Event Report

what a way to start the year! AONE’s first driving event of the season took place on a day when the weather simply couldn’t have been more ideal—clear blue skies, warm spring sun, and temps that had us shedding jackets in favor of T-shirts—in other words, perfect top-down weather!

Organizer Tom Lesko’s directions had us all meet at the bandstand on Hingham Harbor in time for the 10 am start of the first annual(?) AONE South Shore Beach & Waterfront Tour. Unfortunately, his directions lacked the clarity that most people have come to expect, and everybody not already familiar with the area had a little trouble finding the bandstand. In fact, we’ve good reason to believe that a few folks didn’t find it at all. If you’re one of them, Tom offers his apologies and promises not to do it again.

Nonetheless, thirteen Alfas (and a Ferrari) did show up, and Tom & Kathi Lesko had coffee, bagels, and muffins waiting for us, served out of the trunk of…

Grumpy, Tom’s recently-acquired Giulia Spider Veloce! Yes, everyone, the President of our Alfa Romeo club actually drove an Alfa Romeo to a club event for the first time in over ten years! Tom has spent that long slowly (but lovingly) restoring the only Alfa he’d ever owned—a ’65 Giulia Spider Veloce that he’s had since ’71. A couple of years ago, he bought a second Veloce, but it was in pieces and thus got him no further toward his goal. But a few months ago he bought his third Veloce—a running car (if somewhat grumpily). And so he’s on the road!

In any event, at around 10:30 we closed the trunk on the bagels and held a quick drivers meeting, at which Tom gave us maps of the anticipated route. Naturally, we were all skeptical. But we fired up our cars and set out behind Tom, Kathi, and Grumpy, figuring that they knew where they were going and, if we kept them in sight, we’d eventually get to our destination.

Our tour directors had indeed laid out a most scenic drive for us. Our itinerary took us to Nantasket and Hull beaches, Cohasset’s gold coast (where there are some amazingly extravagant homes), Cohasset and Back Harbors, and on to Minot Beach and the Minot lighthouse. We then motored into Scituate Harbor, and took a swing by the Scituate lighthouse.

By this time, everyone had shed some of their outer clothing, since the day was warming up most pleasantly. We carried on to Peggoty Beach, and then looped back around to Scituate Harbor, where we broke for lunch at the Mill Wharf Restaurant, on the water overlooking the harbor, replete with all the obligatory scenic seaside accoutrements (fishing boats, lobster traps, buoys, piers, seagulls, etc.). There, we had ourselves a leisurely and enjoyable lunch, and everyone agreed that the Mill Wharf was an outstanding choice.

Afterward, the Leskos had some more motor touring plotted out, so after a little tire-kicking we mounted up and fell back into formation. After taking in more of those sweeping ocean vistas and breathing in more of that bracing ocean air, we were led back into Hingham (where the Leskos reside), and they pulled off to the side and waved, as the rest of us sped by and headed back inland toward home. (Either that, or Grumpy broke down and they were trying to flag us down for help.)

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	Alfas by the Beach - all lined up and rarin’ to go, with a quiet Hingham Harbor in the background
	Tom’s trunk serves as the Club Canteen, Dave’s as the Club Store, and Peter’s trunklid as the service credenza
	Everyone studies the maps intently, while Tom tries to re-establish some semblance of credibility
	Our route took us along wooded lanes...
	... and past walled and fenced estates...
	...with a swing past the Scituate lighthouse...
	...and some occasional straight-out running...
	...along with glimpses of stately manors...
	...as well as ocean-front abodes...
	...with plenty of curves thrown in...
	...till we get to celebrate at lunch!