The Driving Woman

40,000 Classic Cars. A sight to see, and that's why I traveled to my hometown this weekend,  to check out the 2007 Woodward Dream Cruise. Things have changed since the Cruise started in 1995.  It's grown to accommodate a whopping 1.2 million spectators.

It's also become a Detroit motor company renaissance, mostly past but a bit of present. Chevy seized the opportunity to roll out the HHR SS at a local hotdog spot, the Athens Coney Island.  NASCAR driver Casey Mears was on hand to give me personalized instruction on how to do a burnout - an important skill to have that dates affectionately back to the classic car era. I stole away from the packed streets to GM's  Warren tech center to pull off this amazing feat, before joining the throngs of spectators. The cruise officially happened on Saturday, but the streets filled with classic makes all week long.

The Dream Cruise is an outdoor, virtual museum. If you're of age, you could reverse back to a childhood memory, or if you're a bit a younger, the cruise hinted at finer times, when Detroit manufactured car sculptures worth savoring. Lines of 'Cudas, Galaxies, and Mustangs extended across the 16-mile stretch of pavement, with all kind of innovations shoved in between authentic restoration. At the Dream Cruise, anything goes. Of course, I was one of the few doing burnouts in the area. Hefty fines were slapped for tire squealing on Woodward and the surrounding areas. What can I say? There are perks to test driving new makes and models.
 
I wasn't alive in the '50s or '60s when cruising was the thing to do on Woodward Avenue (and the event's inspiration) but my mom was, and she grew up near Woodward, which turns 200 this year. On Friday, she traipsed down memory lane as we dined at the Kingsley Inn overlooking the cruise route, with '57 Chevys filing the parking. She fondly recalled cruising with one boyfriend in a MG Midget. Back then, she said that Detroit women knew all the cars. Judging by the mix of the crowd we saw the next day, plenty of ladies still have the fever for a classic. The Dream Cruise, unlike other car events, is truly a family affair with face paint, ice cream stands and an alcohol free policy. It's about wandering and moving slowly, and taking the time to get there at an easy pace. Some traditions are worth reviving.