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shortqueershakespeare · 3 years

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bro... you just know imma have to ask for all the questions....

I hope you’re proud of my dedication (also thank you for doing this every time lol)

london: when you visit a city, do you take in the tourist points or the more unknown places?

I like to do both, but more unknown places are fun to either discover myself or be shown by someone who loves the city.

paris: where did you last fall in love?

In a bedroom in Cambridge I think.

berlin: do you find history or geography to be more interesting?

History, I love learning about history, but I didn’t study either at school - I now do some history.

amsterdam: would you drink in a room full of strangers?

That’s just freshers week in a nutshell so yes I did.

prague: rivers or forests?

Forests with lakes, although rivers really make me think of home - in my home city my grandma lives next to a river, as does my dad, at uni I live near a river and in Vienna I commute across the river which I love.

vienna: do you enjoy classic literature?

Yes, definitely, I actually read a lot of classics as a kid but I’ve been slacking lately.

barcelona: beaches or cities?

Cities

madrid: who did you last attend a party with?

I’m assuming it would’ve been with uni friends, or many a zoom party.

budapest: if you could do anything and not have to face the consequences, what would you do?

ooh shit that’s such a good question, right now it’d probably be punch/get rid of our incompetent government.

rome: ancient rome or ancient greece?

oooh i think i’d go with ancient greece although i can speak some latin so i’d maybe fare better in rome.

copenhagen: how many languages can you speak?

5, to varying degrees, english and german are my best, russian is prob still my worst because i haven’t practised in forever.

dublin: where was the last castle you visited?

Old Sarum

stockholm: angst or fluff?

Fluff babyyyy

lisbon: if you had the chance to become a prince/princess, would you?

Hmmm I don’t think so, although the British monarchy have so much monarchy, maybe just to do good with that money.

athens: favourite greek myth?

Off the top of my head, Eurydice and Orpheus.

milan: what matters more: fashion or comfort?

Comfortttt

munich: why did you kiss the last person you did?

I’d broken up with someone not long before and he kissed me and took me by surprise, it was very sweet.

helsinki: when did you last visit a friend’s house?

Start of October I think, we don’t have bubbles in Austria but we made one with him so he wouldn’t be on his own.

reykjavik: do people usually have trouble pronouncing your name when you first meet?

Nope, they often spell it wrong though

florence: how did you discover your favourite artist’s work?

I really like Allie Brosh’s comics and books, my sister introduced me to her.

edinburgh: would you visit a dog park without a dog?

Probably yeah

oslo: what’s more important: work or love?

Love

venice: why did you last fall in love?

He provided me support when I really really needed it and made me feel valued.

glasgow: where were you going during your latest bus journey?

To work

liverpool: do you follow any sports?

I follow league one of British football for AFC wimbledon. I follow tennis sometimes too.

cologne: why did you last visit your grandparents?

To give my mum a break from looking after grandma.

moscow: would you rather perform in a circus or an opera?

Oh hell, probably an opera.

naples: if you could visit anywhere in the world, where would you go and for how long?

Hmmm I’m gonna give a few answers - if there wasn’t the teeny problem of bigotry and safety I would love love love to go to Russia for like a month.

I also really want to go to Italy and Spain and the Scandinavian countries, so I’d like to do like a month or two of interrailing (which was my plan for March but obvs I can’t do that)

favourite

1 - season?

autumn

2 - classic film?

Men in black?? idk

3 - nostalgia-inducing possession?

my teddy bear - he’s called brownie and my sister got him for me when I was really little

4 - shade of green?

the dark bits of malachite

5 - gemstone?

amethyst

6 - hour of the night?

4-5am

7 - quote?

“The universe is seeming really huge right now. I need something to hold on to.” - We Were Liars (E. Lockhart)

8 - type of dream?

dreams about being in love

9 - happy song?

Candlelight - Relient K

10 - sad song?

Tobacco In My Sheets - Lauren Aquilina

11 - character from a book?

Ohh I really don’t know I’ll go with Andy Skampt from the Carls.

12 - creative medium?

Pen and paper for writing

13 - memory?

belly laughs around the table with my family

14 - aspect of a person’s face?

smile or eyes

15 - decade before the 2020s?

2010s

16 - band?

Stornoway

17 - animated film/tv show?

moana

18 - constellation?

cassopeia

19 - poem?

