by Dave Pratt

On the morning of August 2nd, 2004, I awoke groggily from a deep, prolonged sleep. As I was starting to regain my senses, I recalled a wild dream I’d had during the night in which we had just finished putting on an Alfa Romeo Owners Club national convention that had brought in over seven hundred people. Pretty crazy. Everywhere I looked were convention attendees with name badges hanging from red straps around their necks, all walking about with blissful expressions on their faces.

As we roamed about the small New England city where we were encamped and in the surrounding countryside, we spotted Alfas motoring about in every which direction no matter where we turned our gazes. As each day ended, the Alfas all flocked back together, like an enormous family of proud, colorful birds returning home to roost.

People got to tour New Hampshire’s White Mountains, traveling in their Alfas solo or gathering in small groups to take in the majestic scenery that our region offers, all accompanied by the purrs and growls emanating from beneath the hoods. They had their choice of scenic routes, complete with suggested wayside attractions and volunteers placed along the way to aid them in case of difficulty. Alfisti from all over the country got a real flavor for New England from inside their Alfas’ cockpits, an experience too good to be true.

The speed freaks in the crowd got to compete on an internationally-renowned race track. The weather was perfect; there was a large, experienced staff to support them; and the paddock area was brimming with Alfas, both the cars that were racing and the ones belonging to the Alfisti who came to look on. What a sight it was to witness a racetrack filled with virtually nothing but Alfas! An AONE member took Fastest Time of Day—in an Alfetta Sedan yet—an occurrence that could only happen in a somnolent state. Lots of the non-racers got to fulfill their own dreams by taking a number of non-competitive but brisk laps around the challenging road course.

More than four hundred Alfa-lovers gathered to feast on an Italian buffet, so good that no one would have guessed that it was prepared by a convention hotel. The keynote speaker was a gentleman who has owned, driven, and raced more classic Alfas than many of us even knew existed. His life is an Alfista’s dream-come-true.

The AROC Board of Directors held their annual meeting, and all of the agenda items were covered right on schedule, with the meeting adjourning right on time. This is an unprecedented occurrence that simply doesn’t happen in real life.

Lots of our gang got to navigate an autocross course that was expertly laid out, in an event that was superbly organized and run. The weather, of course, was beautiful and there were some very talented drivers to keep the competition level high and the crowd that gathered highly entertained.

Nearly a hundred Alfas, with over two hundred drivers and passengers, gathered to test their road rallying skills. Since some folks prefer the traditional Time-Speed-Distance type of rally while others go for the gimmick type, both were offered along the same course. Nothing but raves were heard from people as they returned from the scenic course that even passed through a covered bridge.

We gave our guests a chance to show off their artistic and model-making abilities, and they rewarded us with an astounding display of talent. The room full of Alfa-oriented paintings, models, drawings, sculptures, quilts, etc. was other-worldly. I dreamed that the ballot box was an upside-down Alfa oil sump:

Nearby, more than a dozen purveyors of Alfa-oriented literature, parts, posters, books, and accessories displayed their wares to grateful throngs.

Many attendees had a chance to take in some tech sessions. Subjects ranged from "old-technology" mechanical fuel injection systems to "new-technology" computer-controlled fuel injection systems, with electrical and other topics complementing the mix. Experts in their respective areas were on hand to deliver the much-appreciated info.

Young and old alike gathered to either compete in a pinewood derby or to cheer on the racers. There was a surprising number of entries, including many built as Alfas, and the competition was intense. This all took place amongst 150-200 full-sized Alfas parked in an Alfa-only rooftop area on a balmy summer evening, with food and beverages being served, hundreds of Alfisti milling about the cars, and warm breezes wafting around us. In other words, the stuff dreams are made of.

On the one day that it rained, there was even a covered area to shelter the Concorso d’Eleganza so that water droplets didn’t mar the shines on the splendid Alfas. Nearly every post-war Alfa model imaginable was represented by at least one outstanding example, and sometimes by several. It was a heavenly feast for the eyes.

Since we couldn’t let our guests escape New England without giving them a taste for the real thing, there was a good old-fashioned clambake held in conjunction with the awards ceremonies, at which many of our participants got their dreams fulfilled by taking home a trophy.

In between all these various activities, Alfisti could be seen gathering in small and large groups, renewing old acquaintances and making new ones, trading stories, addresses, and car parts. Everyone was friendly and cheerful, and Alfas were the common language and interest that drew us together in a cohesive congregation. It was such a euphoric feeling that......

As I was starting to sip that first cup of coffee on Monday morning, I began to wonder whether, by some obscure chance, my dream might have not been a dream at all. But then I remembered the clincher: In my dream convention, we held Alfa drag races. Drag races! On a real drag strip, with staging lights, elimination rounds, bracket racing, and whiffs of naphtha and nitrous in the air. So I guess it must have been just a dream after all......

You can find a lot more photos at the Giulietta Giubilee web site!