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The Yankee Express

Summer rain

Jul 20, 2021 10:12AM ● By Chuck Tashjian
By Jim Weicherding 
I’m a huge classic car and truck show enthusiast as well as a fan and patron of cruise nights across the region all cruisin’ season. I have been for more than twenty five years. I also know New England weather patterns whether it is summer, fall, winter or spring. I’m not liking the trend I’ve seeing over the past couple of years related to our classic car and truck shows and cruise nights. 
This past Memorial Day weekend was three days of cool and rainy weather. Fourth of July weekend was cool, rainy and raw for three days. In fact, when it isn’t cool, rainy and raw weather it’s so hot nobody can tolerate the high heat and humidity. Enthusiasts for the most part just avoid outdoor activities altogether. The daytime hours are brutally hot and in the evening we deal with severe thunderstorms and torrential downpours, high winds, hail and flooding with a possible tornado watch tossed in for good measure. 
This is the third year in a row that we have been dealing with these poor weather conditions. Normally, these trends last every three years and go back to normal. Let’s hope this is the case. 
Why? Car shows are being cancelled. You can’t host a cruise night with thunderstorms in the forecast. I’ve spoken with area DJs and they say the same thing. 
Dick Salvas, president of the Tri-State Cruisers and DJ, hosts Saturday Night Cruises to help raise funds for the Hole In The Wall Gang Camp in Pomfret, Ct. “This poor weather and daily thunderstorm consistency is hurting our events and our charity causes. We are cancelled more often than holding the cruise night because it’s always raining in the afternoon and evening. This is more like Florida weather. Not New England weather. It hurts all of us.” 
I hope this is the last summer in this three year weather cycle. If this weather pattern remains the same over the years, I see a lot of automotive enthusiasts throwing in the towel and just staying home with their show vehicles parked in the garage. They will take them out and drive them occasionally if the weather is mild. We don’t even have spring season anymore. We need to build these automotive events and promote them in order to keep this hobby growing. 
By the way, ta