When I mentioned here a couple of weeks ago that I was seriously looking to sell my car after close to seven years, contributor and friend Geelongvic quickly wrote me off-line to say “No!” and started to try to talk me out of it. When he let it drop that he was going to be in my state shortly, I suggested we meet and discuss it over breakfast. He readily agreed and so it happened that I dragged myself out of bed on a soggy morning a few days ago and met him for breakfast and great conversation at Doug’s Day Diner, my local favorite…
Vic, who also drove his 2002 Boxster S (the red car above) to the Detroit meetup a couple of years ago where I first met him, had just finished a road rally on the fantastic driving roads of Colorado and was on his way back to Ohio after dropping his co-driver son at the Denver airport at 4am, driving his car as it was meant to be, in all conditions for thousands of miles. He regaled me with lots of pictures and info about the rally and soon had me wistful about my own 2002 Porsche and wanting to enjoy some of what he was doing.
But perhaps even more importantly, in between we also talked about cars in general, our respective families, and other happenings as we tend to do at any of our meetups, both the bigger more “official” ones and then smaller gatherings like this one that happen to some of us on random occasions. If you’ve met Vic, you know he’s a very cheerful fellow with a generous spirit and an infectious outlook on life that can brighten the dreariest day, even for some of us that can sometimes be somewhat curmudgeonly (or just shy).
That’s the grand thing about CC, come for the cars, stay for the cameraderie; sure, not all of us agree on everything all of the time (and that’s fine, it’d be boring otherwise, right?) but there is likely some or more common ground that may not be immediately obvious but all the more welcomed once discovered. Our breakfast lasted from before the place opened at 6am to sometime shortly before 9am, lots of coffee was refilled, the time flew and soon enough it was time for Vic to get on the road with a lot of miles ahead of him. Heck, we had so much fun we completely forgot to take a “group photo” of the two of us so the cars will have to do! The parking lot was full when we left, as were our bellies, bladders, and brains. It was a great way to start a not so nice day (and if anyone else is ever passing through, I’m always looking for an excuse for more coffee…)
How fun, I enjoyed talking to both of you in Detroit. Too bad I missed being at the DougD Diner myself.
Only 26 hours away at 55mph in the Beetle 🙂
Vic encouraged me to try the Hagerty Maple Mille, which is at least reasonably close. A classic car rally with 40hp on tap? Could be amusing.
Doug, Dave Hord, our BC based rallymaster, originally from Ontario, was driving his 1958 Bettle during the Silver Summit Rally throughout the weekend, even over Loveland Pass ( his mantra “don’t lift, don’t lift”. “Keep that throttle down”………,,and amazingly that ancient bug topped the pass…….good one Dave……thumbs up).
So Doug, as I have recently said Dave’s rallies are relatively affordable, not elite expensive rallies like some, but rather like the “Sleep Cheap” Red Roof Inns, or the Motel 6 pricing for rallies, and filled with delightful enthusiasts, both men and women, leading to amazingly fun times. The Maple Mille in later September winds its way throughout Ontario each year always leaving you with the question of “How did Dave find these great roads again.”……..always a great mystery, but one to be relished yearly. Last year we wound our way to Sudbury then onto Manitoulin Island after seeing the “BIG, the really BIG nickel”.
I’ll be there again, with what, God knows, since my beloved 914’s engine is still in pieces. Come, become one Dave Hord’s acolytes, then you’ll be a Hord Groupie, like me trekking over North America for a Hord Rally. Cheap rallies filled with great people on great roads. See you in Ontario, a wonderful Great Lakes Province with wonderful hospitality for a Great Lakes Ohioan like me.
Cheers, see you this coming September, I hope.
Vic, I have read about the Maple Mille and it intrigues me since its in my stomping grounds. It sounds like a great drive. Manitoulin Island is great, I spent many summers their growing up and enjoyed during those roads as a teenager.
Is this event just for sports cars and the like? I read the rules and it says it’s open to all classics but wasn’t sure if old American iron participates too? I’d love to participate one year, I think it’d be a ton of fun.
Vince, Dave Hord’s rallies always have “American Iron” and are fun to see on the road. Last year Maple Mille we had an enthusiastic owner of a mid ‘60’ Buick Wildcat. Then I fell in love with a 1960 Plymouth Fury convertible. Someone came with a rescue C3 Corvette salvaged with major parts of 2 junkyard C3 and bits and parts from other salvage C3’s. It looked rough but drive surprisingly well. We’ve seen Ford Falcons, Valiant’s with slant 6 auto’s, etc. Dave Hord is a most accommodating rallymaster wanting Automotive diversity, not all sports cars, so sedans are welcome.
This past Silver Summit in Colorado had a late 1960’s Fleetwood Caddy….JC would have been in love. An enthusiastic driver Lou brought and drove his ‘65 Squarebird T-bird. A woman brought her 1967 Mustang convertible with a 3 speed manual that she had bought new in 1967. She was great fun with her enthusiasm. Jacob and Ross, two livewire jokesters brought a 1968 Jag XJ8 hemorrhaging fluids from every conceivable site hoping to keep it running for a 1000 miles. Those two always provide us with intentional comic relief skirting disasters on the way to the end. We had several Pontiac TransAm’s, with one of the guys trailing a Sally Field lacy neck scarf.
