank would be lower. Quite a story, and one I've never read in abook. Another older relative, now deceased, would laugh about how it took longer te get home in a snowstorm. Nowaays that woud mean a traffic jam. But back in the early 1940s, it meant that the city bus didn't have the traction te malce it up the hili te bise home, and all the passengers had toget out and push. From going te car shows over the years and talking te people both about their cars and the way they lived and drove "back then," I've discovered a faucinating part of our history that few take the time to think about. Some of it makes me long for those days -- no traffic jams, a more leisurely pace and 25-cent gasoline. But ths car owners also remind me that ambulances, fire trucks and other emergency vehicles sure make botter time on teday's roada than they did back thon. Owners still driving the 1950 Mrcurys and 1957 Chevrolets fromn thoir youth have told me al about their glory days, even if they weren't always lifted right BE PAGE 12 MEMBERS 0F THE Westfalia Owners Travel Club camped out recently on the Owasco Volkswagen lot. The 150 or so members of the club, which is based in Hamoton. N.B., travel across Canada in Westfalia (Volkswagen) campers. Owasco donated the use of an RV for the evening and took the travellers out to breakfast the nextmornng Photo by Mark Reesor, Whitby Fre Press Former Brooklin ra cer teaches of-roaid riding BY Glen Konorewskl Learning how to trail ride was something some learned with unfit motercycles and virtually no equipment. Recently one of Canadla astp off-road and enduro racers established a school to teach others how te ride. Currently retired from coin- Dtition, lair Sha 1 saof Érooklin has decided there is a real need for this kind of school. With the help of Suzuki Canada, Sharpless and his co- workers will teach the Aills of off-road motorcycling t begin- ners righ on throughte advan- ced riders. They wil1 also take beginners trail riding. Unlîke other schools with rigid formats, Sharpless tailors the learning te the individual'sa ai- lity and skille. Called the Blair Sharpless & Co. lrail Tour and Dirt Bike School, he emphasizes that everyone going te the school has fun and learning at the saine turne. The school is run by Sharlees and a group- of experienctidirt bike riders at the Ganaraska Forest, just west of Orono. T'he trails at the park are laid out in such a way that there are al types of terrain. Unlike other riding schools, Sharpless & Co. supplies every- thing needed te enjoy a day of trail riding. Depending on ones skill and level of experience,' they provide a Suzuki dirt bike, boots, shin pads prote tive pants, chest and shoulder protection, a helmet, goggles and a school jersey te Keep. The achool also supplies lunch. The day of my ride started at 9 a.m. in the Ganaraska forest. One of the instructors provides eupment and a bike. Experien- ced riders hit the trails.LIn- experipenoed ridera firet get in- structions before heading out. Ini the first haîf hour I mana- ged te put the bike on its aide twice, on soin. of the teughest trails I have seen in a while. If you have a concern about what the motorcycles might be doing to the forest, don't. Sharp- less says an imact study of the forest showedthat the bikes did no dam age at alI. 94 GLFCL (2 Door) $289*/t Buyback $3652. ode JTTiAL CL- $3d49 /mth Buyback $4869. Vehîc ~OWASCO VOL KS WAG EN1 Provo toseve ouBEST sinc 92 An 'iCARE an:d CAAaad l Sales. servic. leaing body, shop, ai makes. Rentais in Canada. USA aîWc Europe, overseas dellvery. 1425 Dundas St. East, Whitby OWASCO686-6410 -RV- TOP DOLLAR FOR :Wânot exacdyas shon. VOUR TRADE! NC. DOWNTW TORONTO 9d4 iwirlÀ& 3.. e5 PÀ&SSA VvaO GLX 77 -77M