3rd Summer Meeting - June 13-14, 2009

It's always hard to resist the call of the gatherings that the excellent Silvio Alberelli always offers. Unfortunately, unfavorable circumstances kept me away from the MG club for almost two years, but this time I really couldn't miss the Summer Meeting on June 13-14.

The first impression was breathtaking: I'm talking about the registration meeting place, Villa Scati, a splendid 17th-century noble residence, expanded several times over the centuries until reaching its current appearance. Surrounded by a large 18th-century park, it now boasts top-notch sports facilities, including swimming pools, a gym, a tennis court, a wellness center, and other amenities.

I feel like I'm disturbing the silence and tranquility of this enchanting place a little with the roar of our engines, but then I realize that the elegance, class, and colors of our MGs blend well with the villa's various eras of style and its yellow, red, green, and white hues, the result of a perfect recent restoration.

The twenty-seven cars entered well represent the history of the legendary Octagon brand: there is Urs's Magna, the two '47 TCs of Silvio and Elio, and then A, B, C, GT, Midget and F.

We set off towards the Beigua Natural Geopark. The beauty of the woods, the extraordinary variety of trees, the thousand shades of green, the panoramic views that open up before our eyes between one curve and the next, make us forget that the roads are narrow and winding... but what's the problem? Isn't that how our MGs like it?
We reach Pratorotondo at 1,100 meters for a short walk to the Alpine hut, a panoramic viewpoint that allows us to see the mountains sloping down to the sea—this is practically Liguria's balcony. Here, the dense forests give way to vast prairies that descend steeply from the ridge toward the coast, increasingly characterized by blocks of rock broken off over the centuries by erosion, fractures, and landslides, along with traces of Mediterranean scrub and short streams—in short, it's a triumph of geo- and bio-diversity. The flight of a few rare birds of prey greets our return to the hut for an aperitif followed by a buffet lunch. Because it's at the table where stories, tales, and experiences of old and new acquaintances intersect; everyone becomes friends, everyone becomes peers, and the passion for mountain biking inexorably unites us all.

But there's no time for a nap; the time trial for the Silver Cup begins immediately. The course is uphill, and the first part is so slow that you almost have to zigzag to stay within the allotted time without stalling. The usual suspects prevail: Bernardi wins, followed by the unwavering Cavagnolo, and yours truly in third.

At the summit of Mount Beigua, the numerous towers laden with satellite dishes make quite an impression; they are the TV repeaters for all of Liguria. On the way down to the sea, unfortunately, a mechanical failure occurred on one of the A-series antennas, which unfortunately cannot be repaired on site; we'll have to wait until a repair shop opens on Monday.

And finally, for all of us, hot and tired, the long-awaited shower arrives at the Hotel da Claudio, a complex on various levels connected by stairways and terraces, in an elevated position above the sea, with a panoramic view of the island of Bergeggi.
The gala dinner offers a delicious array of typical local specialties: ca e salada, Vecchia Liguria platter with various fillings and frittatas, octopus and shrimp salad, pesto lasagna and seafood ravioli, Mediterranean ceiba, and finally dessert. But the main course is the joy, incredibly contagious and even more so during the awards ceremony: applause, smiles, compliments, witty remarks... an evening to remember.

The next morning, I'm an early riser, and it's still early for breakfast. So I follow Elio Doria to his TC; he proudly shows me his vintage tool kit, and I watch, spellbound, as he calmly disassembles a part of the car to check the differential oil, with the expertise of someone who knows what he's doing—ancient techniques that, with a passion for classic cars, will not be lost.

We head back into the Ligurian hinterland to reach our final destination: Sassello. This small, ancient village, located on the border between Liguria and Piedmont, is known for its traditional production of soft amaretti biscuits, porcini mushrooms, and other food specialties. It also boasts an intimate and unique historic center, with numerous brightly colored buildings and churches, and is a favorite summer destination in the hills. Today also marks the celebration of Corpus Christi and the Infiorata festival.
From dawn, the population begins to cover the streets of the city with floral and religious designs, composed of thousands of petals and flowers collected in the gardens and fields. The procession then passes over them, involving not only the clergy but also members of the religious orders carrying wooden crosses from the town's churches.

