Larry Adams

David Johnson...  "We'll be back!"

Is that a threat or a promise?  ...  I will continue to believe it's a promise.

Virginia Ratcliffe

I just saw the photos of our Mini Elk Club Reunion.  Wow!  I wish I was able to be there.  But now that I live in Missouri I couldn't go.  The photos were wonderful.  Thank you so much.  It looked like everyone had a great time.  : -)

David Johnson

Yes Larry, it's a promise...but anyone with any taste will probably consider it a threat.

David

Linda (Kellie) Halligan (Porter)

We missed you to

Diane Raymond (Ball)

Too bad.  Wish you could have come, too, Virginia.  Maybe, you can make it for the next BIG one!

Larry Hamilton

So, I did drive to the east coast and I'm still there.  Went up through upstate New York, and then on up to Vermont for a short visit.  My niece just turned 15 and recently got her learners permit.  She was anxious to get her hands on the Z4.  She did fine, but all her friends were at the home coming game and nobody saw it :(

From there I headed south to Stamford, Connecticut, and got to visit with our classmate Jerry Charlup. I haven't seen him since our graduation ceremony. We used to spend our lunch hours hanging out with Ken Owen, and Ron Younger.  There was a certain tree on the Napa High lawn that was the favorite spot of this group to gather.

Larry Hamilton

I spent the night in Erie, Pennsylvania.  Had dinner at Delmonico's Italian Steak House.  All the interior decor looked to be vintage 1960s.  There were sketches of the rat pack as well as several photos of them taken at this place. The chicken marsala was killer, and there were three women sitting across from me having just come from a baby shower.  My late wife (a jersey girl) could have hung with these ladies, same accent and personalities. Made me miss her.

Diane Raymond (Ball)

Larry,

I think we all hung out at that tree.  I know that my girl friends and I did.  Sorry for the loss of your wife.

Larry Hamilton

Thanks Diane, that was kind of you.

There was a row of about 10 trees, ours was 3rd from the sidewalk.  I do remember other groups under the other trees. Nice shade, you could lean against them, and watch the comings and goings at the burger joint (name escapes me) and Carl's hobbie shop. Gary Bennet used to join us once in a while too.

Larry.

Larry Hamilton

Done with the east coast.  Heading back west.  Will stop off in Indiana to see a multitude of relatives, and also LeClaire, Iowa to revisit the "American Pickers" shop.  On my last day on the east coast I took a hike in the woods outside the bull run battlefield in Virginia.

Sharon Mc Kane (Halstead)

The name of the burger place was Chic's Burgers.  I live in Virginia.  I am at my daughter's house right now about four miles from the Bull Run Battlefield.  Have a good trip back.  Sherri

Paul Royer

I remember Chic's Burgers with great fondness. They had the best cheese burger, fries and chili combo going. It was so much betther than the McDonalds that opened sometime before our graduation, I think.

Bruce Erricson

Larry,

What a great trip!  My kind of travel - hop in the car & go @ your own pace to your own destinations.

I believe Chick's Burgers was owned by the father of one of our classmates, Tom Jordan -- a good first baseman.  Hi Tom, wherever you are.  

I'd forgotten Jerry Charlup was in Stamford, CT.  I was there on a trip in 2016.  Jerry my apologies.  If I get that way again, I'll certainly look you up -- whether you want me to or not....might even bring THE ROBE...

I know Ken Owen is in Pinehurst, No. Carolina.  I'm hoping to see N.C., Tenn. & Va. next year.  Maybe I can track him down.  I keep asking people about Ron Younger but he seems to have dropped off the radar.

Larry, have a safe & sane trip home.....or as close to it as you can manage.

Larry Hamilton

Sharon: I lived in Chantilly for 6 years, just outside of Manassas. I loved the area just not the traffic.

Paul: my kids loved Chic's burgers, even when McDonald's and KFC opened. I think McDonalds and KFC opened around my first year of JC.  I was working for Chicken Delight at the time and they went out of business shortly thereafter.  I remember how exited everyone was that two national chains were opening stores in our little town.  Burger King was right behind them.  Chicken Delight was unique because they delivered and also sold BBQ ribs. 

Bruce: Tom's dad did indeed own chics.  I played on the golf team with Tom our senior year, and remember seeing him working at Chics during our lunch hours.  He was one of the few guys at Napa High who owned a car (MGB /powder blue).

