August 23-25, 2013
Early on a Thursday morning, a hearty bunch of DVCers met at a Wawa near Macungie to begin the long journey to Triathlon X being held this year at Jiminy Peak in the western part of Massachusetts, in the heart of the Berkshires. As our faithful MGs arrived at our meeting place, there were reports from those traveling on busy highway routes of very heavy rain, high winds, very poor visibility and, of course, leaky MGs (they may be faithful, but they are not dry).. we were hoping this was not a bad omen.
After all had arrived (mention who) armed with Adam Ilnicki’s directions and some with CB radios, we were ON OUR WAY!!! On scenic back roads with the weather improving at each mile post or so, we enjoyed our countryside views. We only had one mishap along the way and that was Lew’s car that just decided it was time to take a rest! Stopped running for a bit, had lot of attention from a bunch of car monkeys, and then decided to just stay running after a turn of the key. Was it MAGIC!!??!
After lunch at a Burger King, we continued on until reaching Fishkill, NY, after about a 7 hour journey and checked into a pre-arranged hotel, Holiday Inn, a good place to stay with comfortable rooms, and good eating/beer joints nearby (we indulged in Charlie Brown’s). The most impressive was the full breakfast with a chef on site making made-to-order omelettes, etc. There were other great offerings including goodies like homemade crumb cake with about an inch worth of crumbs on top. YUMMY!! The previous night after dinner was spent in the outdoor lounge area for those who still had some energy left sitting around and enjoying a beer or two or three. At one point, Tommy and Dickie were missing. Where could they be?? There were rumors out there … but, as it turns out, they were found in Walmart for you guessed it, a BEER RUN!! Some things never change!
In the morning, we headed north with sunshine a plenty to our final destination… Jiminy Peak! At lunch time, we stopped at Burger King again in classy MG style, and we each grabbed some BK crowns, bringing along extras for the members we were meeting at Jiminy Peak. We decided to walk into Jiminy peak with our “King of the Road” crowns. Near the tail end of the trip, we saw an MGA on the opposite side of the road… Ah! It is Ruth and Jim Bottomley, waiting for us to join the caravan.
Just before our destination we stopped at a gas station to fill up (the Hill Climb was very early in the a.m. with no time to fill up then) and a grocery store for you guessed it MORE BEER! Now set for the weekend, we arrived at Jiminy Peak to check in and register for the Triathlon, all crowned up. It was good to see Faith again and renew old acquaintances, while picking up our packets and Triathlon X shirts. Dinner on Friday evening was a tasty buffet from appetizers to dessert. All of a sudden during the meal, you could hear the music from “Jaws” beginning to play reaching a loud crescendo and then seeing a shark blow-up hovering along the ceiling across the tables. The shark had huge teeth and captured in the teeth, ready to be devoured, was the DVC car club emblem. BOO! HISS!! From our tables!! We had to hold Adam back, fearing he was ready to deflate this less than friendly to DVCers shark! All in Good Fun!
Saturday morning was the big day!! Triathlon X. First a Hill Climb, then a Rallye and finally the Car Show. The Hill Climb was tricky, especially when there were two different sets of directions at the beginning of the climb. Some of us decided to explore another mountain!! The Rallye immediately followed the Hill Climb and consisted of many clues over a many miles and some rough terrain! The car show was lots of fun with our rival Pennsylvania club offering quite a pub scene complete with wenches and pints. The Cape Cod club offered jello shots, salt water taffy from their area. The DVC decided to dress up as Judges, just like the barristers who judged the Car Show. Unbeknownst to us, another club had the same idea and the Car Show became overrun by faux judge, cops and prison inmates. Quite a happening Car Show!
The evening presented another tasty buffet dinner and time finally for the presenting of the Awards. The DVC Club retained the coveted Don and Nancy Hull “Founders Cup” for the second year in a row, representing the Club who achieved the highest average score. The highest scoring “T”-series award was brought home by Dick and Sandy Suffredini and Jim and Ruth Bottomley were in first place at the end of the Hill Climb, with a perfect score of 100, and won 3rd place overall. Unfortunately the coveted Dorothy Wiggin Teapot Trophy was awarded to the British Car Club of New Hampshire. Also winning the “Distance Award” was Mike and Karen Kerns.
As in the past the Triathlon organizers chose a local charity to receive the monies that were “donated” as bribes, among other things, to the judges in the Car Show Event. This year, over $1600 was raised to help the local area volunteer Fire Department.
After breakfast on Sunday morning, cars left at various times to extend their trip in the Berkshires or beyond or just take a leisurely ride home on the back roads back to PA. Lots of fun was had by all who attended Triathlon X and we look forward to Triathlon XI in 2015.
Those attending were Lew Phillips (MGB), Adam & Eva Ilnicki (MGB), Paul & Evonna Phillips (MGBGT), Tom and Jaimee Rippert (MGA), Dick and Sandy Suffredini (MGTD), Bill and Evelyn Webb (MGB), Pat and Patty Cawthorne (MGA), Jim and Janet Taylor (MGA), Jim and Ruth Bottomley (MGA), Mike and Karen Kerns (MGB), and Dave and Gloria Schwab (MGB).
– Evelyn Webb
October 19, 2013
