Alfantics September 2001 Stories

The Capital Chapter's thoughts and prayers are with our members and all others who were impacted on September 11.

September: Alfa Events Provided Diversions in a Challenging Month

The month of September started so nicely, with a lovely, sun-speckled picnic at Brad and Maggie Mellor's, and a friendly dinner meeting on Monday the 10th at Vicino's. It's hard to believe just 12 hours after that meeting, such chaos broke loose.

One of the key messages that our country's leaders shared in the days after the terrorist strikes was that part of standing up to these horrible acts is simply to continue with regular life. Some chapter members did just that the following Sunday, when John Kay led his annual vineyard tour.

Both the picnic and the vineyard tour brought out a mix of new (well, at least only decade-old) and vintage cars. Whether sitting in Brad and Maggie's driveway (photos this page) or driving down the scenic backroads of Virginia (photos page 3), the cars looked great, and their drivers were delighted both to be piloting their rides and sharing the company of others in the club.

If you missed these events, others are just around the corner, including the Capital Chapter Prettyboy TSD rally Sept. 30, our October dinner meeting at Pulcinella's in McLean on Oct. 1, and the Backroads Ramble driving tour on Oct. 21. Also on the 20th, the Rockville Antique and Classic Car Show will be held from 11am - 4 p.m. at the Civic Center Park in Rockville, Md.; there's always a few Alfas mixed in with other fine sheetmetal there!

At all our events, the more by far the merrier. So top up your oil, check your tire pressure, and join the Club!

For more information about relevant issues and events, be sure to visit the Chapter website: www.onehost.net/~alfaclub/capchap1.htm .

Backroads Ramble: Sunday, October 21, 2001

Join Club Secretary Sherry Thackeray and the Editor for a backroads ramble through the fall countryside of Virginia. This will be a fun and non-competitive event; a chance for Alfas, old and new, red or blue, to come out and get some exercise! Look forward to some historic and scenic stops along the way, concluding with a dinner at the 1763 Inn in Upperville, an historic country inn (once owned by George Washington) with sensational yet reasonably priced German food and great views; see www.1763inn.com. If you're joining in, please try to RSVP by the 14th so we can give them the right number for a reservation!!

We'll depart from our house at 100 Battle St. SE, Vienna, Va., at 1:00 p.m. on Sunday. (If enough people RSVP for it, we can have a weenie-roast at noon!) Directions: from the intersection of Rte. 66 and 495, head west and take the Nutley Street exit, North. At the 4th light, turn right onto Rte. 123 (Maple Ave.) By the Mobil station on the right, turn right onto Center St. Pass the ball park and firehouse (under renovation); then our driveway is the second on the left, just before Battle St. Look for our red Spider out by the driveway.

We hoped to have a detailed route description ready for this issue, but a few things (like weather and friends' weddings) conspired against this. For more information, and to RSVP, please call 703/319-1637, or e-mail brewthack@aol.com .

Pan American Rally

You may have heard about the plan from your club or from one of the Alfa e-mail digests already, or maybe this is the first time you have read about it. I have written this article to let you know what we have planned, and to invite all 'Alfisti' to participate in this upcoming fun event. Following the tradition of the early pioneers, Alfa Pan-America will take a large 'herd' of Italian purebreds from the East Coast to the West Coast in August 2003.

What is the route?

Starting in early August 2003, the rally will be completed in roughly 13 days. We will follow some of the most historic and wonderful roads in America, and will take at least one "day-off" along the route. Most of the rally will travel on non-interstate roads and we plan on including a large portion of "Old U.S. Highway 66." Most daily 'stages' will be roughly 300 miles in length, with some stages run in the evening to avoid over-heating vehicles and occupants in the hot summer sun. On the final day we will all join together for an Alfa parade across the Golden-Gate Bridge into San Francisco (sound familiar?). Upon completion, there will be an awards ceremony where the overall winners will be announced.

How did this crazy idea get started?