A Thousand Mornings by Mary Oliver.

20 - album?

right now its Songs for the Drunk and Broken Hearted by Passenger

21 - ending in fictional media?

The ending to Crazy Ex Girlfriend.

22 - shade of blue?

maybe baby blue because its on the trans flag

23 - part of being alive?

love

24 - holiday?

last time I came to Vienna actually

25 - kind of candy?

flying saucers are a classic

26 - person you know?

I’m real homesick so my sister at the moment

27 - musical movie?

Rent

28 - superhero?

Spiderman

29 - book longer than 500 pages?

I think North Child is longer than 500 pages?

30 - book shorter than 300 pages?

We Were Liars

marvel character asks

iron man: first superhero you ever liked?

spiderman

spiderman: do you believe in hometown pride?

not really

black widow: would you rather be a secret agent for the heroes or the villains?

heroes

hulk: which approach to conflict do you prefer: analytical or physical?

analytical

thor: what’s your favourite kind of weather?

snow

captain america: how patriotic are you?

fuck not at all

black panther: what’s your favourite sci-fi movie?

the one i immediately thought of was I am Number Four.

ant-man: how tall are you?

something above 5′3″ but i genuinely don’t know

bucky barnes: do you have any hidden talents?

nope

captain marvel: on what topic do you and your parents most disagree?

how tidy my room should be kept

hawkeye: if you had to fight, what would be your weapon of choice?

something i can use at close quarters, maybe a knife

doctor strange: what’s an occurrence of everyday magic you’ve experienced?

Honestly some places and weather and animals are so magical

peter quill: is there anyone that underestimates you?

probably my flatmate

falcon: tell us your feelings on the armed forces.

oof that’s a rough one. My dad was in the army and definitely has ptsd from it. I don’t support the army at all but I do recognise that a lot of working class kids have few alternatives and are funnelled into that system.

gamora: if family and success were mutually exclusive, which would you choose?

family every time

nebula: do you believe a person can truly change?

yes

wanda: if you could have any superpower, what would you choose and why?

shapeshifting

deadpool: tell an offensive joke you feel bad for finding funny.

eh no thanks, i don’t really wanna put that energy out there rn

loki: greatest thing you’ve done on april fool’s day?

i mean probably something annoying to my sister when i was younger

venom: what non-mcu marvel character would you love to see in the mcu?

oh god i have no idea

nick fury: how do other people perceive you?

i hope as empathetic

thanos: do you believe in necessary sacrifices? give an example.

yes and no, not in terms of economy and shit, i don’t think people should ever be sacrificed for economic gain, but in terms of personal life i’ve sacrificed friendships to transition, and i’d do it again.

rocket: favourite non-domesticated animal?

tigerrrr

drax: would you rather fight with fists or knives?

fists

groot: how annoying were you five years ago?

i think i was growing out of my super annoying phase

#personal #personal post #personal posts #ask game #ask games #anons #answering questions

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butyouvealwaysbeenthecaretaker · 3 years

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i read the first tales of the city last week after picking it up at an out of the closet (usamerican gay thrift shop chain) (i refrained from picking up any pulp sff bc i know i usually don’t get around to reading it, and any books with hairy shirtless men on the cover bc i was embarrassed, but like. the gay cashier isn’t going to judge me so if there’s anything left next time i go in... anyway) do you think i should read more of the series before gawking at the show

Great question ^_^

There's a couple of different answers to this:

1) In terms of continuity/canon, the Netflix TV series is set in the present day as a sequel to the book series. But it's a free adaptation, and diverges from the canon whenever it feels best to them.

It doesn't matter that much if you haven't read the series; the concept is, as in the books, ensemble cast of intertwined tales of queer chosen family in San Francisco - and that's the sort of thing you can pick up at any stage. And I'm not convinced that the new series meaningfully constitutes "spoilers" either, because it's so clearly a parallel canon rather than a replacement or continuation.

THAT SAID. A bit like Picard, it leans heavily on sentimental nostalgia; I'm not sure why you would care enough about the indulgent, semi-deification of the characters if you weren't already invested in them.

2) There's also an older TOTC adaptation, with the same cast, which I haven't seen - but would still like to.

3) In terms of pleasure: I just counted on my shelf, and I own all nine TOTC books plus one of his others. I think the book series is fantastic. In contrast, I watched three episodes of the show and haven't bothered to finish it.

