It’s strange how small the automotive community is sometimes. Last Wednesday, I was politely chatting with a customer on the telephone after he had finished purchasing some Porsche parts from me. The normal niceties were exchanged, the how are things going’s, how’s the weather up there’s, when he mentioned that he’d be in my area (Reno/Tahoe) over the weekend. Naturally curious as to why anyone would visit this neck of the woods, I asked what convention or casino he was planning to visit. None was the answer, and he replied that he’d be up north of Truckee, California for a Lancia Owner’s gathering. Something, something Fulvia Sport Zagato, something, something, Highway 49, something, something, 40-50 cars. “I’ll be there!”, I shouted into the receiver. Without waiting for an invite, it took me a second to realize that I had created one myself! Over the years, Lancia has built some incredibly eclectic cars, and some of the most successful racing cars of all time have left their hallowed walls. They’ve had their cars styled by some of the most prestigious coachbuilders in the world, and that has equated directly to some truly stunning cars, gorgeous inside and out. Without even having any idea what would show up, I knew that this event would be one that I had to attend, and that the folks of this good website would be interested in seeing the fruits of this trip laid out before them. In between mountainside carving, a lovely lunch, and talking cars with a lot of really neat and unique people, I managed to catch a few pictures of those in attendance. I have placed these pictures here for your enjoyment! Let’s get on with the event report, shall we? I searched for a couple of days, but could not find any information on the event in question on the internet. Luckily, I knew someone who would be there, and sent off a quick e-mail to the aforementioned customer. He replied that he would be coming into town on Friday night, and that there would be a tour drive on Saturday morning (though he wasn’t sure when it would start). Not wanting to miss out, I left Reno at around 7AM to get to the meeting hotel by 8AM. When I pulled in, luckily all of the cars were still sitting quietly in the parking lot, and people were just enjoying their morning coffees. As it turned out, the departure time for the tour wouldn’t be until 10, so I had plenty of time to mill about, chat with the owners, and take some static photos before we took off. I also ordered myself a tall White Chocolate Latte from the Starbucks in the lodge while I was waiting. That the lodge even had facilities like a Starbucks and WiFi was surprising, as the area was remote enough that I filled up my car at a fueling depot that did not even have an attendant. We were in the literal middle of nowhere. The great thing about a group like this, more than the camaraderie or eclecticism, is how welcoming they are of outsiders. I’ve never met any of these people in person, and yet I was made to feel as though we’d been friends for all our lives. I was, by a good margin, the youngest person in attendance, and at the same time one of only a handful that were not driving Lancias (Aside from me in my Boxster, there was also an NC MX5, a Prius decked out in Lancia HF regalia, a Fiat 500 Abarth, and a Fiat-engined Dodge Dart 1.4 liter Multiair turbo) but yet I was still welcomed into the inner circle of Lancia fanatics. We set off just a bit after our planned 10AM departure time, and immediately got into the groove of driving in a long line of mostly vintage cars. As we collectively rolled through tiny secluded towns, you had to get used to the minor celebrity that comes with an unannounced parade of Lancia. People jumped out of their homes and off of their front porch rocking chairs to take photographs (digital and mental, I’m sure) of us as we trundled by. People in the other lane were always doing double-takes. A number of bikers and hikers gave thumbs-up. Once out of the towns and out in the open countryside, though, these guys loosened the reins, and really let them rip. It was certainly heart-warming to see these gentlemen using their cars as they were intended. Sometimes it was all I could do to keep up with them, what with my meager 200-ish horsepower (neutered by the altitude, certainly). The first stop on our tour was a local golf course called “Nakoma” in Clio, California. We weren’t there, certainly, to take our clubs out on the links or whatever (I don’t do golf, and I don’t do jargon…). We had taken a pitstop here, because of some guy by the name of Frank Lloyd Wright. Apparently, he had done some design work for the course, and their clubhouse was his signature work. If you’re ever in the area and have a chance to check it out, it’s worth a few extra minutes. The exterior is a bit polarizing in execution, featuring a tiered copper roof meant to invoke a grouping of Native-American “wigwams”, but the interior is all exposed wood and beauty. The design was originally commissioned for use at a country club in Madison, Wisconsin, and Wright was paid for the work, but the building was never instituted. The Nakoma Golf Resort purchased the designs from the Wisconsinites, and had the building brought to fruition finally in 2000. Neat place, neat story, worth looking at if you find yourself in Clio for any reason. After leaving Clio, we headed across an open expanse of plains land on I-89 to get to the good stuff. I-49 south from the point where I-89 T’s into it down to Downieville, CA is probably some of the best driving roads I’ve ever been on. There, unfortunately, was a misprint on our directions set out by the rally-master, and a couple of us ended going north on I-49 about 8 miles before we figured out we’d made a wrong turn ( I-49 north from the point where I-89 T’s into it down to Sierraville, CA is probably some of the most boring driving roads I’ve ever been on!). Once the few of us got turned around and headed the right direction, we lit the wick and took off after the rest of the group. It wasn’t a