Wow! What a day! I just returned from a drive with my club, the Smoky
Mountain Austin Healey Club. To start the day, it was clear and sunny, a
little coolness in the air but warm enough to give you the choice of jacket
or not (top down is a given). Passed about 5 bean-shaped convertables (ya
seen one, ya seen em all type cars) all with their TOPS UP! Come on guys,
let it loose! Live a little, man! Mess up those perms!! <G>
The drive took us from one side of the Great Smoky Mountains to the other,
from Sevierville, TN to Cherokee, NC, all the way across the big mountain.
But it was in Cherokee that the significance of the drive began--we met up
with GERRY COKER and his wife, Marion, who joined us for the drive on to
beautiful and secluded Mingo Falls. For those greenhorn newbies, Gerry Coker
is the original designer of the Austin Healey 100 and the Bugeye Sprite. I
had quite a chat with both Gerry and Marion about England, Healey design, and
various other topics. Both of them are very gracious and friendly, willing
to converse. Gerry left Healey and England in 1957 and came to the States to
work for Chrysler, then in 1960 went to Ford till his retirement in the
mid-80's.
The climb up to the Falls was most strenuous, while short, and both Gerry and
Marion, who have to be in their 70's I would think, chugged right up the very
steep incline. They both are in great physical condition.
All in all a great day. I even stopped at the Pigeon Forge, TN outlets on
the way home and bought myself some spiff-em-up duds to dress out for school
in.
--David C.
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