The books are a series where you'll either read one of them, or all nine. The first book is an essential part of our literary history and culture; but if you buy what he's selling, it's pretty irresistable.

TOTC books are an interesting historical document - especially the first few which have a slice-of-life wit and a parodic eye. "The City" is Maupin's great love affair, so it's a document of that moment and that place - as well as notable for its groundbreaking representations of LGBT characters.

Beyond that, it's a string of sausages story and you stick with it because you love the characters. Maupin isn't immune to a very silly plot twist, but his observational character writing is always excellent; he seems to struggle with finding the narrative on which to hang his character work. Expect a soap opera twist at the point 75% through the novel when he thinks just having characters talk to one another isn't enough and something ought to Happen. But you know what? It is enough. I wish he had had the courage in his observational work to let it stand on its own.

I also think he has one of the most interesting treatments of AIDS in literature. His books are semi-autobiographical, written contemperaneously, and it's telling to me the way he chooses to almost step around it - for example, killing main characters in the time between books, so as not to tell the story of their illness on the page. In both TOTC and the Night Listener, he explores HIV through the experiences of straight characters. You get a real sense of him needing to approach this topic from the side, rather than head on. That's important to me, in and of itself, as a document of that part of our history.

4) I think the best run is books 5-7: Significant Others/Sure of You/Michael Tolliver Lives, with the last of those being the one I've read to death.

I didn't get on with book 8 (Mary Ann in Autumn), but it has a nice subplot about young gay trans man Jake connecting with this Mormon youth pastor missionary who may-or-may-not-be-gay. Book 9 (the Days of Anna Madrigal) was a travesty, absolutely terrible. The more you learn about Maupin's life, the more you realise the books are literally just things that happened to him - including having disappointing sex with a closeted film star. The reality of Book 9 is that Maupin is an married man living a quiet life, and not much is happening any more.

So if you're reading, you can stop after book 7.

5) One of the most important things about the series is how connected Maupin is to the world he's writing about. Filled with knowing references that his gay readers of 1974 would have understood, to people and places and bars and events and things you see on the street there.

The Netflix has attempted to replicate this by updating it for modern queer culture and modern SF. I don't think the writers are part of that world, it doesn't read as "real" to me.

For one thing, adjusting Jake from a young gay trans man who hooks up with the poly, married, older cis male protagonist - courageously, but with confidence - to one of the "young people" characters, having relationships with other young people newly created for the series. There's a subtle othering going on here, suggesting Jake's life is a "young person's thing". But in one stroke, they've erased the age gap, the open marriage, the long history of gay trans San Franciscans as an equal part of a historic community...trans lives are not validated by cis people's acceptance or by sex, but when you're adapting the longest-running openly gay character in literature, the character who comes to embody the life of a gay man over the course of 3 decades of books, and you choose to write the trans characters out of his bedroom, and into this nebulously modern queer space instead, you are Making A Choice.

I had horrible experiences in queer spaces, so the rosy-tint everything has doesn't read as real to me; and where are all those trans young artists living in San Francisco anyway? Yeah, Anna and Edgar are running an Instagram account, but the tale of the city is not the tech revolution, but the people crushed underneath it.

You know, what happens in the book series at the moment we move into the present day is that Mrs Madrigal has to sell her house - that iconic house, the house on which everything centers - because she's an older woman in a rapidly gentrifying city that's shifting underneath them, and she needs the money.

But in the show, there she is, at Barbary Lane, luminous and surrounded by loved ones; it's giving us what we "want", part of the Maupin brand. But Barbary Lane is not the house, but the way the people within it create home for one another there. I think what it misses is that these are tales of the city, and like any lover, you adore it even when your heart is breaking - you have to be honest about that which you love, in all its imperfections; Michael Tolliver Lives explores that a little in 2016, what it means for the city to be gentrifying, but a series made in 2019 shies away from it?

To me, this sort of exemplifies the queerwash cowardice of the series. It's something hollow draped in a rainbow flag. Maupin was never cruel to his characters - but he never lied about them either. The series is safe, unwilling to criticise, unwilling to take risks, unwilling to look at the modern city or modern queer life with a clear and honest eye, it's like eating a wad of colourful cardboard.

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myname-is-eli-blog · 5 years

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Who i am.

