Category Archives: Hagerty Silver Summit

2019 Hagerty Silver Summit Photo Preview

Whew! Four events in five weeks…but we’ve finally returned home to the office. The Hagerty Silver Summit was a wonderful experience full of new friends, Colorado Classic Car Family, great roads, and fantastic cars. For the most part, the weather held out and only a few of us saw some snow on Saturday afternoon’s mountain pass. The following is a preview of photos from Andrew and Samantha Snucins, we’ll be posting links to the full gallery once they’ve had a chance to recover and edit!

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Hagerty Silver Summit – Day Three

Engine fires, leather drive-trains, road-side oil changes…today certainly turned out to be exciting!

After our final driver’s meeting for the event, we all eagerly headed off to our cars in anticipation of the roads to come. Engines were fired and warmed, people began departing…and my car just cranked and cranked. A few cars hung around, a weak spark was diagnosed a new coil tried. No luck, and we had flooded the engine making attempts. As a last-resort option, a tow rope was called in so we could clear the Weber-style throttle bodies quickly. Not more than 10ft later and we were in business! A group of about six of us departed almost an hour late, but we were rolling…

As we headed out of Grand Junction, we rolled through Fruita before turning left towards Rangley. The highway starts off straight, but soon you’re climbing up and over Douglas pass. It may not have the allure, or challenge, of some of Colorado’s big passes…but the turns are fantastic, and the views are unique to the area. One view we didn’t expect, however, was Sean and Andrew standing beside their Datsun with burnt components on the ground. A battery fire had taken out some ignition cables (and the battery), and the guys were very lucky to be saved by Tabetha and Lilly who arrived moments after the fire was discovered with charged extinguishers at the ready. While they would endure a wait at the side of the road for Ryan to arrive, there was no tow truck involved. They McGyver’d a repair, drove to a local auto parts store, and were able to make it to the finish under their own power!

While the guys were on the side of the road contemplating how to make Datsun parts from thin air, the rest of us were in Rangley touring the new Rangley Auto Museum. Opened in 2016 by long-time resident Bud Striegel, the museum features roughly 35 vehicles from Bud’s collection. They are regularly rotated to keep the display fresh, and our group was given a personal tour by Bud himself…sharing stories on what makes each vehicle unique, or why he’s chosen it for the collection. The leather ‘chain’ on one motorcycle was a particular crowd favourite! With our museum stop complete, and our potential “hard luck” award winners becoming obvious, it was time to head to our final destination, and the lunch hosted by Hagerty. Fate, it would seem, did not want us to end the event early.

The Hard Luck Award, traditionally given to the entrants who experience a catastrophic failure, is not an award you would think anyone sets out to win. The McGyver, award, given to the entrants with the “best fix” throughout the weekend, is held in high-honour. The difference between a brilliant fix, and a disastrous day is sometimes found in the narrowest of margins.

Leaving the museum the Rally Bug fired up via a bump start, and was heard to be running on just three cylinders. “No worries,” I thought, “it will clear up in a moment. Sure enough, by the time we were getting gas two blocks away it was sounding a touch smoother. At the end of town, it smoothed out, we made some fuel-injection adjustments on the laptop and began sailing towards the finish. What we didn’t know, however, is that cylinder miss was actually a misdiagnosed failing exhaust gasket. Hot gases were being thrown direction onto the rear apron, and by the time we turned past Zac and Mason who had stopped to check the route book…our rear end was in flames! While Michael and I unstrapped and jumped out of the car, Mason and Zac grabbed water and helped douse the flames. Fortunetly it was just paintwork, some wiring and some rubber bits…the flames hadn’t reached anything fuel related. Our McGyver fix was to simply “remove damaged components” and drive without! We zip-tied the engine lid open, and continued to dinner. A few miles away a Triangle placed on the side of the road suggested we weren’t the only ones having trouble. The dark line that began on the pavement a hundred feet later confirmed it.

As we rounded the corner, and dropped down a slight rise the dark line turned to a wet dark line, ending in a large pool of oil. An Italian was parked nearby, with a crowd of entrants gathered. The Malibu, oval beetle, a Porsche 911 Targa, and 914 were all assisting in surgery, which was occurring on the Italian motor. It would seem that as they began descending down the hill, the smell of oil began to hit the two pilots. Just as one was about to ask the other “do you smell oil?”, the driver wisely shut off the engine so a proper diagnosis could be done. As the two coasted to a safe spot down the hill, the drain plug decided it was done with rallying, and left to go and find new friends in the desert scrub.

