The Citrus County Corvette and Camaro Club had a tour scheduled for this past Saturday of a car restoration facility. Followed by a car show. Wasn’t sure if I wanted to go. I like to ride in a fancy schmancy sports car but that doesn’t mean I want to know how they fix them. It was a cold morning and all I could think about is “do you think they have heat in the garage?”
But I couldn’t find any excuse (believe me I tried) to get out of the excursion so I went along. And actually enjoyed the tour!
Here’s the place. If you take regular trips to Spring Hill down 19, you’ve probably drove right by it without even noticing the building.
West Coast Classic, Inc.
First we saw two examples of the seven generations of the Corvette.
2014 Corvette1954 Corvette
Dave and Shannon Rodriguez started West Coast Classic in 2006. It’s a family business with daughter Sabrina also working in the office. Shannon welcomed us when our car club arrived then began the tour in the office. She then moved out to the garage where her husband Dave joined her. They both spoke passionately about the business and restoring cars the right way. Their projects have been featured in many car magazines plus they have been approached about doing reality TV. The Rodriguez’s have declined the TV show because the producers just want to see arguments. And “That’s no way to run a business”. I was very impressed with this young couple.
Several of the employees explained what part they played in restoring the vehicles.
1955 Buick Special, one of the current projects.And a 1949 Chevy Pickup, one of their past projects.
It was a very interesting tour. They not only do restorations but also do regular automobile maintenance. If you want to learn more about West Coast Classic, check out their website.
We haven’t been out on the boat in awhile due to the busy holiday season and when we had a free day it was usually too cool or the water was too low. But we had another gorgeous weekend, the tide was up, so we set out on the boat yesterday to see what we could see…
After the boat started right up, we were off!
I’m going to throw some real estate in so you too can buy a place in Perfect.
This is a lot around the corner. Completely undeveloped. $135,000. Zowie!
It has a nice view but it will cost big buckets of money to get the septic tank and meet all the other requirements for building on the water across from federal preserve land.See that flag, it really was a breezy ride.Here’s another one!What a gorgeous sunny day and beautiful view!Here’s an island for sale. With a house and dock already on it.And this place is landside and comes with it! Gotta have a place to dock your boat when you go get groceries!Another nice piece of property right on the point. That would have an amazing view of Mason Creek and Battle Creek. A short boat ride to the Gulf or to the Homosassa River.Here’s a bunch of gulls hanging out on a oyster bar. Too breezy to fly? Or maybe just taking it easy on a Sunday.One last piece of property for you to purchase. If I only had a gazillion dollas!
We got to Petty Creek that takes us over to the Homosassa River and decided that it was just too windy. We’ll save that for a calm day!
I seemed to have missed the whole crazy foaming Elvis Presley fanatic thing when I was kid. Perhaps I was a few years too young. Perhaps because my parents thought Elvis, Johnny Cash, and the Beatles were all on drugs so I wasn’t allowed to listen to them. Therefore they did not exist.
I was allowed to listen to Julie Andrews, Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass, Eddie Arnold, Neil Diamond… You get the idea.
The original overprotective helicopter parents. Perhaps that’s why I drink so much!
Anyhow…..
As I mentioned yesterday, this weekend was divine and the forecast is that it will continue all week long. Yippee!
Terry suggested we drive up to Shrimp’s Landing in Inglis on Saturday. The weather was supposed to be “top down” friendly. Which to me is somewhere between 80 and 90 degrees. Left the Grammy-Van home–that’s what I call my car since it snugly fits three grand-darlings in the back seat. (and on a little side note, putting those car seats back there and getting them all buckled is almost painful.)
Anyhow…
We pulled into Shrimp’s Landing and I said “this does not look like a very fancy place”. Terry chuckled. And I was right. More like a diner. (They didn’t even sell beer.) But Inglis is the town mostly known for (besides Elvis) putting a sign up back in 2001 that banned Satan.
“Satan, ruler of darkness, giver of evil, destroyer of what is good and just, is not now, nor ever again will be, a part of this town of Inglis.” It goes on and on but you get the gist.
Fried Shrimp was “all you can eat” for $10.99.
Terry’s Lunch
Grilled was a dollar more and not “all you can eat”.
Little skimpy on the fries but the shrimp was very good.
But there was plenty of shrimp. And the place was packed. Very popular Saturday afternoon spot.
And since we were that close to “Follow that Dream” Parkway, we had to take a little drive down that winding road to the Gulf.
Yeah, in case you were wondering, the movie with Elvis Presley “Follow that Dream” was filmed right there in Inglis, Yankeetown, and Inverness. Elvis walked these streets! (and according to my parents, probably did some drugs there, too.)
Which brings me to a whole weekend of Elvis celebration in Inverness in February. Oh yeah, there will be pictures! There’s even a bus trip scheduled plus an Elvis impersonator. I already told Terry to put it on his calendar. February 20 – 22nd.
Here’s my pictorial tour of Follow that Dream Parkway…
What! They already have signs up for a bike path all the way to the Gulf! So sad our sidewalks won’t even be started until 2016.
And we stopped at a Levy County Park on the Gulf.
Crabs! This is a beach! If I laid down here, in no time they would be nibbling on me!Small but powerful! Look at that giant claw!
Took a little sidetrip to Yankeetown, which is just off of “Follow that Dream” Parkway, to check out what has happened to the Izaak Walton Lodge. We went there once with friends and it was truly “fine dining”. Heard rumors that the Dish ran away with the Spoon and the place closed. But it’s open again.
But this sign was right next door and says that it is at Izaak Walton lodge. So I’m a little confused.
Might have to do some investigative reporting (dining).
If this weather continues, we’ll be doing some more top-down travels!
