It’s not everyday you stumble upon a German themed town that’s basically in your backyard and suddenly, several amazing cars appear. The sound of the exhaust or the whine and spool up of the turbo begin to flood your ears. You look around and you’re surrounded by Audi’s, Volkswagen’s, Ferrari’s, Mercedes Benz’s, BMW’s and more.
You begin to wonder… “Where am I?” No, you haven’t died and ended up in Munich, Dusseldorf or Bonn. You’re in Helen, Georgia. That’s right, Georgia! You make your way down the clean streets decked with the beautiful architecture of your favorite German town. The pavers and greenery are all so clean and lush. The people are moving quicker than the cars and then you begin to settle in. You take in the scents, the heat, and the sweet feeling of community pride. To be around all those people and automobiles you’ve adored for years. Perhaps you’re there with your family like I was and you’re getting them started young and early – to be exposed to the culture that is so deep within your own life history. The “car culture” that is.
While the heat beat down on us all 3 days, this was an experience like none other. Well, similar to other events I have frequented over the years, but still, not exactly the same. It was even better that the event was somewhat local to me. I smiled as I ogled at the various cars I came across and snapped many pics that caught my eye. See if you can spot the hidden message in the picture above!
If you were new to this, then it was a challenging but enjoyable experience. There was something for everyone. Everyone! Putting the cars and people aside, Helen offered tourists many different activities and adventures to experience. Whether you wanted to go river tubing or zip-lining, it was only a matter of hopping a shuttle or making the short trek on foot. The big takeaway is that practically everything you would want to do is very walkable. Don’t feel like walking, driving or taking a shuttle? You still have 2 more options. Either rent a bike or a scooter and zip around town in style. They even have a Mountain Coaster!
Even for the hardcore show goers, there was something for everybody. My friend Steve Florio‘s car pictured here is a bit of a rarity. It is an imported Audi S3 that USA wasn’t lucky enough to get and offer to the US market. This particular car has been on a few journeys and it always makes me smile.
In the words of DJ Khaled, “Another one!”. This is another imported car that we didn’t get in the United States. It belongs to my friend, John Ludwick Jr and is a Volkswagen 2F Polo Coupe. He put in a lot of sweat equity and custom work to get it ready in a pinch for the show. Much respect to him and his crew.
In conclusion, I really enjoyed this event because not only did I get to see some very cool cars, I got to see a lot of my old friends from years past and the nostalgia was super heavy. After nearly a decade or more, they all made me feel reunited again, to the culture we call cars. It has inspired me to get moving on a couple of pending automotive projects I have amassed over the months in years. In all fairness, we recently moved from Los Angeles back to the East coast and home ownership takes a lot more getting used to than you think! Despite this, I am reinvigorated and so motivated to get to tuning and modification on my own cars again. Until next time!
P.S. If you haven’t already, please visit our YouTube channel and SUBSCRIBE. Find videos on everything from DIY, Car Show coverage to Automotive detailing and more.