I asked Jerry about Ron Younger and he lost touch with him as well.  The last I heard was from Ken Owen and that Ron was in Arizona. That was a long time ago.

Ken: can you update us on this? 

This trip has been fun, just planning as I go.  Tomorrow I have a breakfast with a dozen cousins, in Indiana, in the town where I did alot of my growing up ( I know "grown up" is a matter of opinion).  From there I will continue my return to the west coast. So far i've spent about 87 hrs driving, and gone about 4,700 miles. Planning to stop at the LeClaire Iowa shop of the  "american pickers" on my way back.They usually have some seriously cool stuff at resonable prices.

Kenneth Owen

Yes, Ron Younger is alive and well, living in the Prescott area of AZ. He seems to be doing fine. But like all of us, Ron is mourning the impact of the fires that have affected family and loved ones.

Had a great phone chat with Jerry Charlup this week. Sure was good to catch up. Maybe the Fearsome Foursome will make another reunion of our own.

Robert Benning

FYI Ron is registered on our Class Creator website. Hopefully you can send him a message and he will respond.

Larry Hamilton

Ok Ken, thanks.  So glad to hear you and Jerry got to chat this week.

Larry Hamilton

Hey everyone Ron did respond but his comments did not show up on this forum.  I tried to copy them over but when pasted in they appeared just as black lines. weird. Check his box for these comments.

Ron: so good to hear from you and that you are doing well. The trip is going well, and I am on the return leg right now in Omaha.  Jerry told me that he is in the bay area from time to time, hope the four of us can get together at one of the class breakfast meetings!

Regarding the trip, today I stopped by the "American Pickers" shop in LeClaire, Iowa here are a few photos.

I had to leave the hotel by 11 so I arrived 45 minutes before they opened. I was parked there only a few moments when their van rolled up the driveway in front of me, didn't see who it was but figured they were arriving early to beat the public so I respected their privacy.

Larry Hamilton

Two more travels days and then I'm home.  Ran into a little snow and Ice in western Nebraska.  Luckily I had a winter package on the car (heated seats and steering wheel), and an automatic traction restoration system.  The car performed beautifully.  I entered Wyoming after a few hours and the temperatures and roads were much better.  Spent my birthday in Rawlins, Wyoming, watching kids trick or treating in 40mph wind gusts, from my seat at Buck's sports grill.  The town is 90% trucks and 10% SUVs, so the Z4 created quite a stir. So far I'm at about 5,000 miles on this trip and 105 hours in the car traveling. Next stop Elko, Nevada for the night and then the trip home the following day. 

Douglas L Murray (Murray)

Hey Larry

Welcome to my world. It has snowed 5 times in October at my place in the hills of Northern Colorado, just about an hour south of Laramie, Normally our first snow is around the end of October. Climate change anyone? But it will be back in the high 60s by tomorrow. As I recall there are some great Basque restaurants in Elko, although their claim to fame was as much the volume of food as anything else. Make sure Steve Ceriani sees the American Pickers photo. He came for a stay at my place some years back and the only thing that was an absolute necessity each day was watching that show.

Drive safe.

Sharon Mc Kane (Halstead)

Larry, my daughter works in Chantilly for the government.  My husband and I live in Woodstock in the Shenandoah Valley.   Hope you had a great birthday.  Your trip sounds amazing.  Have a safe trip home.  Sherri

Larry Hamilton

Sheri: Thanks it's been a really great trip.  Nearly everone I knew, that lived in Chantilly, had a great government job.

Doug: There is a place in Elko called Lucianos. Always the best food on the trip. The owner goes to Paris twice a year searching for new recepies and cooking techniques. The place is kind of a dump but the food is always top notch.  A desk clerk at the Holiday Inn put me on to it years ago.  I'm not sure how to get a photo to Steve, of the American Pickers shop, but I'll give it a shot.

Larry Hamilton

Doug: I found him and sent the photos. Hope he enjoys them.

Ronald Younger

Hey Larry

I did get a note from Jerry C.  He is coming to AZ in Jan.  I think he will be at the Barrett Jackson car auction and I will see him then.  

I am enjoying the pics and commentary from your trip.  Lots of intereting places.  American Pickers is one of my favorite shows .

Ron Y.

Paula Quandt (Libby)

I believe, if we took a poll of the guys in our class, American Pickers would be their fave show on TV.  Not a bad choice, Craig and I would say.  Great pics, Larry.  Thanks for sharing.  Safe travel to you.