THIS EVENT HAS BEEN CANCELLED DUE TO THE CORONAVIRUS.

Deane Wilson still recalls the time the idea first struck him. “My wife Robin and I were at the 2018 Goodguys Colorado Nationals having dinner with friends, including Ed Capen from Goodguys and his wife Maggi,” Deane said. “We were discussing the possibility of Goodguys having two Hall of Fame Road Tours in 2019 when I suddenly had a wild hair: Could I do a road trip to all 18 shows in one year?”

“Crazy, right? Everyone at the table fell silent, and then it felt like the entire restaurant broke out in laughter. Frankly, I didn’t see what was so funny.”

The function of man is to live, not to exist. I shall not waste my days trying to prolong them. I shall use my time. – Credo by Jack London

Deane put the ambitious road trip idea in the back of his mind as one of those “someday” things, but it continued to rise to the surface as he and Robin drove on the 2018 Hall of Fame Road Tour and attended several more Goodguys events to finish off the season. “As we thought more about it, it started to seem possible,” Deane said.

The notion continued to percolate during the off-season. Deane was confident his ’61 Impala was up to the task. It had more than 70,000 road trip miles on it since being rebuilt in 2011 with an LS1 engine, overdrive transmission, disc brakes, comfy Cadillac seats, and air conditioning. The question was, could Deane and Robin endure the challenge?

Easing Into Spring

The thoughts became more serious as the spring of 2019 rolled around. At the very least, Deane and Robin, who live in the Northern California town of Grass Valley, figured they could start by attending the first four events of the year – in Fort Worth, Scottsdale, Pleasanton, and Del Mar – since they often attend those anyway. “We always attend both Texas shows because my best friend Rod moved to Texas back in 1986,” Deane said. “We really enjoy Scottsdale, too. I mean, what’s not to like about the weather there in March! Not to mention, our youngest son went to college there and still lives in Phoenix.”

From Scottsdale, it was off to the All American Get-Together in Pleasanton, just a couple hours from the couple’s home. “It was the first Goodguys show I ever attended, and the first time the Impala got an award: Coolest ’60s!” Deane said of the event. “That was way back in 2011 when there were only about 3,000 miles on the odometer.” The following weekend was the Del Mar Nationals. “What we really like about going to Del Mar is the road trip put on by Goodguys called the ‘Cruise to Del Mar,’” Deane said. “There are stops at rod shops, private collections along the way, and great camaraderie. What a great little cruise.”