My wife and I will be spending the week of Thanksgiving in Carlsbad California staying with our son. First time in 3 years the 3 of us can spend Thanksgiving together celebrating the holiday. Question is what activities car related go on that week. In our area of the upper right coast hot rods make a last blast at that point and then drop into hibernation.
Thanksgiving week is pretty light on most car stuff here, as a lot of folks are traveling. There's a small weekly gathering on Saturday mornings for coffee in south Carlsbad, but the last time I checked it out, it was 99% late-model type stuff, and I didn't even bother to park. What days will you be in town? I'll try and find you something ... Saturday morning will probably be your best bet with at least two "gatherings" nearby, one is inland about 25 minutes away, and another one is just north of Carlsbad, about a ten minute drive.
Hey 2, It is always nice when people visit So Cal after the hot summer season. Everything seems clear and less crowded. The weather is another story. Last year in So Cal, the whole West Coast was in a mild heat wave. It was hot in the Los Angeles basin around 91+. The normal average is around 73 degrees. All along the beach, it was a lot cooler, because of the ocean influence. But, it was still high 80s and low 90s for a few days. We thought it would be cooler up North in Santa Barbara where we spent the holiday weekend. It was high 80s and low 90s. That is unusual but it happened. This year, the weather for the whole week should be normal 70-74 and it does not look like there is anything brewing in the satellite weather maps for the month of November. Traditionally, we used to go North during this whole week because of the big storms, cold weather, and big waves coming down the coast. But, it looks like one of those sunny So Cal weather weeks that we usually get. Carlsbad has great weather, a huge outlet center, tons of car dealers, local history and a cars/coffee event on Saturday. Like most Cars and Coffee events, they have a ton of sporty type cars and some hot rods. Jnaki Local is of course, the Carlsbad Cars and Coffee. 25 minutes away is the Rancho Santa Fe event. A short 30 minute drive North on the I-5 freeway are the Outlets at San Clemente, the oldest version of the original Cars and Coffee from the South Coast Area. But, one hour away, all-freeway driving at 75-80+, is the famous Huntington Beach Donut Derelicts. This is 90% hot rods/customs and a few Corvettes thrown in the mix. It is the largest of all of the Saturday morning events that showcase hot rods. The drawback is: they start early, around sunrise and most leave by 8-9 am. So, a super early wake up and cruise up the coast will be empty and very enjoyable, even in the thick of South Orange County. If you want, the Coast Highway drive from Dana Point through Laguna Beach, Newport Beach and South Huntington Beach, it is also one of the nicest drives along the coastline. (get off of the I-5 freeway at the Beach Cities off ramp heading to Dana Point) I suppose driving back to Carlsbad would give you a stopover in San Clemente that starts at 9 am to 11 am. Shopping, cars, dining…all located by the beach. It is not Donut and Derelicts quality of hot rods, but it is large and getting larger. The other events have hot rods, but the sporty types outnumber the old cruisers. Donuts and Derelicts is a definite event not to miss in this So Cal visit. P.S. If your itinerary starts on Monday Nov 19, check out http://www.socalcarculture.com/events.html as they have an extensive list of So Cal events. Some close to Carlsbad, some not so close, but it is all freeway driving to those events. Here is something that is hot rod related, but a few days early on Nov 17, Saturday. The In-n-Out Burgers and Hot Rod Magazine, 70 years of Burgers event. It is held at Pomona Fairgrounds and Dragstrip. The NHRA Museum, Dragstrip, freeway accessible, but it is at least a 1.5 hour drive in traffic from Carlsbad to Pomona. But, it is supposed to be a big time event. If you like those crowded events with tons of people.
