Saturday, August 22, 2009

Summer of Love, Hippie Daze, Kitsilano Style

For several years Kitsilano has been home to Hippie Daze. This year it was renamed to Summer of Love, being that it was the 40th Anniversary of Woodstock, birth of the hippie generation. You can read all about it here --> Summer of Love.http://www.kitsilano4thavenue.com/Events

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Hey man, they're getting the stage ready. The close off the main street for nearly a mile. We arrived before the event got underway and were walking the beat watching all the last minute preparations. In the middle of the street there was a large display of classic cars of all types

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From old trucks with gull wing hoods

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60's muscle cars

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to previous generations of smart cars like this Messershmidt, where the passenger sits behind the one holding the handlebars . You open the hatch like a jet plane and climb in. This one had a 2-stroke 200cc M/C engine, with sequential shifter like a motorcycle transmission

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another sound stage checking out acoustics

It was about an hour before starting time and people were milling about looking at all the cars.

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There where a few home-build electric cars and trucks filled with carbon acid batteries, along with this display of electric powered scooters

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I think this conch-trike was shipped up from KW. It looks like a perfect solution for transporting tourists around.

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A Bonneville it isn't, but it serves the same purpose albeit a little slower. It says "Fun Taxi" on the side, but I am sure it isn't so fun for the driver who has to scurry up and down all of our hills and dale in a speedy fashion all the while tourguiding along the way.

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(Tom Abrahamsson amongst these eco machines)

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He is trying to decide which colour to get

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This area of 4th avenue, just west of Burrard was the Haight Ashbury area of Vancouver. It was home to the hippie generation so it is fitting that this event is put on in the hopes of attracting the old residents back, if only for one day a year

8 comments:

  1. So, there was a sort of autobiographical void in there. No reminiscences of beads and bongs in your youth.

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  2. I would love to have a go in that smart car lookalike, but I'm thinking at 5ft 10 I wont fit in :(

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  3. Dear Bobskoot:

    I preferred the peevious model of the Messerschmidt, which came equipped with machine guns. It would be better suited fotr the traffic around here.

    A friend ofmine, who lives n Montreal, recently purchased an electrric scooter. He gott to within 100 meters of his office when the plug came out of the wall, however, bringing the unit to an abrupt halt. He blamed this difficiency of the vehicle on "socialist" electricity.

    Wha adventures have you been having on your new bike?

    Fondest regards,.
    Jack • reep • Toad
    Twisted Roads

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  4. PS:

    I just see I mised three previous posts. I'm going to look at them now.

    JR/tw

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  5. Conchscooter:

    In the 70's we actually went to SF to the Haight Ashbury area. I have pictures filed away somewhere and 4th avenue here in Vancouver was home to the hippie generation. Oh . . . if we could wind the clocks back to relive the times . . . I think I threw away my last pair of buffalo sandals

    Linda:

    Those small cars were ahead of their time. They were too small when America was looking for Humungus with lots of chrome and fins. That new Fiat 500 (Topolino) looks promissing. And I think you will fit in. If not then we will have to "load" you through the sun roof

    Jack "r":

    Jack, you made mention of "no" posts, so I was working frantically to please you and you have been silent for a few days. Also you are getting "behind". We need more material from you NOW.
    I have a surprise "guest" speaker coming up, stay tuned. Not unlike your political statement being broadcast by Key West Diary by Anonymous, so you can feign ignorance

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  6. I've enjoyed all the Woodstock celebrations and stories documented in the mainstream media. Thanks for another one!

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  7. Hi Bob,

    ı remember seeing those Messerschmits about and Bubble cars when I was a kid, my Grandmother used to drive around in one of those tiny Fiat 500's, worth a small fortune today, but a bit of a joke back then lol.

    Cheers,

    Dave..

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  8. Sharon:

    it would be nice to turn back the clock and knowing what we know now we would be having a very good time

    Dave:

    I've always liked the Topolino. I'm not sure I could live with the 500cc Fiat, we'll have to see what they look like. Perhaps it's the car for our new age of restraint

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