Woodward Nightmare Cruise?
This is Dream Cruise Week.
Not sure what that means, other than this is the week leading up to the Dream Cruise, down Woodward Avenue.
It's also time for me to reflect on my experiences at the Cruise, which began in 1995, the brainchild of a plumber from Ferndale named Nelson House.
OK, ready for my experiences?
Well, back in 2003 or 2004, my family and I decided to head into Royal Oak to eat at Siam Spicy on Woodward north of 11 Mile. And we forgot that it was Dream Cruise Saturday. And we in our 1992 Mustang (I still drive it) got accidentally caught up in the Cruise as we turned north onto Woodward.
People hooted and hollered at us from their roadside seats. They thought our car was part of the Cruise.
Little did they know, we were wayward souls looking for some Thai food, with timing that couldn't have been worse.
That's it---that's the depth of my Dream Cruising.
The Dream Cruise is one of those events that I think I should give a go one of these days, but never seem to get around to doing it.
I don't like traffic jams, number one. So maybe the last thing I want to do is drive toward one, willingly.
Near as I can tell, the enjoyment garnered from the Cruise involves driving toward the traffic jam, parking God knows where, walking God knows how far, setting up some lawn chairs and a cooler and watching classic cars inch by. And I do mean inch, because the Cruise draws tens of thousands of cars every year and they certainly aren't threatening the speed limit, if you know what I mean.
So that's what I think the appeal of the Cruise is. We are celebrating Detroit being the Motor City in general, and Woodward Avenue as being a historical main pike for cruising, specifically.
I think that's it.
Does this appeal to me? After 18 years, I'm still not sure
I guess my wariness of trying the Cruise---willingly, not by accident while looking for Thai food---is that I am not sure what my tolerance is of watching classic cars inch by me. Even if I am plying myself with beer or other alcohol beverages.
Would we drive there, park, walk a mile, set up our chairs, open our cooler, and then after 15 minutes look at each other and say, "You wanna get going?"
Or maybe we wouldn't be able to get enough of it. Dunno.
It's that uncertainty that causes me to take a pass every year.
"Maybe next year," I think.
The Renaissance Festival used to be in that category as well.
The annual medieval celebration in Holly had always intrigued me, but never enough to pack up the family and head north.
But two years ago, through the generosity of my employer, we scored some free tickets. So we went, and our then-18-year-old daughter loved it. So we went again last year. She loved it again. And we'll go again this year---again thanks to my employer.
So scratch the Renaissance Festival off the Bucket List, I suppose.
As for the Dream Cruise?
It's happening this Saturday. It's Dream Cruise Week, as I said.
Maybe next year.
Not sure what that means, other than this is the week leading up to the Dream Cruise, down Woodward Avenue.
It's also time for me to reflect on my experiences at the Cruise, which began in 1995, the brainchild of a plumber from Ferndale named Nelson House.
OK, ready for my experiences?
Well, back in 2003 or 2004, my family and I decided to head into Royal Oak to eat at Siam Spicy on Woodward north of 11 Mile. And we forgot that it was Dream Cruise Saturday. And we in our 1992 Mustang (I still drive it) got accidentally caught up in the Cruise as we turned north onto Woodward.
People hooted and hollered at us from their roadside seats. They thought our car was part of the Cruise.
Little did they know, we were wayward souls looking for some Thai food, with timing that couldn't have been worse.
That's it---that's the depth of my Dream Cruising.
The Dream Cruise is one of those events that I think I should give a go one of these days, but never seem to get around to doing it.
I don't like traffic jams, number one. So maybe the last thing I want to do is drive toward one, willingly.
Near as I can tell, the enjoyment garnered from the Cruise involves driving toward the traffic jam, parking God knows where, walking God knows how far, setting up some lawn chairs and a cooler and watching classic cars inch by. And I do mean inch, because the Cruise draws tens of thousands of cars every year and they certainly aren't threatening the speed limit, if you know what I mean.
So that's what I think the appeal of the Cruise is. We are celebrating Detroit being the Motor City in general, and Woodward Avenue as being a historical main pike for cruising, specifically.
I think that's it.
Does this appeal to me? After 18 years, I'm still not sure
I guess my wariness of trying the Cruise---willingly, not by accident while looking for Thai food---is that I am not sure what my tolerance is of watching classic cars inch by me. Even if I am plying myself with beer or other alcohol beverages.
Would we drive there, park, walk a mile, set up our chairs, open our cooler, and then after 15 minutes look at each other and say, "You wanna get going?"
Or maybe we wouldn't be able to get enough of it. Dunno.
It's that uncertainty that causes me to take a pass every year.
"Maybe next year," I think.
The Renaissance Festival used to be in that category as well.
The annual medieval celebration in Holly had always intrigued me, but never enough to pack up the family and head north.
But two years ago, through the generosity of my employer, we scored some free tickets. So we went, and our then-18-year-old daughter loved it. So we went again last year. She loved it again. And we'll go again this year---again thanks to my employer.
So scratch the Renaissance Festival off the Bucket List, I suppose.
As for the Dream Cruise?
It's happening this Saturday. It's Dream Cruise Week, as I said.
Maybe next year.
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