5 a.m. is a damn early time to be up any day of the week - especially on a Sunday. For most who are distinctly sane, the Seventh Day is for late brunches, church, or the final round of the Masters. Or all three if you're in the mood. For me however, Sunday has lately meant Cars and Coffee events with 7 a.m. starts. Ideally I'm rolling in early for some of those elusive solo car shots and amazing morning light (if I manage to remember to bring the tripod, odds of which are 50/50 at best). Which means that setting that first morning alarm late on Saturday night, usually quite deep into Negroni's and beers, is painful to say the least.
But...the rewards of that world-altering iPhone alarm reality check are always worth it, no matter how much I want to permanently hit "Dismiss". This will be a post short on words - it's mostly a memorialization of my recent early morning drives up the PCF, or East on the 10 with few other cars on the road, a warm cup of coffee in hand and Clapton on the radio. A recognition that driving below the speed limit in darkness, with the windows down and the clean morning air pumping into the car cabin is something pretty special. And a hat tip to dawn itself, which few get a chance to consistently experience.
I've been fortunate to meet some pretty incredible car guys over the last month or two in East LA and up in Malibu - Joel, Gus, Jose, Kevin, Jarrett, David, Byron, Nathan, Barry...too many gearheads to name. Guys that have a serious passion for their cars and the car community, and are all too willing to share the stories around their rides. Much respect, and I hope to be joining your ranks one of these days. Until then, I will voraciously bother you to take pictures of your vehicles before you've had that first caffeine hit and a morning donut.
So, to all those event organizers out there - please don't start any later. The dawn light needs more witnesses.
- B.G.M.