The collected group was rooting through tool bags and spare parts to try and find anything that would fit. Doug, fearing the worst, was whittling a new artisanal plug from a locally sourced wood-grained product. In the end, neither stick nor JB-Weld would be required. The pair were carrying a spare rad fan sensor, that just happened to fit the hole perfectly! The engine was refilled with oil, and started as though it was fresh from the factory. Later, contemplating the event over lunch, one of the entrants was heard explaining that they were quite happy with the whole experience, as far as they were concerned they had just finished the post-event oil change!

And so, the McGyver award was presented to our first entrants to vie for the title, Aaron and Marie Axelrod. Their Pantera rattled some shift linkage bits loose, and they were lost to wilderness…no doubt to start a school for oil pan plugs. Regardless, without the ability to shift, a Pantera isn’t much fun…and their tool bag didn’t have a cotter pin inside it. Instead, they found some twist-ties, like you would normally use on garbage bags, or to hold a spool of wire together. The ties were put into action, and worked so well they didn’t even bother to change them out for the rest of the event. A DeTomaso part number would be pending, if the company were still active.

At the end of the day, every one of our cars which began the event had made it to the finish…under it’s own power. We figured the Datsun guys probably had it the worst, and awarded them the Hard Luck Award. To help ease the pain of the restoration work and repairs ahead, we also awarded them each a Roue Watch, helping to ensure their bad day was going to get better!

The Spirit of the Summit award was given to Jeff and Robin Sykes for 2018. They’ve piloted their yellow Pantera in each of the four Silver Summits, and regale the Pantera club each year with photographs and stories of their adventures. This year, they managed to finally convince the club that trying the event out was a great idea, and we had four more club members join the Silver Summit in 2018. Jeff and Robin convinced their friends that driving classic cars is simply the best activity ever, and that fits the Spirit of our events in the best way possible.

Once again, the stunning photography has been provided by Andrew Snucins and Dan Evans.

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2017 Hagerty Silver Summit – Day Three

The morning parking lot was sunny and warm, with only a light flurry of activity. The VW Beetle enjoyed a condenser change, and was now running like a VW should. Hmmm…were we chasing “fuel issues” all weekend that were actually ignition related? The smell of starter fluid was wafting across the parking lot, a fairly obvious clue that the Datsun was attempting it’s morning start ritual. But otherwise, it was a relatively easy morning. Stories and laughter were shared in the sunshine before the driver’s meeting began.

With this the final day of the event, I reminded guests of the timing and need to “keep moving” so we could all enjoy the finish awards together. It was somewhat difficult to hide my excitement for today’s route, and the anticipation was shared with everyone who had driven it before. Leaving the parking lot, we turned North onto Highway 550…the famous “Million Dollar Highway”.

If you’ve ever read a magazine article which lists “the best places to drive” in either the USA, North America, or even the world, Highway 550 has been one of the featured destinations. Traveling north from Durango the route follows the Animas river, under the Hermosa Cliffs. Soon, Engineer Mountain becomes visible…the clue for those in the know that things are going to become very interesting. The next 40 minutes is spent gripping the wheel, rowing through the gears, and testing the nerves of your co-driver. We passed over Coal Bank Pass, and then onto the Molas Pass…enjoying views of Molas Lake, the Animas River Gorge, and multitudes of snowy mountain peaks. A temporary traffic stop (in place for avalanche debris clearing), gathered our group for a stunning view of the town of Silverton in the valley below. It was here, while overlooking Silverton six years ago, that I decided Classic Car Adventures needed an event in Colorado.

As I was thinking about the last two days, and the sunny drive we were all enjoying, and just how awesome this whole thing was, Mark Gomez called my name, and pointed at his car. His 1967 Mustang Coupe, fresh from a suspension, steering and brake upgrade, was mine to pilot down into Silverton and beyond. After a quick gas stop it was “Team America” heading North to Ouray. Two of the three Mustangs, the ’67 Camaro and the Olds 442 would travel together. Leaving Silverton the highway heads up the Mineral Creek Valley, before running up the Red Mountain Pass, and through the Uncompahgre Gorge. If you’re co-driver wasn’t nervous before, they sure would be now!

The stretch through the gorge is challenging and potentially hazardous. There are tight switch backs, steep cliffs which meet the road edge on either side, and zero guardrails. This section is known as the Million Dollar Highway, as it’s rumoured it cost a million dollars a mile to build. I suppose, when you think about it, they were on a budget…no money left over for guardrails or safety!

