The 9th Annual Bring Your Own Boogie Van-in and Show was another huge hit recently. This year I rolled the Harley into the show. Early on Saturday morning, the Patriots and Paws Classic Car Show was just finishing parking and I came rolling through with my straight pipe fishtails on a mild cam’d Twin Cam. Set off one car alarm in the parking lot and just rolled through at idol through the campgrounds headed for the BYOB site at the end of the Canyon RV Park.
As in years past, the BYOB overnighters are just getting up from a nice night of movies, music, bbq and good times. I catch up with Steve Yarber and Jim Thompson at the gate who were busy with vans rolling in to enter in the show and soak up some fun. Also like years past, each event gets more vans camping and showing. It is always nice to see new “old” vans come in. Some are straight up survivors and others are more modern. And that’s ok.
Just so you know, my job is three-fold, cover the show for Blacktop Magazine with content that shares the experience, roll with the judges of the van show and get their choices for the 20+ awards, and thirdly, MC the awards ceremony. This time I was joined by Trophy Girl Veronica who I met as I was hanging around at the show. Her and her beau were checking out the show.
There’s one thing you gotta know about B.Y.O.B. it is a very friendly event. Everybody is there hanging out having a good time just enjoying their friends, the environment and that is van life. I caught up with Brian O’Hop and his “Vandits” friends lined up in a circle like a wagon train. Brian’s van “Penny Arcade” was set up with a nice Tiki Bar as he held court passing out refreshments.
Clubs from all over come to the event as well as lone wolfs. Greg and Deb’s “Oranjuices” van was near the entrance with a tent as an outdoor extension of the van. They are spending the weekend and having a blast.
The show area was filled with some incredible vans. As I mentioned earlier, there were some survivors that were there. There was a copper GMC VanDura with original pinstriping all around with a fresh mural of a Thor like character in a green background. The owner told me how he asked the painter to only touch up the pinstriping where he needed and keep as much original as he can. Nicely done.
Bruce Long brought out his Econoline “Blue Dragon Hookah House” and was granted the unofficial party king. Find a Motor Minute episode here as he talks about his van. If you are interested in the van life, I invite you to come out next year usually the first weekend in October. Hope to see you here.
