Finding Treasure on Treasure Island
CAFE SpA, Treasure Island (Full gallery & video at the bottom of post)
The horrors of waking up at 6:00am to go to work. The cobwebs still lingering at almost 9:00am after half a cup of coffee. Ugghhhh. Monday morning isn’t just a time on the calendar. It’s a state of mind. Odd, how getting up at 6:00am on a Saturday morning to travel over an hour to look at exotic cars doesn’t have the same dreadful impact. One is never more alert and ready to face the challenges of the day than when we have cars to ogle.
Having attended other CAFE SpA events, the typical hour and half trip, only an hour in Maserati time, was well worth it. We were not fully staffed up for this trip but we did have our TLP security liason Sgt. Lane and the TLP loaner staff car, the lovely and still new Maserati Quattroporte graciously loaned to us by TLP friend Chris Wood. CHP was thick on the morning journey along I-80, though we always obey the posted speed limit...but YIKES, it seemed every few miles there was another ping of the radar. We had little to worry about as CHP was busy with the import tuning crowd that advertise their arrival minutes ahead of time with the needle on the redline and a coffeecan exhaust.
By the time we arrived on Treasure Island, it was already certain that the weather was going to be perfect and the line-up of cars was going to have something for everyone. How many European cars are too many? Probably no such thing, but this time Café SpA was getting close. Thankfully, no one shoots film anymore otherwise TLP would be bankrupt with processing costs. Café SpA had thought of everything as the parking/donation of $10 would entitle each person to coffee and a....MMMM Doughnut....
It wasn’t just Ferrari’s, there was a healthy representation of the NorCal Lamborghini club, and several McLarens. The show also boasted donks, low-riders, classic muscle, two classic Nissan Fairlady Z’s, Alfa Romeo, and a Land Rover Defender. Even the import tuner scene was represented.
This show, regardless of your automotive preferences, was all about the love...the shared love among petrol heads for art and engineering, and at times, the ridiculous. It was one of the better representations of car culture that one could experience. See that $375K Lamborghini Aventador? Walk another 50 yards and you’ll see a Scion with scissor doors. Carbon fiber and chrome as far as the eye could see.
After thinking I’d seen everything, we ran into TLP contributor, and ace photographer, DAB 360. We walked the grounds and soaked in every detail, exhaust note and smell.
As cars began to leave, spectators were treated to high revving antics from screaming v10s and v8s. Some engine revving here and there is all in good fun, but then things turned a bit more dicey. Beginning with a massive burnout by a Dodge Challenger, tastefully done I might add, things started to devolve. The exit road was lined with people, many of them too young to drive themselves, encouraging burnouts and other sideshow activity. For the most part, it was harmless, but I witnessed a few occasions of drivers doing full over-corrections in order not to lose their car into the crowd. I doubt that it makes any difference, but for those that encourage or participate in this behavior, one mistake and you will forever ruin this great event and the events like it.
On a closing note....at the end of the morning I heard gasps from the crowd, a few cheers…. Had Kayne arrived to claim that he had the greatest car show of all time? No. The crowd fell silent and then parting them like the sea there it was, a Pagani Huayra, named after Wayra Tata, which means "God of the winds" in Quechua, the official language of the Inca Empire. As soon as it appeared, like Kaiser Soze, he was gone.
Well done Cafe SpA...well done indeed...
TLP Video
Cafe Spa Treasure Island from TheLoudPedal on Vimeo.