Soon, however, you begin a steep decent though switchbacks that literally ribbon across each other. If you time it right, you can see 3 levels of your classic car friends in some of the corner sections. The road straightens out of for a moment, turns a tight curve around a cliffside, and the Town of Ouray suddenly becomes visible in the Valley below. Our entire group managed to meet up for a coffee and ice-cream stop in the town, enjoying the many buildings from the late 1800’s, before heading North towards the finish. Having enjoyed the Mustang immensely, I opted to jump in the co-driver’s seat of David’s Porsche 911 for the next leg of our journey.

Our route took us through Montrose, Delta and Orchard city before handing us a final taste of the twisties for 2017. We ascended the Grand Mesa, the world’s largest flat-topped mountain, via a series of switchbacks. Once on top, the highway is a beautiful ribbon of gentle curves working it’s way around the many lakes in the area. Just as we were eight miles from the finish, we saw a Warning Triangle on the side of the road, the CCA way of saying “mechanical issue ahead”. As passing car pulled over to see if we could provide assistance. Surprisingly, Jim (the owner of the VW Beetle) was deep in the act of “paying it forward”. He was underneath Duncan’s Mustang changing out the fuel filter. The rest of us passed the time by either passing requested tools to the good doctor, or throwing snowballs at each other. With the Mustang fuel filter fix completed, a final request was heard from under the Mustang “uh, could you guys lift it up so I can get out?”

It’s a true hero who squeezes himself under a car so tightly, it takes four people to lift the rear end to get him out!

Just as I was about to get back into the 442 for the final seven miles to the finish, I heard Saloman calling my name. Now, if you’ve followed us for the last three days worth of stories, you probably know what’s coming! I have to be honest, I’ve wanted to drive his car since the first time I saw it back in 2015. While my test drive to the finish might have only been seven miles, it was enough to confirm I must own a 911 one day.

As we pulled into the Mesa Lakes Lodge, a lakeside log cabin restaurant, the parking lot was packed full of classic cars. Not only had our whole group made it to the finish, we had done so in the same 30min window. We dined on Elk Burgers, enjoyed the presentation of awards, and gazed upon a sunny lake with classic cars parked lakeside.

This year our Hard Luck Award winner was Tim Lloyd. Friday Morning was a rough start, and it wasn’t the weather. As we packed up at our hotel room it was discovered that something had high Tim’s trailer overnight. Unfortunately, that wouldn’t be the end of his woes. Last year, Kevin Lewis was our Hard Luck winner, having stripped the teeth off of 3rd gear in his Austin Healey Sprite. As per tradition, Kevin returned in 2017 with a Hard Luck Trophy, made from the damaged transmission bits in his car. Perhaps the award has a theme in Colorado, Tim’s TR6 developed transmission problems on day one with the overdrive clutches failing badly near the end of the day. Tim heads home with a fantastic new trophy, but not before heading all the way back to Gunnison to pickup his Triumph…

The MacGyver award is given to the entrant(s) who have the best fix for a problem on the event. MacGyver was known for always being prepared. Equipped with only a swiss army knife and his endless knowledge, he could take the materials he found around him and create amazing fixes for bizarre problems. This year, our MacGyver award winner took a slightly different approach. He packed every item on the “mandatory spares list”, and used every single one of them. When the materials at hand ran out, he used his secret “swiss-army-knife”. If you’re going to enter a car that has issues on the event, you can’t make a better choice than a Volkswagen Beetle. CCA’s Dave Hord can probably fix it for you, or at least get you running each morning! So, for his ingenious use of “feed the organizer beer and your car will start running”, Jim Hazlehurst was awarded the MacGyver award in 2017.

Our Spirit of the Summit Award, presented by Hagerty Insurance, is reserved for the entrant or entrants who best exemplify the Spirt of Classic Car Adventurism that Dave and Warwick set out to establish nine years ago. Truthfully, I wish we had packed an award for everyone this year. Looking out at the snowy roads on Friday Morning, each and every one of our entrants who drove off with a smile on their face deserves the recognition.

Our recipients this year are two car-enthusiast buddies who regularly buy project cars together, and have a bond formed over all things petrol related. You can often find them by the eau-de-petrol, as they seem to be working on the fuel system of their current event car at every Silver Summit! But, beyond unreliable cars and a shared passion for driving, these two are constantly helping everyone out. Whether it’s a much needed tool, a spare part, space in their cooler, or a cold beer, Ross and Jacob are the first on the scene, and the first to offer…whether they know you or not. They can take a frustrating day of unreliable motoring, and turn it into an adventure story you wish you were apart of.