I have a list of common questions and things i’m going to answer as a way for you guys to get to know me better. Some are just little things like color and movies but down at the bottom are some mental things i struggle with to further solidify my perception of everyday life. If you have other questions for me that arent on this list, feel free to ask them.

1. What is your name?

Eli (i dont have a middle name) Avila

2. How old are you?

3. When is your birthday?

May 2nd

4. What is your favorite color?

Yellow

5. Favorite movie?

The Hate U Give or Avengers: Endgame

6. Favorite show/tv series?

Grey’s Anatomy, The 100, and Euphoria

7. Favorite type of music?

No idea, Pop, R&B, and some Rap, also i like any type of sad music

8. Favorite Album?

Camila Cabello by Camila Cabello or Hopeless Fountain Kingdom by Halsey

9. Favorite song?

Out Of Love by Alessia Cara

10. Favorite singer?

Camila, Kehlani, or Jessie Reyes

11. Favorite author?

Fuck bro idk

12. Favorite book?

The Book Thief

13. How do you pass time?

I paint, draw, watch tv, or hang out with my buddies

14. How do you slow down time?

Think, focus, read (this speeds up time but in my mind its slower and i love that)

15. How is your love life?

My Partner of a year broke up with me about 2 months ago and then asked a girl out a month later and that didnt work so yesterday they asked out a boy to go to Culvers.... in front of me.... knowing i was also going to Culvers... I dont really care who they date but its more the blatant disrespect and seemingly the need to hurt me thhat kinda took me aback. However, i’m actually talking to a couple people, but i’m not dating currently, i dont want to date someone thinking i like them, only for them to turn into a rebound, thats not fair to them.

16. What Grade am i in?

This year i will be a Junior in Highschool

17. What am i doing after highschool?

2 years in community college, four years in a university, then law school.

18. After college?

Hopefully ill work my way up to becoming an attorney.

19. Where do i see myself 10-20 years from now?

Hopefully im an attorney or almost there, hopefully i have kids.

20. Any regrets?

Dating my partner, and my ex girlfriend. i shouldnt date.

21. Biggest fear?

Losing control

22. Favorite Season?

Autumn

23. Favorite weather?

Rain and storms

24. Zodiac sign?

Taurus

25. Are you a morning or a night person?

Neither, during the summer i sleep early and wake up late. But i get more grumpy late at night than i do early in the morning.

26. What is your biggest insecurity?

My voice.

27. How many siblings do you have?

28. How many kids do you want?

I dont know, but i do want some

29. How many partners have you had?

30. What makes you angry?

Mixed signals, and people using me to get better then leaving when they realize im not fully better.

Mental Health Questions (it get more personal down here)

31. What mental health problems do you have?

I am diagnosed with Anxiety, Depression, Bipolar disorder, and PTSD

32. How does it affect your daily life?

I have anxiety attacks quite often sometimes, i wake up sad occasionally, and i have long stages of mania and depressive episodes that tend to leave me either very depressed or very unpredictable. my ptsd is just kinda random, i have nightmares and sensory flashbacks. But i learn to cope with all of this.

33. Do you know where they come from?

Yeah, first three are genetic. PTSD comes from My ex Vicky, (not my most recent, the one before that), and a night i messed up by wandering around my town alone at 4am (story for a different time)

34. Any triggers?

Yeah but i struggle to identify a lot of them

35. Do you talk to someone about them?

yes i have a therapist named Melissa, shes lovely

36. Do you take any medication?

No my mom doesnt like what it does to me..

37. How has trauma affect your daily life?

I have random triggers, i zone out a lot, i have panic attacks, other things. i struggle to focus, and i stuggle to fall and stay asleep.

38. How are you today (or in general)?

As of lately, i am fairly okay. Things with Dylan (lets say thats my ex, real name filtered for privacy) have got me confused. I see them every week, and i dont mind seeing them, but sometimes it leaves me hella hurt afterwards and i dont know why. i guess im not over them like i thought. Also, i dated them before i realized and accepted that i was trans, im new to this... but they told me they were gonna break up with me eventually anyways because they aren’t attracted to guys... but now they are talking to another transboy...???

39. How would you recommend other people get help for their mental health needs?

Gosh okay, talk to people, i know it can be scary but communication is key. you need people on your side to get passed all of this. you can do it on your own too, but its so much easier when you have a support system. an actual support system, not just one person, multiple people. Talk, express, question, get and give advice. Stay strong, and im always here to talk if you need it.

