PCA to storm California in October
By Robert Friedman, PCA Escape to LA Co-Chair
For several years now the Escape has been one of the most sought-after and exciting events on the PCA calendar. Consisting primarily of tours and social events, this non-competitive weekend is the perfect, relaxing PCA holiday. Held each year in a different area of the US, this weekend is rich with regional flavor and draws participants who enjoy a long weekend spending time with their Porsche cars, Porsche friends and participating in Porsche activities.
“Escape to Los Angeles” is the theme for 2013, and the Escape is headquartered at the elegant Sheraton Fairplex in Pomona, CA (just outside LA). The dates are October 24-26, but you are encouraged to come early and stay late. There’s a lot to do!
From Pomona we will radiate out on a wide variety of activities. You will be among 500-600 other Porschephiles, seeing the best that Southern California has to offer.
The 2013 Escape team has been busy finalizing the various tour routes throughout Southern California. The Escape will offer tours of varying lengths and activities to satisfy the interests of every attendee. From a leisurely drive of the San Gabriel Valley highlighting local architecture, the Huntington gardens, or the Los Angeles Arboretum, to–for the drivers amongst us—exciting mountain tours such as the Angeles Crest Highway, Highway 18 to Big Bear Lake, or to Mount Baldy along Glendora Canyon Road. Another option is an all day trip to Joshua Tree National Park with a stop in Palm Springs for dinner. There are even special tours planned of several unique museums such as the Nethercutt and Mullin automotive museums, as well as a few intimate tours of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (a NASA nerve centre for space exploration), and Space X (a private space exploration company).
The Escape has two official dinners planned, starting on Thursday night, with the opening Car Show and Drive-in Movie banquet. Remember your high school years of polishing up the car to show off to your friends, cruising to the hamburger stand and seeing the latest movie at the drive-in? While watching a classic movie (or socializing if you prefer), Escape attendees will enjoy Kobe sliders, tacos, fries, margaritas, sodas, and milk shakes. The car show will also include the ever popular “People’s Choice” awards.
On Saturday night, the closing banquet starts with a reception at the NHRA Museum. This museum, housed in a beautifully restored 28,500-square-foot art deco 1939 WPA building, is home to the very essence of American Motorsports. More than 80 vehicles are displayed: everything from Ed Iskenderian’s 1925 T roadster to Mickey Thompson’s Challenger I, the first American car to go 400mph. Hors d’oeuvres will be served during the reception. Afterwards, and just a short stroll away, the Gala dinner will be held in the newly constructed Sheraton Fairplex Convention Center. PCA will have exclusive use of the entire facility. Dinner will be three courses, specially prepared for the Escape. A no-host bar will be available throughout the night, as well as special guest speakers, exhibits, and of course some great door prizes. All this and more will be part of the Saturday night Gala Dinner.
There are numerous museums in the area such as the Huntington Library, Tournament of Roses House (Wrigley Mansion), Tournament of Roses Float Barns, the 1908 Greene & Greene Gamble House, the Mullin Automotive Museum, the Nethercutt Collection, the Norton Simon art museum and the LA County Arboretum.
The Escape will feature two historic architectural tours, one based around the Pasadena/San Marino area, and the other showcasing the La Verne, Claremont and Pomona area (including the old Kellogg’s Ranch, now California Polytechnic College). We have assembled 30 to 35 sites in the greater Pasadena, South Pasadena and San Marino areas for a self-guided tour designed for you to spend as much or as little time as you’d like enjoying these wonders of a bygone era.
Turning our attention back to cars, I think you will enjoy the Nethercutt Collection, which houses several hundred exquisite old cars in an early 20th Century automobile salon setting (lots of marble). This array of Concours winning cars (Pebble Beach, Amelia Island, Palos Verdes, Dana Point and other prestigious events) will make your head spin. It is certainly one of the best car collections in the country.
One of the more renowned museums in the San Gabriel Valley is the Huntington Library, Art Collection and Botanical Gardens. Arrangements have been made for a private tour of the grounds and museums accompanied by morning tea.
For you drivers, you’ll definitely see the twisties, catch some incredible vistas, have some great food and see some of Southern California’s rural beauty. You’ll get a little appreciation of what living in LA means–being able to visit the ocean, snow, desert, mountains and forests in an hour or less–traffic permitting.
If you are fortunate enough to drive a Cayenne to the Escape, we have a tour just for you. Our tour is designed for the novice off-road driver, as we help you learn off-roading and build your confidence. Technically, this is an “off paved road” tour; it is not truly “off road”.
As you can see, you have plenty to look forward to in Escape 2013. Registration opens soon, so mark your calendars and keep your eye on our website and PCA’s eBrake News for more information: http://escape2013.pca.org
