“JUST FOLLOW ME”

One Sunday afternoon

As I was ridin’ down the street

I spied a cute girl

All dressed up so sweet.

And the way that she was stacked

I wish I’d've had a Cadillac

For who would notice me

Just drivin’ this old Model T.

[And she said] “Now listen baby

It doesn’t matter to me

‘Cause even in your Model T

You’re as cute as you can be.”

“Cold Beer Here …,” I could guarantee

I can’t believe you’d notice ME

Behind the wheel o’ this old Model T.

But come on along this way

Turn down that radio DJ

‘Cause I’ve got a cold surprise

An’ it’s got nuttin’ to do with those thighs.

I’ll tell you ‘bout my favorite brew

A thing called “Orange Avenue”

Served with a juicy orange slice,

I just know you’ll think it nice.

An’ it doesn’t matter about me,

As long as you follow this old T.

We’re headed down that road,

Headed to the CBC mother lode.

-Joe Ditler, CBC Publicist/Model T Wrangler

*(Improvised from, “Looking Back To See” by Jim Ed Brown)

Thundering exhausts, chirping tires, torque you could almost taste, blinding chrome. It was a veritable parade of Detroit steel. Welcome to the 23rd Annual MotorCars on MainStreet, Sunday, right here in Coronado …

Massive engines rumbled and roared as each driver waited to get his car into the show. But that was no fun, and how do you hold back that sort of horsepower anyway?

One driver began to challenge another. It wasn’t as simple as an, “I dare ya,” or “I double dog dare ya,” this challenge was jammed in under the hood and roaring to get out.

With a pump of the accelerator drivers took turns popping the clutch, leaving squeaks of rubber and smoke in their wake. Foot by foot they would work their way up to the check-in area, leaving black patches on the street and marking their territory like old dogs.

And where were we? Where was Olive Oyl, the CBC beer truck? We were settled nicely on the grass at Rotary Plaza, next to the 1923 Ford Model T laundry truck from the Hotel del Coronado and the Roaring Twenties.

Two sisters, for all intent and purpose, and two of my favorite old gals. They were placed there at the head of the show for a reason, because they are two of Coronado’s most famous and visible antique vehicles. We were the greeters, the sentinels of history, the reminders of why we were all there.

But how we got there was another story. The night before I blew out the foot starter. My kids pushed me down the street at dusk until I could pop the clutch and get the old girl started. I knew there would be no such willing participants to push me at 5:30 the next morning, so Olive Oyl took her position early, the night before, to be exact, in a dark and unprotected Rotary Plaza, on the grass. I’m sure people wondered how much I’d had to drink to make such a lousy park job (smile).

Note to the drunks who kept her company all night long: Thank you for not scratching the paint and for tossing your cigarette buts far enough away so as not to excite the gasoline that perpetually leaks from her 89-year-old engine.

Note to the City: Dude, did you really have to turn the sprinklers on?

Regardless, Olive Oyl was looking her best by the time the car show opened, and if you missed this year’s show, man, you really missed something special. Note for next year: Get there early, because the parade of Detroit steel is really something special to behold.

Thank you Bill Gise and Rita Sarich for giving us such a special spot in the show, and congratulations on another beautiful event. Thank you to the Coronado Eagle for letting me paraphrase my article here from this week’s paper.

-Joe Ditler, CBC Publicist/Model T Wrangler

The show airs this June, in Europe, on “Thalassa,” TV France 3. “Thalassa” has been a leading, primetime, Friday night favorite of French TV for more than 30 years. Their stories revolve around the water. Being surrounded by water, Coronado’s story appealed to the creative side of their writers. The show includes interviews and history of the island.

Representing French TV were reporter, director and editor Cecile Delarue (an extremely popular show host in France), and photographer Helene Gregoire. After a full day of driving around in Olive Oyl and filming the old truck and Coronado, they chartered a helicopter and away we went, to capture Coronado from the air.

The attached link is a wonderful look at Coronado from above. We’ll get a copy of the finished product to share with you, but you’ll have to find your own translator. The entire show will be in French.

Of course, the adventure would not have been complete without a beer and food pit stop at CBC, where the intrepid news team selected Mermaid Red shirts to take home with them.

Below is a link to a brief film I threw together to give you just a taste of the adventure we experienced during filming for French TV.

Merci beaucoup Cecile et Thalassa.

-Joe Ditler, CBC Publicist/Model T Wrangler

[Photo Caption above: French TV photographer, Helene Gregoire (left) and Cecile Delarue pose with Olive Oyl in front of the historic Hotel del Coronado during filming.]

French TV and CBC Truck

 Driving Olive Oyl, our 1924 Model T beer truck, we follow a meandering path. And we sure as hell leave a trail. I’ve never seen a truck sputter and spit oil and gas as much as this one does. But, it’s all part of the charm of driving an 89-year-old vehicle in the year 2013. And along the path we forge, you never know whom you might meet.

 Easter Sunday we ran into actress Jena Sims and her best friend Brandi Williams (weekend news anchor at KUSI TV). Olive Oyl hosted the two former MAXIM models for a day of adventure on the island.

