THE WEEKLY DRIVER James Raia and Bruce Aldrich

The citizens of Santa Cruz and the surrounding oceanside towns and tree-lined hamlets may hold an unofficial record for their entrepreneurial ways. Creativity rules small businesses, from bespoke bicycle makers to artists to Annie Wolff Patsch.







Wolff Patsch and her husband, Adam Patsch, combine their last names without a hyphen. The unique pronunciation and the former's upbeat personality are the reasons she's mostly known as Annie. It's the only name on her business card as the founder of Brew Cruz.









A 1964 Volkswagen Bus is showcased at the Dream Inn in Santa Cruz. Image © James Raia/2023.









While co-host Bruce Aldrich was on vacation, I interviewed Annie for this week's episode of The Weekly Driver Podcast.







I interviewed Annie as part of a media trip to the central coast city. Annie's enterprise is a two-vehicle proprietorship, a 1989 Thomas International school bus and a 1964 Volkswagen Van. It's known as Santa Cruz's Original Brewery Tour. It's "fueled by local craft beer," reads the back of Annie's card. The bus is named Betty Jane; the van is Slowboy. Reasons are detailed.







Approaching a decade ago, Brew Cruz was established after a seven-month renovation of the school bus. Purchased in San Francisco as an abandoned vehicle of a disbanded band, it's redone in funky chic. Annie bought a one-way ticket to San Francisco, bought the bus and drove it home.







A beer drinker with a business plan, Annie and other drivers take passengers on pub tours and various, sometimes unbound, celebrations. The bus has a captain's swivel chair with one arm, a living room-style sitting chair, shiny wooden floors and other endearing qualities of any customized school bus.



















"On my gosh; At this point, I wish that I had kept sort of a journal, an Anthony Bourdain-like "No Reservations" or "Kitchen Confidential" situation," Annie said. "I've been doing it for so many years, the memories are expansive and there hasn't been a bad tour, except for maybe one.







"Most of the memories just revolve around joy and reconnection, some hilarity, some inappropriateness, which of course means what happens on the Brew Cruz, stays on the Brew Cruz."







While accompanying larger groups was fine, a more intimate option soon seemed wise.







The 1964 VW bus at the Dream Inn in Santa Cruz takes guests around town. Image © James Raia/2023







"I knew when I was searching for a secondary vehicle I wanted something smaller to be able to facilitate small groups and to be able to get around town easier," Annie said. "I knew I wanted to get a VW bus. I mean, whose dream is it not to at some point drive or own a VW bus, especially if you have some sort of family nostalgia."







The result is a 1964 VW van. For several years, the 13-window microbus has been parked in front the Dream Inn, the surf city boutique hotel perched along West Cliff Drive and overlooking Cowell Beach. It was purchased a few cities away after a national search.







It's a perfect match. The hotel celebrated its 60th anniversary in March. The VW bus, its myriad siblings still surfers' favorites, will soon turn 60. Guests of the hotel are often passengers on the facility's unofficial mascot.







Whether she's driving the International or VW to brewpubs, parties, weddings or a wake, the small business on wheels personifies the city’s work spirit and history.







"Everyone had one; everyone had a story," Annie said. "My own mother-in-law had a VW bus that she towed my now husband around in for most of his young life. And Santa Cruz? Our funky beach town?

From time to time during the more than five years of The Weekly Driver Podcast, co-hosts Bruce Aldrich and James Raia catch-up on automotive news instead of having a guest. This week on Episode #260 we visit four diverse topics — cheap SUVs, the death of speed racing icon Craig Breedlove, the most expensive states to own vehicles and no ignition new car







It's no secret, Hyundai and Kia have drastically improved in recent years. The related manufacturers' vehicles have had some of the industry's top ratings, from economy to luxury segments. The 2023 Hyundai Venue is also the country's cheapest SUV. It only has 121 horsepower and its cargo area is a postage-stamp sized at 32 cubic feet. And it's not available with all-wheel drive. But for about $20,000 its base model is available.







Breedlove, who died in April at age 86, was a professional race car driver and a five-time world land speed record holder. A California native living in Rio Vista, Breedlove was the first person in history to reach 500 and 600 miles per hour.







The Hyundai Venue is the cheapest SUV in the United States.







All of his turbojet-powered vehicles were named Spirit of America, and Breedlove's persona fit the name. He was handsome and flamboyant and perfect for the spotlight.







The need for speed was also a family affair. Breedlove's wife, Lee Breedlove, became the fastest woman in the world when she drove the Sonics 1 to 308 mph in 1965. Craig Breedlove was inducted into the Automotive Hall of Fame in 2009.