Sadly, this concludes the Hagerty Silver Summit for 2017. We said goodbye to our classic car motoring friends, but made plans to see each other again soon. Whether it’s cars-and-coffee, a skiing vacation, or simply the Hagerty Silver Summit next year, we can’t wait to be back enjoying more time with all of you.

A preview of images is once again provided by Andrew Snucins and Dan Evans.

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2017 Hagerty Silver Summit – Day Two

With all the weather and changes in our most recent event days, it was such a pleasure to be woken up by the sun streaming through my window and the sound of a V8 being warmed up in the parking lot. Carburetors being warmed up in the sunshine could only mean one thing…today was going to be a good day.

The previous days’ snow had melted, jackets were abandoned and the parking lot became a symphony of classic car activity. “Do you have a timing light?”, “Hey, anyone got a booster pack?”, “Okay, seriously how did we not pack JB-Weld?”. While the coffee pot was calling my name, a Volkswagen engine was calling louder…“Dave, your Volkswagen whispering skills are required in the parking lot.”

Jim and Zach’s ’57 beetle was plagued by fuelling issues yesterday, perhaps I could help. While i checked float, needle, tuning and timing I could hear other adventures going on behind me. An E-type’s charging system has decided to take a break, a Datsun roadster needed the complete tool kit spread out on the parking lot, and one of our Camaro’s appears to be using oil at an alarming rate. I suspect the pits at a 24-hour of LeMans have less activity than our parking lot did this morning, but with the sun shining none of us seemed to mind. Breakfast was had while peering into engine bays, which is pretty much the best way one can enjoy a breakfast.

Eventually all our cars would leave the parking lot, with the exception of Tim’s TR6. The overdrive clutches in the transmission have developed a case of ‘On or Off’ action, resulting in a loss of forward momentum, or a large bang followed by a violent launch forward. Rather than tear the drivetrain out of the TR, Tim and his son wisely chose to fill vacant seats in other entrant’s vehicles. Experiencing other classic cars, even from the passenger seat, is always better than the ride of shame in the sweep vehicle!

While the Oldsmobile 442 was a wonderfully relaxing couch-like ride yesterday, you may not be surprised to hear I jumped on the chance to trade keys with Victor and his 914 2.0L. Victor is participating in his fifth CCA adventure, having done the Spring Thaw, Silver Summit and Maple Mille multiple times. Each time, he’s suggested I try out his 914, but we’ve never followed through. Today, he insisted, and I must be honest I wasn’t arguing very hard!

Our group set out from Gunnison, heading south on CO-149. We traveled through canyons into Lake City, up the steep Slumgullion Pass and wound our way into the historic mining town of Creede. The 914 2.0L is a much better choice for the twisties, and Erik and I spent the morning dicing it up with 911’s, 914’s, a few Mustangs and the Mercedes. Arriving in Creede, we planned on lunch with Victor…but the red 914 kept calling our names. The targa top, the sunshine, the twisty roads…it just seems so unfair to leave a great car parked on the side of the road. There’s no delicate way to put this, while Victor and his son Ian dined in Creede, I stole his 914 and headed for the hills once again!

We meandered south through the town of South Fork, and over Wolf Creek Pass into Pagosa Springs. Here we met up with the Porsche crew, and dined while we waited for Victor to catch up. While I did text message him right away on where he could pick up his car, it appears it didn’t arrive. We waited a while for Victor to rendezvous, enjoying some quick visits with other entrants at the gas station. Victor had wisely traded the 442 for a Camaro, but that caused a new problem. Some people we met were telling us Victor was “definitely behind us” in the orange Camaro. The other half were telling us he was “definitely ahead of us”. With two orange Camaros in the event, who knows where he could actually be?! Should we wait, or venture ahead in the 914? Given the choice between waiting at the side of the road or driving a 914 2.0L…which would you choose?

As we headed towards New Mexico, we passed the 442, an MGB, the Ford Falcon and the ‘other’ Orange Camaro. The New Mexico loop was designed for cruising, and the 914 quickly ate away at the miles. We headed south, and then west along highway 64. Eventually the route took us North alongside the Navajo Dam and Reservoir, which offers tight twisty corners in a roller-coaster fashion. Victor’s 914 handles like the autocross champion that it is, carving around the corners and bumps like cones in a course. As I pushed the throttle down, Erik pushed the “virtual brake” on the passenger floor and together we giggled our way towards Colorado.

