note : click on the icon to change the closest picture...

Once again, a contingent of stalwart JTC members took to the road to prove that this really IS the Jaguar Touring Club. But this year’s group was much larger than last year’s troupe of adventurers who meandered their way down the Blue Ridge Mountains to Tennessee. Including as many as 18 cars for part of the trip, the travelers headed North, hoping to find cooler air, colorful countryside and French-Canadian culture and cuisine. At least part of those hopes were realized, even though the weather turned out to be sub-tropical for most of the trip.

The first caravan departed Butler, New Jersey on Friday July 26th. Picking up where they left off last year, Steve Manahan and brother Ken who flew in from London for the trip delayed their departure and that of Steve and Judy Ferring because of car repairs that needed to be completed. Nine cars headed out for Sturbridge Village in south-central Massachusetts. A relatively uneventful trip brought the group to Sturbridge before dinner, arriving to find a multitude of Jaguars lined up around the hotel, along with an unexpected craft show sharing the same venue. The crowds for the craft show caused parking problems that were compounded by complaints from the loc local fire marshal who prohibited parking close to the building. That evening, virtually the entire JTC contingent had a sumptuous dinner at a landmark local inn.

Saturday, the JANE Concours was a sight to behold. Well organized and expertly run, the day went off without a hitch despite the overcast and sometimes misty weather. Several JTC members entered the Concours, while the rest put their cars in “display” class. Unfortunately, because of the craft show crowds, display cars ended up parked in a lot a distance from the event itself. JTC members Pat Morey with his 1960 XK150 and Chris Acker with his 1997 XK8 won their respective classes.

Ray Sharp’s recently rebuilt engine had started acting up on the trip from Jersey. So after the barbeque dinner hosted by JANE, a group of volunteer mechanics did surgery, ultimately narrowing the problem to a faulty condenser on Ray’s shiny new Mallory Dual-Point distributor. Several additional members joined the trip at this point, including JCNA National President Gary Hagopian and wife Sue, of New Hampshire, long-time JANE members. They drove their Concours-winning MkII, a true beauty of a car. JCSNE President Virginia Raymond and husband Bill Jenkins from Connecticut were added as well, riding in Bill’s ’86 XJ6.

Sunday brought a long day of driving, punctuated by the next round of the not entirely unexpected car problems. The day dawned with a heavy overcast and drizzle, and the group drove in and out of rain, making multiple stops along the way. New member Dan Kruze and wife Judy were enjoying the trip until their car, a 1986 XJS Coupe seemingly caught fire. Dan, a professional Jaguar mechanic with his own shop in Bridgewater, New Jersey, was undaunted. On the side of a highway in the middle of nowhere , Dan, with the help of Steve Ferring, Dick Pedatti and others, isolated the problem to the wiring to the starter motor. A quick fix and on we went. Dan’s car acted up several more times that day, leading ultimately to a major rewiring the following day in the parking lot of a bed and breakfast.

The group enjoyed the ride up through Vermont, despite the weather. A stop in mid-state provided some good shopping and a break from the driving. Arrival at the evening’s stopover, the Grunberg Haus B&B in Waterbury, VT was welcome, if not what most expected.

Most of the group headed off to Waterbury for an impromptu gathering at what turned out to be a nice local bistro.

Early risers had made the run to the local NAPA store to get parts to rewire Dan Kruze’s car, and at the same time picked up a couple of condensers for a 350 Chevy V-8 to fix Ray Sharp’s distributor. After a disappointing breakfast, the group split up for the day. One contingent headed north to Montreal, while the other took off for the Shelbourne Museum in Shelbourne, Vermont, just south of Burlington.

The Montreal group arrived at lunchtime and were greeted by JCNA Vice President and N.E. Regional Director Daniel Thompson, a native ofthe city. Dan joined in for lunch at a local cafe, and then led a walking tour of downtown Montreal, the port and the Old City.

