Loud, Proud and Savage: Dream Machines Take Over Half Moon Bay Airfield

For the last 21 years, thousands of cars, motorcycles, and airplanes spanning the last hundred years have flooded the runways of the -- and every time the rumble their way in, it's better than ever.

Cars from every manufacturer, make engine type, and every size were displayed at yesterday's event. Owners showed off their vehicles as loud, beautiful, proud and savage all at the same time. Motorcycles and planes were not shoved aside either, and took center stage alongside their four-wheeled brethren.

“[I] absolutely love it,” said Don Dias from Half Moon Bay, proud owner of a 1962 Corvette. “It's a fun day for a good cause.” Bob Senz, founder of the Dream Machines, has made sure that every year all proceeds to go the . Don bought his Corvette 15 years ago, after it was used for drag racing. Don has missed only three Dream Machines shows since its start in 1990.

Other car owners share the same sentiment. Don Dallimonti, from Redwood City, usually works providing security during the event, but decided this year instead to participate. “It's awesome, it goes to a good cause, I absolutely love it,” Don said, standing next to a stunning 1970 Mustang Mach 1.

The cars are a big part of the show. Boisterous, glossy, and fast terrors on four wheels line the runways of half the entire airport. But what about the other half?

Steel beasts with wings and engines four times the size of a Chevrolet Big Block (sometimes with more than one engine) crowd the second half. Propellers more than six feet in diameter spin at terminal velocity in front of 9-cylinder engines, stuffed inside the wings of the planes that have survived warfare in multiple countries, and still have the gall to make it back to the United States alive. Aircraft is a force to be reckoned with, and this is no less apparent at the Dream Machines. Adults and children of all ages are offered the opportunity to sit inside a plane as it speeds down the runway and lifts high enough into the air to see the whole event.

There are even more events to see and enjoy. Dirt bikes scream across an open field and jump off ramps, ready to do flips in mid-air, monster truck rides are offered to anyone who is interested in sitting high above a crowd and spinning in a fury of dirt and excitement, and a jet engine that spews fire up to 100 feet into the air can be seen from the opposite end of the airfield.

Les Hamilton of Palo Alto and a proud owner of a 1974 Jaguar XKE Series III, got it right when he said that the Dream Machines had a “tremendous" selection of machines to peruse and enjoy.

Stay tuned for upcoming stories on Half Moon Bay Patch featuring a variety of coverage from yesterday's Dream Machines show.