Bruce and I also discuss the most expensive states to own a vehicle. And here's a surprise: It's Connecticut where $1,503 on average is the year cost for a minimum insurance policy. The cost increases to $2,999 for a full coverage policy.







Finally, Bruce and I talk about the 2023 Volvo XC40 Recharge. It's the first vehicle both of us have driven that doesn't have an ignition button, toggle or switch or any need for a keyfob except to have it nearby to operate the car.







The Weekly Driver Podcast encourages and appreciates feedback from our listeners. Please forward episode links to family, friends and colleagues. And you are welcome to repost links from the podcast to your social media accounts.







Please send comments and suggestions for new episodes to James Raia via email: james@jamesraia.com.







All podcast episodes are archived on www.theweeklydriver.com/podcast







Every episode is also available on your preferred podcast platform.

Greg Abbott, an ordained minister for nearly 40 years, is also a steel fabrication artist, craftsman, prop builder and television personality based in Los Angeles, California.







Mostly, he's known as "Reverend Gadget" or just "Gadget" for his leading role in a custom car build team on the short-lived Discovery Channel series Big!







Abbott, my guest this week on The Weekly Driver Podcast, has also been part of several other cable television programs, including his current show on EarthxTV.







During the episode, Abbott discusses his advocacy of alternative energy sources by converting gasoline-powered vehicles to electricity.







Abbott took the name "Reverend Gadget" to reflect his craftsman works and because of his minister responsibility that began in 1986. According to his website, he currently holds 10 Guinness World Records for his works, some of which were with the Big! build team. He was interviewed in the documentary Revenge of the Electric Car.







Revered Gadget was also a guest at the recent EarthX Electric Vehicle & Alternative Fuel Ride & Drive in Dallas, Texas. The three-day event featured manufacturers and dealers, Trophy Nissan in Dallas and included nearly a dozen of top-selling electric vehicles for test drives and purchase.







The models included the Audi Q4 e-tron, Chevy Bolt, Lucid Air, Nissan Ariya, Nissan Leaf, Polestar 2, Volvo C40 and Volvo XC40.







Are Tesla owners groups also displayed dozens of vehicles. Also, eCarra, electric vehicle ride-sharing and Wallbox, which features smart electric car charging stations, were represented as were Peterbilt and solar car teams.







Reverend Gadget's Garage is broadcast Monday nights on EarthxTV. It's available on Charter Spectrum, Directv, and FuboTV.







The Weekly Driver Podcast encourages and appreciates feedback from our listeners. Please forward episode links to family, friends and colleagues. And you are welcome to repost links from the podcast to your social media accounts.







Please send comments and suggestions for new episodes to James Raia via email: james@jamesraia.com.







All podcast episodes are archived on www.theweeklydriver.com/podcast







Every episode is also available on your preferred podcast platform.

Jimmy Creed, born and raised in Talladega, Alabama, is a decades-long journalist whose interest in motorsports and specifically NASCAR racing began when he was a young boy.



Creed knows the city's famous racetrack as well as any journalist. He cultivated his knowledge in his long tenure as the sports editor of The Anniston Star in nearby Anniston, Alabama.



As one of four writers who've collaborated to write NASCAR 75, a definitive volume of the legendary sport, Creed is our guest this week on The Weekly Driver Podcast.



Talladega International Superspeedway is prominently featured in the new book NASCAR 75.



Co-hosts Bruce Aldrich and James Raia speak with the veteran journalist about his lifetime involvement in motor racing and his participation in compiling the text and images of the coffee table-sized book.



"You really can't go into anything with a pre-conceived notion," says Creed, who also wrote a biography of famous driver Donnie Allison. "When I first got this assignment, I sat down and I knew I was going to have to talk about the evolution of the cars.



NASCAR 75



"I knew the '80s started the restrictor plates, so I was going to write about that, and I knew I was going to write about Dale Earnhardt and his emergence. And I did touch on it. But when I researched it what surprised even me was that Darrell Waltrip just dominated the 1980s."



With sections also authored by veteran journalists Al Pearce, Mike Hembree and Kelly Crandall, NASCAR 75 captures the greatest moments throughout the sport's decades.



According to its marketing materials, NASCAR 75 covers the sport "from the beaches of Daytona to the jaw-clenching competition, the mind-bending technology, the triumphs, the teamwork, and the high-speed thrills."



Large-format photography from throughout NASCAR history ideally complements the text. The authors cover the evolution of the vehicles—from modified family sedans to 700-horsepower race-built behemoths to the “Next Gen” cars that debuted in 2022.



