We’ll start off by rendezvousing with the various sports car clubs in Sturbridge, Massachusetts for a scenic trip down into Connecticut, traveling entirely on sparsely trafficked secondary roads in the northeastern corner of the state. The route takes us through woods and past lakes, farms, and tobacco sheds and is really quite pleasant. It’s a 42-mile romp that’s actually a fairly direct route between Sturbridge and Bradley, and beats any Interstate route hands-down.

But before we arrive at the museum, when we get to Enfield, CT (just a few miles away), we’ll be pulling into an Olive Garden restaurant to unwind from the tour and for a little Italian sustenance. After lunch, we’ll head the rest of the way to the museum.

If you’ve never been to the New England Air Museum, you’re in for a real treat. The museum features many rare and special planes. On the day of our tour, there will be open cockpits on some of the planes as well as tours of the restoration facility. It really is an incredible place. More details can be found at the New England Air Museum web site. Not an Alfa Romeo event, you say? Well, Alfa has made some mighty aircraft engines during its history – maybe we’ll get to see one!

You can stay at the museum as long as you’d like before heading back. For the return trip, we’ve planned another route that parallels the trip down a little further south and is just as pleasant and scenic, dumping you out on I-84 just below the CT-MA border.

The Agenda:
11:00 - Meet in Sturbridge
11:30 - Leave Sturbridge on the scenic tour
12:30 - Arrive at the Olive Garden for lunch
1:30 - Leave for the Air Museum
1:45 - Meet in the Lobby and explore the museum
5:00 - Museum Closes

Directions: Our launch pad will be the parking lot of the Ox Head Tavern in Sturbridge, MA. To get there from the north, take the Mass Turnpike to Exit 9 onto Route I-84. From the south, take Route I-84 East.  Take Exit 3B on I-84, which brings you onto Massachusetts Route 20 West. The Ox Head Tavern driveway is approximately one mile down on the right, between McDonald’s & Burger King. Watch for the sign.

Museum Cost:
Adults (age 12 & up) $7.25
Children Ages 6 - 11 $3.75
Children Age 5 & under free
Seniors (age 60 & up) $6.25

Restaurant Cost: Depends on how hungry you are.

For those who wish to attend but would rather just meet us at the museum, plan on being there at 1:45. Check the New England Air Museum web site for directions or use the map below. Alternatively, you can meet us at the Olive Garden at 12:30. It’s located at 41 Hazard Road, Enfield, which is CT Route 190 about a half mile east of I-91.

Although it’s not required, we’re asking that you contact event organizer Steve Silverstein at 508-303-3391 or Milano164@comcast.net to let him know that you’re coming, so that we can give the restaurant and museum an approximate head count. Give him a shout with any questions, too. This should be fun!

The Alfa Romeo Owners of Connecticut chapter is again sponsoring two days of driver’s school, open practice and timed laps at Lime Rock Park. Classroom instruction will be available to all drivers, and driving instructors will be available for individual in-car instruction, using helmet intercoms for communication with the driver. Experienced drivers will be given open practice sessions, with instructors available.

All cars must come to the track pre-tech inspected. Unchanged this year is the requirement for a Snell-90 or newer helmet; also, safety equipment (seat belts, roll-bar coverage) must be identical for driver and front passenger. Those of you with open cars will need to have an SCCA-legal roll bar that extends two inches above both driver’s and passenger’s helmets—insurance rules no longer allow cars with street roll bars onto the track.

The gate will open at 6:30; please arrive early. You must bring your car to the Timing Tower for a final tech prior to the start of the drivers’ meeting, which starts at 8:15 both days. If you miss it, you will not be allowed to run. The first group will be on the track at 9:00 sharp, the earliest that local ordinances allow. ARO-CT has the reputation of running the smoothest and safest track event around, and this year will be no different.

Cost is $295 for both days if you sign up before March 30, or $345 thereafter. Contact ARO-CT’s Mario Romagnoli for more information on this wonderful event (or if you’d like to volunteer to help). He can be reached at (914) 693-7426 evenings, email at MFRMD@aol.com, or fax anytime at (914) 693-1636. Detailed information and the application form can be found by downloading http://www.persmgmt.com/alfa/forza.ap.02.pdf.