Goodguys West Coast Nationals

Santa Cruz Woodies Club (SCWC) recently spent the weekend in Pleasanton, Ca at the Good Guys West Coast Nationals. We started off with a welcome party hosted by SCWC Past-President Toni Wilkerson at her home on Thursday evening. Friday morning we were all up early and arrived at the Alameda Fairgrounds to secure our favorite spots in “The Grove”, a nicely shaded grassy area set aside just for our Woodies. Gary Meadors, founder of Good Guys and a longtime member of SCWC, and his staff graciously reserve this most coveted spot for our wooden cars every year.

Once the cars were dusted and polished, many of us walked into town for our annual Friday morning breakfast at Dean’s on Main Street. If you haven’t been to Dean’s and you like a hearty breakfast before you start your day, I highly recommend them. The food is great and the portions are large. The staff caters to the Hot Rod crowd; the coffee is always hot and fresh and the service is exemplary. After breakfast the brisk walk back to the fairgrounds put us in the mood to check out the swap meet and car corral.  After a couple more hours looking for interesting things you just can’t live without, we headed back to the Grove to visit with friends and other SCWC members. After lunch, the day continued with another walk around the fairgrounds checking out all the beautiful cars and the vendor booths.

By late afternoon it was time to prep for dinner and set up tables and chairs for our annual Friday evening Good Guy’s BBQ social. SCWC past presidents Jim Vickery and Jim Alves along with club member and master BBQ’er Doug Yugo decided to do a “light” BBQ this year so Hamburgers and Hot Dogs were the order of the day. By the time the food was done the rest of us had the side dishes, desserts and fresh condiments assembled and we sat down for another memorable tailgate feast with all our Woodie Ohana.

Saturday morning everyone assembled back in the Grove, this time joined by a lot more Woodies than were there Friday (last count 33 and still multiplying). Many new and interesting cars showed up from folks who traveled far and wide to attend. For the guy side of our Ohana most of the day was spent checking out the swap meet again, touring the show and vendor booths, visiting with other car and Woodie owners, and hanging out and enjoying each other’s company. As has also become a tradition the Santa Cruz Woodie Gals took off for a Gal’s day. This year heading to the quaint town of Livermore where they shopped, had a pub lunch and sipped some champagne on the patio while listening to the “Mondaze”, a great band whose lead singer just happens to be the nephew of our own Past-President Toni Wilkerson.

Then it was back to the hotel to get ready for another great party at Doug and Lynda Yugo’s where the BBQ briquettes came out and a feast was prepared.

Every year we look forward to Good Guys West Coast Nationals as you get to spend some quality quiet time (well until they light up the dragsters for the cackle fest next to the Grove) with friends, but it also makes me sad as it means that Woodie season is soon coming to a close and it won’t be long before the old girl gets tucked away in the garage for her Winter hibernation. But…before that happens hope to see you all at Wavecrest in September, where our own Mickey Christiason will receive the Will O’Neal Award, and at Woodies On the Rock in October where we will all celebrate in memory of its much loved founder, George Benson. So as we say, till we meet again….Wagons Ho!