Detroit, Cars and Me.
Feeling much like a fighter staggering back to his feet the Detroit Metro area celebrated the Car over the weekend in the 2009 version of the "Woodward Dream Cruise". People around here are very familiar with this event it celebrates 2 things that are uniquely American the hot rod and cruising. It is the largest event in the state and has been going on for a little over 10 years. I spent a short hour or two there this time around but it was uplifting, some of these cars are really works of art. But what sticks with me this time around is the ability of "car people" to push on and still have a good time. If you like old cars there are always lots to look at there were around 40,000 of them cruising or sitting alond Woodward Ave. (or M1 the first concrete highway in the world). The route goes from Detroit to Pontiac about 15 miles, and goes through 7 cities. Around a million or more people line the route to look at the old cars. Now, for those politicians who think that all things they don't like are "astro turf", this event wasn't started by the Car Companies, it wasn't started by the car dealers, it wasn't started by the suppliers. It was started by Car lovers in Ferndale, Michigan and it was to be just a small event to raise money for a soccer field for their children, that it eventually drew in the Car companies, suppliers and dealers is not suprising as they would naturally be interested in the advertising possiblities, but this event benefits local charities and pumps about 50 million into the local economy over the weekends events, and the carbon footprint it puts out would piss off Al Gore which makes me extremely happy.
ATTN: Nancy Pelosi, real Americans do more good by accident then you do on purpose.
If you want to see pictures and articles go to
http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/section?Category=AUTO02