CRUISIN’ IN CLASSICS
Car enthusiasts converge on Dolliver Park, FD area
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Gary Munsterman, of Afton, had found a spot along the road Sunday morning in Dolliver Memorial State Park to park his 1971 Ford Torino to watch the "cruise" part of the 43rd Annual Cruise to the Woods Car Show on its way to Lizard Creek Ranch west of Fort Dodge for the "show" part.
The early morning sun shining on his car proved a harsh inspector of his windshield.
"I didn't think it was that dirty," Munsterman said.
The car has 51,000 original miles on the odometer, he said.
The deep blue paint sparkles.
"It's been painted," he said. "It was around 2005. It sat for 15 years before that in southern Missouri."
His wife Stacey Munsterman was watching with him.
Does she help out?
"Ahhh ... no," she said.
One of the things in short supply during the show are parking spots in the park. It's a popular spot to gather for some tailgating, car watching and socializing.
For Lee and David Banning, of Des Moines, it's an annual event they look forward to. Their tailgate included her famous breakfast burritos. If you stop and chat, you will end up having one.
What's the secret to the delicious burrito?
"It's friends, and it's made with love," Lee Banning said. "That's what makes it great."
"Bloody marys don’t hurt either," David Banning said, hoisting a gallon jug full. "It makes everything better for breakfast."
Unfortunately, they missed out on the other great breakfast beverage -- coffee.
"We've got the pot, we have the water," he said. "We don't have the coffee."
Debbie Licht and Scott Harms, of Fort Dodge, are famous for their spicy bloody marys. They've spent years perfecting the recipe.
"We make them so good," Scott Harms said. "We don't want to change them."
They did bring a new addition this year, besides some Wisconsin cheese purchased on a trip to Wisconsin -- a plastic skeleton.
His name is Earl, he's 5 foot 6 inches, he spent the day sitting in a chair holding a red cup, he said nothing to anyone and his drink presumably went right through him.
"He's already finished his," Scott Harms said.
For the couple and their friends, it's all about friends and watching for some of them to drive through.
"We get a ton of friends coming through," she said.
Harms was helping one of them out. He had some high octane aviation gas waiting for a friend’s thirsty Mustang.
He can't quite get there on his tank," he said. "That's $85 right there."
Chuck Robinson, of Algona, found a nice spot along the road to sit and watch the cars.
He had a step-saving idea.
"I'm going to sit here and watch it from here," Robinson said. "The cars come to me instead of me walking to them."
He was enjoying them all.
"I'm just kind of a car nut," he said. "I like anything from street rods to modern, it doesn't make any difference."
Tom Muscovitz, of Granger, drove his 1966 Chevy C10 through the park, then found a nice spot on the north end to watch the other cars come through.
He had two extra passengers in the back -- Plastic Skeleton One and Plastic Skeleton Two.
"They were on the porch at the house," Muscovitz said. "They wanted to go for a ride."
While he's built many show cars, the pickup isn't.
"It's not a show truck," he said. "It's a fun truck. On Friday, I had it at Menards. It had three doors in it. It was my daily driver all summer. I built it to drive."