Update: As of December 20th, the entry list has 68 entries including the waitlist. See the full list HERE.

Entries will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis, so put down the wrenches for 10 minutes and submit your application before its too late! As many of our repeat participants know, this event sells-out well before the deadline each year. The fourth annual event will start AND finish in Hope, BC this year.

For full information, here are the two PDF documents you need to read and submit:

1. Supplemental Regulations (Event Details)

2. Entry Form

We look forward to seeing all our classic car friends again, plus we encourage any first-timers to come join the fun! You can watch the entry list HERE.

Each year there have been a few stand-outs for the award, but never before have I had such a strong feeling that we needed three or four to hand out. Usually Warwick and I write down our ideas and at the last moment show them to each other, but this year I relied on all our participants to help me find “the right one”. Out of the suggestions provided to me, here are the four other teams I wish I had made awards for. In no particular order…

Amos Rowsell & Sherri Collis - The idea of the Spring Thaw was borne from a desire to share our driving adventures with others. We had so much fun doing silly things in classic cars, wouldn’t it be more fun if we could find other people to do them with!?! When we couldn’t convince our usual crowd of friends to buy a classic and go driving, so we started this event and found the Spring Thaw crowd. Throughout the weekend Amos and Sherri were suggested to me a few times by other enthusiasts. Apparently when not participating in the Spring Thaw, they are busy trying to convince everyone else around them to join in. One car in particular mentioned that it was Amos and Sherri’s enthusiasm alone which prompted their entry. Infecting others with our particular disease of adventure? Yup, that is definite Spirit of the Thaw material.

Phil & Cayle Lacefield - To be honest, giving Phil and Cayle the Spirit of the Thaw award is almost too easy. From the moment they arrive at Registration you just know this event was made for people like them. Whether it’s the rare (and somewhat odd) Saab 850, or Phil’s (some might say rare, and somewhat odd) Kilt…you just sense the excitement the two of them have for being on the Thaw. If there is anyone who can name every participant in the event, it’s these two. I actually feel somewhat bad that we haven’t awarded them the Spirit Award, if you think about it…its so darned obvious we simply over look it!

Miles and Rosie Fenton - Where Phil and Cayle are instantly recognizable with their 850, you might not have noticed Miles and Rosie in their ’59 Alfa Giulietta Sprint. Inside the beautiful Alfa is a pair of road enthusiasts like no other. Classics are meant to be driven, and Miles takes to the task wholeheartedly! The pair was suggested to me by more then a few teams as someone deserving of the Spring Thaw award. At every moment they’re enthusiastic, full of fantastic stories and an absolute pleasure to spend time with. Miles and Rosie are type of people you go home from the Thaw wishing you could have spent more time with. In my eyes, that’s exactly the type who should win the Spirit award.

Dave and Kelly Beddows – Dave and Kelly were joining us on their first Spring Thaw Adventure. I imagine it must be tough standing there in the parking lot during our first driver’s meeting…all around you are “old friends” reuniting and joking around about past ‘Thaw activities. While we’re all a very sociable crowd, I suspect it takes a couple of days to “break in” and meet people. Apparently not, if your last name is Beddows! I saw the couple in their BMW as they stopped in Lillooet. Already they were traveling in a small group of cars, and I admit to having to look up whether or not they were “first timers”. But where they really shone was at the site of the failed 2002. It takes a special kind of person to rope-tow with a classic, but that wasn’t it. Before the car was even tucked away for the weekend, Dave and Kelly had offered up their truck and trailer, and the time to go and rescue the 2002. It also wasn’t the only time, or team, they offered this to throughout the weekend. I hope you had a chance to meet these two this weekend, they were without a doubt Spirit of the Thaw.

These were four stand-out entrants for 2011, but it doesn’t end there. You simply need to visit a car show, suggest to someone that they drive their classic 1200km…and instantly you’ll find that all of us are a special bunch. ‘Normal’ classic car ownership suggests you park, cherish and preserve your classic. Every one of our participants cares for their classic, but more importantly they use their classics. That alone is worth a Spirit of the Thaw award for each of them.

-Dave

Despite the months of planning, the days of prep and lack of sleep throughout…the hardest part of the event is sitting down to write this post. How do you compress three incredible days into a few mere paragraphs? 2011 will definitely be a year to remember!

Leading up to the event, every town was experiencing heavy rains. Were we going to experience crazy weather like in 2010? Thursday morning was pouring, and while I was mentally preparing for an indoor registration…the sun popped out! If cruising twisting roads in your classic is appealing, our three days of beautiful sunshine was certainly icing on the cake!

