I'm sure it is a lovely route, I won't deny that. But you just wrote the support sucks. So what's worse, an organized ride with bad support or an unsupported ride? I see very little difference between the two so saying the ride support at Eroica CA is the reason to go to the event and not CBA is ********. The reason to go to any event is to meet with like-minded vintage folks. Whether a ride is unsupported or has crap support is like saying your hotel room at the event has a queen size bed instead of a king, who gives a ****?
I'd like to know this grapevine of vintage enthusiasts outside of Cino, It is a long way between coasts. There is very little cross pollenization and without it, you will get small, localized events like CR-West. Nothing wrong with that, it is just how the US will have vintage events. The idea a vintage event can be like an off-topic organized ride that attracts 1,000 riders just ain't going to happen.
I agree with much of what you spell out here. I'll skip the Eroica CA comments because it has been well covered. Your comment about what the future holds for vintage events is spot on, well to me anyway. That is exactly why I think Cino, CR-West, Auburn, and Bob Freeman's events as mainly regional gatherings are are so very important. Bigger is not better necessarily and it is, I believe, not the future that is realistic or actually what the hobby/sport/art form needs to sustain and just maybe grow a bit. We need people to step up and participate.