Monterey Car Week: Update Trio
Welcome to Pebble Beach. Please leave your drones at the door.
We got up around seven am and headed over to the 18th fuckhole. For the very first time in days Keith did not have to MC anything or orchestrate seminars or oversee some grand concours event. We fired up the loaner Chevy Volt and silently headed over to the demonstrate under utter battery power. We hit the Chubb lounge for breakfast and then made our way down to the display field. Special thanks to Jim Fiske at Chubb for all the hospitality. Having the Chubb lounge available to us was like having an on-demand oasis in a dry desert. The crowds and cars we breathtaking at times and it sure helped to have the plush couches of Chubb available all day as a respite from the madness of Pebble.
Sunday at Pebble Beach is not just another car demonstrate. THESE ARE CARS! Two dozen Delahaye’s and a row of Ford GT 40’s. A total selection of Duesenbergs. An abundance of infrequent Zagato coachwork. Every car at Pebble could be best of demonstrate at any car display in the world.
Keith and I chatted with Mark Hyman who had his uncommon Delahaye one hundred thirty five on display. I introduced him to Frank and Milli Ricciardelli and Steve and Raty Bauer. The Ricciardelli’s brought their stunning one thousand nine hundred twenty six Hispano-Suiza and the Bauer’s had their authentic police-livery BMW Isetta. It was indeed joy to know a few people with cars on the fairway.
Uncountable people reminisced to Keith about all the cars they wielded in the past and the many regrets they still harbor from selling. Indeed, many astute collectors longed for a sob cloth as they waxed poetically about the many beautiful and uncommon cars that passed through their mitts over the years. The parabolic rise in value of collector cars was not predicted by even the most sophisticated collectors. Many people sold their three hundred SL’s for $50,000 eyeing no upside. Now they trade regularly for over $1,000,000. Indeed, everyone had a story of a car they regretted selling.
Keith and I strolled the fairway for a few hours and investigated every car and motorcycle. Each vehicle was an education for me as Keith explained petite nuances that only a real insider could know. For example, Keith displayed me a Ford GT forty that had a petite bulge in the roof for a LeMans driver who was just too tall for the car. This little detail was most likely missed by most people. Because of the growing success of Keith’s TV demonstrate What’s My Car Worth we were stopped dozens of times for photos and autographs. Always gracious, Keith never balked at having a photo taken with an enthusiastic fan of the showcase.
We observed the awards ceremony from high atop the 3rd floor of the adjacent suites. I was very fortunate to be under Keith’s wing the entire weekend as it enabled first-class access to all the best catches sight of at Pebble. His rolling accomplished commentary on everything going on at Pebble was also a phat help.
I’m boarding the red-eye Jet Blue flight back to Fresh York City. I was fortunate enough to upgrade to lay-flat seating on the way back as to arrive rested for a utter day of work tomorrow. Overall, my very first journey to Pebble was a ten and I hope to comeback next year.