At the end of each Spring Thaw, we select a lucky individual, team or group for the “Spirit of the Thaw” award. The award is for someone who best demonstrates who we are, and what we’re about. In 2011 the award was awarded to an individual who hadn’t even entered the event! Upon hearing about a friend’s engine failure, Ben Cheng called up a friend and set out for the Spring Thaw. They were driving the route in reverse until they came upon Dave Koszegi and Albert See Jr riding in the back seat of the Clarkstone’s 2002. Ben hadn’t driven up in just one Porsche 911. Nope, his friend brought one as as well! Keys were tossed in the air, and Dave and Albert soon found themselves finishing the event in Ben’s wide-body 911. If that isn’t a car-nut-buddy, and Spirit of the Thaw material, we don’t know what one is!
Each year there have been a few stand-outs for the award, but never before have I had such a strong feeling that we needed three or four to hand out. Usually Warwick and I write down our ideas and at the last moment show them to each other, but this year I relied on all our participants to help me find “the right one”. Out of the suggestions provided to me, here are the four other teams I wish I had made awards for. In no particular order…
Amos Rowsell & Sherri Collis – The idea of the Spring Thaw was borne from a desire to share our driving adventures with others. We had so much fun doing silly things in classic cars, wouldn’t it be more fun if we could find other people to do them with!?! When we couldn’t convince our usual crowd of friends to buy a classic and go driving, so we started this event and found the Spring Thaw crowd. Throughout the weekend Amos and Sherri were suggested to me a few times by other enthusiasts. Apparently when not participating in the Spring Thaw, they are busy trying to convince everyone else around them to join in. One car in particular mentioned that it was Amos and Sherri’s enthusiasm alone which prompted their entry. Infecting others with our particular disease of adventure? Yup, that is definite Spirit of the Thaw material.
Phil & Cayle Lacefield – To be honest, giving Phil and Cayle the Spirit of the Thaw award is almost too easy. From the moment they arrive at Registration you just know this event was made for people like them. Whether it’s the rare (and somewhat odd) Saab 850, or Phil’s (some might say rare, and somewhat odd) Kilt…you just sense the excitement the two of them have for being on the Thaw. If there is anyone who can name every participant in the event, it’s these two. I actually feel somewhat bad that we haven’t awarded them the Spirit Award, if you think about it…its so darned obvious we simply over look it!
Miles and Rosie Fenton – Where Phil and Cayle are instantly recognizable with their 850, you might not have noticed Miles and Rosie in their ’59 Alfa Giulietta Sprint. Inside the beautiful Alfa is a pair of road enthusiasts like no other. Classics are meant to be driven, and Miles takes to the task wholeheartedly! The pair was suggested to me by more then a few teams as someone deserving of the Spring Thaw award. At every moment they’re enthusiastic, full of fantastic stories and an absolute pleasure to spend time with. Miles and Rosie are type of people you go home from the Thaw wishing you could have spent more time with. In my eyes, that’s exactly the type who should win the Spirit award.
Dave and Kelly Beddows – Dave and Kelly were joining us on their first Spring Thaw Adventure. I imagine it must be tough standing there in the parking lot during our first driver’s meeting…all around you are “old friends” reuniting and joking around about past ‘Thaw activities. While we’re all a very sociable crowd, I suspect it takes a couple of days to “break in” and meet people. Apparently not, if your last name is Beddows! I saw the couple in their BMW as they stopped in Lillooet. Already they were traveling in a small group of cars, and I admit to having to look up whether or not they were “first timers”. But where they really shone was at the site of the failed 2002. It takes a special kind of person to rope-tow with a classic, but that wasn’t it. Before the car was even tucked away for the weekend, Dave and Kelly had offered up their truck and trailer, and the time to go and rescue the 2002. It also wasn’t the only time, or team, they offered this to throughout the weekend. I hope you had a chance to meet these two this weekend, they were without a doubt Spirit of the Thaw.
These were four stand-out entrants for 2011, but it doesn’t end there. You simply need to visit a car show, suggest to someone that they drive their classic 1200km…and instantly you’ll find that all of us are a special bunch. ‘Normal’ classic car ownership suggests you park, cherish and preserve your classic. Every one of our participants cares for their classic, but more importantly they use their classics. That alone is worth a Spirit of the Thaw award for each of them.
-Dave