At an Alfa event last summer, I had the idea that it would be fun to take my 1969 Spider 1300 junior and drive across the USA. Knowing I would be better off with a partner (especially one who is a good wrench!), I asked my friend Skip if he would like to join me and take our Alfas on a drive to the Left Coast. Not only did he say "Sure! Just hang on while I go home and grab a suitcase!" but several others within earshot also said they wanted to come. After I calmed him down and told him "I didn't mean tonight!" it started me thinking about the many "Coast-to-Coast" events and lots of other 'long drives' which have been run so successfully every year. I imagined that there might even be other Alfisti who would want to join us. Never being one to avoid making a fool of myself, I sent out a couple of e-mails to various Alfa e-mail digests proposing the idea, and asked if anyone else thought it was a good idea. Very quickly, I received over a hundred positive responses! Since that day, a lot of work has been done to plan for this rally, and I believe that it is now time to let all of you know what we are planning.

What is this rally about?

This rally is being organized to bring together Alfisti from all over for a relaxed touring rally across the USA. Alfa Romeo Pan-America will start in Virginia Beach, finishing in San Francisco. Entry will be open to all Alfa Romeo vehicles legally titled for road use. Conducted as a series of 'stages' across the USA, entrants who are unable to complete the entire rally may join for only one or two of these 'stages'.

What kind of rally is this?

Alfa Pan-America will be a 'fun' rally, conducted on public roads. The rally will not be a speed-related event. Each registered vehicle will receive a 'Passport', which will have a number of pages covering each stage. These pages will have places in them to collect stamps from selected checkpoints along the rally route. The collection of these 'stamps' will contribute to the vehicle's scoring for prizes at the end of each 'stage' and at the end of the rally. We hope that the Alfa Club nearest to each leg will organize and run each stage, and are asking for their help. How much will it cost?

We want to keep the rally affordable, with an entrance fee (for the whole rally) below $500. We want to make it possible for everyone to join us, whether you intend to camp-out under the stars, or you can afford the luxury of an expensive hotel. The registration costs will be broken down 'per stage', so if you don't think that you can run whole rally, consider joining for the stage nearest you. To keep the price of entry down, each entrant will be responsible for his/her/their own accommodations, food, etc. We will provide a comprehensive Registration Package, which will have recommendations for places to stay, sites to visit, and places to eat along each 'stage'. Although entrants will be responsible for their own repairs and parts, we will be negotiating with parts suppliers and Alfa repair facilities to provide priority service and rapid parts delivery. Alex Csank and the other Mid-Atlantic chapter affiliated Rally Organizers have a great website running at http://www.alfissimo.com/ that will keep interested parties informed as the plans progress. Alfa Romeo Pan America Rally 1500 Eleanor Court Norfolk, VA 23508 Attn: Alex Csank Telephone: (757) 248-6009 (evenings and weekends), or (757) 462-8208 ext. 3303 (weekdays) E-mail: csank@infi.net, or alfaromeodriver@hotmail.com

Absent Romeo & Giulietta

Act II, Scene 2. Capulet's Orchard. (Giulietta, a lovely and hard-driving maiden, sits pining for her lost love. That rogue, who once brought excitement and passion to her life, has promised to return to her shores; but it has been six long years since he left, and now delays are compounded... where once he promised next year, AutoWeek now says he'll be back in 2005. But even if he does in time return, will he really be hers? She's heard rumors of his fooling around, big time... gossip of partnerships with other women, like that rich American dowager, Cadillac, or that ever-practical Swedish bikini transporter, Saab. Every day, cute German boys wink at her. Even the American lads start to look tempting with their tops doffed... Can she keep the faith? The maiden speaks...
O Romeo, Alfa Romeo! Wherefore art thou, Romeo?
You keep me waiting, it might seem in vain;
And, subtly teasing, promise to return with love,
If I'll forestall buying a Cabriolet...
'Tis thy delay that is my enemy;
First telling me this year, then 2002.
2002? Now I hear 2005.
Nor keys, nor wheels, nor any other part
Belonging to a car. O, be some other brand!
What's in a badge? That which we call an Alfa
No matter in whose showroom, would drive as fast;
Alfa Romeo would, though not by Romeo sold,
Retain that dear charisma which it owes
To engineering. Alfa Romeo, get it in gear!
And to that dealership that will sell and service thee
Take all myself.
=Brewster

Alfantics is the official publication of the Capital Chapter of the Alfa Romeo Owners Club (AROC). Local membership and a subscription to this newsletter is included in the annual AROC membership fee of $45.

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