A welcoming greeting from the charming newly elected mayor, Paolo Badano, provides a cheerful introduction to the final lunch at the Pian del Sole restaurant. Here, Urs and Max Bottoli unleash their skills, competing to see who can tell the best jokes; our laughter echoes as far as Corsica.

Like all good things, the time comes to say goodbye; but there's no sadness among us MGists because we never say goodbye, only hellos, kisses, hugs, and... see you soon. Our Silvio won't wait long to call us again.

Vanni Panizzi

 

To the sea via the Alta Via dei Monti Liguri

We set out like this, like a protected species instinctively seeking the sea. Because we were destined for the sea. Yes, but via a new route. Who among us doesn't know Liguria? More or less, we've been there at least once. This time, however, the MGs have taken a new and quite evocative route. It's a spectacle that never ceases to amaze, the multicolored procession winding through the roads of the peninsula, with 26 vehicles from every era gathered from different regions. From Urs Langen's splendid 1932 MG F2 to the vibrant 1980 MG B driven by Giuliano Gaiolfi of Brescia. Meeting point: Acqui Terme. The long, colorful convoy slowly winds from the tranquil garden of Villa Scati towards Prà Riondo. It's 50 km of winding and rather steep roads, offering unexpected views. We pass through dense forests, where the forest air and the dim light envelop us with scents, to glimpses of Mediterranean scrub as we climb higher. We're blessed with a sunny summer day, where the smell of sunscreen, the revving of engines, and the pine resin create a feeling of outing and adventure. And for some, it truly was, like Andrea Maglio, who will be left stranded on the highest stretch, abandoned by his MG A: a broken differential! And then there's Piero Fontana, who experiences some minor carburetion problems, quickly resolved with the generous advice of many expert friends, who stop to check and lend a hand. What a delicious lunch, complete with aperitif, at the Prà Riondo refuge! It's a good opportunity for a hike along the Alta Via, up to the Alpini refuge, from whose terrace we glimpse the sea, there, behind a light blanket of mist. Everyone back to the cars, off we go again. We descend from Mount Beigua, nearly 1,300 meters above sea level, toward Varazze. The peacefulness and sense of unspoiled nature of these areas is striking. It's truly a side of Liguria waiting to be discovered, where perhaps mass tourism is discouraged by roads battered by the harsh winter weather and challenging ups and downs. Finally, we leave the Aurelia and take a stretch of highway to Torre del Mare. Before us, the island of Bergeggi looms, solemn and mysterious. From our hotel, we can see the entire gulf, the sea, and the island, and we breathe in the Mediterranean aromas, in a hushed and relaxing atmosphere, aided by a thin mist on the horizon. We chat about this and that with various friends from the Club (can you guess the topic?), and I also meet Silvio Alberelli's children, involved for the first time in the adventure of this excursion, which truly feels like a mini-vacation. They're happy and see people of all ages around them, with whom they chat and exchange pleasant conversations, both while waiting and then during dinner itself... It's Sunday morning. The sun from the terrace wakes us up. After breakfast, we head towards Sassello. The road is full of curves and takes us back inland, to the top of the mountain where the charming village awaits us. Sassello is famous for its amaretti, a recipe that the mayor tells us was born by chance, following a "competition" among the women of the village, committed to creating the best dessert with the few simple ingredients available. And also of notable interest is the Corpus Christi procession, with its flower display: the narrow streets of the historic center become a carpet of colorful petals that the residents devote themselves to artistically arranging to create impressive devotional shapes and designs. Many of us stop here and there for a snapshot (there's a photo contest!), and we meet again in the maze of streets like cheerful, lost tourists. Now we set off again for the final leg, towards the Pian del Sole restaurant, where a sumptuous, typical regional lunch awaits us. There are the awards ceremony, and then we say goodbye. What a shame, it flew by, once again. We eagerly await the photos of the participants who captured the best moments of the gathering. Who will be the winner?

Mauro De Giorgi
 

PHOTOGRAPHIC COMPETITION

Dear participants, taking into account the evaluations expressed by the jury, the ranking of the photography competition announced during our gathering is as follows:

1st place: FREE TOGETHER

Others ranked with equal merit

Peace, Friendship, Concentration, Bending over Beigua and Marco antennas