The Montreal contingent hit the road at the peak of the local rush hour. The stop and go traffic in unexpected mid-90 degree heat took its toll on poor Steve Manahan’s brakes. As we merged from one interstate onto another, at a crawl, Steve’s brakes seized up on him, causing a traffic jam within a traffic jam. Gary Hagopian barked directions to Steve over the walkie-talkies on getting them to release. Steve got going again, only to seize up less than a quarter mile later, but this time in a section with some shoulder room. The group pulled off and, much to everyone’s surprise, the Shelbourne contingent had heard the radio banter and fortuitously caught up on the side of the road. After some roadside surgery, Steve’s car moved again and the reunited group headed off to Mont Gabriel Resort for the evening.

Mont Gabriel turned out to be one of the highlights of the trip. The resort offered a welcome swimming pool that provided a much-needed cooling environment after having been baked in the city and cooked to overdone in the cars in the near-Long-Island-Expressway-like traffic. After relaxing and refreshing ourselves, the entire entourage gathered for a private, catered dinner, joined by several members of the Montreal area Jaguar Club. Unfortunately, Dan Thompson’s fatherly duties took him off to deliver his son to hockey camp (a very Canadian thing, it seems), so he was not able to be there. Another traveler, Bonnie Cook from Albany, New York, caught up with us and joined the group at dinner . The food was outstanding, and the evening was capped off by a marvelous birthday cake in honor of Steve Manahan, one of two birthdays celebrated on the trip .

After dinner, while doing a little maintenance on the cars, some of the owners found themselves in the midst of a celebration by the local Hassidic community of the graduation of a number of young men from their Yeshiva and their impending departure for Israel to continue their studies. Young rabbis and old were captivated by the old cars and had a million and one questions. Car doors were opened, bonnets were raised, questions were answered, stories were exchanged and smiles abounded. This rather unexpected encounter brought an interesting joy and satisfaction to all, Hassidim and Jaguar owners alike. As the black-robed men and youths danced and sang on into the night, the weary travelers left them to their festivities.

Tuesday brought a minor respite for part of the group from the early morning departures. A contingent of undaunted drivers and passengers took off after breakfast for a drive through the back woods of the Laurentian Mountains. And back woods it turned out to be. Rather unexpectedly, they ended up driving over 30 miles through the forests on dirt roads! Not the thing for older, low-slung Jaguars.

The rest of the group stayed at the resort and took advantage of the amenities. Several members of the group luxuriated at the spa, relaxing body, mind and spirit with heavenly massages. Ray Sharp experienced his first ever, and is now hooked. Four adventurous souls - Gary Young, Gary Hagopian, Steve Ferring and Steve Weinstein - took to the links, playing what purported to be a golf course. Apparently designed for mountain goats, the course was made all the more challenging by the rental clubs offered by the club pro. More suited for use as garden tools, the meager offering did not put a damper on the fun, however. All returned with smiles, laughing off the absurdity of the experience.
In the early afternoon, the now rested contingent mounted up and left Mont Gabriel ready for the road. A scenic ride to Trois Rivieres, about two-thirds of the way to Quebec, was enjoyable. A one night stay at the Hotel des Gouverneurs would have been uneventful but for the luck of the Manahans (if this is what they mean by “the luck of the Irish,” they can keep it!). The hotel suggested that the group park in the underground garage. As “luck” would have it, the ramp down to the garage dropped off just quickly enough to place the edge where sidewalk and driveway met right square at the front of Steve’s mufflers. The car proceeded down the ramp, but the entire exhaust system stayed behind. The next morning, Steve drove his car, sans exhaust system, to a local muffler shop, while his mufflers and pipes road on Steve Ferring’s car being cradled by brother Ken. Quite a sight.

In the meantime, Steve Weinstein and Carol McKenzie’s V-12 E-type had started acting up, burbling and backfiring, and generally running rough. The consensus diagnosis was a failed gulp valve. So the morning brought a quick fix - disconnect the gulp valve. A golf tee left over from Mont Gabriel and a cork scrounged from the bar at the hotel did the job, along with the universal fix-all - duct tape! (After getting home, Steve diagnosed the real problem as a leaking grosse jet in one of the carbs causing flooding, along with some fouled spark plugs.)