40. Are you open to people coming to you for any help that might be needed?

yessss please come to me if you wanna rant or talk, i’ll give you the best i can with what ive experienced or ill just listen if you need to rant but im completely open to it if you need someone to talk to.

-Eli: 9:34pm 6/26/19

#trans #transboy #questions #dysphoric #transgender #genderqueer

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itsworn · 7 years

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Recap From The 2017 Race of Gentlemen

Wildwood 2017 Will Go Down as TROG’s Finest Hour

In its brief half decade of existence on the beach, The Race of Gentlemen (TROG) has kicked up a sandstorm of press and media attention, which has helped revitalize the vintage hot rod and bike hobby. It’s been less than five years since that fateful autumn day when a hardy pack of diehard hot rod enthusiasts and biker brethren stormed the beach in Allenhurst, New Jersey, for the first time. Since then, TROG has flourished and has also jumpstarted a movement dating back to an era where you modified your favorite ride, stripping it of useless weight and parts, and then hopped it up to perform better and go faster. It’s the definition of pure hot rodding—in two- or four-wheelers.

And at the helm of this perfect plethora of coordinated carnal chaos is Meldon Van Riper Stultz. He’s the mind behind the machine, along with his trusty Oiler MC/CC crew, keeping the good times rollin’ and the race machines haulin’.

Basics

The rules of TROG haven’t changed much over the years. Cars must be 1934 or earlier and motors and speed parts must not be newer than 1953—the last year of the Ford flathead. All bikes are pre-1947, usually of the Harley or Indian ilk. You’ll see a good smattering of early brands like Chevrolet, Hudson, Chrysler, and even Essex, along with the multitude of Fords. Variety is good—it kills off monotony.

TROG doesn’t come together overnight. It takes a full 11 months of work to bring the show back each year. And it is a show. Its circus-like atmosphere and carny touches are what sets you back in time, pulling you into the 1940s glory years of hot rod racing.

Race Week

Mel and his Oiler crew spend weeks in Wildwood, New Jersey, prepping for the race. This kitschy beach town has become the permanent home to TROG since the second event—and for good reason. Great sand, extra room to sprawl out, and a picturesque atmosphere make this South Jersey beach community the place to be. “It’s our home away from home, and it’s the town’s spectacle outside the race that impresses all who travel from outside the area and abroad,” Mel says. No doubt, Wildwood’s retro styling multiplies TROG’s vintage vibe tenfold and puts a period-perfect exclamation point on the entire race.

By Wednesday of race week, last-minute preps take place while drivers and spectators start funneling into town. By Thursday, there’s a presence—things are getting louder on the streets and there’s a buzz about town. More bikes and jalopies are rolling in. By Friday, TROG is fully on—racers are gathering outside the StarLux Hotel & Suites and the party is in full swing. Locked and loaded, the event is about to blow. The final shot across the bow is the “Night of the Trogdolytes” party at the Bonita Hotel. Lots of hot bikes and enough cool music to spare. The weekend is off and running.

Race Days

By 7 am, Wildwood is abuzz with the trumpeting sounds of open headers. Bikes and jalopies run the gridded streets of town, readying their rides for the meet-up just outside the boardwalk on Ocean Ave. By 8 am, the drivers are led through the “gazing tunnel,” the entranceway to the beach. It’s like the hot rodding equivalent of the Ancient Roman chariot races, with the participants entering the “arena of play” with their metallic steeds to the cheers of packed spectators clamoring for an eyeful.

Out on the sand, drivers park in the pits and ready their rides for the race. A noticeable change this year is the inclusion of sandrails to the event. Mel was wise to give this a shot, as just their physical presence was enough to rouse attention. “The rail class was also my answer to tons of young guys and gals saying, ‘I want to, but I can’t afford…’ Oh, yes you can! It’s doable on a shoestring budget,” Mel says. Besides the rails, there is the typical cross-section of all things hot rod: coupes, roadsters, and speedsters of all styles made up the majority of the 100 rides on hand, mingled alongside 50 bike entries. This year’s race field was the biggest one yet.

