Hardesty’s Christmas Lights Cruise

On December 18th 2007, about 20 RVSR members met at the Eagles Hall in Medford, then boarded Harold & Joan Hardesty’s 24 passenger bus. This beautifully appointed carrier is equipped with heating, A/C, lots of interior lighting and comfortable soft seating. To make the unit even more complete, Harold has installed a full service bar, a large fridge an icemaker and a sink.

Once everyone has some libation in hand (all except Harold who’s driving) we set off for the east Medford residential area. Within minutes we are treated with some of the smaller Christmas light shows. Harold & Joan have mapped out a route that takes us up and down several streets to view the array of Santa’s, nativity scenes, trees, eaves & roofs festooned with thousands of white, colored and flashing lights.

About and hour into the tour, we turned into Greystone Circle where almost all the residents adorn the front of their homes with every lawn ornament ever made, trees & shrubs are ablaze with all colors and styles of lights on the eaves, the roofs with walks lined of candy canes. It’s a wonderful free show, and the residents collect hundreds of tins of food that is later donated to the needy. Due to the number of cars ogling the 5 block extravaganza, it takes about 20 minutes to make it in and out. Many viewers walk the sidewalks with their families taking pictures as well as local TV filming covering the spectacular displays.

The last stop of the evening was on the way back to town where around 10 homeowners on East Jackson do a nice street array. The highlight of the evening is Ron Bartlett’s place which includes his 58 Ford Retractable and home covered in lights and ribbon plus his homemade cabinet of a miniature band who all move, play instruments and ring out Christmas carols. Ron gets into the act too by dressing up in a Santa outfit and leads “the band” on his saxophone. Plays a mean tune too. He had taught one of our gang how to play (several years ago) he did a few bars of Jingle Bells and delighted us all.

Several of us had not eaten dinner, so we capped another swell RVSR car club event at the local Sizzler, proving once again – this club loves to cruise and eat!