Fall Carlisle

Ladies-want to meet men - thousands of them? I have bad and good news: bad is many are unshaven, have mechanic hands, and are shower challenged; good news - they can be resurrected. They get that way by spending five days at Carlisle.

It is here that men bond-no razors - no etiquette - no rules. It is a beer swilling, tall tale telling, gaseous group-analogous to "deer camp" but that is another story. It is a world of characters and an a lot of fun.

When you get that many people in a small town like Carlisle, sleeping and eating become a problem. Some sleep in Motel Chevy or Ford - some in tents and other ingenious shelters (check out the cardboard box "house" and the beer barrel stove).

Everyone eats man food: peanuts, chips, cashews, jerky, cheese and bologna-washing it down with Coors and bud. Broccoli, celery, and carrot sticks are a no -n0. That would be like wearing sandals to a Harley Meet. It is a gigantic tailgate without class.

What exactly is Carlisle you ask. They are 10 ft wide and 30 ft deep and there are about 8000 of them-at 95$ each. They are vendor spaces. Do the math-it is not small change-plus there is a gate attendance of 100,000 spectators. it is one of the largest automobile events in the world- Hershey could be larger.

In the 70's there were no flea markets that catered to late model cars, muscle cars, etc. Two guys from the Harrisburg Area rented the Carlisle Fairgrounds- and had their first meet. Bingo- ten years later they bought the fairground.