Steve Manahan’s car was fixed by 10 a.m. and the groups mounted up again. Pat Morey took off with group 1, but member Carol McKenzie, now driving the yellow ’72 E type, got left behind, Steve having traded places for a chance to drive Wendy and Gary Young’s Porsche Boxster. In an effort to catch up, Carol was on the way to setting a new Canadian land speed record, until the local gendarmes intervened. Radar clocked herat 120 kph (about 80 mph) in a 40 kph (about 25 mph) zone. The officers were ready to throw Carol in the clink, until Wendy Young who was riding shotgun with Carol stepped in. Not only is Wendy an attorney, but also she speaks French reasonably well. Which was fortunate, as the policemen spoke virtually no English. After much discussion, the officers reduced the ticket about ten categories and issued Carol a ticket for a mere $250CDN (@$180 US). Unbeknownst to Carol and Wendy, the rest of the first group had stopped about a mile ahead to get gas and to wait for them. Upon catching up (we all knew what had happened, as group 2 had seen it), their comment?? “Boy, those Canadian policemen are really cute!”

Getting to the hotel just west of Quebec City in the early afternoon, the group checked in and almost everyone immediately dashed for the local bus and made a beeline for the Old City. Quebec has to be one of the most charming places in North America. Feeling more like old Paris than modern Canada, Quebec captivated and thrilled everyone. After an unscheduled, merely coincidental gathering in an authentic local Irish pub (complete with shamrocks drawn in the foam on the pints of Guinness), the club split up with couples and small groups heading in every direction. Much shopping was done and the evening for most was topped off with wonderful local French cuisine. Just before sundown, about ten of the group found themselves, coincidentally, sitting on the terrace of the Chateau Frontenac overlooking the St. Lawrence river and the countryside, as a balloon-fest launched and drifted lazily across the skyline on the opposite shore.

The next day, Thursday, was a non-travel day, and everyone was thankful to have another day and evening to explore Quebec. That evening, thirteen members headed for the restaurant at the Chateau Frontenac, one of the most outstanding French restaurants this side of the Atlantic. Carol McKenzie, a French-trained professional chef, had been looking forward to sampling the best of Quebec’s cuisine, so she had scoped out the Chateau as one of the very best and arranged the dinner. She and the rest of those that joined her were not disappointed, as the food and wine were nothing short of Magnifique!! And the ambience and service were impeccable.

But those who didn’t go were not disappointed either. Marty and Deborah Maloy had spoken to the staff at the hotel and been told about the local French cooking school that itself had a wonderful restaurant. Best of all, it was just around the corner from the hotel. Those who joined them dined to their hearts’ delight and reported that the food there too was exceptional.

Friday dawned overcast and wet. The departure from Quebec would have been uneventful, but for Steve Manahan. Shortly before leaving, Steve made what turned out to be a fateful pitstop. Pulling up to the gas pump, one of Steve’s tires found the only nail laying on the ground in the entire province of Quebec and impaled itself on that wayward metal object. Bringing back memories of the Franklin trip of the summer before, Steve found himself changing a flat tire.

A wet ride through the Quebec countryside was filled with the provincial flavor of this heavily French-influenced region. The one thing that made the entire Canadian leg of the trip, but especially Quebec City and this last day through the countryside, so memorable and thoroughly enjoyable was the people. Although many, surprisingly, spoke little English, there was no problem communicating. These have to be the friendliest people anywhere. At several stops, French speaking locals came up to admire the cars and somehow both they and we understood exactly what each other were saying. The love of these cars and the interest they draw is almost universal.

After discussing the cars, they told us that just a few miles before the boarder crossing was the biggest "magnetic hill" in this hemisphere . Accepting the description as a prideful exaggeration of a local phenomenon, we nonetheless stopped to give it a try. Pat Morey and Gary Young tried first, seemingly giving up after just a few feet. Not accepting that the locals could be that wrong, Steve Weinstein pulled the E-type out into the middle of the totally vacant roadway, put the car in neutral, and started rolling backwards. It was true! The magnetic hill pulled the car backwards uphill for what seemed to be almost half a mile. An amazing optical illusion! Larry and Shola Ficks followed in their '91 XJS convertible as did Chris Acker in the XK8. The locals had not exaggerated.

