K
Ken Chambers
Guest
Yesterday I attended our local airport annual open house. Lots of nice antique,
classic, home built and modern aircraft on display - and one Amphicar! It was
fun to see more people on average surrounding the Amphicar and asking questions
than with most of the airplanes on the ramp.
Across the highway from the airport is a water theme park situated on a small
lake in a county park. The lake is only for small sail and paddle boats.
Despite our 90 degree weather, the theme park was closed for the season. I
thought I'd at least drive in to take a look and see if there might be some
chance... - well, you know. So here I am driving around the perimeter road
spying the lake doing about 30 or so just as I notice a 15 mph sign at precisely
the same time I see a park ranger vehicle
closing in on me at a high rate of speed. He gets on my tail and starts saying
something on his loud speaker that I couldn't make out over the noise. Oh
great, so I slow down, give him a friendly little wave and pull out up ahead in
the marina parking lot.
Before I could even shut down, these two rangers jump out and were on both sides
of me before I knew it.. Oh man, these guys are really touchy about their speed
limits, I thought. Then the one ranger said wearing a big grin, "Why I haven't
seen one of these cars since I was a little kid. My uncle had one and he used
to give us rides in Lake Tahoe." Whew, what a relief. These guys are friendly.
With that, I showed them the car and he told me all about his childhood Amphicar
rides. The other guy had never heard of an Amphicar and thought it was the
coolest thing. After a short while I asked half jokingly; "Say, you guys need
to patrol the lake now and then, don't you? Want to take the Amphicar?" To my
amazement came a "Sure, let's go." Alright! So I gave them both rides and then
he said to go ahead and enjoy the lake. Ah, only in an Amphicar.
Ken Chambers
San Jose, CA
'64 Amphi
classic, home built and modern aircraft on display - and one Amphicar! It was
fun to see more people on average surrounding the Amphicar and asking questions
than with most of the airplanes on the ramp.
Across the highway from the airport is a water theme park situated on a small
lake in a county park. The lake is only for small sail and paddle boats.
Despite our 90 degree weather, the theme park was closed for the season. I
thought I'd at least drive in to take a look and see if there might be some
chance... - well, you know. So here I am driving around the perimeter road
spying the lake doing about 30 or so just as I notice a 15 mph sign at precisely
the same time I see a park ranger vehicle
closing in on me at a high rate of speed. He gets on my tail and starts saying
something on his loud speaker that I couldn't make out over the noise. Oh
great, so I slow down, give him a friendly little wave and pull out up ahead in
the marina parking lot.
Before I could even shut down, these two rangers jump out and were on both sides
of me before I knew it.. Oh man, these guys are really touchy about their speed
limits, I thought. Then the one ranger said wearing a big grin, "Why I haven't
seen one of these cars since I was a little kid. My uncle had one and he used
to give us rides in Lake Tahoe." Whew, what a relief. These guys are friendly.
With that, I showed them the car and he told me all about his childhood Amphicar
rides. The other guy had never heard of an Amphicar and thought it was the
coolest thing. After a short while I asked half jokingly; "Say, you guys need
to patrol the lake now and then, don't you? Want to take the Amphicar?" To my
amazement came a "Sure, let's go." Alright! So I gave them both rides and then
he said to go ahead and enjoy the lake. Ah, only in an Amphicar.
Ken Chambers
San Jose, CA
'64 Amphi