While the weather was striking, the ‘competition’ for Hard Luck Award was unfortunately fierce. The Opko’s started us off,  with a failed wheel bearing early on Friday morning. Dave Koszegi wasn’t to be outdone, and soon discovered a used motor wasn’t the bargain he was hoping for. With the 356 heading home on a trailer, we had high hopes that was the end. Matt and Lee’s BMW 2002, however, had different plans. The connecting rod was curious to see what was on the “other side”…so out through a hole it went!  We weren’t finished there either. A couple of cars spat out their generator pulleys in pieces, a Sprite slowly ate it’s rear differential for lunch, and just when we thought it was all over, a Beaumont transmission pan discovered rocks are much harder then steel.

Losing your car to a mechanical failure is not fun (trust me, as 2010′s Hard Luck winner I know), but it did highlight the best part about the Spring Thaw. With each failure came a group of fellow entrants eager to assist with repairs, transport and other options. Back seats were made available, trucks and trailers offered for retrieval, and perhaps the best part…a chance to drive other classics throughout the weekend. A motor failure might be the end of your weekend in other events, but in the Spring Thaw you might just be tossed the keys to something else!

The best part, for me as an organizer, was when I walked over to the Friday Night Bonfire. When you host an event which invites cars of all marques, you’re used to seeing the italians, british and german enthusiasts hanging out in smaller groups. Upon arriving to the bonfire, however, I could see the entire group was mixed. We are no longer enthusiasts of a particular marque meeting for a weekend of fun together. We are the Spring Thaw. Enthusiasts of fantastic roads, classic cars and above all else, great people.

I commented in our first Driver’s meeting that this no longer feels like hosting an event, but rather an annual reunion of some of my greatest car-nut friends. As I sit here sifting through the photos, looking out my window at a Volkswagen desperate for a wash, I find myself drifting back to conversations at dinner with new friends, road-side wrenching sessions, twisting corners and ribbons of blacktop. You’d expect after a weekend event for 126 people that I’d need a rest, but I’m simply filled with an overwhelming urge to do it all over again. 2011 will certainly be memorable, but 2012 is going to be even better!
- Dave Hord

As promised, the accepted entries for the 2011 Spring Thaw Classic Car Adventure, April 29-May 1, have been posted HERE!

Congratulations to everyone who made it in – and thank you to everyone who entered! As in previous years, we will be running a waitlist in case of last minute cancellations. If you’re still interested in entering the Spring Thaw, feel free to send an application for consideration to the waitlist.

In a tizzy because you’ve forgotten to go to the post office today? Panicked because you’ve just realized the Spring Thaw application deadline is THIS Monday, December 20th?

Fear not!

We’ve heard from quite a few people this week who have been busy/distracted/procrastinating on their applications and so we’ve decided to be nice and extend the application deadline to Friday, December 31st. (Merry Christmas!).  That said, please make every effort to send us your PDF application form via email by Monday, December 20th while we await your hard copy.

Thank you to everyone who has already sent in their application – it has been another great response this year with lots of hilarious and entertaining “page 2″ stories. If you know of someone who is slacking on sending in their entry, please motivate them appropriately!

Thanks again,
Warwick & Dave

By Warwick Patterson

Over the past few days I’ve been trying to write a concise wrap-up article about this year’s Spring Thaw Adventure, but it has been difficult for several reasons. First, as an organizer, the days of planning, preparing, and participating merge together into one blur and my experience becomes very different from a participant’s. That said, there are moments over the three days that stand out in my mind and make me realize why I love classic cars and why its important for people to get out and drive them.

When Dave and I decided to boost the numbers up to 60 cars from the 42 we had in 2009, we didn’t think much of it. It made for slightly more work in the hotel and restaurant department, but otherwise nothing really changed. We knew we were onto something special when the 2010 event sold out in the span of a week, but it was humbling to step up onto the bench in Hope, BC to address over 120 participants. This had become something much more than just going for a drive in the country with crazy friends!

“

Driver's Meeting, Hope, BC. Photo: Lee Pederson

The general public and governments dismiss ‘old’ cars as things that pollute our streets and should be scrapped to help stimulate a false economy. And yet, here was a group of people ready to strap in and drive the snot out of their ‘clunkers’ for the pure art and enjoyment of driving. I couldn’t keep the smile off my face as car after beautiful car rolled past to the start line and took off on their adventure. A big thanks to the town of Hope for the red carpet roll-out, especially Inge at the Visitor Centre, Victor of the Chamber of Commerce, and the Mayor, Laurie French.

Hope Mayor, Laurie French, and Chamber President, Victor Smith, wave off the competitors at the start.

Sometimes our event plans are tested in advance and we know they will work. Other ideas look good on paper and we have to leave it in the hands of Mother Nature and the local hosts to make it a success. Such was the case with our Friday lunch stop at See Ya Later Ranch winery. On the pre-runs it seemed to be a nice venue, the manager owned a Sunbeam Alpine, and they were keen to host our group. “Make it so!” we said, and a couple weeks later, sixty cars rolled into the vineyard. The sun came out, a bag lunch was provided, and it couldn’t have been more perfect! From my perspective, hurdle number one had been surpassed but there was still two days to go. During the event, I live in perpetual fear of finding out I’ve confused my rights and lefts when composing the routebook!