Once the tide goes out, racing begins. (This race is the only one that depends on the tidal charts and lunar movements to dictate race time.) Saturday is the day you test and tune and get used to the slippery starts and shaky traction on the sand. It’s similar to driving on snow, but with a bit more bite, some racers say. The racing is infectious. “TROG has ruined me,” says Eli English, veteran of several TROG events and owner of Traditional Speed and Custom in New Hampshire. “I have no desire to attend any ‘regular’ car shows anymore after being a participant here. Why would anyone want to sit in a parking lot when you can be on the beach kicking up sand and driving your car for all it is worth.”

After a complete day of test and tune, rides are parked and, once again, the StarLux draws a crowd. But tonight, the beach will be alive: more music, more libations, more hot rod mischief. The bonfire draws participants into the light like flies, and the party continues on.

On Sunday morning, the field heads back to the beach for round 2. Today, things get serious—as serious as they get at TROG. The emphasis is always on the fun part of hot rodding, though many come to race hard and compete. No doubt there are quite a few eager to take home the prize in their bracket.

Drivers pair up and race based on engine size. Both bikes and hot rods have their own classes, broken down by engine displacement. It’s a gentlemen’s race, as drivers run the eighth-mile and declare a winner. The action was fast and furious down the stretch, with heated matchups and fast times. Needless to say, the crowd ate it up and even licked the spoon!

Final Run

As festivities come to an end, Mel knew he had just seen hot rod history unfold. It was the major success The Race of Gentlemen needed after some rough weather the last two years. And for Mel, it was a vindication of sorts—and a nagging burden removed. “It was the best year yet, hands down. It just works better and better,” he says. “We learned how the beach and tide work, and we prepared accordingly. Every year, it’s a crapshoot. Thanks, Momma Nature, we needed a break.” Even the Boss, Bruce Springsteen, showed up on Sunday, snapping photos at the starting line. He knew where the action was at the Jersey Shore this particular weekend.

“The Race of Gentlemen” exhibit ran all summer at the Harley-Davidson museum in Milwaukee. Says Mel, “It’s a dream come true that I hadn’t fathomed; Harley-Davidson treats me like family, I’d do anything with or for them. And in 2018, we are getting close to a Texas race and a Bonneville run, so stay tuned on our website or on Instagram for details.” Of course, look for The Race of Gentlemen at the beach in Wildwood, New Jersey, June 8–10 in 2018.

Lisa English flies down the sand strip in her flathead-powered AV8 1929 roadster. It was built at her husband Eli’s Traditional Speed and Custom shop in Pittsfield, New Hampshire. It boasts a 1949 59ab flathead hooked to a 1946 side-shift trans. A set of 1946 juice brakes do the stopping. The roadster’s look is finished off with a 4-inch-drop axle, narrowed 1935 truck grille, and patina by Mother Nature herself!

Last year, TROG made great organizational improvements so each driver could get more runs on the strip. This was done by implementing a system based on a bulk return of racers, i.e. running 10 to 20 races before letting the cars and bikes return along the coastline. This not only sped up the action on the eighth-mile strip but also made it safer out there on the sand.

This year’s new “rail” class was a huge hit with both the drivers and spectators alike. These Spartan rides not only looked killer but also performed well on the sand where it counts. Here, TJ O’Grady of Throttle Jockey Originals shows off his banger-powered Model A rail he built from scratch in a three-week span. Can you tell he’s having a blast?

Coming to TROG all the way from Orlando was Thomas Berry, running his 1931 banger-powered roadster. He’s kickin’ up plenty of sand, but not enough to obscure flag girl Kailey Hankins.

In a last-minute change, Dick Deluna could not make TROG, so good friend Carter Cook took over the driver seat. Carter is running a Rolling Bones–built, flathead-powered 1934 five-window coupe out to a slight lead on Jerry Laboranti and his stunning 1931 flatty-powered roadster. Jerry built his ride on deuce rails. He’s a high school music teacher by day and a skilled hot rod builder and louver expert by night.

A fixture since the first TROG, Master of Ceremonies Joe Oz starts off the day of racing by running his trusty steed, a 1945 Indian Chief NYPD bike, onto the sand. Joe’s the friendly face that keeps things moving on the starting line. TROG race official “Big Rich” stands at the ready.

On flag girl Sara Francello’s signal, Bob Factor and his banger-powered 1929 roadster take off.

