BY NICK LICATA

ooking back at 2020, I have to say, hands down, it was the worst year I’ve ever experienced. The reasons are obvious and many, so I’ll skip putting together a list. If there was anything positive to come out of living during a global pandemic, it did allow for some additional time spent at home with my family, which hasn’t been a bad thing—although sharing a small converted bedroom office with my wife is a different story. I’ll just leave that one alone for now.

After all we’ve gone through this past year, there’s no doubt we’ve been spit out of 2020 stronger and more resilient than expected. From a personal, and an industry, standpoint, if we can pull through the last 12 months, we can pretty much handle anything.

Although we were able to attend some events last year, they were few and far between. And with many of the weekend cars and coffee–style gatherings still taking place, those lowkey events offered us hot rod and muscle car enthusiasts the opportunity to get out with our rides. Although waking up early on a Saturday or Sunday to make these cruises isn’t my normal, by any means, it was fun to spend a little time with like-minded car enthusiasts for a couple hours. It’s also important we keep supporting these cruises, as the organizers typically spend a lot of time scoping out retail parking lots and working with the land owners and tenants to approve a place to take our rides and hang out. And remember to do your part in buying their coffee, T-shirts, hats, or whatever else they are pushing, as most of these people do it out of passion—not money. They’re also the ones who take the heat when you decide to do a burnout at said parking lot.

Here in Southern California, a group of muscle car folks started the Quarantine Cruise (@qruisinpch). What started in April 2020 with a small group of about 24 people and their cars meeting up at a Lowe’s parking lot for a cruise has since grown to over 2,000 strong with people coming in from as far as the bay area to join the fun. The unique aspect to this homegrown gathering is that it starts at one designated retail center and includes a set route to a second destination, which features a scenic cruise along Pacific Coast Highway. I’ve seen other similar events taking place all over the country via Facebook and Instagram, so let’s keep supporting these get-togethers and show appreciation to the people putting in the work to make them happen.

So, until life returns to what it was like in the good old days (2019), I’ll continue waking up earlier than I prefer (apologies to my neighbors for the loud exhaust at 7:00 a.m.) every month or so to enjoy and support the local hot rod cruising scene.

You in?