Everything, and anything seemingly can come, and everyone has a great time and laughs. Oh, BTW, Dave loves Deloreans and will alway have a spot open for them if the apply. If you come to the Maple Mille, expect open arms for whatever you bring, and expect to laugh more than you ever expected.
Great post. You hit on a lot of things I have really come to appreciate about the CC community – conversation extends / comments extend just beyond the cars we find interesting, but sometimes to other parallels they have to life in general.
Glad you gents had a good visit.
Thank you, we did. I’ll be looking you up if I cross through Chicago in the future…The craving for Lou Malnati’s and Portillo’s never goes away.
Joe, I was thinking about you while I was in that massive truck related traffic jam on I-80 while passing through Chicagoland on my way east and home. Next time I can have a more leisurely time in Chicago, let’s have a CC coffee, as with JIM, your time and choice of place. Cheers.
A hearty Amen to what you say. I have made several good friends here and have had the good fortune to meet several of them in person.
I guess the CC Effect works in this context as well. Just this past Friday I took the afternoon off to meet a fellow I met hereabouts. The reader some here know as Big Old Chryslers and his brother came to town as part of a long weekend of car and museum-related travel, including the Mecum auction (which I had somehow never attended). As you say, the cars are great but meeting friends in person is even better.
Jim, on my near 1400 mile drive back from back from Denver via Fort Collins ( BTW our “other CC Jim” and I had a great laugh filled morning meeting……no doubt an extra bonus following the Silver Summit Rally”…..a delightful morning no doubt).
After breakfast Hawkeye JIm spotted a front right tire sidewall laceration, got me to a local Discount Tire, to give me a chance to get a pair of replacement front tires for the Boxster. Those two new tires likely saved me a road side stop for a blowout, then a minispare replacement somewhere in empty Wyoming or Nebraska during what turned out to inclement horrible weather blessed(?) or more likely cursed by Wyoming snow becoming sleet and then unbelievably heavy driving rain in Nebraska on my I-80 drive home. Thanks Jim Klein, a credit to western and CC hospitality.
After I passed through the massive truck infested traffic jam in Chicago (I pity you, Joe Dennis if this traffic gauntlet is typical for you) on the way to the Indy I-80 turnpike and when finally cruising comfortably, when passing by the Tire Rack in South Bend, while thinking of you Jim C, I was quickly passed by a providentially quick, likely over 90mph, based on my own reasonably quick travel speed, SILVER FORD FLEX with Massachusetts plates…. driven like they stole it., then receding into the far horizon. Did you plan that encounter for me?
My recommendation for you is that when a CC’er passes through, consider meeting with them if you can, who knows what delights will be encountered and experienced, as I with Jim K. Cheers
We enjoyed Vic’s company two years in a row, but I guess he didn’t make it out here this year. He’s an enthusiastic conversationalist, among other good qualities.
Paul, I would have to say heartily that you and Stephanie are the most gracious of hosts. This year because of a prolonged 914 Type IV engine rebuild calamity, the 914 remained in the sick-bay requiring ICU support, unable to move on it’s own accord preventing my yearly long distance trans-continental trek to British Columbia from my Great Lakes region.
So a change in plans was necessary leading to planning to a future BC “Spring Thaw” , getting Dave Hord’s permission to drive a modern car in Colorado’s Silver Summit, and then driving to Colorado from Ohio.
Life is always filled with needs to adjust and change plans.
Attached is a pic of our honorable Jim K whose hospitality now is almost as legendary as yours. The pic is from our breakfast.
I love parking next to the same or similar cars, even if it’s just the same make. This picture is still one of my favorites. From California two years ago when my friend Maddox and I parked our 328 sedan and 435 convertible rentals to bookend the 4 Series coupe.
Cool story! I’d love to make a CC meet-up sometime. If there is ever one in Detroit again, I’d go, and probably bring one of my old cars. I’d love to see some of the museums around there.
So the one question I have Jim, did Vic convince you to keep the 911?
I did lobby Jim to keep the 996 Porsche 911. I’ve done what I could to affect his mind by appealing to his heart. He’s a great guy who will do what’s right for himself, his family, and his passions.
The jury is still out. Someone local looked at it today and was smitten by it (he giggled when accelerating on the highway in third and pronounced it far better than his current late-model WRX), but is considering a couple of other options as well. He did say it was by far the nicest 996 he had seen and well worth the money so who knows.
Of course then my wife walked by right after he left and wondered aloud that perhaps I should keep it (cue my blank stare in her direction, we’ve all likely been there…), but I’m still torn. There’s potentially other cars to sample in the future as well but the garage is getting full again.
Vic certainly didn’t increase my enthusiasm for a sale, that’s for sure though.
I really like these photos Jim. I find the dark skies nicely compliment the color of your 911.
Thank you, I took them and then when reviewing them later simply had to post them, I had the same thoughts as you.