Summer time in Southern California means it is time for weekly car cruises. In the San Diego region one of my favorites is held every Thursday in the nearby city of La Mesa. Each week for three short months, from June through August every Thursday evening finds a great mix of cars parked on the old main downtown street, La Mesa Boulevard, for four blocks. A DJ provides a great mix of music and some wise cracking commentary as cars and people go by his corner! A small nearby railroad museum is open as well. Cars don’t stay parked too long before the drivers take them up and down the street, so you can see (and hear) them in action.
Up to 150 cars park along the street each week and the bikers park off on one side street. Cost to show the classic or look is free. Many restaurants and bars stay open for the crowds, which number up to 4,000 each week. My personal sweet-tooth favorite is Centifonti Restaurant for their various flavors of soft serve ice cream. The downtown organizers, La Mesa Village Merchant Association, police the event fairly well and pick six winners each week. Heck, I’ll even brag that a LONG time ago, my then teenage son won one week with his daily driver 1968 Camaro.
You can check out their downtown website at http://www.lmvma.com/SeasonalEvents/Car-Show.aspx for details about the show and pictures of past winners from this year.
My only complaint with this show is how short it is! Three months and done.
See ya’ on the road
Mark C. Bach ©2010