With the backdrop of one of Wildwood’s vintage roller coasters off to the west, two early Fords battle it out on the oceanfront sands. Dave Fowles and his banger-powered Model T from Las Vegas take a slight lead on Fredon, New Jersey’s John Knas and his Chevy 216ci, six-cylinder-motivated 1927 Model T roadster built on Chevy rails.

With one of the earliest-built entries, Sam Baker of Oceanview, New Jersey, runs the beachfront with a banger-motivated 1915 Model T, hopped-up with a Riley head and a Winfield intake.

Ken Schmidt and his crew at Rolling Bones Hot Rod Shop in Greenfield Center, New York, build some of the finest hot rods in the country and are always well-represented at TROG. Once this trio is done with the sand, there will be preparation for a trip to Bonneville. From left to right, Dick Deluna’s 1934 five-window coupe, Jon Suckling’s 1932 roadster, and Ken’s 1932 three-window on the far right.

TROG originator and Master of Mayhem Meldon Stultz catches a ride with Max Herman and his H&H Special, while Sara waves them on. Max’s ride consists of a 1925 Model T body on a narrowed 1930 Model A frame. The engine is a 1932 model B engine with a Riley four-port cylinder-head conversion. The banger sports two 2-inch side-draft carbs that have sequential serial numbers. Max and his potent ride went on to win the banger class during the bracket races on Sunday.

Andrew Kohler of Kohler Kustom in Cogan Station, Pennsylvania, mans the wheel of his super-rare 1941 Ford half-ton delivery van with TROG announcer Corin Stubblefield by his side. They are pushing Jeremy Baye, proprietor of 1945 Speed and Custom of Troy, New York, and his radical Dodge-bodied, rear-engine racer. It sits on a T-frame and has an alky-powered, Hillborn-injected, 286ci flathead to motivate it down the eighth-mile.

Owner Pete Flaven built this flatty-motivated 1932 five-window over the course of the winter for this year’s TROG event. He and his Tornados Car Club from New England were well-represented at the race, with four cars making the lineup.

Joe Conforth, in his flathead-motivated speedster, holds a nose lead on Jeremy Baye and his wild, rear-engine racer. Joe won the V8 class last year at TROG and was in competition all weekend to regain his title.

Racers are lined up on Ocean Avenue in preparation for the race. They are then led under the boardwalk via a tunnel where spectators jam in tight to get a glimpse of the cars and bikes up close and personal. Through the “gazing tunnel” is a sand path that goes past the boardwalk carnival rides, leading to the beach. Roger Kramer (pictured) from Cleveland brings his trusty, banger-powered 1930 Ford speedster—the “Skumbukit Special”—to the fray.

Racers line up for their next run on the sand. After TROG implemented a new return-road rule last season, racing has moved along at a much quicker pace, with drivers usually more than doubling the runs they had in previous years.

One great thing about The Race of Gentlemen is the variety of rides you will see. Mel has always made sure an assortment of race cars and bikes are on hand, and that models and years are well-represented.

The Jersey Shore gave up a beautiful weekend of sun, sand, and workable tides, which made for great racing all weekend. Jeff Bloedorn and his 1932 roadster from Stillwater, Minnesota, take on the 1928 roadster of Joe Lockwood from Binghamton, New York. Both rides sported flathead power.

Kevin Carlson (aka “Crazy Uncle Harry”) of the Barnstormers Car Club delivers the power to the sand, running a sandrail powered by a 308ci Hudson Hornet inline-six. This particular engine featured one of the first factory multi-carb setups, and Kevin took advantage of that, modifying it to run two new BIG97 Strombergs. The chassis started from 1932 Chevy truck rails and was built with a Model A rear crossmember and banjo rear. Kevin’s ride certainly attracted a lot of attention at TROG.

Daniel Dolan entered the race area with his 1934 five-window coupe, motivated by a 228-inch flathead. Daniel hails from beautiful Fort Collins, Colorado, about a mile higher in elevation than Wildwood!

Flying past the amusements on their way to the finish line are a pair of flathead-powered racers. Mike Farace of Forest Hill, Maryland, in his 1929 roadster and Jodi Lovette of Marmora, New Jersey, in his 1926 Essex are evenly matched mid-run.

Steve Lamery takes the return road back to the pits in his 1929 flathead-powered roadster. TROG is a complete success not only because of the fine weekend weather-wise but because of the well-thought-out adjustments made by Mel and his Oilers team over the years.

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