The book celebrates the drivers who have mastered the tracks in Daytona, Talladega, Darlington, Las Vegas and other cities. The sport's icons — Richard Petty to Dale Earnhardt and Darrell Waltrip to Kyle Busch — are all profiled.



Also reported on is the history of the series while celebrating crew chiefs, pit crews and owners on and around the superspeedways, short tracks and road courses.



Join us for our varied 30-minute conversation with Creed, a writer whose passion for motor racing is infectious — even after all these years.



The Weekly Driver Podcast encourages and appreciates feedback from our listeners. Please forward episode links to family, friends and colleagues. And you are welcome to repost links from the podcast to your social media accounts.



Please send comments and suggestions for new episodes to James Raia via email: james@jamesraia.com.



All podcast episodes are archived on www.theweeklydriver.com/podcast



Every episode is also available on your preferred podcast platform.

Divya Sangam, an industry expert at ValuePenquin.com, the LendingTree.com insurance division, is immersed in EVs, the Electric Vehicle segment of the automotive world. In a recently released survey, Sangam detailed the still-niche electric vehicle market.



Specifically, Sangam, citing numerous statistics, reports exactly what is stressed in the survey's direct headline: "High Costs & Safety Concerns: Why Millions of Americans Aren't Buying Electric Vehicles in 2023."



Sangam is our guest this week on The Weekly Driver Podcast.



The public hasn't embraced the expanding marketplace of EVs according to ValuePenquin.com.



Co-hosts Bruce Aldrich and James Raia discuss with our expert the various reasons the market share for EVs hasn't substantially improved. And we discuss the unlikely success that awaits the federal initiative's mandate to have EVs account for at least 50 per of new car sales by 2030.



In 2022, sales of EVs improved by 65 percent from 2021. According to LendingTree.com, however, the increase didn't make a change in consumers' buying preferences.



According to the survey, 79 perfect of Americans are still driving gas cars in 2023 and they aren't ready to make a switch to EVs.



The sale of EVs isn't on par with pending federal electric vehicle mandates. Image © James Raia



Sangam details the overall average new EV cost is $58,725. Americans making less than $35,000 are 43 percent more likely to cite price as a deterrent for than those in households making at least $100,000.



Forty percent of American drivers report a driverless automobile would make them feel much less safe on the road. Forty-five percent of drivers believe autonomous vehicles pose a tremendous risk to pedestrians. Fifty-three percent believe the driver should be at fault if they get into an accident



Please join Bruce and me as we analyze the EV market with industry expert Divya Sangam.



The Weekly Driver Podcast encourages and appreciates feedback from our listeners. Please forward episode links to family, friends and colleagues. And you are welcome to repost links from the podcast to your social media accounts.



Please send comments and suggestions for new episodes to James Raia via email: james@jamesraia.com.



All podcast episodes are archived on www.theweeklydriver.com/podcast



Every episode is also available on your preferred podcast platform.

EagleRider is a California-based motorcycle rental, touring and subscription company addressing the increasing two or three-wheel needs of experienced and novice motorcycle riders.



Shawn Fechter, Senior Vice President of Brand Experience for EagleRider, is our guest on this episode of The Weekly Driver Podcast.



EagleRider is a leading motorcycle rental company with locations available on six continents.



In late January, EagleRider announced 18 of its 52 international locations are now accepting credits to be redeemed by Club EagleRider members in the company's monthly subscription service.



The company's services, available on six continents, include rentals from Harley-Davidson, BMW, Yamaha, among others,  as well as adventure and electric bikes.



Podcast co-hosts Bruce Aldrich and James Raia talk with Fechter about the growing industry.



"As the world reopens, international travel is soaring in popularity, and the best way to experience it is on the seat of a motorcycle," said Fechter. "Our club members can now tap into that sense of wonder and realize their dreams by redeeming credits for a global experience that is perfectly suited for them."



In addition to renting motorcycles, customized tours led by experienced guides are exclusively offered to club members at most international destinations.



Club EagleRider membership plans range from one to 10 credits per month. Riders can use credit(s) each month, save them for up to 18 months, or share credits with family and friends at no extra cost.



EagleRider, which started 31 years ago, pioneered the motorcycle rental and tour business.



Please join Bruce and me as we discuss the industry and the variety of individuals renting motorcycles.



The Weekly Driver Podcast encourages and appreciates feedback from our listeners. Please forward episode links to family, friends and colleagues. And you are welcome to repost links from the podcast to your social media accounts.



Please send comments and suggestions for new episodes to James Raia via email: james@jamesraia.com.



All podcast episodes are archived on www.theweeklydriver.com/podcast



Every episode is also available on your preferred podcast platform.