Turns out Sotero is also from Sacramento, and a few minutes into our conversation about newspapers, editors and automobiles a couple asked if they could join us. They were (and still are) the husband-wife team of Stephen and Debbie Holmes of Mill Valley, California. The couple both had vehicles on display on the lawns of Quail Lodge Golf Resort.
Stephen's car is a 1946 Ford Woodie; Debbie's car is a 1953 MGA TD. Plenty of more rare and exceedingly more expensive vehicles were on display, but none were any cooler than the Holmes' cars, and certainly no two owners were any more passionate about their vehicles. Stephen's Woody is from the year he was born; And likewise, Debbie's MGA TD is from her birth year.
Stephen Holmes' Woodie was one of the hits of the inaugural Carmel-by-the-Sea Concours earlier in the week on the Ocean Avenue in Carmel; Debbie Holmes, an interior desinger, added a few props to the display of her vehicle.
The couple takes great pride in their vehicles, which they classify as attainable collectibles.
"If you're going somewhere in our MG or in the Woodie, you should not plan on going quickly," Stephen explained. "People want to talk about the cars because it brings back memories. Everybody has a story and it's a fun story and it's fun sharing the stories they have. The whole point is that it's fun, and it's a whole bunch more than just transportation."
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