Cruisin’ for a Cure

What a weekend of fun galore! Today's excitement was found at the Orange County Fairgrounds for the 25th Annual Cruisin' for a Cure.

Cruisin’ for a Cure was started in 1999 by Debbie Baker whose husband was diagnosed with prostate cancer and lost his life in 2009 from the illness. It became, and continues to be, Debbie’s passion to do something for our men by bringing awareness of prostate cancer to help save their lives through the offering of free prostate screening at the event. Over the past 25 years, over 15,000 men have been tested and more than 4,000 have been saved, those who would have never known they had a suspicious lump or prostate cancer. As Debbie tells the men, “You take care of your cars, you need to take care of your body."
This incredible day was suggested by Julie and we were joined by her delightful friends, Pat and Patty.
I was in awe before I even left the parking lot!

What makes this car show extra exciting is the cruisin' component. All day long, moving works of mechanical art meander through the fairgrounds. We not only had the opportunity to see these treasures, we were able hear and smell them. What a very unique, and appreciated, feature.






The variety was exceptional!
How about this very fun car? Ford Motor Company Produced the Retractable Hardtop Skyliner from 1957 through 1959. It was the first retractable hardtop to be mass produced.
In 1971, John Bobo of Dayton, OH, founded the International Ford Retractable Club. The Club's goals are, "To promote the preservation and restoration of this unique automobile with its complex yet reliable roof mechanism; and, to further the interest in it."






Cruisin’ for a Cure is the world’s largest one-day charity car show with over 3,000 vehicles on display and over 150+vendors and exhibitors.


My college car was a yellow VW Thing. I still have a soft spot for them.



I love this license plate... ½ BUS.
What's a car show without hanging with Elwood Blues?
Oh, by the way, the music was outstanding. The band, The Answer, had everyone dancing. The full name is The Answer to Classic Rock. We are going to hunt them down to see one of their shows. WOW.
As for the reason for the event- Prostate Cancer, Steve's Dad had it so today was a great opportunity to continue with diligence. So off Steve went to get the whole exam shebang.
From the website, "We are very grateful to continue offering our free prostate screening to men 40 years and older. It is a simple blood test. We also offer the DRE (digital rectal exam). The testing results are sent to the KSK Cancer Center of Irvine where Dr. Tokida continues tracking all of the men over the years, as well as all the new men that take the advantage of the testing each year. The results are confidentially sent out within 7-10 days after the event from Dr. Tokida’s office. Dr. Tokida has been tracking returning participants each year and will personally call anyone that has a rise in their PSA, or a new participant that may have an elevated PSA." Oh my gosh. It is beyond amazing.
Steve's DRE was performed by Dr. Ben Dover... hysterical!
I receive emails from Suleika Jaouad, an author, artist, and activist who has shared her cancer journey. Recently her cancer returned from remission and she wrote eloquently on how she perseveres. One of her techniques is noticing and cultivating small joys. Today, one of my small joys is the glee these two oversized vehicles brought me. As I type this I am still cracking up.

This was one of those times when so many riches filled the day. New and old friends, the camaraderie of like-minded enthusiasts, a moveable feast of historic vehicles, an admirable cause, and many small joys! I can't wait for next year!

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Miramar Airshow... WOW!

It's been a long time since Steve and I have been to any airshow. And it has been decades since we've been to MCAS Miramar. Three core themes underpin the spirit and vision of this event for the United States Marine Corps, "Who We Are, Where We Are Going, and How We Fight!"

Considered the largest military air show, it provides a unique and special flight line experience with immersive activities, static displays, and aeronautic shows that feature military demonstration teams, civilian aerobatic teams, aerial solo acts, vintage aircraft and warbirds.
We were invited to "Get up close and personal to what our Joint Forces are capable of—the Marine Air-Ground Task Force demonstration has aircraft, explosions, and it’s the only place you’ll get to experience Marines performing an assault on the crowd line. This is America’s Air Show, presented by the United States Marine Corps and you’re going to get it all here—the US Navy Blue Angels and the US Air Force’s F-22 Raptor Demo."
Steve got "up close and personal" with the Monster giveaway truck! What fun.
Besides being surrounded by an incredible military presence, there were fun photo opportunities to be had.





How often does one get to hold a 40 lb. rocket launcher? So dang cool.


The civilian crafts were incredible, too. There was truly something for everyone!


We left before the Blue Angels performed. I've blogged about them before, here. If you haven't seen the special about them on Amazon Prime, you really must!

Law enforcement was fully represented. These officers were from Washington State.
We were intrigued by the Innovation and Tech Expo which showcased emerging technologies the US Marine Corps is exploring and adopting as it looks towards the battlefields of tomorrow. Research partnerships with leaders in commercial industry, academia, and the military innovation ecosystem allow the Marine Corps to explore some of the most cutting-edge technologies and capabilities available. From unmanned systems to next generation communications platforms to the powerful uses of artificial intelligence.
Okay so this is the only dog I would own. Boston Dynamics builds "products robust enough to excel in the toughest working conditions-all while staying agile enough for human-purposed environments."





This opportunity was the most surprising of the day. In conjunction with industry Partner LaRoche Posay and the American Academy of Dermatology's 'Spot Skin Cancer' campaign, Operation Sun SCREEN (OSS), offered free skin cancer screenings.

This event brings together over 40 volunteer active duty, retired, and civilian dermatologists, residents, and medical volunteers from the local area. Their objectives is to raise awareness about skin cancer. We both had very thorough exams. Have you ever heard of such a thing? Fantastic!
After a morning of ogling (and 9,000+ steps walked), it was time for the big event.
Civilian aerial demonstrations, like Aarron Deliu in his Extra 330, were interspersed with the military might.
That said, it was flights like this that were the stars of the show for me!



Watching the Marine Air Ground Task Force (MAGTF) show off its skills was very impressive.





The only female flyer, Vicky Benzing, impressed, too. Yes, definitely something for everyone!








Ed Hamill's Folds of Honor was a crowd favorite, too. Who doesn't love a biplane doing tricks?


My favorite was the Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II, an American family of single-seat, single-engine, stealth multirole combat aircraft designed for air superiority and strike missions. It also has electronic warfare and intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance capabilities. It was beyond awe-inspiring.


A special treat for me was being interviewed by Tony Shin for Fox5 News. While greatly edited, I hope you can tell just how special the day was for me. Pride was definitely the emotion of the day. This video is a 4 minute overview that doesn't do the exceptional event justice. This was truly incredible and I hope attending becomes an annual tradition for us. Wow!
"Once you have tasted flight,
you will forever walk the earth with your eyes turned skyward."
— Leonardo da Vinci

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