The Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance is the Holy Grail of car shows. Only the very best, rarest, and highest-valued cars may appear, and their owners must be invited to share their beauty with the crowd. Anyone can attend, however; at least, anyone with sufficient funds and free time to purchase a ticket and travel to the event. In other words, not me — until this year.
I’ve pored jealously over the post-Concours articles and photo galleries for years, and finally this year I managed to save up the money and vacation time and rounded up a friend to make the trip out from Boston. Since we’re both young professionals on a limited budget we gratefully accepted the offer of a free place to stay in San Francisco that week, driving down to Monterey on Saturday afternoon, the day before the Concours.
The view from the Pacific Coast Highway was spectacular, and we cruised right along until the last few miles, when traffic slowed dramatically. Waiting was far less tedious than it could have been. We were quite pleasantly diverted, and conversation was reduced to gasping, pointing, and naming the many remarkable cars also waiting in traffic: “A 250SL!” “A GTR!” “Look at that Porsche!”
From there we went straight to the Inn at Spanish Bay to collect our tickets and were stunned to be waved on through, parking our borrowed ’83 GMC Jimmy just spaces away from a Porsche 993 and a Lamborghini Espada. Those cars in the lot paled in comparison to the ones parked in the VIP spots directly in front of the inn: A McLaren P1, a BMW i8, and a Bugatti Veyron, to name just a few.
I’d expected a certain measure of snobbery from those who’d driven up to the Inn’s perfectly manicured grounds in these multi-million dollar vehicles, but the people we spoke to couldn’t have been nicer. Upon learning it was our first time, the ladies working the will-call desk welcomed us enthusiastically, explained the shuttle system (running regularly and free, even though we weren’t guests of the hotel), and advised us to arrive early the next morning to watch the cars roll in.
Next year, I’ll take that advice. This year I was too busy attending the Gooding Auction and meeting up with friends afterwards to get a good night’s sleep, but it seemed to be the only way to get the Concours experience I’d imagined. And it also seemed like no one else was resting either. All the pictures I’d seen from shows in the past portray the cars posed, serene and beautiful, along the coast — those had to have been taken before the masses arrived. They truly show the beauty of the autos and scenery, but fail to inform the viewer of how crowded such a large outdoor space can feel when it’s shared with thousands of other people all vying for glimpses of the same cars. My cell phone pictures would give you a better sense of the true experience: not a single frame of the 400-plus photos taken during the event is completely free of human intrusion. We had to wait until after hours to get good shots — though the waiting was also worth it, just to hear the cars starting and to watch the owners pack up their emergency fire extinguishers and fuss with period toolkits.
The Pebble Beach Concours wasn’t exactly what I had been expecting, but in so many ways, it was better. The show proved far more accessible and inclusive than I’d imagined, and between the valet parking circle, the auctions, and the Concours, I got to see a realm of extraordinary vehicles far broader than I’d dared to hope. I’ll certainly be back next year, armed with prior experience and ready to make the absolute most of a show truly deserving of its reputation. For anyone else planning to make the pilgrimage for the first time, consider learning the easy way and reading some fellow first timer advice below.
If you decide to go:
– Go early: I’m told nothing beats the sight, sound, and smell of the cars pulling in, and I can tell you it has to be the best way to get a clear view before the masses descend.
– Wear comfortable shoes: I ignored this advice and spent the second half of the afternoon regretting it (and one woman I spoke with pegged me as a newbie based solely on the height of my heels). It’s a fancy show, and heels are common, so if you feel the pressure try using the old red carpet stylists’ trick and pick shoes a half size too large. Trust me.
– BYOB . . . and P, and C, and T: There are plenty of places to buy booze but you can and should bring your own. Those in the know also had elaborate picnics, complete with chair and table sets.
– Bring a nice camera: Borrow or buy it for the event if you don’t have one–it will be worth it. Of the estimated 17 extant Ruxtons, 16 were on display at the 2014 Concours. Likewise 22 of the 34 Testa Rossas ever built. You’ll want to get some good shots of whatever treasures next year’s event has in store.
– Go with friends: Very few people were interested in chatting with strangers. Making the automotive jourmey with fellow gearheads adds to the whole wild experience!
Photo Credit to Alex Wagner