Everything is very Los Angeles: Drivers from all walks of life enter their classic carmodern or retro sports car muscle car and drive 25 miles or more from civilization. They drive carefully along the Angeles Crest Highway, on winding, winding roads that cut through the mountains, to an abandoned truck stop. And there they eat donuts, drink coffee and talk about cars.
It’s called the Good Vibes Breakfast Club, and I’m already obsessed with it.
What is the Good Vibes Breakfast Club?
The Good Vibes Breakfast Club (GVBC) meets Friday mornings at Newcomb’s Ranch on the Angeles Crest Highway. There are some 117 curves and switchbacks between Newcomb’s and the gas station that serves as a landmark on State Highway 2. Although you can make the trip in just about any vehicle, there is something special to do it in a nice old Porsche, Ferrari or Alfa.
Founder Jay Ryan has a humble approach to the birth of the Good Vibes Breakfast Club: “It’s not even an event. It was an accident. What we have here today was never intended. My wife and I started coming here on Fridays for breakfast.
It started with a morning walk in the mountains and turned into so much more.
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Gathering of vintage cars and nostalgia
Park in the parking lot of the abandoned Newcomb Ranch and you can see millions of dollars worth of classic cars, new cars and restored muscle cars. But it’s not about “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” vibes here. For the Good Vibes club, breakfast is a simple affair: usually Dunkin Donuts, coffee, and friendly conversation.
It’s nostalgia, it’s passion for cars and it’s all a human desire for connection. People who come to GVBC come as much for the camaraderie as for the cars.
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Escape with a good dose of power
There is a dark side to the otherwise enjoyable history of the Good Vibes Breakfast Club. The tradition began after Ryan’s wife, Nicole, was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. Refusing to let limitations keep them from living life, the couple began to seek adventure and pleasure. One such adventure brought them to Newcomb Ranch. They invited some friends for the next trip, and it’s only grown since then.
Ryan says the GVBC “serves as an escape” for him and his wife, and a diversion. For a few hours on a Friday morning, they can put problems aside and spend some quality time doing what they love: talking about Porsches.
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Everyone is welcome at the Good Vibes Breakfast Club
“It’s not a club, it’s the most important thing, everyone is welcome. It is not car or brand specific. There is no judgement, no specific style of car or person. You can be a tire thrower, you can be a stat reader, you can be a driver.
-Jay Ryan
One of the hashtags used in social media posts for GVBC is #notaclub. This simple gesture says a lot, though. While it might be harder to get to Newcomb’s Ranch than to the local Starbucks, Ryan and the rest of GVBC are open that everyone is welcome for breakfast.
Automatic week reports that some days Jay and his wife will keep a handful of enthusiasts company, other days will bring dozens of drivers from all walks of life.
In the category of feel-good car stories, this one ranks pretty high. We hope that if you ever find yourself cruising along the Angeles Crest Highway on a Friday morning, you can take the time to experience this amazing destination event.
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