Good Vibes Only: This Is Not Your Typical Breakfast Club
The whole thing is very Los Angeles: Drivers of all backgrounds get into their classic car, modern sports car, or throwback muscle car and drive 25 miles or more away from civilization. They carefully ride along the Angeles Crest Highway, up twisting, winding roads that carve through the mountains, to an abandoned roadhouse. And there, they eat donuts, drink coffee, and chat about cars.
It’s called the Good Vibes Breakfast Club, and I’m obsessed with it already.
What is the Good Vibes Breakfast Club?
The Good Vibes Breakfast Club (GVBC) meets on Friday mornings at Newcomb’s Ranch on the Angeles Crest Highway. There are some 117 curves and switchbacks between Newcomb’s and the gas station that acts as a landmark on State Highway 2. While you could make the trip in just about any vehicle, there’s something special about doing it in a beautiful old Porsche, Ferrari, or Alfa.
The founder, Jay Ryan, has a humble approach to the birth of the Good Vibes Breakfast Club: “It’s not even an event. This was an accident. What we have here today was never intended. My wife and I started coming up here on Fridays for breakfast.”
It started with a morning drive in the mountains and turned into so much more.
Gathering of classic cars and nostalgia
Pull into the parking lot of the abandoned Newcomb’s Ranch and you could see millions of dollars worth of classic cars, new cars, and restored muscle cars. But these are no “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” vibes here. For the Good Vibes club, breakfast is a simple affair: usually Dunkin Donuts, coffee, and friendly conversation.
It’s nostalgia, it’s passion for cars, and it’s a whole lot of human yearning for connection. The people who make the trip to the GVBC come for the camaraderie as much as for the cars.
Escapism with a healthy dose of horsepower
There’s a somber aspect to the otherwise feel-good story of the Good Vibes Breakfast Club. The tradition started after Ryan’s wife, Nicole, was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. Refusing to let limitations stop them from living life, the couple started seeking out adventure and fun. One of those adventures brought them to Newcomb’s Ranch. They invited a few friends for the next trip, and it’s only been growing since then.
Ryan says that the GVBC “serves as an escape” for him and his wife, and a diversion. For a few hours on Friday morning, they’re able to push aside problems and spend quality time doing what they love—talking about Porsches.
Everyone is welcome at the Good Vibes Breakfast Club
“It’s not a club—that’s the most important thing—everyone is welcome. It’s not car-specific or make-specific. There’s no judging, no style of car or person-specific. You can be a tire kicker, you can be a stats reader, you can be a driver.”
-Jay Ryan
One of the hashtags used in social media posts for the GVBC is #notaclub. This simple gesture speaks volumes, though. While it may be trickier to get up to Newcomb’s Ranch than to the local Starbucks, Ryan and the rest of the GVBC are open about the fact that all are welcome at breakfast.
Autoweek reports that while some days Jay and his wife will keep company with a handful of enthusiasts, other days will bring in dozens of drivers from all walks of life.
In the category of feel-good car stories, this one ranks pretty high. We hope that if you ever find yourself cruising along Angeles Crest Highway on a Friday morning, you can take some time to experience this incredible destination event.
