by Cowboy Dave Chase

I was delighted with the Saturday, October 13th Fall Color Pumpkin Run turnout. It was an event leader's dream; small enough to keep everyone together easily and large enough to provide great camaraderie. We enjoyed the company of the drivers and co-pilots of five MGAs, three Midgets, one MGB/GT, seven MGBs, one Toy Spider (how appropriate) and one pretty little BMW for a total of 18 cars and 34 bodies.

Next stop: Chase Garden in Orting. This was a new spot for this run and what a fabulous place it turned out to be. Ninety-eight-year-old Mr. Chase has created a beautifully landscaped property which show-cases Mt. Rainier from a ridge overlooking Orting Valley. He still enjoys watching admiring visitors to his amazing backyard garden.

By this time a few people -- well, probably most of them -- were beginning to hear their stomachs growling but the next stop was so close by that we forged on, foregoing lunch just a little longer to visit the museum home spread of Ivan and Darlene Jensen in Graham. Once we arrived and began wandering among the amazing collections of antiques that the Jensens offer in their barns, out buildings and their home I'm sure most everyone almost forgot they were near starving. Ivan and Darlene and now their children and grandchildren have devoted their lives to creating their showpieces which they continue to live their daily lives in and around. All who ventured in to see the inside of Jensens' old converted school house came out oooohing and ahhhhhing. They have artfully blended high-quality Back-in-Time furnishings with objects of modern living which prompted Tom Hill to comment that he just loved those old-fashioned wide flat screen TVs. Pretty funny Tom.

Slowly, considering the now collective near-deafening empty stomach noises, we all climbed back into our cars for some more sun and fun on the winding roads to and through the picturesque town of Mineral. A slow parade-like drive through my home-away-from-home at the Lion's Campground on the shores of beautiful Mineral Lake was promised and delivered to the delight of the near year 'round, die-hard residents who gave us friendly waves and appreciative smiles, all happily requieted.

Owner Sandra Britton and her friendly staff were waiting to feed us at the Overland Restaurant and Lodge in Ashford. They enjoyed our visit and some of the staff came out to photograph the MGs picturesquely parked on their grounds. On such a lovely day we made quite a spectacle.

I wish to thank my lovely daughters, Alisa and Stephanie, the "Biker Babes", for being the rear car all day and for livening up the event with their laughter, silliness and great costumes. Thanks too, to my friend, Bev, who many may not have recognized in her get-up of fully tattooed arms, boots, spiked hair, skull jewelry and heavy black makeup, for all her help in putting this great event together. She assured me it was she who ordered up the perfect weather...

I'm especially grateful for those good people who sent me notes thanking me for a grand Fall Color Pumpkin Poker Run event. Ya made my week, folks.

PS: This is one of those being-in-the-right place-at-the-right-time MG Family stories. On our way home Bev and I decided to pop into Spirits of Iron just to see if anyone from our group had decided to check it out even tho it wasn't a scheduled stop on our Run due to time constraints. There we ran into Tim Horton and his co-pilot, Ali Saccone. Tim was having alternator problems with his B. We told them we'd stick with them on the way home in case the problems worsened. They did. A little way further down the road, Tim decided he needed to change out the ailing altenator with one he just happened to throw into the "boot" before the start of the trip. The wire plug was not the same as the bad one so he drove to my house on battery power with us keeping a close eye on them in the rear view mirror all the way. We offered them a bed for the night so they could hobble home in the daylight and we hoped they'd take us up on our offer as we enjoyed their company in the kitchen warming up over a hot cup of tea. But, most of us feel better at home in our own beds so Tim tackled the alternator once again and managed to jerry-rig it into working and he and Ali bundled up, put the top up and headed into the cold, dark night for Redmond - true MGers. So ended the 2007 Fall Color Pumpkin Poker Run - one for the record books.

Next year's run will be lead by Tom and Di White and Ray and Susan Murray. We look forward to viewing once again Washington's spectacular fall colors, this time further north.