With our overnight stop in Durango near, the route book had one more surprise for us. Rather than take the usual route into town, we ventured off into little-known side roads for a gentle roller-coaster ride through trees and fields. The parking lot was quite full by the time we arrived. A traditional post-drive party of beers and stories was in full swing, with many curious how I was still in the 914. I pulled out my phone, called Victor and gave him the news…

“Victor, I’m pleased to report your stolen 914 has been recovered, and is down here in the hotel parking lot. Don’t worry, I’ve been keeping it safe for you!”

Fortunately, Victor is just as wonderful as our other Classic Car Adventures friends. It turns out, as he handed me the keys this morning, he knew he was unlikely to see the car of the rest of the day. While he does own an impressive array of classic vehicles, his 914 is definitely his favourite. Given the choice of anything to drive, he’ll take this particular 914 every time. Perhaps that’s why he’s owned it for over 25 years. I gotta say…I completely agree with him. The smile on my face is going to last as long as this sunburn!

Speaking of sun, Andrew Snucins and Dan Evans spent the day hiking cliffs and baking in the sun to bring us more stunning photos. Today’s preview of photos is below:

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2017 Hagerty Silver Summit – Day One

If you haven’t spent much time in Colorado, a snow storm in May could seem like a bizarre and crazy occurrence. 36” of snow fell in Boulder over the last 48 hours, our start location of Golden was actually white, and here in Colorado they actually named the storm “Valerie”. That’s right, just like a Hurricane, this winter storm had a name. It wasn’t exactly the ideal lead up to a Classic Car Driving event.

So it was with a little trepidation that I walked into the room for our Thursday night “unofficial” pre-event dinner, hosted by Hagerty Collector Car Insurance in their new Colorado office. In just a few short hours we’d be lining up our classic cars for registration, in a parking lot that was currently blanketed by snow. “Right,” I thought, “I should probably address the situation…” So with that thought in mind, I spoke about our pending event. I highlighted alternate route preparations, I suggested the storm appeared to be moving on, I added the usual CCA flourish where a downpour becomes a slight misting of rain. But outside, it was white. It’s kind of hard to hide the white.

We awoke this morning to black roads, and white gardens. The snow was still falling, lightly, but with rising temperatures it wasn’t sticking. Perhaps my luck would change after all! I peered over weather reports, scrutinized highway conditions and highway cameras, and then packed up the final items for registration. Checking each car in this morning, it was nothing but smiles and positive thoughts. Our Colorado guests reaffirmed that this sort of thing can happen, and how they were sure the weather was turning. Our Oklahoma guests, used to extreme weather of another kind, were perhaps a little less enthusiastic of the snow, but still very enthusiastic about the event. Our other out-of-towners were equally excited to start…except, perhaps, the Canadians who joked that they came south to leave this winter weather behind! With warning triangles and registration forms checked, the driver’s meeting began.

2017 seems to be the “year of the re-route due to weather” for Classic Car Adventures, and today was no different. After studying the maps, I selected a route which I believed would give us the best mix of twisty roads, while keeping the group low enough to avoid the potential snow squalls and snow storms. With directions confirmed, it was time to embark on our mission like early explorers.

We started from Golden amongst the snow, and quickly found dense fog along S. Turkey Creek Road. Navigating through the soupy fog, I wondered how Andrew and Dan could possibly shoot photos today…or if we’d see the sun at all on the event. And yet, by 11am the fog was behind us, and by noon the sun was shining. We enjoyed a repeat of some 2016 roads, some of the best on the event, before turning west on highway 24. An hour later we met up with the original route planned in the route book, and headed south towards the Monarch Pass.

The driver’s meeting auxiliary map had split the route into two options at this point. We were to check in at Buena Vista to confirm the pass conditions, and make a decision for ourselves. Those willing to risk possible snow would to head up over the Monarch Pass, while those wishing to avoid it would go on the longer around route though Sagauche.

Climbing up towards the Summit, I was sure we had made the wrong choice. The cars coming in the opposite direction had snow covered front bumpers and license plates. Still, it was just flakes falling and not sticking to the road…so surely it would be okay? “Just another mile then,” we said to ourselves, “we can turn around if it gets bad.” Up we climbed, the weather staying steady, and suddenly there we were on the summit. Sunshine, and dry roads meeting us on the other side. It was a welcome twist from our expectations.

