By Andy Lindberg –
This year’s Walleye 1000 was called Ralleye de Valleye. (I assumed that “ralleye” and “valleye” rhymed with walleye, but others thought they rhymed with Sally.) In its past six runnings, Dave Tobin had organized the Walleye. Dave now resides in New England, and Mark Sabbann, Dave’s assistant for all the Walleyes, organized this year’s Ralleye.
Point Douglas Park
We met Saturday AM at Point Douglas Park, just on the Minnesota side of Prescott. Wisconsin. After the spandex bicyclists and their bike-hauling minivans cleared out, Ralleyers were treated to a view of an eclectic mix of 20+ year-old vehicles. Many were sports or “sports” cars, but they were outnumbered by the grand touring contingent (Beemers, Mercs and Jags). Attracting the most interest were the more elderly vehicle: Dick and Nancy Lorntson’s ’64 VW Westfalia bus, Mark Sabbann and Mary Kay Patrick’s ’64 Porsche 356 SC, Clarence and Kate Westberg’s ’59 MGA, and Jeff Schille’s ’68 Saab 96.
After coffee, muffins, and a drivers’ meeting, we could take off. Since this was a rally and not a follow-the-leader tour, twenty cars together did not have to make a left turn onto Highway 10. After a few miles on 10, it was into Wisconsin’s alphabet soup county roads. Wow! I’ve driven in this area many times but most of the roads were new to me. Some were grand touring roads where Daniel Buchen’s ’95 XJ6 felt right at home. Set the cruise at 60 and the big cat loafs down the straights and through the 35-mph curves. Then, however, there were the autocross roads where it would be more fun tossing a bugeye Sprite around. All the roads were so well maintained (unlike in the Twin Cities] that you didn’t need a Citroen 2CV to be comfortable. And the 2CV’s lack of air conditioning would have left your clothes sweat drenched. Did I mention it was hot?
Lunch, on your own, was in Wabasha, Minnesota, and then it was down Highway 61, making long detours on some of the more interesting county roads, which get numbers in Minnesota rather than Wisconsin’s letters. At Garvin Heights we admired the overlooked and enjoyed frosty treats. (That Westfalia bus had umpteen coolers stashed inside.) Then, after many more interesting roads, we avoided I-90 into LaCrosse and the Radisson. Naps and showers and a short walk to dinner.
Monarch Public House, Fountain City, WI
Another early start on Sunday and then it was off on even more beautiful roads. MM and M were a couple favorites. They’re part of the Wisconsin rustic roads system. What a brilliant plan Wisconsin! After the Mindoro Cut, lunch was in Fountain City at the Monarch Public House and was hosted by Morrie’s Heritage Car Connection. Adam Karon and Alex Bellus, from Morrie’s joined us for lunch as they accompanied us on the entire rally in Morrie’s ’77 Mazda rotary pickup. Lots of room for Alex’s camera equipment but I haven’t seen any pictures yet on Morrie’s web site.
Then it was more beautiful roads until we met for a pitiful meal at a golf course near I94 and Manning Road. (Name is being withheld to protect the guilty.) Prizes were handed out for the most correct answers to the rally’s questions. (E.g., “Hanging above the stone wheel are three ________”) First prize, a free day’s rental of any car from Morrie’s heritage rentals, went to Jason Burton and Sarah Oppenhuizen of Chicago in a ’97 Mercedes CL600. Daniel and Ann Buchen of St. Paul in a ‘94 Mustang garnered second prize, a $100 Pep Boys gift certificate.
Watch for next year’s running of the ralleye/rally/rallye/whatever.