L'Avventura di MEL B***

Benvenuti amici!

Well, my friends, before we drift into another dusty bank of MEL B's FIAT life, I would like to thank her and every person supporting the club, blog & FB page.  

Aficionados & readers from People's Republic of China, Republic of South Korea, Nippon, Republic of India, Republic of Indonesia, Rossyia, Ukrayina, Bielaruś, Republika Bulgaria, Republika Srbija, Republika Hrvatska, Bosna i Hercegovina, Republika Slovenija, Republika Makedonija, Rzeczpospolita Polska, Česká Republika, Reino de España, Repubblica Italiana, République Française, România, Hellenic Republic, Republic of Cyprus, Nederland, Deutschland, United Kingdom as well as North & South America have been sharing their days & nights with us from the very beginning. More importantly, they keep coming back. There are no words to express our gratitude. 

So, take it away MEL...

The Call of the 'Cento: pt 3
Upon my return, I fetched the Fiat. Man, I wish [for a] Boise/Treasure Valley light rail system!! I did some urban exploring. I will not bore you with that.

BUT, I will share my "Where the 'F' is Fiat?" photos from Salt Lake City...

Utah State Capitol

LDS Temple @ Night

I, then, took the Alpine Scenic Loop from American Fork Canyon (Hwy92) to Provo Canyon (Hwy189) in Uinta National Forest. The day was mostly overcast, windy and rainy. There was no snow, though. [scenic shots follow]

My friend thought it amusing that I drive with a giant, stuffed animal [a T-Rex] in the Fiat. So, she decided to include it in some of the photos...

Bridal Veil Falls in Provo Canyon

Things I do like about the Fiat while scenic driving:

•  I don't have to brake so hard going downhill
•  I can take hairpin turns faster *giggles* (yet still safely)
•  I save gas
•  People smile at my car when they pass me
•  I can turn around in a very tight location
•  I can park it anywhere... that is accessible to low clearance vehicles

Things I do not like about the Fiat while scenic driving:

•  The engine is very underpowered (duh) = hard going up a mountainside
•  Street tires do not do so well in clay
•  Low clearance (duh)

List to be continued ~ granted, I knew what I was purchasing when I got the Fiat and am fully aware it is not meant for the uses I [imposed on it]. Ah, well. - MEL B

To be continued...

Vivere.Amare.Guidare.

Ciao!

@

L'Avventura di MEL B**

Benvenuti amici!

As promised, we are back with Part Two of MEL's latest off road adventure. You read that correctly ~ Off Road with a Fitito. Judging by the flood of reader traffic we experienced for Part One, you genuinely enjoyed sitting shotgun in the Cinquino of this amazing FIAT life enthusiast. I will not keep you from the trail any longer. Read on, friends...

The Call of the 'Cento: pt 2

Day one involved driving from the Boise area to West Haven, UT. I took a detour along the way to see Golden Spike National Monument. As a history buff, I was pretty excited to see this. En route to Golden Spike there was a sign on the highway indicating there was a 'rocket display' as well. Rocket display?! Wha-?!!

Sure enough, rocket display!

Apparently, there is a private company (ATK) that makes rockets and things for NASA & the DoD (Department of Defense). [They] had a really neat, informative display in front of their facility.

MEL's pocket rocket & rocket-rockets

The drive to Golden Spike is beautiful. There are signs of the RR (Rail Road) business from the 1800s all over the area- leveling, rock blasts, ties, etc. [A little] background: the transcontinental RR was completed at Golden Spike in 1869 ~ hence the National Monument.

The two companies involved in the construction each had their own RR Engines [called] Jupiter and Engine 119. The engines on display are near exact replicas of the originals. See; photograph below:

There are trails to the East and West from the Visitor Center that [allow thrill seekers to] explore the area. See; the two following photographs:

A view of the salt flats

A view of impressions left behind by RR Co

A view of the 'Chinese Arch'

There were other trails to explore, but I was on a time crunch to catch a flight. Alas, I missed 'Promontory Point'. I also had to remind myself I have about an 8" clearance for off-pavement trails, HaHa! - MEL B

To be continued...

