Dave Kinney
Today marks trip number 1 of 2006 to Fort Lauderdale, FL. Formerly “Spring Break Town, USA” Fort Lauderdale is now all grown up. Not many of the landmarks familiar to teens and college age students of 1956, 66 or 76 remain, in there places are high rise condos and hotels.

I’m on assignment for Sports Car Market, covering the Kruse Fort Lauderdale auction. Featuring the “Muscle Car shootout’ midday on Saturday, lot’s of American iron is on display, a surfeit of Detroit and not much Coventry or Stuttgart. (Or Modena or Stoke-on-Trent, for that matter).

Prices continue to increase, and there are plenty of surprises on hand. (For a full report, you will have to wait for it in print in SCM).
Dinner tonight in downtown Miami Beach, a trendy joint named Vita. Sounds good from one hour’s drive away.

Weather is more than just a bit disappointing, very cool, giving the locals a chance to wear winter coats and something to talk about – the weather.
I am a guest of my old friends Ed and Susan, in their waterfront high rise condo. A view that just won’t quit, wraparound balconies, about a 160o view of the environs. Nice, and thanks for the hospitality.

Hurricane damage is still an issue, From ground level in Fort Lauderdale, some piles of greenery are evident, and plenty of sign boxes are missing their faces. I know that many people are still living with blue-tarp roofs and worse, Another reminder that life is what happens when you are making other plans.