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55th Annual
Holiday Motor Excursion
Southern California Region HCCA
December, 2010
The rain was very heavy all night with wind gusts that shook our homes all the way down to their foundations. At 7:00 am even through it was totally black and wet outside, it was time to load up the cars and drive to Pasadena. We drove through dense fog but no rain. Things were looking better. We arrived in Pasadena and the sun came out. The day was going to be totally gorgeous. Welcome to California and the Holiday Motor Excursion.
This year is the fifty-fifth time that this tour has run. It started with just two brothers, the Eastwoods and their families. In the beginning there were just two guys that wanted to play with their antique cars during the Holidays. They stopped by their friend’s homes, their friends wanted to play cars also and the Holiday Motor Excursion began. It has now grown to a large car show underneath the power lines at Pasadena City College and a tour of about one hundred and fifty pre 1932 cars.
After a driver’s meeting and the official handing out of the tour directions, our cars were off to another very fun tour. First we passed by a huge crowd of spectators that took many pictures as we left the parking lot. This was a great chance to educate the public about our antique cars. We drove a short distance and arrived at our first stop, Michillinda Park. Here we talked to friends, walked by and viewed many of the great cars, drank coffee and ate donuts. A large thank you goes to our sponsor, Egge Speed Shop, for providing these refreshments. This stop provided a great location for picture taking of the cars along with their drivers and passengers. Some of us lucky ones were even able to take pictures of Jay Leno and his very awesome big red “White” steam car.
We then drove through the city of Pasadena and across the Colorado Street Bridge. This beautiful concrete arch bridge was built in 1913. It is 1,486 feet long with lots of beaux-arts arches, light standards and railings. The National Register of Historic Places has even listed it in their register. Next, it was on to Old Town Pasadena and a drive down Colorado Boulevard. In preparation of the Rose Parade that will be traveling along this street on New Year’s Day, many metal bleachers have been set up. We could even see the platforms way up on top of the bleachers that will be used for the television crews.
Our tour this year took us to the old shopping areas of Pasadena on Lake Street past the grand old department stores that are still being used. We then traveled on one of Pasadena’s most beloved and prestigious streets, Lombardy Road. Here there are very huge mansions all decorated up for the holidays. They were really beautiful to look at.
Lunch for many of us was at Clearman’s Galley, better known as “The Boat”. The Boat was launched in 1913 as a mail service vessel between San Francisco and Alaska. In 1968, John Clearman purchased it and brought it inland. It became a burger stand with patio seating. It has since become a San Gabriel landmark.
After stuffing ourselves with lunch, we traveled to the home of Ken and Sharon Gooding where desserts were served. Here we ate many delicious treats served amongst some of the most beautiful cars imaginable.
This year there was a change of management but our Club pulled together, shared the work and did a great job. Many of our members worked hard to make this another great Holiday Motor Excursion. A large thank you goes to Kenny King, Frank and Dorothy Bristing, Wes and Susan Buck, Robb Stewart, Loren Burch, Richard and Janet Barakat, Cathy Gunther, Don and Karen Berube, Janis Jones, Ken and Sharon Gooding and many others.
