Sixteen Alfisti postponed hibernating their eleven Alfas to come out for the fourth running of the Indian Summer Sortie, AONE’s annual late-autumn romp through the back roads of western Massachusetts. Alas, this year’s Indian Summer didn’t choose to fall on a weekend, but the date we went with (Sunday, November 5th) turned out to be a fine one—bright and sunny, if a tad chilly.

We gathered at our usual spot—the Fillin’ Station, just off I-91 in South Deerfield—where we could grab some coffee, fuel up, and take care of other pit-stop needs prior to departure. Event organizer Peter Walker handed out maps and directions for our anticipated route at a brief drivers’ meeting and gave us the rules (e.g. no passing, unless we feel like going faster than the guy in front of us). Besides Peter, in attendance were RJ Horwitz, Joe Fenstermaker, Tom Freiberger, John & Lauren DeWaele, Greg Stidsen, John Massaro, Michael Donnelly, Kevin Murphy, Dave Sedelnick, Ken Greene, Millie Archer, Walter Powers, and Dave & Vi Pratt. Again, our Alfas were from all over New England—three from Rhode Island, two from Connecticut, one from Vermont, one from Maine, and the rest from Massachusetts. (Where were you New Hampshirites?)

Shortly after 11 am, our caravan headed out. It comprised a nice assortment of Alfa models—a Giulietta Spider, two GTVs, several kamm-tail Spiders, a GTV6, and a Montreal. We’re nothing if we’re not diverse! As soon as we left South Deerfield, we immediately became attuned to what our drive was going to be like, since Route 116 is nothing but inspirational curves and elevation changes, non-stop. It was even recently paved—an Alfista’s dream road! And that was just for starters, because the route that Peter had chosen was a delight from start to finish.

There was lots of the promised fall foliage too, although most of it was no longer attached to trees. But this meant that the leaf-peepers were all back in their snug homes, leaving the roads all to us! It’s such a pleasure to be unencumbered by any form of traffic—something those of us from the greater Boston area seldom get to experience. The temps even moderated enough that a couple of the tops were dropped (bravo, Peter and Kevin)! Peter led the pack and set the tempo for our tour, and, since he’s so familiar with the area, knew when the pace could be cranked up a notch. Or two! Peter has a knack for finding speeds that are invigorating while not scaring people off. Most people!

We did, however, have an, uhhh, incident. About ten miles before we were due to break for lunch, John & Lauren DeWaele’s Weber-equipped ’74 Spider began sputtering and coughing. The situation got worse, and before long it wouldn’t run at all. The Alfa gods were smiling, though, as they usually do, since the Spider quit literally around the corner from Peter’s grandmother’s house in Ashfield. So we pushed it up and over a small hill, and down into the driveway. John, Lauren, and Peter stayed to work on the car, while the rest continued on to the restaurant, having left them with various parts and tools from our trunks.

The Charlemont Inn was expecting our gang, and it was a perfect spot for us—a rustic 220-year-old establishment that offered reasonably-priced soups, sandwiches, salads, and the like. Not long after we arrived, so did John, Lauren, and Peter, having determined that the Spider’s fuel pump had broken and was pumping petrol onto the ground rather than forward into the carburetor bowls. There was a spare pump in one of our trunks, but it was the wrong type, of course. So the decision was made to abandon the Spider for the nonce. The plan was that RJ Horwitz would give John and Lauren a ride to Worcester in his GTV6, where the DeWaeles would be met by their son, who would take them back home to Rhode Island. The car would be fetched from Ashfield later. This is the first time we’ve actually lost an Alfa on one of our events in recent memory! (Well, occasionally the drivers get lost…)

So the DeWaeles got to have lunch and kibitz with the entire group despite their automotive misfortune. Because the breakdown got us all to the restaurant late, and because we were having such a fine time enjoying lunch and each other’s company, we didn’t get up to leave until 3:30! So we all agreed to save the second half of the tour that Peter had planned for next year! After chatting in the parking lot for a while longer, we said our goodbyes and headed homeward.

Motoring back east toward the Boston area, immersed in all the Alfa sounds and sights and smells, we watched a brilliant red sun slowly setting behind us, and an equally brilliant, perfectly full moon rising in front of us. It was a great way to close out our driving season and reflect on the fun day and year we’ve had. Surely even John and Lauren would agree.........…

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Some of the Alfas and Alfisti assembled in front of the Fillin’ Station Diner

A few of our Alfas lined up before the start...

...and a few more

We begin to gather for the drivers' meeting, with the Fillin' Station's pumps behind us

The all-important drivers’ meeting, where we go over our plans for the day

Tom Freiberger grimaces as Peter Walker tells us that we really shouldn’t be playing leapfrog so much as he likes on our tour as much as Tom likes to do

Greg Stidsen and his gorgeous GTV

Scenes like this warm the cockles of a true Alfista’s heart

Greg Stidsen crests a hill in his GTV, followed closely behind by Walt Powers

Another photo taken along our scenic route

Greg motors through a tunnel of trees

John DeWaele’s Spider’s hood is open awaiting diagnosis, while Dave rummages through his tools

Still rummaging

When you’re the newsletter editor, you get to have photos of your car published more often than anyone else’s

The celebratory crowd enjoys itself over lunch at the Charlemont Inn

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