If names like Porche, Alfa Romeo, and Lancia put a little horsepower in your blood, head over to Mendocino by the 27th of April for a taste of the famed Mille Miglia being recreated as the California Mille. It's the 20th running of this thousand mile drive, which actually covers April 26 through 29. Some 70 fast cars including those from Italy and other parts of Europe will roll into Mendocino for a two day show. The local Mendocino Hotel will host a benefit for the Mendocino Headlands State Park. A $10 admission fee will go straight to the cause--and attendees will be able to vote for their favorite vintage racer.
It's all a part of the multi-day event that will take drivers and their rigs on a thousand mile drive heading north or south from San Francisco with the objective of discovering little-known roads, time-capsule towns, and the best dining available. "We'll be re-visiting areas that have been favorites with our drivers over the years--the fantastic Lost Coast (called "California's least-developed coastline"), Honeydew (where the same bearded old-timers seem to snooze on the same bench in front of the Honeydew Country Store on Mattole Road, and the Avenue of the Giants with redwoods even older than our cars," says Martin Swig, the California Mille organizer, who drove the revived Mille Miglia from Brescia to Rome to Brescia in l982.
Swig persuaded the Italian Mille organizers to authorize an American version of their drive---not as a race but as a fast tour. "Northern California looks more Italian that Italy ," says Swig, "and it didn't take much thought to realize that our state was perfect for the re-creation of a great motoring event."
Here's a partial list of participating rigs:
1961 Alfa Romeo; 2000 Spider; 1957 Alfa Romeo Giulietta Sprint Veloce; 1952 Allard J2X; 1957 Alfa Romeo 1900 Super; 1939 Jaguar SS-100; 1927 Bentley; 1936 HRG; 1952 Lancia Aurelia B20S; 1952 Siata Daina Gran Sport; 1957 Alfa Romeo Sprint Veloce Lt. Wt.; 1933 Alfa Romeo 6C 1750GS53 Siata 208S; 1957 Porsche Speedster; 1957 AC Ace-Bristol Zagato; 1958 Mercedes-Benz 300SL; 1956 Jaguar XK140MC ots; 1927 Bentley; 1956 Mercedes-Benz 300SL Gullwing; 1959 Alfa Romeo Giulia Spider; 1955 Alfa Romeo Giulietta Sprint; 1952 Jaguar XK120 ots; 1957 Alfa Romeo Giulietta Spider; 1956 Jaguar XK140MC SE; 1952 Ferrari 212 Barchetta; 1957 Chevrolet Corvette; 1955 Jaguar XK140 SE; 1955 Austin-Healey 100M; 1957 Porsche Speedster; 1937 Lancia Aprilia; 1957 Jaguar XK150; 1927 Lancia Lambda; 1953 Ferrari 340MM; 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300SL Gullwing; 1957 AC Aceca - Bristol coupe; 1956 Alfa Romeo 1900 CSS; 1955 Alfa Romeo 750C Berlina; 1957 Lancia Aurelia B24S; 1956 Alfa Romeo 1900SS; 1956 Alfa Romeo Giulietta Sprint; 1957 Alfa Romeo Giulietta Spider; 1952 Jaguar XK120 Speciale; 1957 Alfa Romeo Giulietta Spider Veloce; 1954 Mercedes-Benz 300SL Gullwing; 1954 Jaguar XK120 ots; 1960 Porsche 356; 1952 Ferrari 212 Europa Vignale cabriolet; 1957 Jaguar XK140MC; 1934 Lagonda M45; 1955 Fiat Abarth Zagato 750; 1950 Talbot-Lago T26; 1957 Alfa Romeo Spider; 1956 AC Ace - Bristol; 1958 Ferrari 250GT LWB; 1957 Porsche 356GT; 1952 MG-TD; 1939 BMW 328; 1958 Alfa Romeo Giulietta; 1953 Alfa Romeo 1900CS; 1957 Chevrolet Corvette; 1958 Alfa Romeo Giulietta Spider; 1927 Lancia Lambda; 1927 Alfa Romeo 1500CS; 1955 Lancia Aurelia B20S; 1954 Maserati A6GCS; 1957 AC Ace- Bristol; 1957 Lancia Aurelia B24S
While the Mendocino Headlands State Park is a day-use only park, there are numerous other campgrounds in the area. For more information on camping, visit this site.
photo Ed Callow [torquespeak] on flickr.com by creative commons license
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