174 C A R M E L M A G A Z I N E • S U M M E R / F A L L 2 0 1 4
Pe n i n s u l a R e s i d e n t s S h a r e T h e i r F a v o r i t e R i d e s
B Y M I C H A E L C H AT F I E L D • P H O T O G R A P H Y B Y K E L L I U L D A L L
G
EOGRAPHICALLY, SOCIALLY AND CULTURALLY, THE MONTEREY PENINSULA IS LIKE
NOWHERE ELSE ON EARTH. AND THAT HOLDS TRUE ON THE AREA'S HIGHWAYS AND
BYWAYS AS WELL, WHERE ON ANY GIVEN DAY OF THE WEEK IT'S POSSIBLE TO SEE A
RARE, TOP-OF-THE-MARQUE EXAMPLE OF AUTOMOTIVE ART CRUISE BY. WE'VE BECOME PERHAPS A LIT-
TLE JADED, BARELY GLANCING AT A VEHICLE THAT WOULD CAUSE A PILE-UP OF RUBBERNECKING DRIV-
ERS IN, SAY, KOKOMO, INDIANA.
CALIFORNIA IN GENERAL IS LIKE THAT. OUR SUBLIME CLIMATE AND ROADS FREE OF STEEL-EATING
SALT HAVE ALLOWED AUTOMOBILES TO REMAIN IN SHOWROOM COSMETIC CONDITION WITH JUST
A MINIMUM OF UPKEEP. THAT'S LED TO A CAR CULTURE THAT PERMEATES OUR SOCIETY LIKE OIL ON A
GREASE MONKEY'S COVERALLS. WE LOVE—NO, ADORE—OUR CARS, NAMING THEM, BABYING THEM,
BUYING TOYS AND ACCESSORIES FOR THEM, IDENTIFYING OURSELVES AND IN SOME CASES EVEN PIN-
NING OUR SELF-ESTEEM ON THEM.
HERE WE SHOWCASE SIX PENINSULA RESIDENTS TELLING THE STORIES OF THEIR FAVORITE CARS.
THESE ARE NOT GARAGE QUEENS, BUT LIKE THEIR OWNERS, ARE LIVING, BREATHING, PRODUCTIVE
CREATURES, WELL LOVED AND CARED FOR. THEY TRULY ARE MEMBERS OF THEIR RESPECTIVE FAMILIES.
THE
CARS
WE
LOVE
