Barrett-Jackson & Tonto....

THURSDAY MORNING: was reserved for the unreserved auto auction that has made Barrett-Jackson a famous name in the auto bidding and trading industry.  For the uninitiated, Barrett-Jackson is where the elite (and very rich) auto (vintage, American muscle, European and everything else) collectors gather to sell and/or bid on virtually thousands of cars on the humongous lot in Scottsdale, AZ.

Line up for bus transportation to the Barret-Jackson Auction in Scottsdale

We met Lucky and Trena for breakfast at their hotel before driving up to Scottsdale - a 50 minute drive from Gold Canyon.  We arrived on time; we're easily guided to off-site parking; we're quickly placed on huge luxury buses and delivered to the large auto auction venue.  What great organization!  Parking was free; and so was the bus ride.

Home - Barrett-Jackson Auction Company - World's Greatest Collector Car Auctions

Lucky and I are already comparing notes.

No....we did not stop in to purchase a $500 bidder's card.  Yes, we paid our senior discounted rate of $25 to spend the entire day at the show.  And what a show!  I have never, ever seen so many cars - of all types and from all countries around the world - assembled in one place.  Wowzzzza!

These antiques are auctioned off too.

We have so many photos but I only chose a few to show the scope of cars available for the highest bidder.  Bids were between $45,000 and well into the hundreds of millions for select and priceless automobiles and paraphernalia.

Thousand of spectators and bidders were on hand to check out the cars in detail

This beautiful Duesenberg caught my attention.  I love these cars; always have. Click on the link below for greater detail.

 Duesenberg - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Another one of my favourites - a beautiful BMW Isetta.  I always wanted one of these.  Click on link below for details.

Isetta - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This Beverly Hillbillies' original jalopy sold for a whopping high price $137,500.00  Click below for details.

0 BEVERLY HILLBILLIES CUSTOM TRUCK - Barrett-Jackson Auction Company - World's Greatest Collector Car Auctions 

There was plenty of action outdoors too.  The large transport truck below hauls a massive barbecue.  Wow!  The smell was impossible to ignore. The food was as big as the truck.  Man....was there a lot of food.

The one and only RV I saw at the show.  Click below for details.  What a beauty.

 1946 INTERNATIONAL HARVESTER WOODY WAGON - Barrett-Jackson Auction Company - World's Greatest Collector Car Auctions

Jeanette and Lucky chose to take a ride on a speed track with a professional race car driver.  Jeanette was beside herself at the finish line.  She loved it.  Hmmmm, I hope she doesn't want to trade our Nissan truck for a sports car......!

Jeanette going for a speed trial in a souped up Corvette.

The beautiful boats - especially the wooden built beauties in the photo above -  are true works of art by skilled craftsmen and craftswomen.  I would not want the maintenance demands these priceless woodies would need on a very regular basis.

We sat in for several live auctions - while SpeedVision TV was covering the live action.  Most interesting.

If I recall right, this awesome street rod sold in the neighbourhood of $50,000.  Far less, we believe, than it would have cost the original owner or builder to restore it.

Leaving for a great ride east from Gold Canyon

FRIDAY MORNING:  Off to Tonto   National Monument......and areas around and about.

Stunningly beautiful country; including this very, very large open pit copper mine, along route 177 Arizona.

Opportunity to take photos near a very nice saguaro

Trena captured this photo with Jeanette and I.

Mid-afternoon - rolling back into Gold Canyon.

The beautiful Gold Canyon Sidewinder golf course was sure getting my golfing juices going.  Next week....perhaps?

And that is a quick re-cap of our last two days in the beautiful sun filled skies of the Arizona desert in Gold Canyon and beyond.  No complaints here.  

Thanks for dropping in.