Vivere.Amare.Guidare.

Ciao!

@

L'Avventura di MEL B*

Benvenuti amici!

As is the club and FB page, this blog is meant to be equally appealing for non-car people and car people alike. Sure ~ I am bonkers about FIAT, SEAT, Zastava, Lada as well as all other related brands. But this proposed adventure you are kind enough to share with me & the missus is just as much about the people in these Italian cars as it is about the brand... or a particular model.

The following FIAT life adventure, credited to & written/photographed by MEL B a/k/a gorillamel, is published in parts and will be spread across several entries this week. I hope you find it as entertaining as I do...

The Call of the 'Cento: pt 1
I originally bought my Fiat to be my daily driver to/from work & around town. I had no intention of modding it, racing it or doing anything too risqué to it. Most of my time and effort goes toward my off-roading hobby (with my Xterra).

This month, I had to drive to Salt Lake City to catch a flight to the East Coast. When I flew back I intended to explore the Northern Utah area and meet up with some of my Xterra friends. I had given extensive thought trying to decide which vehicle to take on my overlanding/exploring/camping trip.

Should I go with my tried-and-true off road steed & use up a ton of gas on my very limited budget?

2005 Nissan Xterra S

Or [go with] my other option ~ my daily driver?

2013 Fiat 500 S

My lack of expendable income caused me to choose the Fiat. I figured, it would at least be an experiment in the comforts of camping AND cause people to smile and laugh ~ as they saw me bopping around in my miniature vehicle.

[This was] My planned route, minus a day or two stop in Salt Lake City to hang with friends and utilize two-legged travel methods: Route Map.

First things first. I changed the oil and filter for the trip (probably a bit premature ~ it doesn't even have 3,000mi on the odo). Secondly, [I figured out] how to fit all my camping gear inside of a Fiat. Well, a T50 torx, 16mm and 13mm socket set helped me solve that problem.

Now you see them...

Now you don't!

Standard shot of dog testing out new fitment space

The problem I ran into is Fiats don't come with a stock roof rack. I did not consider this an issue when I got it back in May. Its intended use is to haul my bum to and from work and be an every day city-type driver... on an economical scale. I saw no point in spending $300-$400 for an aftermarket [rack] for a one-time use.

The roof rack is meant to fit this...

*cough-kayak-cough*

... as well as [offer] a place to put my spare 1gal gas can ~ believe me, 1 gal lasts a long time.

Other things I needed to get pre-trip:

• Extra tarp for awning
• More zip ties
• Growlers of *ahem* happy beverage for X friend as thanks for using his shop
• Stakes for tarp for awning

A match made in heaven?... Nah, Idaho!

Here is the Fiat all packed up and ready to go

After removing the rear seats, I realized I had plenty of room to fit the majority (i.e. important) of my camping/survival gear. I neither needed the roof rack nor was I able to source one. Good thing, too, [as] weather in Utah took a nosedive.

I got amazing gas mileage on the way to UT. I filled up my tank 3/4 for about $27 - before leaving - and did not fill it [again] 'til Snowden, just inside the ID-UT border. There are no service [stations] along the way to Golden Spike. So, basically I drove from Boise to SLC on a tank of gas. This makes me happy. - MEL B

To be continued...

Vivere.Amare.Guidare.

Ciao!

@

CC5C: Planting Seeds

Benvenuti amici!

We are back with more exciting news and photos. As you may be well aware, this club, blog and, now, Facebook page are in their infancy. With La Fee Verte being my first, even my FIAT life is little more than a bambino. However, reception of the CC5C, this blog and the page have been warm and encouraging. 

I am a person with the belief it is important to give back ~ what comes around goes around. If met with positivity and good fortune, spread it around. Keep it going. Keep the faith & it will come 'round again. 

