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Berkshire Fun Run Saturday September 23 - Take 2
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Author:  FM6 [ Sat Sep 23, 2017 4:55 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Berkshire Fun Run Saturday September 23 - Take 2

Great day . . . . great drive . . . . good people . . . . . what more could you ask for ? :mrgreen:

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We attracted not only customers for the restaurant but also a guy with a beautiful chevy who liked how we parked.


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They were NOT coming out from Church . . . . :lol: :lol: :lol:

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The Guthrie Center where the Thanksgiving Day Massacre happened :shock: :shock: . . . . as reported in the Song Alice's Restaurant.

Author:  johnnyZ [ Sat Sep 23, 2017 9:10 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Berkshire Fun Run Saturday September 23 - Take 2

Great time today :D . Sorry we missed Big Al :( . Cars ran great :thumbs_up: , cell phones ....eh, not so good :thumbs_down: .

Author:  jp260z [ Sun Sep 24, 2017 7:21 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Berkshire Fun Run Saturday September 23 - Take 2

Nice looking group of Z's there! It was a perfect day for driving too!

Author:  Frank T [ Sun Sep 24, 2017 9:56 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Berkshire Fun Run Saturday September 23 - Take 2

Good pictures, Karl. Still struggling to post mine. Might have to ask for help.

Author:  Frank T [ Sun Sep 24, 2017 10:09 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Berkshire Fun Run Saturday September 23 - Take 2

What great fun this was all day!!! It was worth waiting all year for and I certainly wouldn't hesitate to do it again before the Zeason ends.

Five and 1/2 of us met for donuts at the Orange/Derby line, then three of us set out in our S30s to meet up with Big Al in his S30 wayyy up north. That never actually happened due to a total lack of communication; only about half of us had cellphone service up there in the Berkshires so Al couldn't communicate with us and vice-versa. We did, however, all pass each other headed in opposite directions at roadspeed on a 2-lane road. We all stopped, Al turned around, but then mysteriously disappeared. We never got to actually speak with him or to the Fair Miss Rene. But technically, we were all in the same place at the same time at least once. From what I can gather, it looks like Al and Rene did everything we did, but in reverse order, and we passed each other coming and going in the middle. :lol:

Johnny Z out-did himself planning this trip. We couldn't have asked for better scenery or more Z-friendly roads. He knew all the backroad twisties and took us places no Z has seen in years. All along the route people beeped and waved and thumbed-us-up and every time we parked, little groups of people just "grew" around the cars. They even stopped traffic with a smile and a wave to let us all out of parking lots together. America loves the Datsun Z.

All the little towns John took us through were fascinating, beautiful, had great architecture and were worth the trip, themselves. Others had enormous crowds of sight-seers and were packed with traffic (what in the WORLD was the secret in Kent, CT? This little town of fewer than 3,000 residents hosted one-half the population of CT this weekend!) We saw hundreds of classic motorcycles and cars everywhere. Some gas stations were sold out (and most had no public restrooms). I caught a glimpse of a perfectly-restored two-tone Austin Healey 100-4 parked on the opposite side of the road and my heart just lept, but there was no place to turn around to go see it. We stopped at the Caddy Shack for over an hour to eat and waited for Al and Miss Rene, not knowing they were apparently in Stockbridge, waiting for us. No cellphone service completely messed up that meeting, but as I said, we all got a glimpse of each other on the crowded road and waved. They were probably starving and didn't want to return to Stockbridge, where they had found Alice's Restaurant apparently permanently closed, as we later did.

The three of us were surpriZed to find Alice and Ray Brock's old Trinity Church (now the Guthrie Center for performing artists) in Great Barrington MA open and full of volunteers cleaning everything up. We went inside and got the cook's tour of all the common areas, but were not allowed into the belltower where Alice and Ray had lived...it's still Private. The church itself was built in 1881 with hand-hewn dark wood timbers and ornate detailing. The ceiling reminds some of an inverted wooden sailing ship hull. We gathered some propaganda at the reception desk, left a donation in the jar, took a ton of pictures and sat outside in the shade on 100-year-old benches. One of the volunteer ladies came out and sat with us and spun some tales of the place, and of Arlo, and invited us all to return in November for a free Thanksgiving dinner which can't be beat. It was a grand time, but we had to go.

