The Elky
By Christine Tailer
HCP columnist
Green is my favorite color, but red is also near and dear to my heart. My barn is filled with four beautiful red tractors that chug across the fields simply for the joy of chugging. Their farming days are long gone. Their only purpose now is to bring smiles as we pass by on parade or run along the creek road shifting thought their gears for my joy and for their exercise.
So, when Greg mentioned that he really needed a 1966 El Camino, I smiled and jokingly told him that I agreed. I knew that he needed one just about as much as I needed four beautiful red tractors. I did, however, add the provision that it was only OK with me as long as the El Camino was red to match my tractors.
I should have known. It did not take long before we were headed off, trailer in tow, to bring home just what Greg needed and what also just happened to be red.
The Elky did require a bit of work. Its black dash had become warped and bleached by the sun. The door panels were torn and needed replacing. The engine was far from finely tuned, but with a bit of work, Greg soon had the Elky purring like a deep-throated kitten and looking quite pristine.
One of the joys of driving a classic car, is getting her out for the first drive of the year. She started right up, though she definitely needed a good dusting, but in no time, she was ready to roll out of the barn, into the sunshine and up the creek valley road for a spin around town.
Her voice echoed across the valley. Her wheels hugged each twist of the valley road. The cattle, sheep, and horses barely looked up from their grazing to watch us passed by. Windows rolled down, cozy wings aimed to blow our hair back off our faces, we were off.
Car horns tooted their greetings. People waved. We were our own, one-vehicle parade. Life could not have been any better.
Now you might wonder how we off-gridders justify owning a 1966 Chevrolet El Camino. No fear. No problem. One of the stops on this particular first cruise of the year was to the farm supply store. For those few of you who might not know, the Elky is classified as a truck. She has the front end of a '66 Chevelle, and an upgraded 350 engine, but her rear end is a truck bed. Bags of animal feed, lumber, and whatever else we might need to haul back to the farm fit perfectly in her bed. Heads turn. Folks wave. When we park, people are drawn to her and walk around, admiring her chromed lines, and occasionally asking Greg to raise her hood.
As for me? I smile. I am ever so glad the Elky has the ability to bring smiles to others, not to mention sweet feed back to our cattle, horses, sheep, and goats. I also firmly believe it’s good for the soul to occasionally go out on parade.
Christine Tailer is an attorney and former city dweller who moved several years ago, with her husband, Greg, to an off-grid farm in south-central Ohio. Visit them on the web at straightcreekvalleyfarm.com.