Being from the West Coast, it is common to visit California, Nevada, even Oregon... when looking for a warm American destination-- Florida? Not really a list-topper. Don't get me wrong, of course people from Vancouver go to Miami/Orlando/Daytona/Fort Lauderdale/etc.- it just isn't quite as prevalent as Los Angeles/San Francisco/San Diego/Las Vegas/Portland/etc. So when I went to 'The Land of Oranges' I, to be quite honest, was simply expecting an East Coast version of California. It would appear that my preconceptions were slightly askew!
When I think of a sunny place, I automatically envision a built-in car culture-- a dreamland chock full of rust-free vehicles, exotics by the dozen... a place where the convertible reigns supreme. This is not to say that Florida is not this way, you will certainly see lines of luxury vehicles parked along Ocean Drive in South Beach--but as for an automotive community? Well I will tell you right now, it operates more like a secret society than anything.
Anyone who follows me on Twitter (@ DonnaMeiling) or is a fan of the show on Facebook knows that Florida provided some amazing moments as well as some utterly frustrating ones. One of the amazing people that we did meet-- The Creative Workshop's Jason Wenig, is originally a New Yorker and when I spoke of the challenges I was encountering in trying to tap into the automotive industry's seemingly mysterious underworld, he smiled wisely and confirmed what I had discovered: 'The car enthusiasts in Florida are different than in other places, like California. In Florida, the groups are more segregated and don't necessarily like each other or even interact with each other.'
In my world, cars are beautiful machines-- and it is a special thing when people from different walks of life can connect over a shared passion-- learning that wasn't necessarily the case in 'The Sunshine State' cast an unmistakeable cloud over my stay. It didn't help that it was freaking cold out there either! NO TAN!!! LOL
I don't want to give too much away on upcoming stories to be seen on your favourite show (The Auto123 Show, of course!) But I will just briefly state that what Miami lacked in community was beyond demonstrated by the motorcycle community at the 2010 Daytona Bike Week. The economy meant that it wasn't as packed as years past, but as the event celebrated its 69th Anniversary, the excitement was infectious-- it got me daydreaming about cruising down the highway on a polished, shiny silver hog-- you can see it now, can't you?! ;)
When I think of a sunny place, I automatically envision a built-in car culture-- a dreamland chock full of rust-free vehicles, exotics by the dozen... a place where the convertible reigns supreme. This is not to say that Florida is not this way, you will certainly see lines of luxury vehicles parked along Ocean Drive in South Beach--but as for an automotive community? Well I will tell you right now, it operates more like a secret society than anything.
Anyone who follows me on Twitter (@ DonnaMeiling) or is a fan of the show on Facebook knows that Florida provided some amazing moments as well as some utterly frustrating ones. One of the amazing people that we did meet-- The Creative Workshop's Jason Wenig, is originally a New Yorker and when I spoke of the challenges I was encountering in trying to tap into the automotive industry's seemingly mysterious underworld, he smiled wisely and confirmed what I had discovered: 'The car enthusiasts in Florida are different than in other places, like California. In Florida, the groups are more segregated and don't necessarily like each other or even interact with each other.'
In my world, cars are beautiful machines-- and it is a special thing when people from different walks of life can connect over a shared passion-- learning that wasn't necessarily the case in 'The Sunshine State' cast an unmistakeable cloud over my stay. It didn't help that it was freaking cold out there either! NO TAN!!! LOL
I don't want to give too much away on upcoming stories to be seen on your favourite show (The Auto123 Show, of course!) But I will just briefly state that what Miami lacked in community was beyond demonstrated by the motorcycle community at the 2010 Daytona Bike Week. The economy meant that it wasn't as packed as years past, but as the event celebrated its 69th Anniversary, the excitement was infectious-- it got me daydreaming about cruising down the highway on a polished, shiny silver hog-- you can see it now, can't you?! ;)