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Since the advent of the automobile age a century ago,
the beach cruiser has become a nostalgic presence found
along ocean shorelines worldwide. As with our
Cadillac Hearse, the
typical beach
cruiser is usually old and rusted -- and always an integral part of
the local beach and surfing culture. To those who cast
only a cursory glance, the cruiser is often seen as
little
more than an unwelcome eyesore. But to those who
look beyond its rusty and faded skin, the cruiser is
truly the embodiment of a unique lifestyle marked by
sun, sand, salt and surf.
If the cruiser could only speak, what a story it
would tell! Back in 1959 our
Caddy rolled off a far away
assembly line with the shine and new car smell that made
it a prized possession. Almost certainly an
upscale funeral home became
the proud first owner of the latest in style and
advanced mechanical features. No doubt more
than one young cruiser-to-be drove along a coastal
highway and thought to itself, "When I get old
I'll never look like that!" And in the naïveté of
youth the shiny new cruiser-to-be simply turned its head
and continued down the road --
probably headed for the pleasure of a pleasant car wash
and the protected comfort of its own garage.
But change is inevitable, especially in the
automobile industry where styling and mechanical advances
are a never-ending demand. In the span of a few short years our
Hearse was no longer the
newest and latest. Indeed before long it's likely
our cruiser found itself in the hands of a second or
third owner where utility rather than the latest look
became the top priority. Our Caddy undoubtedly
experienced a less pampered existence as the harsh
realities of life now took center stage.
Fast-forward a decade or two and for most cruisers life
has evolved from a world burdened with few concerns to
one focused on day-to-day survival. Routine
maintenance and regular washing, let alone an occasional
polishing, are a thing of the past. Minor dings
and emerging rust spots are ignored. The ethos becomes
"keep running and deal with this new, harsher life -- or
else". Or else the junkyard and the car crusher may be just one
breakdown away.
Where does the classic beach cruiser come from?
Cruisers come from hills of West Virginia, the plains of
Kansas and the mountains of Colorado. They
come from the snow of Vermont, the desert sun of Arizona
and yes, the sunny shores of Florida,
California and Hawaii. Some live their entire
pre-cruiser existence without having ever inhaled a
breath of salt air. What nearly all cruisers do have in
common however, is the good fortune to have been
spotted by someone (probably a young surfer) who cared
little about looks. The job description is simple.
"Can you carry my board and myself faithfully to the
beach everyday? Will you wait patiently without
complaint
in the warm sun and then faithfully
carry us home again?" If the answer is yes, another beach cruiser is born.
Some cruisers have had incredible life experiences that
would make many of us feel our lives have been quite
mundane. For example in our print collection
you will find a Woody that carried a President and later
toured with the Beach Boys. And there is an
old Chevy cruiser that once was Elvis' favorite getaway
car and a Volkswagen cruiser that came
within a hair’s breadth of becoming a movie star.
Still another, a rusted Mustang cruiser whose owner worked at a recording studio,
inspired a hit record. But accomplishments and
past life experiences don’t really matter very much on
the world's surfing beaches.
What defines a cruiser? The obvious things are a
surfboard rack, a generous dose of rust, duct tape (and
occasionally baling wire), bungee cords, tires and body parts that
don't match -- and of course lots of dings. But it is what
lies beneath the cracked and faded paint that really
matters. It is the character and wisdom that comes with
age as well as an appreciation for life that defines a
beach cruiser. It's not about good looks or
past glories.
It's about a spirit and a special way of life. The past doesn't matter and the future
lies no further ahead than the next breaking wave.
We see character and wisdom etched in the leathery face of an
elderly person or in the facade of an old building.
That same character and wisdom are found in the rusted
and wrinkled sheet metal of the beach cruiser, most of
whom have lived longer and seen far more of life than
their younger owners. As our Cadillac Hearse will testify, it's not about looks and status. The young and beautiful have their time and place. But
to have survived and to be able to live one's Golden
Years parked on the sands of a sun-drenched
beach is the ultimate reward. Leisurely passing time
with fellow cruisers while your owner endlessly searches
out that perfect wave is truly Paradise – the Paradise
of being a beach cruiser.
©
Cruiser Art 1999-2015
(Note:
A copy of The Beach Cruiser Story is
included with each Hearse print)
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