After an uneventful boarder crossing , the New Hampshire mountains and vistas were captivating, but for the huge "Brake for Moose - hundreds of collisions" signs . By mid-afternoon, most of the group arrived at the foot of Mt. Washington, the highest peak in the Northeast. Known for its unpredictable and highly changeable weather, the mountain did not disappoint us. Oddly, the older cars had no problem getting past the gate to make the climb, despite the fact that most were 30 years or older. But Chris Acker, in his 1997 XK8 was denied the right to drive up, as his transmission could not be locked into 1st gear. So up went the oldies, while the XK8 with traction control, anti-lock brakes, computer controlled transmission, and all the modern bells and whistles got left behind.

The climb up, and more so the trip down, were not easy on the cars and some of the passengers. No guard rails, some major cliffs going straight down, steep inclines, slippery dirt roads, and the top of the mountain shrouded in clouds and mist made for an interesting ride. The five mile drive at an average 12% grade tested the cars in both directions. Yet those who braved the ride enjoyed it, despite the top of the mountain being in a cloud that obscured the entire view.

After that harrowing but fun side-trip, it was a short jaunt down to North Conway, NH, our Friday night stopover. There, Bruce and Donna Cunningham of Burlington, VT, caught up with us. Bruce drives a wonderful black 1952 XK120 which was the subject of a "My Turn" piece in Newsweek, written by Donna. The Cunninghams had joined the JTC contingent last summer on the run to Tennessee and back, and are regular corner workers at the annual Jaguar weekend at Lime Rock, among other events.

Weary travelers were immediately welcomed by the hospitality of The Cranmore Inn , a wonderful old house that had been converted to a bed and breakfast, updated with modern amenities. The club split up in small groups and headed in various directions, finding wonderful fare for dinner. Most retired early after a long day of driving.

The next morning the sun was out and the heat that had cooked us in Canada seemed to be returning. But the departure from North Conway turned into a “happening.” Bruce Cunningham was talked into leading an ad hoc parade out of town with nothing less than his bagpipes. An avid piper, Bruce sat on the rear deck of the XK120, feet in the passenger’s seat, while Steve Weinstein drove. This being Steve’s first time behind the wheel of that car, and having no experience with the XK’s clutch and syncho-less transmission, made for an interesting ride for Bruce, who tried to keep his balance while at the same time keeping the pipes a pipin’. The sight and sound of a bagpiper on an old car, followed by a parade of other old and new Jags brought people scurrying out of buildings and running across lawns, many with cameras in hand.

As the day warmed, the two groups wound their way down the Kancamagus Highway, over the mountains and on to Lake Winnipesaukee. There, a ride up a several mile long driveway brought the group to Castle in the Clouds . An interesting country stone mansion built atop a mountain overlooking the lake, the oddity of the story of the owner and his wives, and their relationship with Teddy Roosevelt, a “frequent” visitor, did not escape those with inquiring minds. Not many missed the fact that husband and considerably younger second wife had bedrooms on opposite ends of the house. More curious still was that Teddy Roosevelt’s bedroom was adjacent to the lady of the house’s bedroom, and that a door from the back of her bathroom led directly into Teddy’s bedchamber. Hmmm???? Where was it exactly that he got the nickname “Rough Rider” anyway? Talk softly and carry a big … what?

Back on the road, the convoys hit the highways trying to make time on down to Manchester. There, SNG Barratt USA opened its doors to the club , welcoming us with chips, dips and soda, as well as some bargains and much-needed spares for several in the group. A short ride from Barratt’s, our last overnight stop awaited.

