Dream Machines at HMB Airport, Sunday

Letter

By on Thu, April 28, 2011

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It’s time to get revved up for “The Coolest Show on Earth” and, while having some serious fun, benefit a great cause –– the Coastside Adult Day Health Center.

Whimsical, fascinating, amusing, educational, curious, and unique are a few words that describe the Pacific Coast Dream Machines Show, Half Moon Bay’s massive annual celebration of mechanical ingenuity, power and style.

It’s a remarkable show-and-tell spectacle, an outdoor museum-for-a-day, featuring 2,000 magnificent driving, flying and working machines from the 20th and 21st centuries. In short, a feast for the senses for motorheads!

What’s coming? World-class cars of every era and style, Model T fire engines, vintage buses, custom motorcycles, tricked-out trucks, sleek streamliners, one-of-a-kind antique engines and tractors and historic military aircraft will be among the mesmerizing displays.

This year’s spectacular 21st annual show takes place on Sunday, May 1 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Half Moon Bay Airport, located in the picturesque seaside town of Half Moon Bay about 20 miles south of San Francisco.

The show is a critical annual fund-raiser (now more important than ever) to benefit the Coastside Adult Day Health Center which faces major cuts in funding from the State of California.

Headline attractions scheduled to appear include:

•the intimidating, super powerful U.S. Army NIKE HERCULES long range missile making a once-in-a-lifetime off-site public appearance with National Park Service staff and interpreters giving on-going presentations

•the titanic, hard-to-fathom, gasp-inducing world’s largest monster-cycle –– named “Dream Big”, the custom-built motorcycle weighs 6,500 pounds and is 11 feet tall and 20 feet long with 10-foot wide handlebars and 6-foot tall, 3-foot wide tires

•the one-of-a-kind Northrop-produced aviation design wonder “Flying Wing,” a long-range bomber with two wings and no fuselage

•kicking things up a notch with three (3) electrifying 4-rider, dual-ramp freestyle motocross shows

•the world’s fastest and loudest jet-powered “rocket bike” and myriad speed machines in World Record Wonderland

•a special display of magnificent military aircraft including an F/A-18 Hornet (supersonic, all-weather first strike fighter jet used by the U.S. Navy and Marines Corps), the Estrella Warbird Museum’s historic Douglas C-47 (regarded as the World’s Greatest Aircraft of its time), P-51 Mustangs (America’s premier World War II fighter), a massive U.S. Coast Guard C-130 transport aircraft, YAK Russian fighters and an exceptional array of military fighters and trainers

•a special “Green Machines” display of advanced technology/clean fuel vehicles

•mad scientist Jack Schroll’s “El Diablo” –– a spectacular and menacing jet-powered flame effects device designed for Burning Man Festival

•ace aerobatics pilot Eddie Andreini doing fly-overs in his Stearman bi-plane and Russian fighter

•the inimitable Blastolene Brothers extreme, mega-modified machines

•spine-tingling rides in a historic P-51 Mustang, T-6 military trainer, helicopters, and vintage bi-planes

•“ExtraOrdinaire”–– Farmers Insurance famous 100-foot tall hot air balloon

•thrilling monster truck rides and go-kart rides

•large and small engines refurbished by members of the Early Days Gas Engine & Tractor Association alongside Roots of Motive Power’s collection of beefy, burly steamrollers, spool donkeys and restored logging equipment

Proud owners show up in cars that come in all shapes, colors and sizes. Spectators will get a rare up-close look at antique horseless carriages and Ford Model T’s, fanciful touring and luxury cars, powerful sports cars, custom cars and street rods, muscle cars, vintage and modern era high-performance race cars, quirky art and pedal cars, modified street machines with cutting edge styles, exotic high-performance cars, stylish European cars, ultra cool low-riders, sporty compacts, modified imports with flashy graphics, fashionable hip-hop urban show cars, homebuilt kit cars, super-charged turbo cars and trucks, “green” technology/alternative fuel vehicles, streamliners, dragsters, funny cars, gassers, and jet cars.

Hundreds of aviation wonders are expected to be on display –– stylish homebuilts, classics from the 40’s and 50’s, exceptional vintage warbirds, and sport and ultralight aircraft. Headlining is the aviation design wonder “Flying Wing,” designed by Northrop as a long-range bomber with two wings and no fuselage. See a special display of magnificent military aircraft including an F/A-18 Hornet (supersonic, carrier-capable multirole fighter jet), the Estrella Warbird Museum’s historic Douglas C-47 (regarded as the World’s Greatest Aircraft of its time), P-51 Mustangs (America’s premier World War II fighter), a massive U.S. Coast Guard C-130 transport aircraft and an impressive array of T-33, T-6 and T-28 military fighters and trainers. Many will be doing spine-tingling fly-overs during the show. Thrilling rides will be offered in everything from helicopters and vintage bi-planes to a T-6 military trainer and P-51 Mustang –– rides range from $40-$600.

The most curious and fascinating displays are the large and small engines collected and refurbished by members of the Early Days Gas Engine & Tractor Association. Their amazing array of flywheel engines are enough to power antique washing machines, lawn mowers, and an entire a Lilliputian factory. On the larger side are several pieces from Roots of Motive Power’s collection of restored logging equipment like spool donkeys and Buffalo Springfield steamrollers.

Rounding out the activities will be Unicycle Drag Racing, kids’ amusements, food and live music featuring Shana Morrison, Claddagh, the Andy Santana Band and special guests. Spectator admission is $20 for adults, $10 for age 11-17 and 65+, and free for kids age 10 and under. Tickets are available at the gate only. Half Moon Bay Airport (9850 N. Cabrillo Highway) is located on Highway 1, 20 miles south of San Francisco and 5 miles north of Highway 92. For information, call 650-726-2328 or check out www.miramarevents.com
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ABOUT THE COASTSIDE ADULT DAY HEALTH CENTER
The Pacific Coast Dream Machines Show is the largest fund-raiser of the year for the Coastside Adult Day Health Center (CADHC).

CADHC keeps the frail, elderly and disabled as healthy, active and independent as possible, when advancing years or physical/mental conditions call for extra care and attention.

CADHC offers a daily program of activities and substantial health services operated by a team of professionals and program aides. Included is our Alzheimers Program and Family Caregiver Support Program. We work in cooperation with the participants, their caregivers and their personal physicians in an atmosphere that is both caring and supportive.

Services include nursing and personal care, medication monitoring, speech, occupational and physical therapy, social services, nutritious meals, fun activities, and door-to-door wheel chair assisted transportation.

CADHC’s goal is to restore and maintain physical and mental health so our participants can remain in their own homes, close to family and friends in the community they helped build.

The Coastside Adult Day Health Center is located at 645 Correas Street in Half Moon Bay. For information, contact executive director Janie Bono at 650-726-5067 or visit http://www.coastsideadultdayhealth.org/