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[Note: Your Editor wrote a story on the Great Wachusett Hill Climb and Brewery Tour, took the newsletter version of Velocissima to the printer, and then received another write-up from event organizer Kevin Murphy the very next day! Doh! Well, what the hell, you get to read them both here. The photos are at the bottom.]
by Dave Pratt
If you were to postulate that the weather on Saturday, October 14 made it the nicest day of the entire year, you’d be hard-pressed to find anyone to argue with you. And that was the day the Alfa Owners of New England and the New England Triumphs clubs chose for the Great Wachusett Hill Climb and Brewery Tour!
Driving to our rendezvous point was a joy unto itself, with our heralded New England foliage at or near its peak under cloudless blue skies in record-setting temperatures, driving an Alfa on the back roads of north-central Massachusetts. Automotive nirvana! At 10:30, we assembled in a parking lot at the base of Mount Wachusett, where event organizer Kevin Murphy surprised the first 30 arrivees with dash plaques to commemorate the event, and handed out maps to the rest of the day’s venues. It was a delight to watch as over 40 Italian and British sports cars (and one Alfista on a 1.5-liter two-wheeler) convened for the event one-by-one.
When everyone was assembled, we formed a caravan for the ascent of Mount Wachusett (not actually all that daunting, at an elevation of 2000 feet). Everyone made it up in fine order, except that a certain Spider required a little clutch fluid, supplied by the Official AONE Support Vehicle. We spent an hour or so at the summit oo-ing and ah-ing at the scenery and at the other vehicles.
Then the caravan reformed for the trip down the mountain and over to the Wachusett Village Inn for lunch, a few miles away. Kevin had initially told the restaurant to expect 20-30 people or so, and then, later in the week when people were contacting him to confirm their attendance, upped the estimate to 30-40. As it happened, there were 65 people at the restaurant for lunch! What a turnout! Our hats are off to the Wachusett Village Inn for being able to accommodate us so well!
After lunch, we hung around in the parking lot for a while—like our own private little car show—and, at the appointed time, formed yet another caravan, this time taking us north to the home of the Wachusett Brewery. This microbrewery, established a few years ago by three WPI grads, produces an array of excellent ales that are sold throughout Massachusetts, and which we were allowed to sample with abandon, constrained, of course, by our roles as responsible drivers. Our host, one of the founders, provided a lively and entertaining description of the brewing process while taking us on a tour of the facilities.
We emerged from the brewery with still plenty of daylight left for a leisurely trip home. I took all back roads, choosing the most scenic and least traveled routes, and encountered several other Alfas and Triumphs that were at our event, crisscrossing back and forth doing the same thing! Life is good.
This was a terrific event (the only complaint I heard was that it was too short!) and our hearty thanks go out again to Kevin and Diane Murphy, who did such a great job organizing and orchestrating everything.
by Kevin Murphy
Thank you, God, for glorious October Saturdays when the trees are ablaze with every shade of color (except maybe royal blue, and there was plenty of that in the sky). I think my overriding feeling, standing alongside my Spider, and then jumping in and leading at least 40 sporting cars to the top of Mt. Wachusett on such a day, was wondering just how lucky one person can be. I have personally never been alive on a more beautiful day. And I was joined by at least 70 fellow sports car enthusiasts in search of the Holy Grail of owning a sports car like an Alfa or a Triumph (or an MG, or a Porsche—well, you get the idea). And we found it. Super mountain roads, an adventure awaiting our journey to the top, and great scenery. I was amazed how smoothly it went, and how much I wished that there were even more mountain switchbacks to be conquered that day. The return trip down was almost as exciting as the going up, especially if one of your concerns is "brake fade".
We all got back down OK (well, one guy in an Alfa Spider lost his clutch just as he topped out on the mountain road, but was soon back in action with a can of borrowed brake fluid; that's the great thing about our cars and our events—there is almost always an easy fix and someone to help). We traversed over more lovely roads, fast and not so fast, to the Wachusett Village Inn, where our group was expected for lunch. By now, the temperature was a comfortable 75F and still climbing.
I had told the Inn people that we would probably have about 20 to 30 in our group. On the day before the tour, I called to say that it could reach 40 hungry souls. No problem, they said. Wel-l-l-l-l-l-l-l... When all had finally arrived in the dining room, we were spread way beyond the part of the room reserved for us—a quick head count showed 65 autophile diners had arrived, stomachs at the ready. I could see the look of controlled panic spread over the manager's otherwise poker face. The waitstaff began to take on a siege mentality. But the chef came through, everyone was served, and it was a very tasty meal. The manager finally relaxed, grateful at how well (and profitable) the lunch hour had been after all (he actually wants us back next year!).
Following our meal, we returned to the cars for a little informal photo taking and walking around, and at 1:45 fired 'em up for the short 3-mile run over to the Wachusett Brewery. Temp was now 80 degrees, the air still crisp, and I cannot describe how beautiful it was to drive top-down on the way over. We all pulled into the parking lot of the Brewery and slowly filed in for our appointed tour. I learned a lot about the process of making microbrews; I also got to sample (I wasn't the only one!) the wares, which were available simply by picking up a glass and walking over to the taps running from one of the walls. Luckily for the kiddies and teetotalers on the tour, one of the taps dispensed homemade root beer. On the way out, the brewery's product was for sale at wholesale prices, and those of us who were naturally thrifty types took definite advantage.
After a few waves, stories, and goodbyes, it was time to call it an event and once again return to the cars for a trip home—sad that this fun day was coming to a close, but comforted by the knowledge that we'd at least be driving our favorite cars all the way home. See you next time.
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We overflow the parking lot as we gather before the climb up Mount Wachusett |
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A variety of Alfas parked beneath a radio tower atop the mountain. Note the rare Targa top. |
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Alfisti and Triumphisti
languorously admire the 40-or-so cars in the parking lot of the Wachusett Village Inn after lunch |
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We surprise the staff at the Wachusett Village Inn by showing up 65-strong for lunch |
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Everyone seems to dawdle in the Wachusett Brewery parking lot, hesitant to go indoors even though beer awaited |
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Despite being unaccustomed to equipment that, when it leaks, oozes beer instead of motor oil, Italian and English sports car drivers appear to be enjoying themselves |
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The Official AONE Support Vehicle (unretouched) |
