By Rob Fortier – Images by the Author
When they say location is everything, that applies to more than just real estate. Take, for instance, your average car/truck show. Staged at a fairground or vast parking lot does allow you to focus primarily on the subjects at hand—the vehicles—but every now and then, a nice change of scenery (no pun intended) leaves a lasting impression.
My recent trip up the California coast to a quaint little seaside town called Avila Beach did just that—left a lasting impression, at least as far as my first attendance at the C10 SLO Down is concerned.
This past July, I hopped on my bike and headed due north, eventually finding my way to Coast Highway after navigating the gridlocked nonsense of L.A.—destination: Central California’s San Luis Obispo County. In my decades of making that journey, I’ve always taken notice of the Avila Beach Drive exit off the 101, but not once have I ever actually taken the exit … until now.
The first thing that caught my attention was Sycamore Mineral Springs Resort—more specifically, the number of folks outside eating rather large ice cream cones! I fought off my temptations and kept riding for a few more miles until I reached Avila Beach, tucked in a quaint alcove of San Luis Obispo Bay (and just 10 miles below the city of SLO, where the SLO Down originally got its name). My accommodations for the weekend were at the Inn at Avila Beach—not so much due to its beachfront location (that did help) but rather due to the fact that each night at 7 p.m. sharp they served FREE pie and ice cream!
The other good thing about the Inn was its proximity to not only all the great restaurants in town but to the Avila Beach Golf Resort, the current location of the C10 SLO Down—literally the Back 9 fairways of the picturesque, tree-lined golf course with the Pacific Ocean as the backdrop.
The show, presented by our friends at United Pacific/upcarparts.com, kicked off leisurely at 9 a.m. on Friday with the vendor setup, followed by the participant “roll in” at 1 p.m. Saturday, however, got off to a brisk, early start at 6 a.m. when all the GM trucks of all shapes and sizes filled the groomed grass areas to capacity, with the spectator gates opening at 9. Along with the SLO Down’s VIP Beach Balcony Lounge (held at the resort’s clubhouse), there were plenty of great food vendors on hand—from Santa Maria tri-tip to craft doughnuts made while you wait—as well as the course restaurant, Mulligans, serving food and drinks all day. The show ended on a high note following the awards ceremony, after which I made my way back to the Ocean Grill for a nice fat rib eye!
Sunday closed out the end-of-July weekend with a cruise hosted by the C/10 Club Central Coast, at which time I made my two-wheeled trek back to the grind, with huge aspirations for the 2025 SLO Down … in my own C10! See y’all next year—and thanks to everyone involved for making this an event to remember!
