Petersen Automotive Museum

Got to say that Petersen Automotive Museum was a disappointment. While I liked the displays like the Hot Rod or Kustom shop there wasn't much interesting apart from couple of Hot Rods/Street Rods. I know it's called "Automotive" not "Hot Rodding" museum but it wasn't much as I was expecting from the publisher or leading Hot Rodding publications for past 70+ years. Not sure about the gift shop neither, maybe there could have been cooler merchandise if they had brought something from the vast amount of material Petersen has published over the years.

Misc California Photos

Just what the doctor ordered in the middle of Nordic Winter.


LA Kings vs Anaheim Mighty Ducks in Staples Arena, made a trade with my wife about hockey vs. Winternationals, got to see drag racing if I went to see hockey with her. I guess life could be worse, huh? :)


Fast and Furious display at Universal Studios, entertaining.


Bump cars at Disneyland, I guess this is where most immigrants take their driving lessons? Well based on some of their behaviour on freeways.


That's something I don't have to take lessons nor read a book :)


Cool Ford panel van near Hermosa Beach, looked like someone practically lived in it. Saw few really cool vintage driver cars.


Like from the movie "The Duel".


Now I can reuse line from "Beavis&Butthead do America"; "is this the god damn?" Pretty awesome scenery. The build in 1930's is an unbelievable effort (along with the new bypass bridge seen in Discovery Channel documentaries).


So if you're dog on foot and after dark?

Driving Shots
I love the South West desert, unbelievable rugged terrain, awesome colors (even through dirty windshield). I like how much it changed during the drive. I am a big fan of Travel Channel's World's Greatest Motorcycle Rides program (the US episodes) and it was pretty cool to see some of the scenery presented in the series.
















One of the 3 Cal Look Volkswagens we saw in traffic outside the DKP Cruise or shops.

2010 Winternationals

Managed to squeeze in a day in Winternationals for our holiday. I haven't followed any sort of drag racing for years but got huge kicks from the nostalgia display and Top Fuel and Funny Car qualifying.

Nostalgia Display











One of my all-time favourite race cars. I remember how in mid 80's I bought huge pile of discount auto books from mail order book shop (Roadster in Seinäjoki if I remember correctly) with money from summer job at construction site, among the books was Petersen's History of Drag Racing and I kept coming back to the black&white picture of this car again and again. Luckily it didn't materialize as me buying a Mopar :)










Picture for you know who :)
















My favourite gasser along with Mooneyham&Sharp coupe but I like this one more in the later blue disquise.





Pits











White Fords for Alhoracing..



Racing Shots

The snow-topped mountains in background are just surreal considering it was over +20C at the track.


That elderly gentleman acting as a starter just oozed authority :)




Garlits' dragster a moment later..