curve lover

...& what a contributor:

While I was goofing off taking the preceding lunch break pix, EB847's incredible 911 caught the eye of a TV crew. He even talked up the 993. EB = aces in my book
I didn't even know 'til he later surprised me with these shots

curve lover

As the parking lots emptied & the sun started to fall in the sky,

it was time to reflect upon another amazing Monterey day:




4 wheeling:

curve lover

As if all of the week so far wasn't magical ... arriving at my hotel, I found this guy at my door.

Don't see this sight everyday, standing 2 feet away as if waiting all day for your return:




In the last frame, we were staring at each other eye to eye.

I think that's called playing 'chicken.' Oh, the irony

curve lover

That 'turkey' was nowhere to be found the next morning, sleeping in way past the time roosters crow.

It was another night with little sleep followed by another amazing day of car events.
I somehow sprung up like a 'spring chicken' with unabashed enthusiasm, for world-famous Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance -- what's called the best classic car show in the world. Even better: we had generous friends to thank for the incredible gift of seeing this 'bucket-list' event for the 1st time
We committed to make the most of it: arriving with some of the first 100 enthusiasts there, for a tradition called "The Dawn Patrol."

As told to me by friends & family of 1 of the men that started it:
back when the PB Concours was only a local event (not national or international ... a time that's almost hard to imagine), whoever wanted to be 1st on the field would simply show up a little early. The relatively casual times allowed that whoever arrived 1st drove in 1st. It's since become a prestigious honor -- on top of the prestige already associated with PB -- & now cars show up insanely early.

An amazingly unique way to witness this, especially for us - the uninitiated & sleepy noobs

curve lover

For a week that was 1 of the warmest & sunny visits I've been lucky to have at the hallowed Monterey Car Week, 5 AM on a cold foggy beach really gave a new experience.
...yet some of the world's best & cleanest cars in the world were gladly there, collecting dew, rain, & even - gasp - dirt & mud
If nothing else, the 'Dawn Patrol' winner gets the honor of literally being in 1st place ... at least until the judging begins

Proudly written by fingers on its windshield - double gasp! - the day's 1st winner proclaimed, "2013 PB 1 on Field!"

curve lover

Keep in mind that my camera brightens pre-dawn images to make 'em more visible.
Not only were the following challenging to capture (at least for me) due to lighting, but it was seriously dark & even a lil' rainy out there.
Even when you start to see these shots of the water & daybreak - it was still much darker than it looks in my pics.

PB provided generators to power lights for those batty enough to get up so early, which made most of the illumination for my 1st dozen pics:

curve lover

As if anyone needed a reminder:
even millionaires can't keep rain from falling on priceless cars.

curve lover

The Loch Ness Monster through the mist of murky Monterey
...& you saw it 1st, here on RL

curve lover

Wait, what?

Car show?
Can't wait!

curve lover

curve lover

curve lover

curve lover

curve lover

curve lover

At a hint of daylight, it was finally show time