With a leap of faith, and a burning desire to share my joy of life behind the wheel of a FIAT, we founded the club. In turn, our LS stepped up and graciously sponsored us with a place at which to hold club meetings ~ and more. In addition, Brandon (Sales Supervisor) stepped out in faith and invited Midwest FIAT Corporate to our first event... and Troy drove from Illinois to welcome us into the FIAT North America famiglia.

And at our second meet we were fortunate enough to attract the interest of Sean ~ driver of a classic FIAT. I cannot emphasize enough how much value, to us, the inclusion of past FIATs is to our little group. They help point to the Italian automakers legacy of [everyday guys & gals] living life to the fullest.

With a desire to generate some interest in the local club, we launched this blog in July and already have close to 4000 views ~ not bad for a promotional tool of a fledgling local group. Even more rewarding is the knowledge of knowing it works for people outside the state, region and country. Last week, for instance, we had more international than national visits. Thanks so much to the readers. Your love for the brand is inspiring. I pray we are able to, in some way, add (in a positive way), to your FIAT life.

The Facebook page launched a few days ago and we are seeing new interest in what we are doing in Milwaukee. In fact, we have been invited to consider affiliation with the historic national FIAT Lancia Unlimited a/k/a FIAT Club America as their Wisconsin Chapter. We are, both, humbled and honored with the kind folks at FLU/FCA reaching out to us & recognizing our efforts.

Finally, we have been able to share photos of FIATs and the real people who drive them. These people, YOU, are the engine driving our desire to keep the blog & FB page going. How could we not feel inspired? Look at these photos, courtesy of James Wilson ~ a North Carolina CC5C supporter. Thank you, James a/k/a Tweak...

James Wilson's NC Scorpione...

 Showing off the rear seat delete...

 CF (carbon fiber) hood mod...

 Do your cartwheels, gear heads...

Taking the top spot at a local show...

James & his sexy beast of a 'cento!

Whether or not the collective realizes it, we are FIAT North America. Just as fanatical Italians are FIAT Italia. Let's keep the FIAT love going and growing together. Develop a good relationship with your local studio. Participate in official FIAT surveys. Attend FIAT-related events (small & large). Check out the links provided on this blog. Seek out other FIAT drivers. Start your own club. Join and/or support our club. "There are enough angry faces on the road. Drive Friendly."

Vivere.Amare.Guidare.

Ciao!

@

Cruising the City

Benvenuti amici!

One of the most common questions I have fielded since proposing the Cream City 500 Club is "When are you starting a Facebook page?" It is a query I awkwardly answer as I have no personal Facebook presence. But I realize it is a powerful promotional and communications tool. 

The value in this e-tool was never more clear than it was yesterday. One or two of our club members was/were running a bit late to our event and forgot the locale of our meeting. Their natural reaction was to search for a FB club page, in hopes to find info there. Of course, there was no page to be found.

So, with two successful meets under our belt and strong weekly readership, we have decided to launch the official Facebook page of the Cream City 500 Club. The proposal of the page is meant to create a user-friendly means of communication from club-to-members & supporters, members & supporters-to-club and, most importantly, members & supporters to other members & supporters. Posting of FIAT-related comments, photos & video clips is welcome. Posting of CC5C-related comments, photos & video clips is welcome. Posting of unrelated comments, photos & video clips is not welcome.

I have visited 'car guy' sites and been witness to the negative impact internet 'trolls' and other unsavory, imposing characters can have on a community. I do not want this negative influence in our community of proposition.

Taken at first CC5C meet - Bergstrom Milwaukee FIAT USA

So, what happens to the CC5C blog? No worries ~ nothing will change here. We will continue to share photos, brand history, stories, tributes and much of the same information in what has become our favored format. We still find tremendous value in blogging. But real-time communication is not a strong feature for blogs. There exists a disconnect which is nearly eliminated with an e-tool like Facebook.

We encourage you to continue to visit both sites on a regular basis. 'Like' us on Facebook ~ communicate with other members, supporters and fans. Use the information found on this blog as a source for some of your discussions. Spread the word and take an active role at our meets. 

