Salida Chamber of Commerce issued the following announcement on Sept. 24.
While 2020’s COVID-19 restrictions have created many problems, there are some bright spots on the horizon. For example, the Royal Gorge Dinosaur Experience has partnered with several friends and employees to make the upcoming 2020 Jurassic Zone Car Show an event not to be missed. On Saturday, October 3, from 10AM to 1PM, visitors can look forward to the sight of up to 65 amazing cars—courtesy of our friends at the Cañon Car Club—which will be on display in the RGDE parking lot. The event is free and open to the public, so there’s no excuse not to experience these carefully restored and lovingly detailed vehicles. Better still, they can also see the RGDE’s newest permanent museum exhibit, a fully restored and dinosaur-themed, rare first generation 1991 Chevy Tracker, which was donated by Mike and Pam Fick, and then was overhauled and custom-painted by our friends at Zerby Automotive and turned into a fun, interactive museum display, the Jurassic Journey Dino Tracker!
Some backstory: Pam Fick was the RGDE’s first employee and serves as our manager. She recognized that a key entry point for many budding young paleontologists are the Jurassic Park films, several of which feature iconic scenes of the heroes evading a toothy end in Jeep-style vehicles. So, when the time came for her and her husband Mike to say goodbye to their 1991 Chevy Tracker, they approached the RGDE with the idea of donating it for conversion into an interactive display to be exhibited in our great hall, right under the cast skeleton tail of our massive Brontosaurus dinosaur.
Better still, the RDGE’s owners have a multi-generational relationship with the owners of Zerby Automotive (www.zerbyautomotive.com), which is based in Cañon City, and which has a new, state-of-the-art paint spray booth. This past spring’s lockdowns gave Zerby Automotive some time to showcase their impressive skills by custom painting the Chevy Tracker into a dinosaur-themed attraction. Zerby Automotive’s team of experienced mechanics donated all of their time and materials to remove the vehicle’s engine, fluids and interior, making it a safe place for short-set paleontologists to imagine being chased down by the looming dinosaur skeletons. Cooler still, Zerby Automotive installed custom bench seating, interactive buttons for guests to work various lights, and a horn that sounds like a dinosaur’s mighty roar.
While the 2020 Jurassic Zone Car Show will feature many great vehicles, none will be as closely tied to the RGDE family as this converted Chevy Tracker. Guests wishing to catch a first glimpse of the dinosaur-themed ‘Jurassic Journey Dino Tracker’ should plan to be at the RGDE at 1PM for the grand reveal.
Original source can be found here.
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