Our content manager is on the road covering Monterey Car Week. Part five of his opus is available here
I had trouble sleeping last night as attendees of Monterey Car Week had one last evening of revelry before heading home. Constant noise and revving cars were a nuisance until the melatonin kicked in, and even then it was an uneasy slumber.
Back up on Sunday morning and the streets are quiet. People are checking out of the hotel, and making their way back home. What was once a boomtown is starting to return to a quiet seaside village.
We are all tired. It’s 7:00 a.m. on a foggy Sunday and I’m waiting in line to get some coffee and a danish. Weary eyes and slouched shoulders are common for those of us wanting breakfast. Luggage is everywhere. It’s time for some folks to go home.
But for those of us still in town the grand daddy of them all is next as the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance call us to the cusp of the Pacific Ocean. The closing of Monterey Car Week is the classic car Super Bowl and I am lucky that I got issued media credentials.
The coffee wakes me up and the danish gave me a sugar kick. An Uber ride later and I am at Pebble Beach. The weather is still foggy and damp. Not particularly cold, but brisk for this region.
This is the rare time I try to dress dapper, as my customary attire involves jeans and Adidas Gazelles, but the sport coat is a bit thin for this climate and I wish I was wearing a hoodie. Despite the chilly weather there is energy, as cold wind can’t extinguish the opportunity to see classic cars with an ocean backdrop.
The scene is almost overwhelming. Too many choices. Too many classic cars. Where to begin? I found that the simple solution was to just walk, clear the mind as best as I could and take everything in. No planned route, just a stroll on a golf course and let my love of classic cars take me wherever I may go. Definitely not a good walk spoiled.
I don’t think I was the only attendee overwhelmed by the scene. The faces, reactions and voices reminded me of the excitement you would see in a kid at Disneyland. Which is apt because I’ve been that kid at Disneyland. Each turn led you to another classic that should be in a museum, no two cars were the same and the offerings filled every genre one could want.
The crowd was large and at ease. This was a gathering to appreciate and celebrate classic cars on an iconic golf course. I know Pebble Beach has hosted majors and is one of the most revered golf courses in the world, but today its lore was a footnote.
The afternoon was ideal, but I was running on fumes. Seven-straight days with less than six hours of sleep a night was taking its toll. 22.36 miles of walking this week, per my Fitbit, was more than this cubicle jockey was used to and the high of taking part in Monterey Car Week was fading with my pep. Road weary and homesick I made my way back to the hotel.
After I finish this post I will start packing up and getting ready for my drive back to Phoenix that will commence at 5:00 a.m. It’s going to be a 10-hour drive, but my fatigue will be suppressed by good memories from Monterey and the promise of being home.
Turn out the lights, the party’s over.
A very enjoyable series of articles. Thank you for taking us along. You are a good writer.
Thank you, Nick. I was hoping to capture the sights and essence of Monterey Car Week.
Great series you did David! I enjoyed all of your stories. You look good in your sport coat!
Thank you, Scott. I enjoyed writing them, and all credit for the coat goes to my wife.