Impromptu Huntsville Tour and Governor General Send Off

Announcement : The message went out for the Governor General Send Off Drive earlier, a little tour for Mitch who is going on a larger military "tour" in the Middle East for the summer.

Meeting : The meeting place was at Checker Auto in Kaysville, known to all of us. Those attending and driving were Mitch & Diane Johnson in their Triumph Spitfire, Pugs & Diane Pivirotto in their Crossfire, Larry Farrington in his TR-6, John Progess in his red MG-A, Rich Goodman in his black TR-7 and Paul, Elizabeth & Wiley Jaroch in their Benz-O-Matic diesel. Those sending Mitch and the drivers off were Dawn & Kimberly Owens, our "Mini Girls" and Gary Lindstrom, our esteemed past Governor General.

Leaving : This was a "no plan" tour, just get out and drive our cars with Mitch and go where anyone cared to go as a group. Come to find out this "play it as you go" no plan tour was a lot of fun. There at Checker we voted to tour up to the Trappist Monastery in Huntsville and lunch at the Shooting Star also in Huntsville. We proceeded east to 89, then north to the mouth of Ogden Canyon.

Ogden : Once on the canyon road we turned into Rainbow Gardens for a pit stop and to tour the gift shop. The Ogden River is full, rushing and loud.

Ogden Canyon : Beautiful drive up the canyon in the shadows of the new spring growth following the Ogden River up to Pineview Reservoir and around to the Huntsville / Monastery intersection. Right turn and on through cow and horse country. This is rural here and folks stop and wave as we all motor by. Not much else going on up here. It's nice pasture land and the new growth in the fields smells sweet.

Trappist Monastery : Arrive and purchase honey, jams and cereal, most produced right there on their farms. It's sunny and warm and oh, so quiet. That's why it's a "monastery" I suppose. Motored back on by the same waving folks and into downtown Huntsville.

Shooting Star : Arrived at 11:30, sign on door indicated they opened at 12:00 noon. The owner opened the door and told us we were a "little early". OK, let's burn some time. We strolled around the corner and toured downtown Huntsville by foot around the Yukon Grille and the little gift shop. Didn't see a soul, or but one car other than us since we arrived 11:50 we started to turn around and return the 25 yards to the Shooting Star for a burger at the oldest continuously operating tavern in Utah. Pugs looks down the street and sees a car, then we see about 12 more following. They pull up to the Shooting Star and across the street and all occupants just pile out of their cars and walk right into the establishment, and we were waiting for noon like we were told!! Some of us know the legendary cooking facilities at the Star and figure right then and there that our chances of getting a meal would be about an hour out. We go back to the Yukon Grille to see what it's all about. It's open and only a couple of customers. This may be OK. At least we'll get served something, it seems.

Yukon Grille : Rustic and nice. Food is fresh and good. Appetizers are shared all around of battered mushrooms and onions. Conversation, camaraderie, and story telling ensues. Owner is quite the car fan and offers his establishment to us for any future mass attendance and bar-b-ques. Suggests a "Buff & Shine". He'd like to have our Brit-mobiles parking all around his place.. Says he'll make the food rates "right". The evening prior he hosted 150 Ski Patrol employees. The smoker out back was still warm and smelling oh, so GOOD.

North Ogden Divide : Beautiful drive up through the farming country of Eden and onto the grade up to the North Ogden Divide. Snow on both sides of the road and it's warm outside. Windows are all down and the sunroof open on the "Matic". We climb a steep grade but on a safe, good road. Once at the divide we are treated with a spectacular view of the North Ogden Valley and the Lake. I'm surprised at the elevation we are at as I look out west and below down the mountain.

Down the mountain : Careful speed. Rock debris and water from the melt off are on the road while I'm enjoying the view as I can.

Depart for home at North Ogden : Stopped at the intersection at the base of the grade to regroup, shake hands, hugs all around for our GG and best wishes for a safe and speedy return. New road takes some west right out to I-15. Mitch, Diane and we go south on Washington into Ogden, 89 and home.

Kaysville to North Ogden: 65 miles
Time: 6hrs, including all stops
Fun: a most enjoyable local run and right here around the corner

Conclusion : Short runs like this even just around Pineview and back to the Oaks restaurant I think may be a fun consideration for us. Local around Salt Lake as well. You wouldn't have to prep too much, just crank and go. Larry said that we needed to have more of these things. This run was on a short fuse, attended by only a few, six cars, but it was a BLAST.

Looking forward to Antelope Island.

--Paul Jaroch

Click on any image to see a full size version.