Cars parked for lunch at See Ya Later Ranch winery. Photo Warwick Patterson.

Sandwiches and Scenery at See Ya Later Ranch

One of the highlights of the weekend for me was at the first photo location on Saturday, at a small one-lane bridge leading to Black Sage Road in the heart of wine country. The first car to appear was the 1953 Aston Martin DB2 followed closely by the ex-Carrera Panamericana Alfa Giulia TI. After crossing the bridge they both accelerated in unison up the hill and across the ridge, sending their refined roar across the valley. I felt a twinge of pride, knowing that Dave and I helped bring these two cars together on that road to be enjoyed as they were meant to be – at full song on a twisty ribbon of tarmac.

This is one limit the 1953 Aston Martin DB2 won't be breaking.

One of the more common stories Dave and I heard over the weekend, is how the Spring Thaw created a hard deadline for a project. An engine rebuild or restoration that perhaps would drag on all summer, suddently gets an injection of urgency. There were many cars in pieces just months and weeks – and, indeed, days – before the event. Our Spirit of the Thaw award went to Duncan and Kirk Cowen in their V6-swapped MGA. Duncan was still trying to get the motor to fit in January and at 12:05am the day of the Spring Thaw the car roared to life for the first time and they hit the road. Better yet, they ran with the top down through sun, rain, hail, and snow the whole weekend. I’m not even sure the car had a top! These are the sorts of insane people the ‘Thaw was intended for.

Duncan and Kirk Cowen won the Spirit of the Thaw award. Photo Warwick Patterson.

For the second year in a row, the entourage spent Saturday night at Sun Peaks Resort north of Kamloops. With ski season over, most of the restaurants and shops are closed, so finding somewhere to feed 130 people can be a challenge. The Delta Hotel said they could fit that many people, so we arranged for a meal there. It was only when I walked in the doors that I realized we were going to be in the ballroom! This was not right…first a winery stop and now a ballroom dinner? There goes our grassroots low-budget credibility!

Dinner at Sun Peaks Resort on Saturday. A slightly grander affair than expected!

'Parc Expose' in Sun Peaks, BC

To cap off the weekend of adventure, the cars headed over the Duffy Lake Road from Lillooet into Pemberton and finished in Squamish, BC. The Duffy is an amazing stretch of road, often used in car commercials, and takes you from dry, arid desert terrain over the mountains and back into the coastal rainforest. This time, Mother Nature gave us warning that perhaps our time was coming to an end, and she started throwing a few snow flakes into the mix at the top of the pass.

Minis take on the Duffy Lake Road

One of those moments that made me smile and remember why we do this event came on our run through the pass in the little Mini. It was like we were transported back in time and suddenly had been dropped into a European mountain range. As I vigorously stirred the 4-pot to stay in the power band and pitched the little Mini into the corners to keep up, ahead of us romped a Renault Gordini, an Alfa Sprint Veloce, and a gorgeous Alfa Giulia SS. As Dave Birchall said, “Who needs Mille Miglia!”

Like we've been transported back to Europe 1966. Gordini, Sprint Veloce, Giulia SS on the Duffy Lake Rd.

And so it was with cooked brakes and tired bodies we arrived in downtown Squamish for the finish. Even through the bitter wind and rain, everyone seemed to have a weary smile on their face. In a cruel twist of fate, the other half of the organizing duo arrived in the back of the Sweep truck. Dave’s motor had made an awful knock-knock-knock sound while leaving Sun Peaks in the morning and the the oil pressure light came on. At the final awards, Dave found himself accepting the The Hard Luck trophy that he had just built days before!  Another really fun trip with like-minded crazy car nuts was in the books. New friends, new cars to lust after, and best of all, we don’t have to start thinking about the next one for at least a couple more weeks!

Thanks to all our supporters and sponsors – Hagerty Collector Car Insurance, AVR Import Specialties, Dave Koszegi Realty, BringaTrailer.com, Classic Motorsports, Permatex, Lordco Auto Parts, Northwest Auto Salon, and the West Coast Rally Association for helping us put on the event. Most of all, a huge thank you to all the participants who came out with their fantastic cars. The people are what make this event so fun.

The first leg of the journey took us over the top of the Hope-Princeton pass, so there was some worry about snow at the top. Luckily, the snow line stopped just shy of the road and as soon as we crossed over into the drier climate of the interior, it was sunny skies and smooth sailing.

After about 3.5 hours of fun roads, the group pulled into See Ya Later Ranch winery, where a bag lunch, patio, and stunning scenery awaited. This was a great chance to get to know some of the other drivers, check out their cars, and tell stories. The winery even had its own classic truck, and the manager brought her mint Series 3 Sunbeam Alpine to work for the day!

After lunch, it was a short blast down the backroads to Osoyoos for the overnight stop. The local pub was invaded, and it’s off to do it again in the morning! More video and photos to come this weekend…