In the fall of 2004, the club began what has become an annual tradition.  Ken and Eric Smith explored the back roads of southern Wisconsin, and they used what they learned to come up with a route from Beloit to New Glarus that is a dream come true for any 356 enthusiast.

Each year on the appointed day, we meet bright and early at a tollway oasis near Rockford and proceed to Beloit to pick up any Wisconsin participants.  From there it's good-bye to the Interstate and hello to a morning's worth of the most scenic roads in the Midwest, through farm country and woods, up hills and down, with no traffic and no unscheduled stops...unless the fan belt snaps on your webmaster's car.  Fortunately, when that happened in 2004 a spare was on hand, and we made it to New Glarus in time to keep our luncheon reservation.

After a delicious Swiss meal, we were headed home when another mechanical failure cropped up.  This time it was a loosened gearshift rod connector on Wally Wright's Cabriolet.  We managed to get the car into third gear, and a small caravan found a Farm and Fleet store that was willing to lend us a floor jack, whereupon Ken Smith bravely went under the car and made the repair.

Parking lot, early morning, Illinois Tollway oasis.



Drivers and passengers, Beloit.



Eric Smith reviews the route with the group.



On the road.



Anyone have a spare fan belt?
 



Who has a red car with right-hand drive?



Ken makes repairs.
 
 



Can you see anything under there?