By Peter Walker
Photos by Frank Anigbo, Matt Webster, and Ken Shapiro
Video by Frank

Frank Anigbo and I were lamenting that the AONE June 16-18 Vermont tour had to be cancelled, and considering that there would be no fall Berkshires Sortie (for the first time in 23 years), we came up with the idea of leading a simple, shorter last-minute drive, starting in Shelburne Falls, Massachusetts, where we’ve started the fall Sortie in recent years, and ending in West Dover, Vermont, where the June weekend tour was to be based.

We called the new drive a pop-up tour, because we had planned and announced it at the last minute, and it was to be a consolation tour in order to make up for the cancellation of the Vermont tour. At first we thought the most simple of drives would be sufficient: drive north from Shelburne Falls on Mass. Route 112 to where it crosses the Vermont state line and, a few miles later, merges into Vermont Route 100, and then continue north on that road to West Dover. This way the route would be super-simple, and no one would be concerned about getting lost or being separated from the rest of the group. But then we decided to add an additional twist: taking Mass. Route 2 west-bound from Shelburne Falls to the next town, Charlemont (which is opposite Berkshire East, across the Deerfield River). From the center of Charlemont, Route 8A heads north into Vermont, and joins Route 112 two miles south of Jacksonville, VT, where it merges with Route 100. This extra twist meant that the route was still relatively simple, since the right turn in Charlemont onto Route 8A would be the only junction that did not come at a T. As Route 8A is also one of the best sports car roads in western Massachusetts (as long as unwelcome, slower traffic does not intervene), its inclusion meant that the entire itinerary included a level of excitement appropriate to touring in Alfa Romeos (and similar vehicles).

The route established, all we had to do was worry about whether the weather would cooperate. Advanced forecasts before AONE tours seem, more often than not, to announce unsatisfactory conditions. Fortunately, most of the time, the poor forecast several days prior gives way to nice conditions on the actual day. For June 20, the date for the consolation tour, the outlook remained positive all week, but on the very day, the slight possibility of showers arose. Yet when the AONE members started to arrive in Shelburne Falls, the sun was out and the day looked promising.

Seven cars had signed up for the tour and between 9AM and 10:30AM arrived outside Baked, the breakfast café of choice on Deerfield Street, next to the glacial potholes, one of the attractions of Shelburne Falls (the other is its recently-restored Bridge of Flowers). There were two 1970s Spiders (Tom Freiberger’s ’74 model and the ’77 of Peter Walker and Meg Anderson), Steve Perry’s 1969 1750 Euro model GTV, the 1982 GTV6 of Matt Webster (a relatively new member), the 1994 164QV of Greg and Andrea Stidsen, and the 2017 4C of Stefan and Kristina Vorndran. There was also an (ahem!) lesser car: actually the 1977 Ferrari 308 GTB of Frank and Axel Anigbo. Just six Alfas, but representing five decades of US market presence.

Our group lined up along Deerfield Street, turned left onto Main Street, crossed the automobile bridge over the Deerfield River (not the Bridge of Flowers, which is pedestrian-only), and traveled straight for 0.8 miles to the entrance to Mass. Route 2. Yes, this is the same Route 2 that is Fresh Pond Parkway and Alewife Parkway in Cambridge, Mass. But from Shelburne Falls to Charlemont, the road follows the meanderings of the Deerfield River, has 40- and 50-mph speed limits, and in nice weather and with light traffic is a joy to drive (there are even one or two passing areas, but we did not need to make use of them).

Although the turn onto Route 2 meant that our group of seven cars was inevitably broken up, by the time we reached the turn in Charlemont center for Route 8A, we were all grouped together. This meant we were able to enjoy the 12-plus miles of Route 8A’s mixture of tight and sweeping curves, rises and dips (and a wooden covered bridge thrown in for good measure) as a group; the only thing better than driving an Alfa on such a road on a nice early-summer day, is sharing the pleasure with fellow Alfisti.

Because we were able to stay together, there was no need to regroup at the junctions with Routes 112 and 100. In fact, it was only when we reached Wilmington, VT, the one big town between the Massachusetts-Vermont state line and West Dover, that we encountered any traffic to speak of (it helped that the speed limit on most of VT Route 100 is 50 mph). However, it was when we reached Wilmington and had to slow down for some traffic, for a red light, and for a left- followed by a right-turn to stay on Route 100, that the weather, which until then had been ideal, decided to remind us that we were in New England. The reminder was gentle enough: just some sprinkles, but enough to oblige us to think about using wipers and—more importantly for the two Spiders—to begin to wonder whether convertible tops would need to go up. Fortunately, after the right turn that takes Route 100 out of Wilmington, the road opens up, allowing us to maintain the kinds of speeds that spare the cockpits and occupants of open convertibles from a soaking.

After making the most of the lovely road between Wilmington and West Dover, we located our lunch spot, the restaurant Trail 87. The parking area was quite large and empty, which allowed our cars to line up nicely for photos. Given how gray and iffy the sky looked, the owners of the two Spiders put their tops up, but as the rain held off, our group did stand around the parking lot for a while, admiring each others’ cars, before we entered the restaurant.

Thanks to our being the first lunch customers, we were all seated together at the same table, and thanks as well to the low ambient noise level, we were able to converse, while eating, as a group. A few more tables became occupied as we lunched, and one occupant very nicely offered to photograph us, meaning no one was left out of the group photos around the table.

When lunch was over, Tom Freiberger, who knows this area of Vermont well, led those of us who were heading south and/or east on a back-roads route that he knew to I-91. Those of us who headed off in the opposite direction (Walker-Anderson and the Stidsens), continued north in tandem along Route 100 for another half hour or so, before separating when our paths diverged. North of West Dover, the road was as terrific as it had been to the south: rural driving with a variety of curves and variations of altitude, little to no traffic, and decent speeds. Ideal conditions for an AONE driving tour … Hmm! Perhaps we should consider the possibilities?

Participants

Alfas
Steve Perry, 1969 GTV 1750
Tom Freiberger, 1974 Spider
Peter Walker and Meg Anderson, 1977 Spider
Matt Webster, 1982 GTV6
Greg and Andrea Stidsen, 1994 164QV
Stefan and Kristina Vorndran, 2017 4C

Lesser cars
Frank and Axel Anigbo, 1977 Ferrari 308GTB