I thought I'd update this list about the 50th Annual Glenwood Springs
Rallye. I usually don't post things of this nature to the list.
Everyone has their own LBC events all across the world. This event
happens to be famous for being longest continuously run rallye in North
America. It is done under the auspices MGCC Rocky Mountain Centre, of
which I'm a member. There are several others on this list, both members
and non-members of the MGCC, who have participated in and organized this
event over the years.
This year he event had 7 components. The tour started in Denver and ran
over the Rocky Mountains to Glenwood Springs on Friday, then a Sock Hop
on Friday night, complete with a live band. On Saturday the rallye was
run in the Glenwood Springs area. Saturday night was a large banquet,
complete with a guest speaker. Things were to wind up on Sunday with a
breakfast, a car show and Funkana. There are few events in the country
that are as large and as well planned as this event.
This year was special because it was the 50th annual running of the
rallye, quite a feat; and of course this year there was the fire....
Yes, the fire. There was a LARGE forest fire in the area. Glenwood
Springs Colorado is a mountain resort community. For over a hundred
years people have made the trip to Glenwood Springs to visit the
'therapeutic' hot springs they are famous for. The community is nestled
in a valley right beside the Colorado river, and surrounded by pine
forest. Quite a setting.
Yesterday afternoon, after the rallye, and before the banquet, we
noticed smoke 'just over the mountain ridge'. It was a large quantity
of smoke, but then again Colorado is presently suffering a draught and
forest fires are not uncommon. Some of you might remember the Storm
King Mountain fire. That fire was in the same area in 1994, it
tragically killed 14 firefighters in a matter of moments when the
firefighters became trapped by shifting winds. It turns out this fire is
a much larger fire than the Storm King fire. All fires are certainly a
traumatic event, cause a great amount of damage, and are a risk to life
and personal property; but they are a fact of life in the rugged Rocky
Mountains, especially when there is a lack of rain. So while the smoke
was talked about, life continued as usual.
Some the event participants felt secure in the fact that the mighty
Colorado River separated us from the fire. But then the news came, the
fire had 'jumped' the river on the west end of town, and had consumed
many commercial buildings. I've not confirmed it, but the rumor was that
the K-mart, a small retail mall, as well as a car dealership were all
destroyed Saturday afternoon.
By the time the banquet started many people had packed and left for home
(remember some traveled several hundred miles to attend this event, home
for them was many hours, or days away), others just packed and waited
for updates. Our speaker for the banquet was Sam Arnold. Sam had the
advertising account for the BMC corporation in the 60's and was a
personal friend of Cecil Kimber and others associated with the MG Car
Company. He is a very colorful and flamboyant person, sort of a local
Denver 'personality'. Dinner was done and he was in the middle of his
entertaining talk when we received notice the town was being evacuated.
So slowly, without panic, the banquet was over, those that were packed,
headed for their cars, others went to their rooms to pack their
belongings, and some just left their belongings behind and drove out of
town.
As Kathy and I prepared for our escape, the parking lot was 'buzzing'
with fear and excitement. Ashes were falling on freshly washed and
waxed cars. The fire was very close and visible just across the river
from us. Flames were 100 to 200 feet in height, and the entire side of
the mountain was either flames and smoke, or would be soon. It
appeared that it would be just a few minutes and the newly completed
Glenwood Springs Rec Center would be destroyed. That's where we had the
Sock Hop just the night before.
Soon, under the supervision of emergency personnel, you could see a long
procession of Triumphs, Austin Healeys, Rovers, Jaguars and Minis, as
well as; Miatas, Porsches, BMWs, Corvettes, and Audis; all were heading
out of town. Of course, lets not forget the MGs, dozens and dozens of
MGs fired up there engines and waited their turn to head out; there was
an SA, a YA, TCs, TFs, As, and Bs. Some of these MGs were very rare and
were brought to this event to be 'displayed'. The procession continued.
The only exit was eastbound I-70. Westbound I-70 had been closed for
several hours. Those of you not familiar with the Rocky Mountains
should know that these mountains are not covered with roads and
highways, there are very few options for escaping a community like this.
So east on I-70 it was, car after car, one at a time, heading east,
toward Denver. The darkness was settling in as we drove down the
interstate; the convertible top down, we could see in our rear view
mirror, flames and smoke. Ashes were falling all around us, some were
settling in our eyes. As the darkness grew, the evening got cooler, we
could only imagine the destruction we left behind us.
The last report we heard was the fire still rages out of control, many
homes and commercial establishments have been destroyed. I have heard no
reports of injury or death. We can only hope that no lives are lost
fighting this fire...
For more information you can check:
http://www.9news.com/storyfull.asp?id=3636
http://www.thedenverchannel.com/den/news/stories/news-150323020020608-20
0605.html
Larry Hoy
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