Your writer has attended 10 car shows so far this year with our black '34 Speedstar Spyder, running from Pomona CA to Charlotte NC so we're not new to the rod run scene. However, for several years, many of my rodder friends have raved about their annual pilgrimage to the Mississippi Gulf Coast for a week long event called Cruisin' the Coast – something my wife and I had never done before … until this year.

Cruisin' is billed as “America's Largest Block Party” but it's much more than that. Trying to accurately describe it to someone who has never been is real hard; it's kinda like a rolling car show and a 5 day rod run combined with 6 street parties plus a huge swap thrown in for good measure. It was an absolute blast. We were blown away by how well the entire area has built back since hurricane Katrina. The restaurants and casinos we hit were excellent. The townspeople were more welcoming than anywhere else we've visited this year.  On one side street we dove down, folks were grilling out in their front yards just so they could watch the parade of cool rides and were giving out beads for burnouts! We've already booked next years trip back to the Coast.

Held in early October, the Cruise runs up and down a 30-mile stretch of beachside highway on the beautiful Mississippi Gulf coast.  Six cities play host to Cruisers with designated stops in Bay St. Louis, Biloxi, D’Iberville, Gulfport, Pass Christian and Ocean Springs. Each venue is set up as a mini festival with live bands, reserved parking for cruisers, and food and event merchandise vendors. Our favorite was the beautiful town of Ocean Springs. Your writer even saw a few (albeit unsanctioned) burnouts … boys will be boys!

In it's 19th year, Cruisin' was a huge success with close to 8000 rods and customs registered from 41 states.  My hat is off to all the organizers, the 700 event volunteers and our good friends at ET Motorgear – the Cruisin' promoters - for giving us such a great great event.

Be sure to watch Scottie D's awesome Cruisin' event coverage; he was always on the move shooting something cool. I saw his wrapped gray Mustang everywhere we went!

Thanks Scottie for all your hard work and efforts bringing the coolest cars and extreme events to all your motorhead fans.

Fat Jack