Caffeine and Octane, October 2012

I know, I know, I'm late to the party (once again). I am indeed aware that, somehow, it's already gotten to be late-october. It's nearing four weeks since I attended this month's Caffeine and Octane in Alpharetta, but what can I say. School, life, and forgetfulness tend to get in the way more times than many of us would like them too. Anyhow, that's enough excuses, let's talk about the show!

Caffeine and Octane never ceases to impress and the sunday-morning outing this October was nothing short of spectacular. Couple beautifully crisp fall weather with one of the largest crowds of cars and bystanders in the show's history and you can guarantee someone like me is tripping over folks to get as many pictures as I could.

What continues to get me about this show in particular is how humble its foundations were. Inspired by Cars and Coffee, an infamous meet in California, a group of just four cars began meeting up every first Sunday morning of the month. Purely by word-of-mouth the show has grown to what it is today: a dazzling display of over 800 vehicles.

Another aspect that draws me to this show is the sheer atmosphere of it all. From its humble beginnings, all the way up to the present day, Caffeine and Octane has embodied the essence of car culture. Many owners, as I've said in earlier articles, leave their cars and spend the rest of the show as spectators, mingling with fellow Porsche, BMW, or Chevrolet owners. As you walk through the show area, bathed in the early morning sunlight, you overhear so many different conversations, usually accompanied with laughter and the aroma of cigar smoke. Caffeine and Octane is simply enthusiasts coming together, over a cup of coffee, and doing what they enjoy most; talking about cars.

As you can see in the photos, or if you've ever been to this show yourself, there is quite a diverse display of automotive history. And the case usually is that this display isn't organized all that well, but I think this is a good thing. Walking down a single row you can see a brand new Mercedes CLS63, next to a Porsche 356, next to an unrestored Plymouth Volare station wagon. This presents a delightful situation to a person like me; you never know what's around the next corner. And that forces you to walk up and down every row and through every back corner of the show area, becoming pleasantly surprised periodically along the way.

Typing this weeks later, I'm sure I've forgotten many important things I was going to say had I posted this earlier, but what I couldn't possibly forget is the jovial, inviting, and diverse atmosphere that can always be enjoyed at Caffeine and Octane. Sadly, I'm not able to make November's meet, but never fear, there is another event I'm attending that's sure to be just as exciting. I hope you'll stay tuned and, in the meantime, enjoy some more of my favorite cars from October's Caffeine and Octane.