Hello, The holiday week is approaching... and the weather is pretty nice despite the tragedies in So Cal and up in Northern California. At one time a few days ago, the Malibu smoke was drifting past Catalina and could be seen all the way down to Oceanside. Condolences to those affected by the raging fires. Traffic in that area of So Cal will be affected for quite some time. So, going north in LA, will require some different routes, to bypass the coastal Malibu and 101 freeway areas. It can be done to get up to Santa Barbara and points farther North along the coast. In North San Diego County and Orange County: Specifically, on Saturday mornings, the traffic is relatively light going South or North from Carlsbad. Because of freeway construction and those long downhill and uphill slopes, the freeway slows down considerably at two spots. We call it the "Encinitas Slow Down" just south of Carlsbad. There is another massive slow down, up north in San Clemente, between South San Clemente and Ortega Highway. "Rear-enders" are a common place for sure. We have been driving down to San Diego weekly since 2011 and have timed it to be trouble free driving down/back up to Orange County. We have been stuck in Encinitas only twice, but have slowed down to 45-50 on those slow down days. Who knows why there is the slow down in both places. But, when one guy steps on a brake pedal, it causes a chain reaction in the following drivers for about a half to a mile back. One red, brake light, tailgater starts the chain reaction rolling. Those long sloping freeways are the cause when going up and down. In San Clemente, everyone can see the very long downhill freeway going towards the Dana Point Harbor. The traffic here is scary and the downhill increases the speeds. Then someone puts on the brakes. The red light causes another chain reaction and in several minutes, it becomes a 45-50 mph(OR LESS) slow down crawl, all the way around the big bend, past the harbor, and on to Ortega Highway 74, in an inland direction. Jnaki Other than that, the car pool lane is relatively trouble free with speeds from 70-80 mph. There is a Highway Patrol office in San Juan Capistrano and they have been known to sit on the blind spot curves and hide-aways in this stretch of So Cal. So beware. When you get past this slowdown area, taking the 73 Toll Road Northwest to Huntington Beach is the shortest and fastest route. But again, the Highway Patrol has several spots they like to hide, to catch unsuspecting drivers. Why give tickets on a Toll Road? Most of the time, it is empty and it is driving like it used to be back in the 60s when freeways were first built. The scenery, the weather, and open roads, all cause one to think of enjoyment in driving, in a great location. The HP cruisers know this and consequently, tickets are given almost daily. Radar helps, but, staying alert and knowing where those blind spots are located prevents future tickets. WATCH THE BLIND SPOTS PRIOR TO A DOWNHILL AND ALSO UPHILL AREAS. (one example: just North of the Catalina Toll Station...downhill blind spot, a favorite of the CHP B/W) So, enjoy your holidays safely in So Cal and enjoy the sights. Just about any beach area in Carlsbad through Laguna Beach is enjoyable to just sit around and think about things. (Use SPF 50+) You are visiting a great area, I am sure you will enjoy it to its fullest. Family gatherings are always fun, the locale just accentuates the get-togethers. When our extended family comes back to So Cal from the Midwest, it is always fun to see them and start the long talk sessions. Ha! P.S. Besides the family Thanksgiving food fare, here is a suggestion for one of the best coastal taco/burrito shops in the whole area. It is called Juanita’s in Encinitas (290 N Coast Hwy 101, Encinitas, CA 92024) It is a short hop down South of Carlsbad, about 10 minutes away, located just off of the Encinitas Blvd and the I-5 freeway. During those slowdowns, it is a great place to stop for lunch. Despite the iron bars on the windows, the food and Moonlight Beach (a few blocks away) gives you some flavorful solitude. P.S.S. The So Cal hot rods and cruisers are out in abundance on Saturday mornings, with a scattering of them throughout the day. There are a bunch of hot rod gatherings just about everywhere and despite the competition, they are still fun to attend to see the hot rods. The best (IMHO) is the Donuts and Derelicts event in Huntington Beach. It is so early that the rest of Saturday can be spent at other places prior to lunch. HAVE FUN ON YOUR WEST COAST VISIT.
I haven't been to this particular deal in awhile, but some really neat stuff attended the last time I went. I don't know if you're much of an early-bird or not, but many of these early Saturday morning gatherings are over before most people wake up. Fallbrook “Rods & Relics” Sunrise Café, Saturdays 7am Hwy 76 & Mission Road If you feel like going to this one, let me know. Maybe we can cruise over together ...
The Jalopy Journal
