1996 Cayucos Show

Cayucos 1996 Personal Show Journal by Christian Willis.

This journal was written on Monday, June 10, 1996.

This year's Cayucos show was a fun one (just like the other two before.) When we drove up this year we made the best time getting up there ever. We left my school at 12:26 and 30 seconds, and got up there at around 6:00p.m.

The very first thing I purchased there was a danger sign with the foreboding inscription: Underground / Live Wire. After that purchase, I was off buying insulators (of course.)

The year before, I won the raffle once, and the year before that, I didn't win at all. This year, though, I won the raffle five times! Three of the five insulators I could definately do without, but one was a McLaughlin. "Bright yellow green" was the insulator's color, as dubbed by Fred Padgett and Dwayne Anthony. The other was a CD280 Hemingray Nº1 High Voltage. It had a lot of rust and dirt inside, but with a lot of steel wool, it cleaned up nicely.

My favorite insulator that I bought at the show was a CD 164 H.G.Co. in Jade Green Milk, and almost mint for $45! The value of it right now is almost $75. I almost bought it as soon as I saw it, but decided to wait until my dad got back from eating across the street. Then, to my "shock and horror", I saw Bill Heikotter go over to the table, pick up the insulator, and inspect it. Much to my relief, though, he didn't buy it. At this point, I didn't bother to wait. As soon as Bill walked away, I picked it up and bought it immediately. I'm glad I did.

The next day at the barbeque Dwayne, my dad, and I were sitting at the table chowing down on Sid's great tri-tip, beans, garlic bread, and salad, when my dad mentioned to Dwayne that I played the piano and that I had refused to play at the Cayucos show, even when tempted by an extra $20. It was then that I found myself saying "yes" to Dwayne Anthony's question: Would you play Maple Leaf Rag at the Long Beach National Show as part of the entertainment program? Today, the day that I am writing this journal entry, is June 10, 1996, and it's not the national yet, but I hope that I enjoy what I'm about to do in front of all my fellow collectors.

Just as we were about to leave to head over to the mineral springs camp ground, Sid gave us a whole two of his famous, hand-made sausages to take home. (They were delicious!)

After saying goodbye to everyone there we knew, we headed towards the mineral springs, where we would camp for the night with electrical hook-ups.

The following day (Sunday), we headed south on U.S. route 101, and took an off-branch until we hit Los Alamos (our favorite antiquing town.) We went to the three antique stores there, and only one contained a successful find. In a back room was a large, silver bowl. Inside it were many insulators. At first look I knew there wouldn't be anything. All I saw was a Hemi-42 for $6.00, a bunch of CD 163 Hemi-19's on their pins for about $6.00, and... wait! I dug down to the bottom, where, lough and behold, was an unusual insulator in a bowl of commons! I couldn't believe it! It turned out to be a CD 121 no name Canadian insulator (the one with the pleated [vertical ridges] skirt and the patent date in a clockwise circle on the dome, and worth about $15.00) I thought for sure that this insulator would cost a pretty penny because it was so unusual to the "untrained" eye, but when I looked at the tag, it simply said "$4.50." $4.50!?!? I couldn't believe it! That's what I really couldn't understand: a person puts a price tag on a normal, everyday Hemi-42 for $6.00, and then turns around and puts a price tag on a bright blue insulator with a patent date, "weird ridges" on the skirt and everything, for $4.50! It just doesn't make sense! Oh well.

The next shop we went into, I was shocked. I have dubbed this shop for having the second highest price on a common insulator that I have ever seen. It was a clear CD 128 Pyrex. The price tag said, "$42.50." Forty-two dollars and fifty cents?!!? I almost screamed. (By the way, a clear CD 128 Pyrex is worth less than $1.00; maybe 50¢ at the most.) We were out of that door before you could say "antidisestablishmentarianism."

We then drove the rest of the way home, where I would begin to plan for my display at the national show in one month.

Over all, we had a great time, and we're looking forward to the next Cayucos show.