Bill Kirby: A lot of people drive Camrys, but do you know what a Camry is?
"I make my cars to go, not to stop."
– Ettore Bugatti
What is a Camry?
I was sitting at a red light and saw the well-known Toyota nameplate on the vehicle in front of me and realized, I didn't know what a "Camry" is. I know what an impala is. I know what a mustang is. But I don't know camrys.
Is it mythical creature? A name chosen by a marketing department focus group?
Well, according to common sources, it comes from the Japanese word "kanmuri," and it means "crown."
What's funny is that's the same meaning for Corolla – another Toyota vehicle – only it's in a different context. It is the "crowning" portion of a flower.
I guess I quit thinking about car names back when Ford had Fairlanes and Falcons, and Chevy had Biscaynes and Bel Airs. My personal favorite was the Chevy Nova.
Fifty-two years ago THIS WEEK me and four high school friends drove a Nova from Atlanta to Panama City Beach, Fla., for what remains one of the best weeks of my life. It was hilarious. It was exciting. It was a lot of Led Zeppelin 8-tracks. Bottle Rockets on the beach and (don't tell my mother) riding around on rented motorcycles. Oh, and the local nursing school was having a three-day event at the same motel for its most promising student nurses.
No laws (or motel furnishings) were broken, and we all had suntans for church the following Sunday.
More from Bill Kirby:
YOUR TRAVELS: Enough about my vacations, what about yours?
Peggy Greco, of Martinez, writes "My husband (Ken) and I traveled full time in our RV for 3 years." She sends a wide selection of photos from their travels, including Niagara Falls, New York City, Pueblo ruins and Mount Rushmore.
Jimmy and Ruth Sapp from Grovetown, attended Ruth’s 55th Young Harris College reunion in north Georgia and sent a picture.
And Jeanne and Phil Turner, of Harlem, were visiting family at Carolina Trace in North Carolina, which had a beautiful backyard bird paradise.
More Bill Kirby: Success of summer hospitality depends on how you frame it
And: Bill Kirby: Readers share advice, vacation pictures and a request
If you feel like sharing your summer travels, mail a postcard to 725 Broad St., Augusta, GA 30901, or email me a photo at bkirby@augustachronicle.com.
TODAY'S JOKE: A new preacher came to town and began riding around looking for new members.
He was out in the country when saw a farmer resting in the shade near a large field. The preacher stopped his car and walked over.
"Do you belong to the Christian family?" he boldly asked the farmer.
"No," said the farmer slowly, "they live three miles down the road."
"You don't understand me," said the preacher. "Are you lost?"
"No," said the farmer. "I've lived here more than 40 years."
Frustration building, the pastor said, "What I really mean is … are you ready for Judgment Day?"
"I don't know," said the farmer, looking puzzled. "When is it?"
"Well," said the preacher firmly, "it could be today or it could be tomorrow!"
"OK, then," said farmer, "when you find out for sure, let me know. My wife will probably want to go both days."
Bill Kirby has reported, photographed and commented on life in Augusta and Georgia for 45 years.
This article originally appeared on Augusta Chronicle: How did the Camry get its name? Just guess off the top of your head