 Jena Sims just wrapped six-weeks of filming with Robert De Niro that she said literally changed her life. The former Georgia beauty Queen recently starred in Roger Corman’s 3-D sci-fi movie, “Attack of the 50-Foot Cheerleader,” with Treat Williams. She’s also had roles in Entourage, Dexter, One Tree Hill and The Vampire Diaries.

 And yes, as you might imagine, our “path” ended up at the Coronado Brewing Company for a round of cold beer and one of Chef Kasey’s giant pretzels.

 -Joe Ditler, CBC Publicist/Model T Wrangler

Dave Scott, Brandi Williams and Leslie Lopez gave us lots of shout outs as we bantered back and forth on live TV. Once the parade began, we found ourselves surrounded by vintage 19th century bicycles and a couple of intoxicated Leprechauns. Didn’t take long for the drunk leprechauns and bikers to develop an unscripted dance of U-turns around Olive Oyl every other block, narrowly missing one another, but coming close enough to give the crowd some special moments. One of the Leprechauns kept passing us his flask of Irish Whisky. We were never sure if we were supposed to carry it, or drink it. My navigator finally made a command decision, in the spirit of the day.

Thanks to navigator and co-pilot, the Rev. Jimmy Robeson for navigating us through the course. And thanks to the Coronado Public Library Children’s Librarian, Ellen Joy, for the loan of her very handsome Leprechaun puppet. We named him “Dave Scott” for the day. Of course, he looked nothing like the real Dave Scott, but at least we got his attention (smile). Congratulations to Buddy the Clown who is the same age as Olive Oyl; And to Sherry Dodge, the green, penny farthing bicycle lady, who posed for some good old fashioned Model T cheesecake shots. Thank you to Tricia Logan and the Irish Congress of Southern California for letting us be a part of this glorious parade.

“Guid forder!”

-Joe Ditler, CBC Publicist/Model T Wrangler

Olive Oyl Parade Sequence

… As Model T beer truck driver Walter Mitty accelerated away from the intersection the only sound was his engine, “Pocketa, Pocketa, Pocketa.” His hair was blown from the open window and the smell of gasoline trailed behind him, but this only seemed to enhance the adventure in his life. His Model T truck, after all, was a real chic magnet. So what if the “chics” were usually in their 80s. He was King of the road, and his CBC beer truck was Queen … Pocketa, Pocketa, Pocketa …

If you see us on the street, stop and say hello. If you capture a unique photo of Olive Oyl, send it to me and I’ll try and post it in our blog. If I post it, there’s a free beer in it for you. Meanwhile I look forward to joining you for a cold one at the Brewing Company in the days to come. I drink Orange Avenue WIT. Olive Oyl drinks Pennzoil 10-40.

–Joe Ditler, Model T Wrangler/CBC Publicist

Beer has had a long history with U.S. Presidents. George Washington preferred English-style porter. Thomas Jefferson regularly served beer at the dinner table, later becoming a student of the brewing process.

James Madison wanted to appoint a Secretary of Beer and even considered proposing a government-run brewery. Neither happened. Rutherford B. Hayes banned all beer from the White House.

Jimmy Carter signed a bill that made brewing beer at home legal, and he eliminated most taxes on home-brewed beer. SurveyedAmericans would have preferred having a beer with George W. Bush to John Kerry.

President Barack Obama is a known lover of beer. In 2011 he purchased a home brewing kit with his own money and has brewed the following beers: White House Honey Ale, White House Honey Blonde Ale, White House Honey Porter, and White House Honey Brown.

Joe Ditler, CBC Publicist/Model T Wrangler

I’m pleased to report that our Awooooga horn has already brought smiles to the faces of six senior citizens, five children, and two dogs since getting back on the road. The last dog was on a walk with owner Wanda Aurich along Ocean Blvd. The pup leapt three feet in the air and then took off at a full sprint. Wanda re-captured her pup two blocks later, and we promised not to do that anymore (wink, wink).

Time for some of Chef Kasey’s Lobster Mac ‘n’ Cheese and a cold Orange Avenue WIT at the Coronado Brewing Company. Catch us if you can …

Joe Ditler

CBC Publicist/Model T Wrangler

(Photo Captions: JIm Robeson and Joe Ditler at last year’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade, in the rain. Before and after shots of Olive’s steering wheel restoration. The mouthwateringly delicious Orange Avenue WIT)

-Joe Ditler/CBC Publicist & Model T Wrangler

Meet Olive Oyl. She’s a modified cowboy truck who spent most of her life on a ranch in Colorado. Today she is the most familiar vehicle on the roads of Coronado … a rolling billboard for the Coronado Brewing Company, a mechanical mascot, a surf truck, and a Coronado icon.

Several times a week we’ll be posting adventures with Olive Oyl here on “The Broken Odometer.” We’ll post photos, comments from people we meet, and we’ll even offer the occasional prize to fans we encounter on the road.

-Joe Ditler

CBC Publicist/Model T Wrangler