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Roamin’ Chariots
Fall 2004
On the August 13th weekend Ron Conlon, Allen and Lynette Lofland headed to the Colorado Rockie Mountains to meet D. J. Richards and do some touring. The long drives were worth this exceptional event. Here is a pictorial essay of the Rendezvous in the Rockies.
Ron heading is west on the flats and in the mountains. This Hwy is 75 mph maximum and everyone goes over 80. We were flying low. The Rocky Mountains rise abruptly out of the high plains in spectacular fashion.
Allen and Lyn enjoying the scenes.
DJ
Richards is building a Scorpion and this is the heart of it.
DJ has a Zagato that is being prepared. We stayed at his home in Arvada and Ron picked over his parts Spider.
Allen sorted out a sticky accelerator cable at DJ’s. His twin Webers sing a sweet song.
Apple Motors, the shop, in Denver is where we found a replacement for the cable and some cool local cars to see.
Allen’s Spider is in the mountains. Both Fiat Spiders ran the 2000 miles very well. The weather stayed clear and sunny in the high country and not too hot in the lowlands.
Our Bed and Breakfast in Allenspark was quaint and comfortable.
Steve Garren and his Scorpion led the charge into the heart of the mountains of Estes Park. Rain and hail peppered us as we descended from this the highest point.
Ron had sushi as his mountain man lunch. It was very good after the road food.
Back L to R Ron, Allen, DJ. Front L to R Steve, Susan, Lynette at Bear Lake.
The cars, Steve’s Scorpion and Ron’s Spider enjoyed the vistas.
Allen and Lyn brought their fine Brown Spider to see some summer glaciers.
DJ was driving Ron’s Spider when we happened upon a well-preserved Kharman Gia after the rain. Join us next year for this rally to the mountains. We are discussing New Mexico as a destination.
The Roamin’ Chariots got behind the wheel and turned out for this show in Grapevine on Sept 11. This well run event by the Fiat Club of North Texas is well worth the effort. We brought Lancias, an Intermeccanica, Pininfarina and Fiats.
Friday morning I met with Csaba, Oscar and Robert of Vick Autosport in Fort Worth. This was my first visit to their shop and I was impressed with the operation.
Jim Chandler and Paul Prather graced the past winner area. Allan Lofland and Delmer Teet won first and second in Lancia class with the Gary’s Blessing showing. Ron Conlon showed his Fiat and members Jim Hannon and family, Len Holland, Ben Johnson joined all the activities in Spiders.
Events began with a classy reception at Gaylord Resort and the show the next morning ending with a meal and drive on Sunday. There is a lounge set up for displayers and guests to cool and snack. This was where to meet the others for a chat and a favorite part of the show. Allen was very busy signing up new Roamin’ Chariots members.
Go to http://ferrarichat.com/forum/ for more and http://italiancarfest.com/ . This show brings a lot of the more expensive and exotic Italian cars onto the same field as well as motorbikes and scooters. Free to the public and during a wine festival, people come in large numbers to view the cars.
The Lancia row
Jim’s Lancia Fulvia in the rear in good company
The Fiats
Allen’s Scorpion is a first place winner
Demer got second place
Ron and the spider
The Blessing Scorpion
Paul Prather Indra
The Lancia Fulvia Zagato of Jim Chandler
Come join the Roamin’ Chariot chapter of FLU on our 4th
annual Tour de Arkansas, October 8-9-10, 2004, The Fall Foliage Tour. The foliage will be viewed during a drive
on the “Pig Trail National Scenic Byway” and the “Ozark Highlands National
Scenic Byway”.
Local lodging is in Ozark, AR five miles west of Altus and includes the Days Inn (479-667-2530), Oxford Inn (479-667-1131) and the Ozark Motel (479-667-1500). Additional lodging is available in Clarksville, 20 miles further east.
Lunch on Saturday will be as we come back into Altus (place to be
determined) and Dinner will be at Kelts, an Irish Pub in the center of town
with good food and reasonable prices.
The scenic drive will follow the route outlined on the map to the left. We will depart from Ozark at 10:00 a.m. and proceed to the “Pig Trail National Scenic Byway” Rt. 23, approximately 30 miles, then turn onto SR16 for about 20 miles, then south on the “Ozark Highlands National Scenic Byway” Rt. 21 for another 30 miles, then back to Altus via Hwy. 64 for a total of about 110 miles.
For those interested in taking in some of the local activities after the driving event, there is an antique car show this weekend and three of the area’s wineries, Post Familie Vineyards, Mt. Bethel Winery and The Wiederkehr Wine Cellars.
Contact Mike Greer at greermr@cpchem.com if you are interested.
Winter lunch:
in Norman, OK on December 4 ,2004
This is as close to a National meet as Fiat/Lancia has on June 24-27, 2005.
Lake of the Ozarks, Missouri.
Tan-Tar-a Resort
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