Jim Thorpe, PA September 15th, 2007
Better Early Than Never!
I am a regular participant in a British car-related forum on the Internet called, oddly enough, “The British Car Forum”. Back in January, I spotted a posting on the forum's Local Events section suggesting a September get-together of classic cars to meet, rally, and end up in Jim Thorpe, PA. The rally was not organized or sponsored by any particular club, but by someone who just likes to get together with others and DRIVE!
I sent in my registration immediately. Marybeth and I turned out to be the first people to officially register for the event. Eight months ahead may be a little too early for many to commit to an event, but consider the situation: It was the dead of winter, I was longing for warmer weather to get our newly-acquired MGB out for some serious twisty-road driving, and the organizer stated the following in the forum posting:
“Confirmed so far:
Jerseygirl - Triumph Spitfire
Ian F - Volvo 1800ES
Sharon - Triumph TR3...
I don't really expect too many people (except a few of my crazy friends) to commit this early but I wanted to get it on the calendar.”
Crazy friends?!?!?! Sign me up!
Gathering
Bill and Gini Miers decided to participate in the event with Marybeth and I, so we met just west of Allentown to drive over to the start of the rally together. The day of the event arrived cold and damp, but the organizer – Robyn Resch – had communicated the day before that she was delaying the start of the event for an hour to allow the weather to clear. That also gave me an extra hour to shake off the cobwebs of sleep – that really helps on a Saturday morning!
The ride over to Hamburg with Bill and Gini leading was very nice. I had not previously traveled “old” Route 22 and did not realize what a nice road it is for a couple of MGB's. Though a little slower than I-78, there were lots of rolling hills and not a tractor-trailer in sight. Bill's supercharged MGB was certainly fun to try to keep up with, especially up the hills.
We were the first to arrive at the initial gathering point at the Hamburg Cracker Barrel, but were soon joined by Robyn Resch (the organizer) in her recently-on-the-road Triumph Spitfire, a TR3, and six classic Volvo 1800's – Five coupes and an ES Wagon. I've always liked the looks of the Volvo 1800 and this was a good opportunity to see so many
different vintages together. After some chit-chat, introductions and a quick drivers' meeting, we four “Brits” and six “Swedes” were off.Let's do Lunch
The first leg of the rally took us over some very nice curvy back roads north of Hamburg and Hawk Mountain. The drive was kept interesting by some storm-related debris in the road and the occasional patch of loose gravel. Nothing like a little gravel on a 90-degree curve to keep a driver on his/her toes! During the drive I was thinking that the selection of route for the first leg was good, but the second leg turned out to be even better. More on that later.
At the end of the first leg of the drive, we arrived at our lunch spot. Robyn had arranged lunch for the registered participants at her parents' farm. What a great spot! Her parents, along with aunt and uncle, helped Robyn lay out a sumptuous lunch (burgers, hot dogs, grilled chicken, etc.)
and were wonderful hosts. The location, named Mill Pond Manor by the family, is a bucolic example of an old-fashioned PA farm, complete with barn and outhouse. We did not actually use the outhouse, if you are wondering – our hosts allowed us to use the facilities in the lovely A-Frame home that Bob Resch built on his property.In a very “what are the odds of THAT?” moment, I learned during lunch conversation that two of the Volvo drivers actually grew up in Bayonne, NJ which is where I spent some of my formative childhood years. In between talk of engines and automotive history, we swapped some childhood Bayonne stories. What are the odds?
Twists, Turns and Polite Drivers
After lunch, we all saddled up and headed
out for the final leg of the rally. Destination: Jim Thorpe. The roads on the second leg were even better than the first. Many more twists and turns, lots of hills, and something I have not ever experienced on a caravan – at three different 4-way stop intersections along the route, the drivers in the opposing directions actually stopped and allowed all ten of our rally cars to pass together, often waving enthusiastically at us!The first time this phenomenon happened I thought, “That's pretty
cool.” The second time I thought, “There are a lot of really polite people along this route!” The third time, I was convinced that Robyn had somehow arranged for people to let us pass, though she denied this when I confronted her later.Near the end of this leg of the rally, we stopped at a scenic overlook above the town of Jim Thorpe before descending into the picturesque town.
What's the Swedish Phrase for “I'll Have a Pint”Once in Jim Thorpe, most of the rally participants walked into town to have a wander 'round and some went to The Molly McGuires' pub to have a pint of their favorite beverage and some conversation. It was a nice ending to a very enjoyable day. Robyn is planning to organize another “Classic Run” next year. I would highly recommend the event for anyone who likes good back roads, good food, good fun and meeting new people!
