Hear them roar
Chris and Sandy Leonard cruise up Sherman Avenue in their 1969 Camaro during Car d'Lane on Friday night.
BILL BULEY/Press
Billy Joe and Jane Arnold of Coeur d’Alene ride on Sherman Avenue in their 1965 El Camino during Car d'Lane's cruise Friday.
Chris Fuller, left, and Bryce Fuller watch the Car d'Lane cruise on Lakeside Avenue Friday night.
Mark Burnette drives his 1932 Ford Roadster in Car d'Alene Friday night.
The Car d'Lane cruise flows on Sherman Avenue as a crowd watches Friday night.
A classic car is reflected in the polished fender of another beauty as it cruises during Car d'Lane.
Ashley, Jax and Axel Matue of Post Falls wave and smile from their 1970 Volkswagen Beetle during Car d'Lane.
Chris and Suzanne Zabriskie ride in their 1965 Shelby Cobra in Car d'Lane.
John and Patti Shaver sit near their 1950 Chevrolet Fleetline Deluxe and watch the Car d'Lane cruise Friday night.
The All Things Irish crew, owners Craig and Ilene Moss and associate Sharon Kearns were dressed for Car d'Lane on Friday.
Chris and Cris Wheeler of Bonners Ferry cruise in their 1966 Ford Galaxie 500 convertible, with passengers Debbie Ard and Lesley Ard, in Car d'Lane.
A Car d'Lane passenger enjoys the cruise.
A crowd watches a vintage vehicle with flames flow past in the cruise Friday.
Michael and Kelli Cocks of Coeur d'Alene ride on the bed of a 1963 three-quarter ton Chevrolet truck in Car d'Lane.
A driver puts on a show for the Car d'Lane crowd Friday.
People enjoy the Car d'Lane cruise Friday.
COEUR d’ALENE — Their T-shirts drove home their point: “Gasoline Forever.”
These two guys loved cars. The cool kind with class, souped up with muscle and memories. Never, ever electric.
“We’ve been car guys since we were little,” said Chris Fuller as he stood on Lakeside Avenue and watched the Car d’Lane cruise Friday night with son Bryce.
While they didn’t have a car in the cruise, they have some classics at home. They’re restoring a 1970 Chevelle, a 1972 Nova and a 1966 Volkswagen Beetle.
Chris Fuller said his father introduced him to the beauty of cars of the 50s, 60s and 70s, and he passed that passion on to his son.
“He’s getting into it, too, following in our footsteps,” Chris Fuller said.
Thousands of people lined downtown streets for the annual cruise that featured about 800 four-wheeled golden oldies.
Engines roared and tires screeched as Firebirds, Roadsters, El Caminos, Falcons and Chevys rolled past — often with blast of gasoline — young and old crowding sidewalks and corners.
Some claimed their posts hours before the 6 p.m. starting time when engines began firing up.
Drivers and passengers waved, some holding phones to record the crowd, and folks in the crowd returning the favor.
Chris Leonard was driving a bright-yellow 1969 Camaro with wife Sandy riding shotgun.
The Coeur d’Alene couple said they look forward to being part of the community event that’s so much old-fashioned fun.
“We love it,” Chris Leonard said.
John and Patti Shaver of Coeur d’Alene parked their 1950 Chevrolet Fleetline Deluxe so they could watch the parade of colorful and rare automobiles flow past.
John Shaver said Car d’Lane’s cruise offers “every kind of thing you could possibly think of on wheels, all at once, and the people that like them, in one place. That’s stunning to me,” he said.
Billy Joe and Jane Arnold of Coeur d’Alene were inside their orange 1965 El Camino.
“All the people coming out and having fun, it’s awesome,” Billy Joe Arnold said.
Chris and Cris Wheeler of Bonners Ferry came down in their 1966 Ford Galaxie 500 convertible, with passengers in the backseat.
As they roared up Sherman Avenue, smiling and laughing, Chris Wheeler shouted one word to describe the cruise: “Beautiful.”
The Show & Shine, also downtown, will have about 500 cars from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. today.
