The temperature was brisk with the sun just starting to break through the clouds when 14 BMCU-related vehicles departed from the South Towne Mall on Saturday morning. The I-15 freeway construction through Provo was shut down for the weekend, and we easily made it to the Chevron station in Spanish Fork. There the Austin Healey 3000 and 100-4, Chrysler Crossfire, Jaguar XJS, MGA, MGB, MGTC, MGTD, MGTF, Mini, Sunbeam Alpine, Toyota 4-Runner (Mother Ship), TR3, and TR6 met up with the “AH” Miata from Idaho.
Highway 89 to Fairview was a pleasant drive. Highway 31 to Huntington over mountain passes (elev. 9,655, 10,362 and 10,743) was spectacular, if a bit of a wheeze for a T-Series. Highway 10 to I-70 was just fine, and then…. “howdedodathermance “ struck again – just as he did on the way to Moab in 2008 when he missed the turnoff in Duchesne — by leading the majority of folks west on I-70, missing the frontage road connection to Highway 72. The detour through Salina was only a little bit out of the way (about 50 miles!), and eventually Highway 24 got us to Torrey.
Somewhere along the way we lost the 100-4 to pinched inner-tube and tire troubles, but the Cowans somehow made it.
At the Sandstone Inn we were met by those who had found Highway 72 and arrived in Torrey somewhat sooner.
Our party under the stairs of the motel was disbanded by motel management due to cranky patrons who apparently wanted peace and quiet at 5:00 in the afternoon. So we quieted down and later went to dinner at El Diablo. As arranged by Roger Dotson, the restaurant seated us all at a long table outside under radiant heat for some of us and served up some excellent food and drink.
Sunday morning there were leisurely breakfasts at the motel restaurant or caffeine fixes at a good coffee house at the bottom of the hill, and groups formed up to visit a nearby art gallery and/or to head out from Torrey to see the sights. The 100-4, T-Series, and XJS headed south on Highway 12. The Cowans again had tire troubles and had to return to Torrey to negotiate for an AH 3000 spare wheel and tire.
The Jaguar and MGs headed south beyond Boulder, where the Hermances, Rachel Dionne, Mike Whipple and Barry Engstrum plus Rookie hiked into Calf Creek Falls, which was a round trip of six-plus miles in soft sand and beautiful sandstone canyons. The spectacular waterfall at the end of the end of the canyon was well worth the effort.
On the way back to Torrey we had an excellent dinner at the Burr Trail Grill in Boulder.
On our way back to Torrey Lucas struck with a dirty ground to the fuel pump on the TC near an elev. 9,305 summit but fixed itself about the time the rest of us decided to turn back and look for them.
That evening we congregated on a walled patio well away from the motel for socializing, some wine, and good guitar and vocals by Rachel Dionne and Mike Whipple, friends of the Hermance daughters.
On Memorial Day everyone breakfasted, packed up and headed north on their own or in small groups, some to the freeway and some to camper trailer-overloaded Highway 28 and freeway.
The Hermances found Highway 72 outside Torrey and enjoyed a beautiful 35-mile drive, spectacular scenery and very little traffic, probably because the road is so poorly marked where it crosses I-70.
Warm ambient temperatures around Provo forced the T-Series to hunker down from 4,000 rpm to 3,500 due to non-pressurized cooling systems pushing 100 degrees C.
To the tour master’s knowledge everyone made it home safely. Where would you like to go next year?
Sharing the fun this year were Jon and Susan Hermance, Laura Hermance and Mike Whipple with Rookie, Alison Hermance and Rachel Dionne, John and Barbara Progess, Roger and Jill Davis, Kevin and Marie Cowan, John and Joanne Cowan Turnbull, Larry and Margaret Farrington, Gary and Sandy Lindstrom with Margaux, Rob and Nan Green, Pugs and Diane Pivirotto, Barry Engstrum, Roger Dotson, and Don and Julie McEligot.
Additional photos from Mike Whipple are here.