timed event, and nobody was gunning for a fasted lap, but we were all having gobs of fun, keeping up with each other, and generally hooning (staying within the posted speed limit, of course!). The weather was perfect, the roads were perfect, and the vistas were perfect. I can’t think of a better time I’ve had behind the wheel of a car. I’ve been on the Tail of the Dragon, I’ve driven the PCH, I’ve spent time on a lot of really great roads around Lake Tahoe, and I’ve been down I-9 in South Carolina. None of those roads have ANYTHING on this 30 mile stretch of I-49. Following along a beautifully clear mountain stream, twisting up and down, this way and that way, I-49 was a very entertaining road to drive. Being that it was a Saturday, and that it was so nice out, there were a number of other sports cars and motorcycles out enjoying that same bit of road. We saw a lot of enthusiasts heading North as we wound our way South. Even better, when we finally crossed the narrow bridge into Downieville, the little riverside town was bustling with activity from all of the sporty Saturday drivers and easy riders. From the looks of things, the town’s livelihood depends upon touring drivers making treks up there in the summer. There was also a very active road bicycling community there, and even a handful of mountain bikers getting ready to go for a group ride. Some of us needed gasoline, so a few filled up at the tiny one-pump station. A few others, myself included, indulged in the local establishments, imbibing fresh-churned ice-cream, and a soda pop from the corner market. It was almost as if we had stepped back to the 1960s when we crossed that bridge. There were more classic cars in that town than there were modern cars, and everything was running at the very slow pace of a secluded Northern California mountain town. If it weren’t for the $4.25 per gallon gasoline prices, I’d have been thoroughly convinced. After a good bit of rest in the town, we all packed up and headed back out in little trickles. Taking it a little easier this time, we had the opportunity to take in the scenery. Besides, I was in line behind a 1940s Lancia Aprilia sedan with just under 50 horsepower, so I wasn’t going anywhere quickly! There were fishermen down in the rivers, hikers in the canyons, and bikers seemingly everywhere. It was about 1PM by this point in the day, and we were rightly headed toward lunch. The rally-master was well ahead of us already getting the grille heated up for mid-day burgers and dogs. The added benefit was that the lunch spread was being prepared at the Kentucky Gold Mine Historic Park and Museum. When we pulled into the parking lot of the museum, I could already smell the delicious meats searing on the open pit barbecue. It wasn’t anything particularly special, but there is something to be said for a nice summer grill-out with friends. Conversation flowed and most of it revolved around cars, as a large group of car guys is wont to do. We talked about the rising values of some of the more rare cars, we talked about the accessibility of some of the others (Fulvias are a particularly good buy right now, and Scorpions are sure to be a hit around these parts, right?), we talked about how to drum up even more interest in the club, we talked about rally victories, vintage racing, and days gone by. It was a fun and lively discussion, and everyone was just great to be around. A nice tour of the now-unused hydro gold mine was the order of the day, and was both informative and interesting. If you go visit Nakoma up in Clio, be sure to stop by the Kentucky Mine for a tour, as this gets you both an interesting look into the history of mining, but also a convenient excuse to drive Highway 49. From that point, it was just a slog back to the lodge. We had all been filled up with burgers and chips and cookies, and the driving was a bit more sedate from that point onward. It was still a fun drive, but certainly only at about seven tenths pace. Once we’d all returned, a few of us sat around for more discussion around a bottle of white wine. Were it not for my required trek back to Reno, it would have been quite nice to stay on the patio by the fire, talking Italian cars with these guys all night. If you have a Lancia already (I’ve got a feeling some of you might), make sure you make it out to the next ALC gathering, and if you don’t have a Lancia already, go pick one up ASAP! The experience has opened my eyes, and I’m certainly on the lookout for a decent one now. If anyone knows where I can find a Thema 8.32, drop me a line. Notes – 1. It wouldn’t be a vintage Italian car tour without at least one car not making it to the end. The Appia sedan pictured above ran into some overheating issues early on, and was brought back on a trailer. It was, however, the only car not to complete the full 150-ish mile tour. 2. In a completely non-selfish way (I DID IT ALL FOR YOU!), I politely asked for the ability to quickly slot behind the wheel of two cars in attendance. Two cars that just happened to be on my bucket-list. One was a gorgeous alloy Zagato-bodied Fulvia Sport, which was not only the first Zagato bodied car I’d driven, but the first one I’d ever even seen in person. The second car was a World Rally favorite of mine for the last 25 years, a 1990 Delta Integrale HF 16V. This car was fully legal with Colorado tags, and in extraordinary condition. Both cars will have short-drive features in the coming days, so stay patient! 3. I have never been more impressed with the 986 Boxster chassis. Once you get the fact that you have to drive it like a momentum car, you can really have some fun with it. It needs better tires, though, as 360 treadwear Sumitomos just won’t do… 4. A huge Thank You is due to those who helped facilitate this tour, both in official capacity, and those who participated. I could not have felt more welcomed, and it was certainly interesting to see these guys flogging their beloved little Italians. All images ©2014 Hooniverse/Bradley C. Brownell, All Rights Reserved.