Some of the participants in this year's Wallowa Mountain Cruise enjoy a leisurely cruise from Joseph to Enterprise and back Aug. 24, 2024, to wrap up the event.

JOSEPH — One of the more unique entries in this year’s Wallowa Mountain Cruise dated back to a time when police had little in the way of modern conveniences and were still expected to enforce the law.

A 1950 Chevy two-door business coupe Oregon State Police car entered by retired OSP Trooper and Superintendent Tim McLain won the cruise’s “Shifts & Giggles” award.

McLain, who retired in 2010, came decked out in a vintage OSP uniform.

“Somebody asked how I was able to acquire the uniform and I just said, I was the boss,” he laughed. “It was looking like rain and maybe I should’ve gotten an old campaign hat with the wide brim.”

He said the car replaced one that was in La Grande and came up to Joseph to work Chief Joseph Days. He said the trooper who drove it rolled it on the way back to La Grande.

“So for discipline, because they weren’t making enough money to take it out of his paycheck, they made him work a whole month with no days off,” McLain said.

The car was just like patrol cars used on the highways, with a single red light mounted on the dash and a siren operated by a foot pedal.

“They never had a four-wheel-drive pickup and never had air-conditioning,” he said. “They didn’t get air-conditioning until the 1970s. … Driving these dusty roads in the summer, you either rolled the windows down and got dust inside or you sweated.”

OSP troopers did have a .30-30 rifle mounted in a scabbard in the driver’s door. McLain said a previous trooper who used the car had a bit of a mishap with the rifle, remembering a time when he went to grab it and forgot he’d already had it locked and loaded from a previous stop.

The trooper told McLain: “I pulled it out, and blam, it went off and shot through the floorboard. … Scared the crap out of me.”

There were a few less entrants to this year’s cruise, but the turnout was still good and included vintage and classic automobiles typical of the show.

There were 118 entries this year, said Alicia Garrett, who heads up the cruise for the Joseph Chamber of Commerce. That’s down a bit.

She said she expects the reason for the lower turnout was because of the economy.

Garrett said she expects to improve on the turnout in coming years.

“We hope for a better marketing strategy and have it bigger and better next year,” she said.

The cruise began with a dance to music by Korner Pocket, followed by the event’s show ’n’ shine in downtown Joseph the following day.

A cruise that first went by the Alpine House in Joseph to let the residents there take part then went onto Enterprise before coming back to Joseph via Hurricane Creek Road.

Fortunately, the weather caused no problems this year, a relief after last year’s downpour. The skies were cloudy this year, but nothing came down.

This was Garrett’s second year heading up the cruise.

“It kind of landed in my lap last year with a last-minute change in leadership,” she said. “This year I feel a bit more comfortable and next year will be even better.”

Winning the “best of show” as King of the Mountain this year was a 1934 Ford pickup entered by Dale Hope. This was Hope’s first year at the cruise. The award was sponsored by the city of Joseph.

The People’s Choice winner was a 1961 Chevy Impala entered by Sid and Vicki Cannon of Meridian, Idaho, who have been attending since 2010.

Other winners included:

• Classic car, restored: 1934 three-window coupe, Scott Gendron. The award was sponsored by Executive Tree Care.

• Classic car, unrestored: 1973 Dodge Charger, Ken Bryan. Sponsored by Embers Brewhouse.

• Car modified/custom: 1955 Ford two-door wagon, Bob Cummings. Sponsored by Tiffany Bostedt, Aflac.

• Hot Rod: 1932 Ford High Boy five-window coupe, Ward King. Sponsored by Lisa Collier.

• Shifts & Giggles: 1950 Chevy two-door business coupe Oregon State Police car, Tim McLain. Sponsored by Hillock Insurance.

• Sports car: 1962 Chevy Corvette, Gerry Grossen. Sponsored by Wallowa County Chamber of Commerce.

• Truck: 1950 Chevrolet S100, Alex Creel. Sponsored by First Street Suites.

• Wallowa County: 1940 Ford Panel, Bob Alfano. Sponsored by Wallowa Lake Marina.

• 4×4: 1977 GMC K-15 Stepside, Travis Perry. Sponsored by Mount Joseph Lodge.

• Car, restored

Pre-1950s: 1925 Ford Model TT Truck, Drew Dunn.

1950s: 1957 Buick Century convertible, Steve Jordan.

1960s: 1964 Chevy Malibu, Kim Forcier.

1970s: 1978 Datsun 280Z, Ron Humpries.

• Car, modified/custom

Pre-1950s: 1932 Buick 57-S, Russ Sperry.

1950s: C956 Chevrolet Nomad, Terri Scott.

1960s 1966 Chevy Nova Wagon, Pat Brown.

1970s 1972 Chevy Nova, Les Davies.

• Wallowa County

Truck: 1972 Chevrolet K20, John Shull

Car: 1946 Chevrolet convertible, Ron Jett

• Sports car

American 1962 Chevy Corvette, Gerry Grossen

Import Datsun 240Z, Melody Hudson

• Hot Rod

Pre-1949: 1940 Ford pickup, Ted Calixtro

1949+: 1974 AMC Javelin, Tim Melody

• Truck

Pre-1970s:1955 Chevy Cameo pickup, Bill Schweitzer.

1970+: 1978 Ford Bronco, Ken McNall