Delighted by the Delica

On having a good time driving something fun

I recently returned to California to go ride Whiskey Tango Fondo (more on that later!). Of course, the trip could not go smoothly. As I was in the air, my AirTag showed that my bike was left behind in Nashville. I panicked because what am I going to ride on a bike ride I traveled all the way to in California … without a bike? Luckily, the airlines pulled through. Managing that with a very small cushion to go pick up a car was tricky, but I handled it and moved along to borrow a car from a friend.

I picked up the Delica, which I’ve always wanted to drive. Honestly, the cuteness of that little van is half the joy. You can’t ride in it without smiling, it’s just fun to drive around. It’s a little oddball in the best of ways. I packed up the van with my belongings, not as many as anticipated, and headed up north.

Of course, parking it at the hotel was its own adventure, thanks to the right-hand drive, as trying to get into the parking lot with the ticket on the left side was comical.

I woke up the next morning to make the journey up north to Lone Pine. It was so much fun driving the Delica that the drive went by quickly.

Let’s be honest, if you’re going on an adventure, you need the car to match. This was the perfect one for this trip. Here it is hanging out in Lone Pine, where I camped overnight before my long ride.

A major highlight of the trip was visiting Matt Farah’s Westside Collector Car Storage. This place isn’t just a parking facility; it’s a true labor of love, designed for car collectors who care deeply about their vehicles.

Every detail is thought through not because it’s the smartest business move, but because of Matt’s passion. You can feel it in things like the way the ramps are perfectly engineered, and even the water drainage is designed so it never touches the tires, something that made him grin when he pointed it out. It’s the kind of space where you immediately understand that every inch was created for people who live and breathe cars.

Check it out at wccs.com and follow Matt @thesmokingtire.