Twenty minutes later, arriving in the hotel parking lot, it was sunny and folks were washing the day’s grime off their cars. One thing you couldn’t wash off, however, were the smiles on our faces. We started the day in Golden expecting the worse, expecting to just bear with it and try and make it to the finish. And yet, here we were. Not only had we made it, but it had been an incredibly fine day of driving. Lucky? Perhaps. Well planned? Well, perhaps ‘well saved’ is a better descriptor. Adventurous? Absolutely.

And, ultimately, that’s why we’re all here. For the Adventure.

Special thanks to Andrew Snucins and Dan Evans for braving the snow and cold to bring us these stunning images from today’s adventure.

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2017 Hagerty Silver Summit Entry Opens!

Entry for our 2017 Colorado Adventure is now open! The Hagerty Silver Summit explores the best roads Colorado has to offer, and these roads are some of the best driving roads in the world. This year’s adventure will start in Golden CO, with a finish planned for Grand Junction…or the surrounding area. Full event information can be found on the Hagerty Silver Summit information page. We’re looking forward to seeing our Colorado and area friends once again, and meeting new entrants in 2017. If you haven’t yet explored Colorado, now is the time!

2016 Hagerty Silver Summit – Day Three Photos

Day Three of the Hagerty Silver Summit opened with sunshine, a fantastic breakfast, and a slightly stressed organizer. The clutch cable, you see, had snapped just as I arrived the night before in Mt Crested Butte. With no spare on board, there was only one option…drive without. Park the car? Trailer the car? These are not valid options, where is the adventure!?! At home, which is sea level, the car will roll on the starter in first and get going without any issues. Up at 8,000+ feet, however, was going to be an adventure indeed.

With the Driver’s meeting concluded, some of our group stood with cameras and video cameras. The whole group waited for my car to leave first, so as to give me the best chance of getting going without impediment. As I reached down to turn the key and see if it would go, the real reason for my stress was finally here. I wasn’t worried about driving without a clutch, but I was worried about getting it going the first try with an audience! We rolled for a moment, it coughed and sputtered and then suddenly the rally bug came alive and day three began in earnest!

Soon we were traveling along, below the posted speed limit so the rest of the group could catch up. We drove from Crested Butte to Gunnison with Erik and Andy in the Oldsmobile 442, another car which was not expected to arrive at the finish. Coming out of Gunnison, West along Highway 50, we lead a pack of Porsches and a Pontiac GTO before letting them pass for the Black Canyon of the Gunnison.

The route book took us along the North Rim of the Canyon on CO-92. As the road winds and twists its way along the Canyon edge, you get the unique opportunity to see your fellow enthusiasts as they motor along ahead and behind you. With almost zero traffic, and the sounds of our classic machinery around us, it was very easy to imagine a time when the roads were only filled with classic cars.

With the tight twists for the sports cars taken care of, it was North through Crawford, Hotchkiss and Paonia on touring roads best suited for big engines. We then wound our way through Bowie and Somerset, literally driving underneath the Coal-Mining equipment on the highway. We then wound through red canyons cut by rivers, and finally broke through the West Elk mountains via the 8,755 ft high McLure Pass.

Our group gathered to end the day just shy of Glenwood Springs, at the Ironbridge Golf Course. Our parking lot party, and following lunch was no longer a gathering of entrants, but rather a gathering of friends. Following lunch, we awarded the traditional Classic Car Adventures awards. The Macgyver award, for best fix on the event, was awarded to Jacob and Ross for their record fuel filter swap times. The Hard Luck Award was given to Kevin Lewis, as he had to switch from his gorgeous Bug-Eye Sprite to a rather modern looking S2000 when the transmission in the Sprite died. And the Hagerty Spirit of the Summit award? That was given to Nathan York, of Oklahoma City. Nathan heard about the event from Randy Kaplin (Spirit runner-up!), and promptly began roping a whole crew of cars from Oklahoma into joining him. Sharing a love of driving and adventure is a sure way to earn a nomination for a Spirit Award!

Sadly though, it seems all good things must come to an end. After an amazing weekend of great cars, amazing roads, brilliant weather and fantastic friends…it was time to say goodbye. The 2016 Hagerty Silver Summit was complete, but not before we were asked for the 2017 dates. It would seem our Colorado Family is all ready to gather again next year, and hopefully introduce a whole new wave of enthusiasts to our brand of adventure. We can’t wait, it’s only been a few hours and we miss our friends already.

Andrew Snucins and Dan Evans were able to snag some amazing early Day Three photos before rushing to the airport for their flights home. A preview of today’s work: [print_gllr id=3733]