Saturday morning, the sun is actually out and shining brightly, the cool Santa Clarita Valley weather is refreshing and… I’m stuck in the house, due to, what else this terrible coronavirus that seems to be a continuing concern for us here in the good old SCV….and of course throughout the rest of the world, too.
But, I don’t live in “the rest of the world,” I live here in good old Santa Clarita, and this being an early Saturday morning, I’m missing my friends. I’m missing what was a really amazing gathering of friends, and yes, the wonderful vehicles that they’d drive to a special location (the old Kmart lot in Valencia, right between McDonald’s and Western Bagel) where every Saturday morning you’d sometimes see a hundred or more classic, specialty, special-interest and just plain really cool vehicles, all parked, shining brightly and with their owners all gathered about, chit-chatting with one another.
It’s simply called a “Cars & Coffee” event, and truth be told, it is (was, at least for now) an amazing early Saturday morning event that brings (uh, brought) so many wonderful people together, friends, family, and just curious “lookie-loos” who’d stop by for a little while (from 7 to 10 a.m.), where you’d see some of the best smiles, conversations and just plain “happy to see you” attitudes that brought everyone here! Weekend after weekend (except in the rain, but there were those diehards who never missed a weekend), in the early-morning cold, or in the approaching late-morning heat of summer, we’d all gather and, in true friendship, simply enjoy each other’s company, mostly old friends at first, but new friends were made almost every Saturday morning.
And now… well, I miss my friends. I miss the hugs, the smiles, the laughter and, yes, of course those wonderful and beautiful rides that would show up at this amazing little local event.
Whether you drove foreign, or domestic, a muscle car or a custom, a hot rod or a sports car, a tricked-out off-road vehicle, a pickup truck or a huge old customized bus, it was there for everyone’s entertainment and, with pride, and odd as it might seem, there were “family pets” of all descriptions that came along for the ride with their owners. too.
And I miss ’em all and I’m praying that someday, in the not-too-distant future, this wonderful event will return to the SCV.
But dear God let’s not wait too long. For some of us, well, time is a commodity that once it’s gone, it’s gone. If you’ve ever attended this SCV Cars & Coffee event, I’m betting that you’re “missing your friends” like I miss mine.
Stay well, my friends, and godspeed.
Dick LaGrasta
Valencia
