However, even if the seagulls (AKA flying rats) are using our cars for target practice, the view is fantastic. Here, Lady Dokk and our host Todd contemplate the infinity:
The house comes with free Monterey Aquarium passes, so it's Wednesday, we go there. First, we sample the local food supply:
This hammerhead is also looking for lunch:
Walking back to the house, we have a discussion with this very noisy seal about keeping it under 150 decibels.
After spending some time at the memorabilia show (great if you like automotive books, everything else is way overpriced), we go to Carmel to watch the old car parade on Ocean avenue. This Duesenberg SJ is so quiet, it nearly ran over a couple of people who never heard it coming:
My favorite car of the weekend was this stunning and so pure 1957 Ferrari 250GT "Tour de France". Unfortunately, nowadays it takes 4 to 6 mils to get one, and I am fresh out of cash right now.
This Don Lee Special is a 1932 ALFA Tipo B (please do not spell ALFA, "Alpha" if you wish to stay alive!) that saw long and hard service, the last time in the 1947 Indy 500, as it still wears its tech inspection decal:
As a good ALFA should, it also marks its territory like a cat would:
Another gorgeous ALFA, actually by now, an Alfa-Romeo, this 8C Touring roadster made my ticker go ballistic. I really need some of that union payola soon.
We stop for lunch at Casanova, the sophisticated dive for riff-raff visitors like us. The crab cake is quite good for the outrageous 13 bucks they charge for it.
Of course, this did not include the bottle of local Chablis:
Morning comes, and we have to scoot to Pebble Beach as guests of the Ford Motor Company, for the unveiling of the freshly-freshened 1965 Lotus 38, chassis 01, the very car driven to the Indy 500 win by Jimmy Clark. It was about time that that poor car, ignored for years by an unsympathetic management, received some attention. Fortunately, Christian Overland, a TRUE enthusiast, is now VP of the Henry Ford museum in Dearborn.
It is cold and drizzly, but we are quite honored to be part of the very small circle of guests for this celebration, and besides, they don't charge us for breakfast at the Lodge.
Once uncovered, the car is truly splendid and thanks to Clive Chapman and his team at Classic Team Lotus, they did not overdo it, and no part that was not is chromed or polished. This is followed by two brief speeches by Bobby Unser and Dan Gurney, who are both men of few words; thanks for that.
Christian, Bobby, Dan, and Edsel Ford (the one with cheap sneakers) are presenting a painting of the car by Michael Turner. To whom remains unclear.
After we digest the wonderful omelet, time to go to Laguna Seca to see the action, of which there was plenty, on and off track. I selected this well-patinated Bugatti T35B and its equally patinated driver. Both lost their hair a long time ago.
This aero-engined monster had no patina, but was sure to scare its occupant to the legendary change of underwear after the race.
Meanwhile, my bud Jay Whatshisname is telling me that his are bigger than mine, and since it is so cold and I may have the George Costanza's famous Negative Shrinkage, I prudently retreat.
Believe it or not, this splendid Bugatti T59 with the gorgeous radial-spoke wheels is more than likely a British-built replica. It looks great and runs like a scalded cat with its supercharged 2.3-liter twin-cam 8, derived from the Miller engine.
A phone call from the Concours people ruins my day as they make me rush to get our car on the fairway for the Concours, then make me wait for three hours for a flatbed. Eventually, the car is where it is supposed to be and I cover it for the night with an eBay ten-dollar special and bungee cords.
