The Miracle Of The Hat

I'm not a big fan of hats, but I now must wear them (along with SP45 sunscreen) to prevent skin cancer. Thus sayeth my dermotologist.

My favorite hat is a leather-billed cap that I purchased at the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance in 1996. It's a nice quality chapeau and has an 'L' series Lincoln touring car from the Twenties embroidered on it.

This was the hat I selected to take on our trip overseas in 2001. While touring on an open-topped double-decker bus in Glasgow, a gust of wind from the River Clyde blew the hat right off my head. The bus looped around the block and, on the way back down the same street, there was my hat in the middle of the street.

It was a miracle!

The driver kindly stopped the bus. I jumped off, retrieved the hat, and hopped back on again. I was greeted with applause from all of the other passengers. (I think they were applauding the hat - not me.)

The hat was a little worse for wear (it had been run over), but a little Lexol on the leather and Shout on the fabric made it almost as good as new.

Henceforth, this hat became known as the Miracle Hat. As further evidence of its miraculous powers, during the remainder of our trip, the Miraculous Hat never again blew off my head. (Tightening the strap probably helped a little.)

The painting (above) - "The Miracle of the Hat" now hangs in the Louvre (Scottish Art, MacGregor Wing, next to the marble sculpture of Groundskeeper Willy's tractor). Meanwhile, the Hat itself continues to travel throughout the land.

The Miracle Hat has appeared in many locations:

At Edinburgh Castle, May 2001 - human habitation of the site is dated back as far as the 9th century BC. There has been a royal castle here since the reign of David I in the 12th century.

Remember the SNL Scottish Shop sketch? "If it's not Scottish, it's CRAP!" Edinburgh retail store, May 2001

At the Orange Empire Railway Museum, Perris CA - during the 2002 California Great Adventure

Sistine Chapel ceiling with Cappello di Miracolo (Miracle Hat) strategically placed by Michaelangelo.

Joe (wearing Miracle Hat) and Carol riding in a gondola (Venice, 2002).

Standing in front of Coho Ferry (Victoria, B.C. - June, 2006)

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At Glacier National Park (Montana - August, 2009)

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At the Reagan Presedential Library (Simi Valley, CA - February 2010)

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Inspecting grapes at the Robert Mondavi Vineyard (Oakville, CA - September 2010)

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At Yosemite National Park (California - September 2010)

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At 'The River' (Rancho Mirage, CA - February 2011)

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Enjoying a water ice in Philadelphia - June 2011

Even the splash and chop of Philadelphia's Delaware River couldn't dislodge the Miracle Hat during the Duck Boat Tour in June 2011. It's another miracle!

Soaking up the February California sun while wearing the Miracle Hat at 2012 'Art Under The Umbrellas' in Old Town La Quinta.

February, 2013: With Smokey the Bear at the Hall of Flame in Phoenix, AZ - a museum devoted to firefighting. Ninety fully-restored pieces of fire apparatus are on display, dating from 1725 to 1969.

February 2014: Joe wearing the Miracle Hat at the beautiful La Quinta Resort and Club in La Quinta, CA. The 1,400 acre resort complex was established in 1926.

September, 2015: Hanging on to my miracle hat after weeks of cancer treatment. Maybe there's another miracle left in the hat.