Ok before I post this ;let me say sorry for the Hijack, Again welcome to the site & I hope my rant doesn't scare ya off.. :big smile: But the local cruise angle got me fired up & I typed allot so I can't just not post it...
Livermore was a nice gathering.... Pleasanton too till the P-town push rod snobs killed it... At the Friday cruise before the big Goodguys event I was informed "Oh you weren't invited so you can't come in" Really, I've been coming to the down town cruise for over for six years, got off work early & came over only to be told I couldn't come in... Between the crap Goodguys pulled & P-Town push rods it pretty much was the end of my attending car shows... I'd rather go for a drive... An if you wonder about my Goodguys rant.. I typed it out years ago & saved it so here ya go..
First a history lesson, Gary Meadors was involved with NSRA in the 70's & early 80's fact is he was the club Treasurer or Secretary anyway his name was on the agreement for rental of the Pleasanton Fairgrounds for the NSRA's West Coast Nationals...Well when He split off on his own first his big :rant: for NSRA was how they had become nothing but a big money grabbing organization & had forgotten their roots as "Old Hotrodders"...Second remember who's name is on the Pleasanton Fairgrounds paperwork? Guess why the NSRA isn't at Pleasanton anymore but Goodguys is...
GG Shows have two sides, lots of good people enjoying the cars & the event, but a fair amount of Greed...Pleasanton is home turf for Meadors & the Goodguys operation, in the early years the swap was held at the fairgrounds during the same timeframe as GG shows, if you didn't want to pay $12.00 to see the cars the swap was free, parking was free..I always went into the show whether I brought a car or not...Then in the early ninties parking fees came along, no biggie $2.00, but the show fee is up to $16.00... mid ninties parking raised to $5.00..Fine here's your money..Next around 97 the swap was brought into the show fencing & if you wanna swap you gotta pay the gate fee got raised to around $20.00..I paided but :rant: during this time frame a good friend started an internet businness & had a 10x10 Booth at the GG show, $150.00, following year same 10x10 $225.00, then later that year $325.00... In 2002 I attended my last GG show, it was the spring show & it had rained some the week prior, I got there extra early knowing the grass would be blocked & parking would be limited, my buddy & I got pretty decent places & were cleaning the moisture off our cars when a couple "Helpful" GG officials came by & told us we couldn't park where we were...Now parking was tight 30 minutes ago when we grabbed this spot so you know we're gonna be screwed but we gotta move...Well no sooner then we pull out these "Helpful" GG ________ (insert words of your chosing) precede to guide their buddies into our spots!
Well we raised a pretty big stink, & in the end got refunded the show fees & left the show...I won't be back!!! :twocents:
