Triumphal Memorial Day Run
It was a dark, rainy, and even hail-y morning when four stalwart Triumphs and their financial backers arrived at Hogle Zoo for the annual BMCU Memorial Day Run, this year to Dinosaur Land.

While the financiers debated the merits of trying to scale Wolf Creek Pass in the snow, their partners were heard to say "Hey, we may be dumb to be out here with you guys, but we're not stupid!" so the decision was made to take US-40 to Heber, and save Wolf Creek for the return trip.

Hearts were racing as we drove through slush and driving rain up Emigration Canyon and I-80 to Heber -- but just as we entered town, the rain subsided. After a quick pit stop, off we went to Fruitland on US-40 and across U-208 to U-35.

We stopped for lunch at Pinn Willy's, a wide spot in the middle of this road to nowhere. It turns out the proprietor had owned one of all our cars at one time or another, and was a real fan of British cars. After lunch we drove on to Vernal on unbelievably scenic back roads, through Altamont, Bluebell, and Neola. Once at the hotel a number of participants retreated to the indoor hot tub and pool, and all went to dinner at the 7-11 (restaurant, not C-store).

Sunday morning we awoke to a gorgeous blue sky with just a nip in the air. First up was a visit to the Utah Field House of Natural History. The newly opened museum tells the prehistoric story of Dino Land. We then drove out to Dinosaur National Monument, and spent several hours enjoying the landscape and points of interest.

After lunch, most of us headed out to Dry Fork Canyon, to view petroglyphs and traverse the Red Cloud Loop, until it became unpaved. At that point, we asked some young locals about road conditions, and before we knew it we were in their garage, ogling a modified mint condition ‘55 Chevy coupe. The boys tried hard to sell the coupe and their house to Pugs, once they heard he was a real estate tycoon. (They didn't, and he isn’t.)

Then it was back to the hotel to relax and soak in the spa. Meanwhile Mitch and Diane, having stayed in Vernal, had stopped in at the Checker Auto Parts store for a quart of oil. The manager told Mitch he had sold a car very similar to Mitch's about 20 years ago to someone in Montana. Through further questioning it became evident that Mitch's son Greg now owns that very car, a black Triumph Spitfire Mark I. A reunion (tearful, no doubt) was set for next week when the manager comes to Ogden for Checker training.

On Monday, another blue bird day, we retraced our Saturday route, this time east to west, incurring different wrong turns. In contrast to Saturday, we courageously traversed Wolf Creek Pass, which was indeed spectacular. After lunch in Kamas, we said goodbyes and headed home. Attending this all TR event were Pugs & Diane Pivirotto (Spitfire 1500), Larry & Margaret Farrington (TR6), Gary & Sandy Lindstrom (TR3A), and Mitch & Diane Johnson (Spitfire Mark I).