Satire and other content by Bob Frostholm
Lucy and David Modderman
Before I get into the body of this write up, I want to give a BIG SHOUT OUT to Lucy and David Modderman who generously picked up the Bar and Appetizer tab at lunch. Totally unexpected and from those of us who enjoyed one of Tyrolean’s great German beers on tap, thank you. David is somewhat new to LPR and perhaps didn’t realize that there is a long-standing tradition that when one member expresses his (her) generosity like this, that it is expected that they repeat it at all future events until someone else steps forward to take on the tradition. Well done, David and Lucy !!!! May your title as LPR Adult Beverage Benefactor live on forever.
On a continuing less serious note, our event began days in advance with several emails from Kris Vanacore alerting us to every possible traffic hazard that may impede our ability to get to the INN at Pasatiempo in time for the start. Expecting heavy beach going traffic, all of us north of Summit Rd. were offered a wide selection of alternative routes to “seriously consider” if the surfer crowd were to show up. A normal 40 minute commute could easily become 2 hours. Oh my! What to do? Knowing how smart most surfers are, Deb and I knew for sure they too would figure out all the reasonable alternative routes, so we had to get creative. After all, traffic could back up not just HWY 17 but also part of 880, 280, 9, 101, Bear Creek Road, Summit Rd, Soquel San Jose Rd…. It could be like a tsunami of bumper to bumper cars. So, we pulled out the old-fashioned paper map to seek a less traveled path. After hours and hours of studying, there before was a sure-fire path. The night before, we set the alarm: 4:00AM (this route was far from direct but guaranteed to get us there). On the road at 4:30. As luck would have it, there was a crease in the paper that looked like a shortcut causing us to make a wrong turn and we were there in 30 minutes… no surfers to deal with. Hurray.
Our tour guides, Kris and Tony Vanacore had us assemble just outside the Pasatiempo Inn’s property boundaries. There was no explanation other than possibly Tony had received another restraining order. Nonetheless, the area was sufficient for a well-organized start.
The event was very well attended with 18 cars and 35 participating P-car enthusiasts. Cars were washed and polished and lookin’ GoooooooooD for the event. After signing release forms Tony announced that those wishing to have an exhilarating and spirited experience should move to the front of the line and since we all know Tony, we knew what that meant. I’ve been on many tours in my 12 years with LPR, but this was the first time I experienced a Le Mans start… everyone jockeying for position. No Miss Daisys in this group.
Off we went, through some residential districts, into Felton, up Empire Grade to an open lot at the home of a friend of Tony’s. Here we pulled in and formed a series of concentric circles for a photo shoot. Then our leader yelled out, “Let’s go!!!”, jumped into his beautiful new Targa and bolted down Ice Cream Grade, leaving a scrambled mess of vehicles once again attempting a Le Mans start. Yours truly was aced out of position by veteran racer, David Modderman (sneers were exchanged). This is where the driving got exciting… no cars (well, none going our way) and only 1 bicycle to contend with. We were soon brought to reality as we drove through some of the areas devastated by the fires of 2020. Until you actually see it, it isn’t real. TV and newspapers can’t capture what these citizens who lost everything must have gone through. It was striking.
But soon we were back in the beautiful and peaceful pristine redwoods again; blasting up hills, around blind turns and switchbacks, chasing one another like cat and mouse, when suddenly…. civilization…. and a few tenths of a mile to the Tyrolean Inn.
The Tyrolean is the kind of place you’d probably pass by when on the hunt for a place to stop and eat. Unassuming, boasting a fresh (NOT) coat of paint that was applied in 1972, the exterior of the place looked tired. But fear not. Inside was a hidden gem. A quaint replica of a Schwarzwald inn, right here in the Santa Cruz Alps. The crew of Tyrolean watched as we formed a civilized queue and meandered over the driveway speed bumps (they obviously planned ahead with this one) and aligned ourselves in a large area behind the restaurant. As we exited our cars, we all complimented one another on our spirited and well executed driving skills.
Entering the front door, which oddly is in the back of the building, we made our way through the dining area and sat ourselves in the garden patio area, completely shaded by towering redwoods. When our server Betty appeared and proceeded to offer libation, the otherwise quiet crowd regaled with a chant, “Thirsty”. It’s been a long time since I consumed a liter of lager, (personally I’m a double IPA guy, “Imperial IPA” as Ken Iles and Iain McNeill would say). But, hey, if Peter Ridgway can do it, so can I. For a little guy, he can drink a lot of beer.
With a group our size, we dined from a limited menu, but this simple sampling was enough to warrant a jaunt up and over Hwy 9 just to try some other Swabian offerings. From our table came the highest compliment a restaurant can achieve, just shy of a Michelin Star, and that came from Peter Ridgway’s adorable wife Jacqueline who said, “Not Bad”…. Which, if you know Jacqueline, is a hell of a compliment… right up there with “OMG, I’ve died and gone to heaven.”
Our events these past 20 months have been few and far between and it was nice to see so many new and relatively new faces among the group old timers. The Vanavores once again created a cause for us all to come together and celebrate our good fortune to be among friends with a shared passion.
WELL DONE KRIS AND TONY!!! Another Vanacore production in the can and awaiting Oscar nominations.