Stockbridge was just as we left it 7 years ago (good places never change) and we parked outside Alice's closed Restaurant for photos, then shoved off for home. Due to the lateness of the hour (and the $28 admission fee) we voted to skip the Norman Rockwell museum. Karl took his due-East route home and John and I opted for the due-South route 8, which took us past the fascinating Colebrook River reservoir which straddles the CT/Mass line. If you're ever looking for a rewarding Z trip and need a destination, chose this place. Wonderful roads leading to and from it, tremendous scenery and wide-open wilderness. There are "paved" ( :roll: ) roads around the reservoir if you feel like driving about 7 miles slowly, or want to test your Z's Rallying abilities.

John and I got to play with the Zs a little on the way home; I love the way his car sounds with that ANSA exhaust. I got my Z up to 6800rpm in some of the longer gears, which equates exactly to 65 mph. 8) We split at Ansonia.

The weather was perfect with cloudless blue skies, temps near 80*F and low humidity. We even got nice breeZes all day. The company was excellent (Karl was in rare form), the roads were inviting and this turned out to be an exceptional Z day for all. The whole trip cost me a tank of fuel, a pocket-change donation and a hotdog. I must, must, must do this again soon.

Frank

Author:  jp260z [ Sun Sep 24, 2017 7:53 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Berkshire Fun Run Saturday September 23 - Take 2

Sounds like a fun time Frank!

Author:  johnnyZ [ Sun Oct 15, 2017 7:43 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Berkshire Fun Run Saturday September 23 - Take 2

I have a few nice pics of our trip which I have attempted to add to this string but the 2MB limit for pictures won't let me add them to the message. Some of the pictures are well over 2MB and I can't figure out a way to make them smaller :oops: Anyway, I will bring a CD that I burned to the picnic which I can give to someone who may have better luck with this than I do :roll:

PS: Last Saturday, my wife and I took a wonderful Z trip near the NW corner of CT, into Dutchess County NY, back into CT through Sharon and Salisbury. RT 41 is a road we should include in a future fun run. Gorgeous!

Z you at the Fall Outing!

Author:  DT 78 280BP [ Mon Oct 16, 2017 1:39 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Berkshire Fun Run Saturday September 23 - Take 2

2 weeks ago the wife and I did a NW CT to Great Barrington trip @ 3 hrs each way from SE MA along 16 to 197 to 190 to 168 up into MA along 57 and 23. GREAT ride. Thanks for making me look at your Berkshire run part 2 had plans so couldn't make that one so kinda took a spinoff from yours.......... was a gorgeous day and will be doing that again next fall. No pics on this adventure.

That was our longest ride of season @ 240 round trip. Will definitely be breaking that record this coming Sat. heading to Ross's end of year gathering in Darien. That one is at min 150 each way............ I think Jay has me beat from PA.

Author:  Frank T [ Mon Oct 16, 2017 4:17 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Berkshire Fun Run Saturday September 23 - Take 2

:D Glad we could inspire you to put some miles on your Z, DT! They were made to be driven. :thumbs_up:

Author:  johnnyZ [ Mon Oct 16, 2017 7:28 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Berkshire Fun Run Saturday September 23 - Take 2

DT,
I'm glad you were able to sample some of that Berkshire scenery. Sorry you couldn't join us.

The Z's were made for those kind of roads. If you ever get a chance, Take RT 2 East from RT 7 near Williamstown MA and "wind" your way East to Greenfield MA to I-91. Breathtaking views and great twisty roads (foliage is peak now). Of course going East to West works just as well.

Maybe we can put together a few more fun runs next year. We welcome all suggestions :D

See you Saturday in Darien CT. Weather still looks promising :thumbs_up:

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