by Dick Lunney
On Saturday morning, June 9, Gary Maves from the Lake Norman Classic Sports Car Club and I drove my MGB up to the Morganton area to join the Catawba Valley British Car Club’s Spring Fling Tour in support of the Wounded Warrior Project. The weather was perfect and the car ran flawlessly as we met about 40 other British car enthusiasts for breakfast at the Timberwoods Restaurant just off I-40. The parking lots was already filled with a potpourri of classics including two Austin-Healeys, two T-Series MGs, Two MGAs, our MGB, a Morgan, a Triumph TR3 and a BMW Z3 plus an assortment of SUVs and pick-ups. We registered and obtained Route Instructions, Rules and miscellaneous information before the “Rally Master,” Corky Guenther gave us some last minute tips and updates on road construction along our route. Our route was originally laid out by Austin-Healey enthusiast, Gary Shaver before Corky added his unique quirkiness to the instructions and “gimmick” questions.

The first car was off at around 11:00 a.m. and since we arrived from the Lake Norman area last, we were flagged off around 11:30. Right away we had to double back to answer a question which was a precursor of things to come as we struggled to translate and interpret the somewhat esoteric directions. We never really got lost, but doubling back almost became routine as we navigated across rural roads across Burke, McDowell and Lincoln counties, often hearing banjos playing in the distance. Several cars gave up quickly, including Carolinas Austin-Healey Club member Guy Ervin and his grandson, tearing open the “Panic Envelope” directing them to air conditioning and wine long before the rest of us. The halfway rest stop was at a very large orchard that had a wonderful market selling great homemade ice cream and our “checkpoint” hosts, David and Kathy Ahrendt provided free water and cookies. Once back on the route we continued to wander and backtrack, but ultimately we finished... still friends, a little sunburned and pretty tired. The terminus for the event was the Woodmill Winery in western Lincoln County that has a very nice tasting room and gift shop with a large outside covered porch that was filled with tired folks looking out over acres and acres of grape vines and beautiful classic cars.

Tabulating the results took a few minutes during which we enjoyed some cold blackberry wine and argued about various answers that both baffled and confused. Ultimately the results were announced and low and behold, Gary and I won third place (first non-air conditioned car and first British car). All in all it was a great day and with the proceeds of the event earmarked for the Wounded Warrior Project, it was a true “feel good” feeling. We drove home with a big box of car cleaning products from Duragloss donated from one of the event’s many sponsors, some great memories and many new British car friends.