2007 Frankfurt Auto Show: Wrapping Up

There was no auto-enthusiast dad or family working in the auto industry. Sometime in my early teens I began reading car magazines, and my fascination grew from there. And from that passion for all things automotive -- the business, the people and, of course, the cars -- came the idea that maybe it'd be fun to cover the hobby I love as a journalist.

In a field where the number of steering wheels on a single car exceeds the number of open jobs at any one time, it's hard to imagine ever following that dream. But as I found out in Frankfurt, many of the journalists that you and I read every day faced that same thinking in the past. They made plans for something else, believing that the field of automotive journalism couldn't be cracked. Yet today they're the editors of top automotive media.

Traveling to Frankfurt was a dream in itself. The people I met and experiences I had were unforgettable, and for that I'm extremely grateful. But more importantly, this trip was inspiring. It convinced me that to live in the world of cars for a career is possible -- and within reach. But for too long, that idea sat in the back of my head as a "maybe someday" thought.

For those of you who have followed me through the trip, I appreciate your time and comments for making my first foray into automotive journalism so exhilarating. And for those out there dreaming that someday you'll be placing your name on Inside Line's reviews, stop dreaming and start planning. -- Eric Tingwall, Inside Line Contest Winner and Citizen Journalist