A great Sunday drive with Porsche enthusiasts

Last Sunday was a great autumn day for members of the Quebec Porsche Club who accepted the invitation to drive in the Laurentian region, more precisely at St-Donat and Mount Garceau.

About 15 owners gathered in the parking lot of a shopping center in Laval at 9:30 a.m. They left at 10:15 and drove for more than 100 kilometers before arriving at St-Donat.

The Club's vice-president, Rico Farran, was leading the group in his gorgeous 1981 Porsche 930. I was allowed to follow the gang, even with my big old Ford Freestar! Of course, I drove dead last so that I did not break the marvellous parade of Porsches on Road 125, which leads to Mount Garceau.

There was another intruder in the group, but since the Porsche Club invited everyone to the drive, former hockey player Benoit Brunet and his wife did not feel out of place in their magnificent 2006 BMW M Roadster.

While my heart is torn between Ferrari and Porsche, I certainly would not say no to this black Roadster - if I could afford it, obviously. Forget it, Flag!

Another fantastic car was the 1976 911 Targa S of Nicole Casavant of Verchères, on the South shore of the St.Lawrence River. Charming lady, but she never thought about offering me the empty seat in her car. I'm still wondering if I can forgive her...

I also met a woman named Doryne, who is a real "Gazelle". You know, one of these hardcore drivers who drive in the desert as part of the "Rallye Aïcha des Gazelles", a women-only competition. Who still talks about sexism nowadays? The Gazelles, that's who. Anyhow, Doryne promised to give me details of her adventure in the desert for a future article. I'm waiting...

The drive was really pleasant. At Mount Garceau, the people who came from Laval met with other Porsche Club members who had agreed to the invitation. Overall, more than fifty members and their families were ready to hit the road together on this multicolored Sunday.

Unfortunately, the red and yellow leaves in the mountains surrounding the town of St-Donat had almost entirely disappeared. For next year's drive, organizers should consider moving the event a few weeks earlier so that we can appreciate the full transformation of the landscape.

Several activities were scheduled and the managers of Mont-Garceau Resort gave everyone a free pass to the chairlift. We also had the opportunity to fly in a helicopter over the village and the mountains. The price was only $35.

Of course, the vast majority of the participants took advantage of the generosity of the organizers. We reached the summit of Mount Garceau, which offers a spectacular view of St-Donat, the lake et the surrounding region. Jugglers, make-up artists and musicians were on hand to entertain kids and create a festive atmosphere that everyone could enjoy.

As you can see in our photo gallery, the season of colors had nearly come to its end. Fortunately, there was at least two beautiful German cars that stood out of the mostly black and blue herd of Porsches.

Thanks to Rico and his friends for this wonderful invitation... even though I'm still thinking about that empty seat in the white 1976 Targa! I'm sure I'll dream of it for a long time. But will I ever forgive Ms. Casavant? Hum... not so sure!