The Automotive Oasis Outside of D.C.

So, it’s been a while.

My intention for this blog was to post content twice a week, but I’ve learned that life comes at you fast. In the 16 days after writing the last post, I’ve become a victim of writer’s block, COVID-19, and daily four-hour-long summer classes. When I wasn’t fighting a virus and self-deprecating inner thoughts, I attempted to write a piece on a Mercedes G-Wagon but scrapped it because I felt it wasn’t good enough. For a while, I felt stuck, uncertain of my writing abilities, and needed a distraction from the dark clouds hanging over my head.

When I finally had the energy to not rot in bed for several hours, I figured the perfect pick-me-up would be a classic weekend car meet. I frequent the one in Dulles Landing, and I’ve come to enjoy the cars and people there. But today, I wanted to try somewhere different. I’d heard about Katie’s from many enthusiasts in the area, and I’d been meaning to go there, but my schedule didn’t allow it. I also steered away from Katie’s because of its egregious 6 a.m. start time and distance from DC. However, I didn’t want to waste a bright and sunny Saturday, so I got up and made the 40-minute trip.

I didn’t know what I was driving myself into once I hopped off I-495. My modest Ford Focus which hates hills and sloths through turns chugged along Georgetown Pike, while I took in the beautiful nature and unbelievable houses along the way. An air-cooled 911 blasting past in the opposite lane with a 550 Maranello chasing behind signified that I was heading in the right direction. Once I arrived, I was met with a congregation of incredible cars from various countries and periods. This was by far the biggest meet I’d seen; cars were parked in any open space you could find. I managed to find a hiding spot for the Focus and walked towards the coffee shop.

The diverse selection of cars alone made this whole trip worth it. This is the only place where a Buick Roadmaster station wagon and a Jaguar Project 8 parked next to each other makes sense. At other meets, cars are usually separated by certain sections- like the exotics are all at one spot and the tuner/muscle cars are somewhere else. At Katie’s, everyone sticks together, regardless of what they drive. There were no contests or battles of egos, just pure, passionate car lovers eager to show off their pride and joy. I met the owner of this 1992 Subaru Loyale, and it was amazing to hear about how he saved this almost-forgotten gem from its former state after he brought it from Facebook. Shout out to you Trevor!

Cars started to pour out of the lot as the morning sun continued its ascent into the early afternoon. Once I had enough of the gnats violently attacking me, I returned to my car and left. Overall, my experience at Katie’s was a welcoming one. It was the perfect automotive getaway, an oasis of community and appreciation for cars from every walk of life. I highly recommend you check it out for yourself. Though it’s a trek from the city and too morning person-friendly for me, it’s worth a visit if you’re an enthusiast that hasn’t been yet.