(Photos by Charles Wickam) –Â The old saw is that “everything is bigger in Texas” and our own Charles Wickam lived up to that adage last weekend when he managed to attend multiple car shows and a land speed racing event! We’re opening up the man’s salvo of Lonestar state coverage with images from the 2015 Bay Area VW Club Poker Run. This was a BIG gathering of VW enthusiasts in all manner of vehicles from Things to squareback wagons, Beetles galore, and buses for days. Volkswagen changed the automotive landscape in the United States in a way no one thought they could and in the process of doing so, they cemented themselves as a cultural icon…or a counter cultural icon depending on your view.
The innovative advertising campaigns of the 1960s got people interested in the cars and an entire culture sprung up around them that exists right up to the present day. Events like this one happen all over the country and they are not small affairs. The simple construction of the cars, especially the Beetle make them easy to repair and the massive aftermarket that still exists means that there’s plenty of parts available for people to restore of fix their stuff.
This was one heck of a show and it happened right in Wickam’s backyard! If you are a VW fan, you can’t miss these photos –
Yeee haw …
Beetles & Beetle buses galore !
In the Republic Texas(s) of all places .
I guess someone forgot to tell those folks down Texas(s) way that the Beetle and especially the Beetle Buses ARE the iconic symbol of the 60’s and the counter culture therein . Both being in diametric opposition to everything the Republic of Texas(s) [ with the exception of the Peoples Republic of Austin ] stands for
Ahhh … genuine Irony … gotta love it … as well as those Beetle/Beetle buses
” Truckin ….got my chips cashed in .. Keep truckin .. like the Do-Dah man ..”
PS ; For those of you that don’t get it ? Well … you probably weren’t getting any back then either … 😉
“Back in the day”, I owned a 1963 VW Beetle/Bug, with a “SUN ROOF”, my friends and I had a real “BLAST” in that car. I can remember one time when we/I ‘JAMMED “ELEVEN”, that’s right, ELEVEN people in my BUG! We put five in front, on the two bucket seats (one was even sitting between me and the drivers door) and then crammed, squeezed and stuffed the rest in the back seat! It’s just a good thing a police officer didn’t see us driving ‘AROUND……WAY, WAY AROUND TOWN, LIKE AS MUCH AS WE COULD ON THE “OUTSKIRTS” JUST HOPING AND PRAYING WE WOULDN’T GET CAUGHT…………PRAISE THE LORD, WE DIDN’T!’ When I sold it and bought another, different make, vehicle (White with Red accents, and red vinyl interior Ford Fairlane, two door hard top), my girlfriend DUMPED ME! Oh well, best thing, as it turned out, that ever happened to me. If it weren’t for that, I may never have met the LOVE OF MY LIFE, and eventually, got MARRIED!
Pssst……news flash. Hippies and the counter culture is kind of 50 years ago.
Todays VW scene (and has been since the 80’s) is slightly different than the stereotype in boomers minds.
What once was cheap and in every backyard for the picking is now uber-scarce and mega-pricey.
Try finding a cheap split window bus to do your shaggin in today.
Psst … guess what ? We already know that . Sold the extras off to all those desperate to recreate what we’ve already … Been There – Done That – Got the Tie Dye T shirt …. done !
And guess what else ? Despite the ever rising prices ….. those folks are still trying to live the life we once did . Problem being … the only thing they’re committed to is their own back pockets
Know what else ? Once again regardless of the rapidly escalating prices … those Beetle/Beetle Buses are still the iconic image of the Hippie/Surfer/Left Leaning Intellectual/Artist [ that’d be me ]
So err … pssst … y’alls the one in need of illuminating …. not us … fact is … y’all damn well better start learning from us … toot suite … lest you wind up losing everything this country once stood for … many fought and died for [ some in vain ] … and the founding fathers worked so hard and risked so much to create .
Cause son ? Hate to tell y’all … but the corporate machine is now calling the shots … your vote is about as worthless as the hanging chad it was placed on … and you’re about to become the generation that trashed …
….Everything …. we created … such as err … genuine Freedom of Speech – Freedom from unwarranted and illegal FBI intrusions upon your privacy – The genuine attempt to integrate this fair land … not to mention … Personal Computers … The internet you enjoy so much … The entire digital realm .. Rock & Roll [ of all kinds ] etc etc etc
Add to that … WE are the ones with the majority of all disposable income [ to the tune of 80% of it ] …
… so need I suggest its time to shed the pretense that y’all have created much of anything … its about time you start showing the respect WE deserve … and perhaps the time has come to sit down at our feet and start learning a thing or two ?
Unless of course … having your entire life/property/employment/education/privacy etc etc run by the corporate machine and especially Big Oil & Gas ..
.. is somehow perceived as a good thing in your youthful mindset
PS; FYI … that REPLY icon is so you can R-E-P-L-Y directly to the party your comment is intended for . Jeeze … y’all can’t even figure out how to play with the toys we gave you !
PPSS; And if the point wasn’t made clear enough for you …
Its IS absolutely damned Ironic that this event would be held in the [ quasi Fascist * ] Republic of Texas 😉
* read my post on the Takata recall … 2nd half … if that comment seems a bit severe
I am so glad that I came to see the pictures of a great outing and found the ramblings of has-been aging hippy pushing his agenda on the rest of the car world. Thank you Colorado I had no idea of any of the stuff you were talking till your post it really opened my eyes on how to truly enjoy the automobile and its brother-en.
Bwaahaahaahaa!!! Oh man, that is rich! Thank you, thank you, thank you!
So I am confused?
Coloradokiddycorn wants younger generations to rise up and revolt on the one hand.
And Coloradokiddycorn wants younger generations to sit down at his feet and be good little students.
Have it both ways much? Maybe take some of that 80% of that disposable income and apply it to your therapist?
Haha, he’s like the cranky old man down the street! Stay off his yard! Can’t believe someone has the time to ramble on and on about nothing like this guy. I usually read the first line (by accident) and know the rest is going to be drivel.
“Back in my day….You little whippersnappers….”