That evening, most of the group attended a farewell dinner at a local restaurant. Between courses, one by one each member spoke about his or her personal highlights of the trip. For many Quebec stood out, while other events, some funny, some not so funny, stood out. Steve Manahan’s disembodied tail pipes. Dinner at the Chateau Frontenac. Mt. Washington hill climb. The massages at Mont Gabriel. The reminiscences brought back great feeling to everyone, and brought on many a hearty laugh. Best of all, for everyone, was the camaraderie that had grown and the friendships, new and old, that had been nurtured by the trip.

The dinner was capped off with yet another birthday celebration. This time it was Carol McKenzie’s turn to be the birthday girl. The surprise birthday cake ended up providing a sweet ending to the evening and what was a fabulous trip for all.

But the trip turned out to be far from over, at least for some. Sunday morning, another hot day, and time to head for home. Part of the group took off early, led by Steve and Judy Ferring. They beat a hasty retreat to New Jersey with an uneventful downhill run. The Manahans headed back north to visit an uncle at Lake Winnipesaukee. The Ficks were heading to Martha’s Vineyard for a few days, and the Cunninghams headed off to their beloved Vermont. Gary and Sue Hagopian were already home, being natives of New Hampshire.

Getting away was not that easy for some, though. As we were about to depart, Pat Morey noticed the smell of gas leaking from his car. A quick inspection revealed a leak from or near the carburetors under the bonnet. The Sharps, Steve and Carol, the Ficks, Chris Acker and the Manahans stuck around to help Pat make the needed repairs. The intended 9:00 a.m. departure stretched out to noon, and the heat of the day. The Manahans headed north, and the rest headed south. Just east of Worchester, Mass., Chris split for Albany and the Ficks took off for the Vineyard, leaving three cars with the Moreys, the Sharps, and Carol and Steve to convoy to New Jersey.

Pat Morey set the pace in his XK150, the Sharps ’71 E-type OTS and Steve and Carol’s ’72 E-type in hot pursuit. A stop at the world famous Rein’s Deli, just east of Hartford, was a welcome break from the heat. With only two and a half hours to go to home, this seemed to be a piece of cake. But something took a wrong turn here. Pat’s car had been burning oil most of the trip. Gary Hagopian had suggested that Pat add Rislone to his crankcase to try to get seals and piston rings to close up a bit. So at the lunch break, Pat put a quart in.

Now one thing may have nothing to do with the other, but about an hour later, just west of Waterbury, CT, Pat slowed down a bit. Steve and Ray shot ahead, taking the lead for a while, until suddenly, the cell phone rang in Steve and Carol’s car. It was Pat. He was on the side of the road. “I think I may be throwing a rod.” Steve immediately pulled off, followed by Ray. They waited a good while until Pat and Jackie limped down the shoulder to them. The engine sounded horrible. Pat was able to nurse the car off the next exit ramp that was thankfully only half a mile away, and into the gas station at the end of the ramp . The diagnosis was that the car, obviously, could not be driven. So AAA was called and almost three hours later, the tow truck showed up. Pat was devastated watching his pride and joy being hauled up onto the flatbed . Carol, Steve, Ray and Julia waved as the truck took off with Pat and Jackie and their car, and then again as the two XKE’s sped past the truck back on Rt. 84.

This trip turned out to be, for most of us, far better than we had ever imagined. No one viewed the car problems as a negative - rather they added the spice. The places we went were each one better than the last, and the crown jewel of the lot was unquestionably Quebec City.
Special thanks goes to the Moreys, the Ferrings and the Sharps for the effort they put into planning the trip, plotting out the routes and organizing all of the accommodations. Pat Morey went above and beyond, coordinating and spearheading the planning efforts and then taking on the thankless task of making sure we actually got on the road each day and got where we were suppose to be going. Thanks, Pat.

Even before the trip was over, planning had begun for next summer’s expedition. Some early suggestions include a little less driving, more multiple night stays, and optional side tours that cater to varied interests. How does the Adirondacks, Lake George and Tanglewood sound? Join us. It will be another trip to remember! After all, we ARE the Jaguar Touring Club!!

Discuss the content of this article in the JTC forum.

First    Previous   Next    Last