PEBBLE BEACH — There’s something about rolling out of bed at 3 a.m. that makes you question your life choices — especially when those choices involve driving 150 miles before the sun has even thought about making an appearance.
But when the destination is the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, one of the most prestigious automotive events in the world, you put the coffee on, hit the road, and don’t look back. The drive from Fresno to Pebble Beach is usually a test of patience and endurance, but at this ungodly hour, it was smooth sailing. No traffic, no cops, no distractions — just me, the open road, and the faint glow of my dashboard lights.
It’s my first time back since 2019, and it feels like decades have passed. As I wound my way through the darkened streets of Carmel-by-the-Sea, the town was a ghost town, barely stirring, with only a few diehard car enthusiasts and show cars to keep me company. Ocean Avenue, normally bustling with tourists and locals alike, was eerily quiet, with a few automotive masterpieces still perched on their red carpets like royalty waiting for their subjects to arrive.
By the time I rolled up to the Carmel Gate onto 17-Mile Drive, I couldn’t help but feel a little smug. I had beaten the crowds, sidestepped the two-hour traffic jam that would soon turn 17-Mile Drive into a parking lot, and snagged a prime parking spot without even breaking a sweat. This was the automotive equivalent of winning the lottery without buying a ticket.
Wa.