Coverage of the 2011 Georgia Mountain Moonshine Cruize-In

There was a soft blue haze laying over Route 75 as we headed north toward Hiawassee, Georgia, and the 2011 Georgia Mountain Moonshine Cruize-In. The promise of hundreds of pre-1970s vehicles and acres upon acres of swap meets left a sweetness in the air that grew still sweeter as we passed through Helen, Georgia, and onto one of the most spectacular driving roads in the entire state. Steep, twisty embankments made our little four-cylinder car feel like a thoroughbred and served as a fitting appetizer to the rest of the day.

After the roadway evened out, Hiawassee was just a few more miles up the road, and increasingly, the popular stretch of Route 75 became more and more populated with vintage iron that rumbled through the north Georgia mountainside in a nearly endless rumble of pulsing exhaust pipes.

We arrived shortly after 11 in the morning, and I immediately saw what I had to look forward to. Parking for the grounds was tiered along the side of the mountain, and getting back to the car later wouldn't be much of a picnic, that's for sure. We wound our way around the vendors and the swap meet patrons to our spot, where we could overlook most of the show. Of actual vendors, there were disappointingly few. I had come in hopes of finding some of the relatively rare badges I would need for my own project, but only one had the parts, and these were priced more along the lines of a major retailer as opposed to what it actually was: A cardboard box sitting outside of a 1976 Chevy van.

Disappointed with what I could see, my wife and I began walking down to where we could hear a band playing near the entrance to the park. In total, I had counted about 30 cars, all interspersed with new cars - nothing particularly noteworthy, when something else caught my eye. A chopped prison bus and a stream of people headed into what seemed to be little more than a gap between two enormous trees. We followed the crowd as I eyeballed a pair of glistening 1957 Chevrolet Belair Coupes and a '29 Roadster that had been hand-built by its owner, followed by a long, lustful lingering over the sculpted and immaculate lines of a vintage Buick, and were led to the lower area of the grounds. Here was the trove that we searched for. Between the ubiquitous lemonade stands and a handful of odds-and-ends vendors were what we had come to see, the real stars of the show.

Hundreds of vintage cars were lined up in the tree-shaded venues of the Mountain Moonshine Cruize-In, arranged in a maze of cars that left us lost and far from wanting for a map of the grounds. At every turn, there was another piece of automotive excellence, brilliantly displayed for all to enjoy. Linda Vaughn, Miss Hurst Golden Shifter, and one of the most famous first ladies of the automotive world was in attendance, accompanied by Steven Philips and Midnight Express, The Lisa Price Band, and, of course, Bill Brooks' Elvis and Friends show. It was an honest-to-Edelbrock jamboree in the hills!

While everyone seemed to favor their own rides, I had a list of five that were noteworthy, not just for their build quality, but because they offered something nostalgic that I just don't think I found with any other rides. Follow the pictures to catch a glimpse of what caught my eye.

After three hours of strolling back through time and finding no less than two dozen cars that I would have adopted into my little garage, it was time to head out. We had heard about a little ice cream parlor up the highway that sounded promising, but as we drove away, I couldn't help but think that summer 2012 seems awfully far away.