We awoke in Omak Washington to a beautiful fall morning in the desert. Across the valley the mountains were tinged with golden light, and while a little chilly on our shaded plateau, you could tell the weather was just going to be fantastic. A few of us checked the weather radar, and while they were calling for rain to hit the west-coast, it looked as though we might finish the event without getting wet. 

With the driver’s meeting out of the way, we departed the hotel and headed south towards highway 20. Typically the organizer doesn’t depart in the first half of the group, instead staying to ensure cars get fired up okay. Today, as I closed the driver’s meeting, I almost went for a Le Mans-style dash to my car…I had to be near the front! Leading most of the group onto Highway 20 West, it soon became quite evident why. The climb from Okanogon up to Twisp via the Loup Loup pass is fairly steep. One might say “very steep”, if you find yourself with only 60 horsepower behind you. It wasn’t long before I was using every pull out possible to let our entrants by. I may have started in the front, but by the time we arrived in the town of Winthrop, I was very nearly the last car in the group. 

Winthrop, though, was a planned stop for the group. The route book tells us that in 1972 the town residents agreed a ‘theme’ should be created to attract visitors traveling the soon-to-be-finished Highway 20. An “old-west” theme was chosen, and bylaws written requiring every business and building to appear period correct. The sidewalks are boardwalks, even the gas station appears as though it was one of the first in the early 1900’s. With tourism thriving, it makes the perfect morning stop for coffee and pastries, and/or simply walking around to take in the sights.  Having once again caught up with the group, I used it as my opportunity to lead the charge towards the finish. 

For the first thirty miles I began to wonder if i had left too early. Even with just 60hp, the Beetle simply rocks along the flats, easily wrapping the speedometer needle into the police-issued ‘performance award’ territory. But soon enough, the climb towards Washington Pass began. This would be the steepest, longest climb of the entire weekend. It wasn’t long before I was passed by an E-Type. The gang of Mini’s appeared in the rear view mirror, with a Mercedes mixed in for good measure. Our speed differential made it seem as though the whole group was escaping a bank heist. A pair of Alfa Duetto’s went by with a Citroen DS, followed soon by a Spider Abnormale. About halfway up I pulled over to check the engine temperature on the beetle (if you can hold the dipstick for more than 30sec, you’re okay!), and was passed by the rest of the group, including a 1950 Jaguar XK150. Oh sure, it has a bazillion more cylinders than I do…but it was all those aluminum body panels that did the trick. 

You would think that crawling up the hill in 2nd and 3rd gear, being passed by all your friends, would be a disappointing part of the day…but in truth, it was absolutely incredible. I got to see each of our entrants today, enjoying the roads together and in new groupings of cars. It wasn’t just the Alfa’s traveling with the Alfas, everyone had been mixing it up and driving with new friends. And while I may have been the slowest one to the top, I did make it! And that’s probably the most important part. I did my best to make up some time on the way back down the passes, but between the speed limits and the swing-axle rear end, I was destined to enjoy the day alone.

Highway 20, on which we were travelling, is known as the “North Cascades Scenic Highway”, and for good reason. Starting in desert scrub, you climb up into the most majestic views of the Cascade Mountains towering above you. Moving West through the mountains there are crystal blue lakes, stunning waterfalls and view, upon view, upon view. The highway twists and turns for two and half hours, all the way to the town of Concrete. Here our route turned onto the old Skagit highway, where the trees are so tight it’s like driving through a tunnel all the way to our finish. 

Arriving at our Golf Course finish, it turns out I was ‘just’ behind the group, and many of them were still unloading having just parked their cars. The row of cars, each plastered with insect remains, sat otherwise gleaming in the sunlight. The weather had held out for us on day three, the perfect ending to a weekend of driving. Together we dined outside on the patio, overlooking the Skagit Valley. 

Geoff Akehurst, in the 1950 XK150 was the “hard luck” award winner, his Jaguar having shed one it’s spats along the road…it’s going to need a wee bit of a paint, and possibly more attention from RWM&Co. His co-driver, Tony Bradwell, won the “Macgyver” award, our way of giving the two a hard time for being the only car needing the hood up during the weekend! Our final award, the coveted Hagerty Sprit of the Fall Classic, was awarded to Deanna Kitchener in the Mini Pickup truck, for her endless enthusiasm in getting others involved with the event. 

And with that, we closed the 2016 running of the Hagerty Fall Classic. Once again our incredible images come from Andrew Holliday, who spent the weekend jumping around the maps and route in his collector-plated Mazda Miata.

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