On the subject of meets, here are some photos from our first Cream City Cruise. Cream City Cruise is what we call our less than major events. There is still gelato involved, but these are shorter drives and meant to connect, in an exploratory manner, the fine neighborhoods of our great city.

Check it out!

The cruise began at the Halloween Extreme lot on Silver Spring Drive. Some members arrived early enough to enjoy some refreshing gelato on what turned out to be a beautiful September day...

Others arrived a little later or decided to hang out at the lot & show off their FIATs. Pictured above, closest to the camera, are Joe Noto's bianco e rosso 500 Abarth and Mark Friedel's nero, custom striped & modded 500T...

Here is the line-up of eight FIATs in attendance. Two Abarths, one 500T, one X1/9, two Lounges, a Sport and a Pop made up the parade this time. We caused a bit of a stir, as several people stopped to check them out. There was special interest in Sean Kane's 1982 X1/9...

I had to take a quick shot of this classic FIAT badge. The wreath motif is one fans of the CC5C logo are familiar. I created my own spin on the Italian wreath for the club ID. My goal was to pay respect to the past while also making something completely modern and decidedly mine...

After everyone was afforded the time to settle in and catch up with other members, as well as welcome new members, we paraded our 'centos along the lake shore and through the downtown area...

This fantastic shot is courtesy of & © Ben Davis

As you can see, we stopped at the Brewhouse Inn & Suites for a photo op. We were fortunate enough to have a mix of verde chiaro, bianco, argento (the X), grigio and nero FIATs...

This allowed us to stagger the cars artistically. On this side of the line-up, we have Joe's, my own, Mark & Lauren's and Mark & Jenn's fititos...

On this side of the line-up, we have Bryan's, Kathy's and the Davis' fičkos. The sun gave off a gorgeous glare in this shot. I added an edge blur to accentuate the natural and accidental effect...

FIATs look very sexy when set against Milwaukee's storied Cream City Brick, no? I have been waiting to get these little buggies in the city for such a long time. I was relieved we managed to stop at the Inn on a day not many other photo shoots were taking place...

We nearly had the street all to ourselves. While there, we were approached by one of the founding members of the Milwaukee Minis car club. Fate? They are evolving into a micro car club of all brands, makes & models. In fact, this particular Mini driver also owns a classic 500...

Maybe we will join them on their events in the near future? It would be great to expand the community to put more smiles on more faces. 

Alas, we neared the end of Saturday smile fest. Some of our members had other engagements to attend. We were thankful they made the time to be with us at all. Those able to hang out a little longer continued with us to another Città Crema destination...

No, we did not also have this classic Alfa along for the cruise. But I couldn't resist including it in this entry. It is a vision of loveliness and topped off our wheel time perfectly. We spotted it on our walk to where we would break bread. I thought I could work it into the blog and the FB page...

Finally, we stopped at Cafe Benelux for a leisurely, late lunch and refreshments. This is what our community is truly about ~ sharing our lives and interests in a way which makes this all too often big, cold world feel just a bit smaller and warmer. Many thanks to all in attendance!

Next month marks the anniversary of the weekend drive which sparked the idea to found this club. We propose a backroads drive through the Holy Hill area and lunch afterwards. The leaves are beginning to go through their Autumn transformations ~ So, there should be plenty of opportunities for amazing photos. We may also have the opportunity to take photos like this one on this very road...

But better, because we'll have more trims & models. You and your FIAT make this club what it is. So far, we think it is BRILLIANT! Thank you for taking part in the fun of living and reading this blog. Remember to visit us on the all new CC5C FB. Until we see you again...

Vivere.Amare.Guidare.

Ciao!

@

Ricordando un Amico

Benvenuti amici!

Our club is one about celebrating life... And life behind the wheel of design & engineering genius. Early Thursday morning I read news of the passing of a person with a clear understanding of what that means ~ John Cunnyngham. Edwin Barron, a Virginia CC5C supporter and friend to John, was good enough to honor us with these photos and a fitting tribute to the man & his macchina.

John w/the Little Red Buggy, Red Shirt & 500T...

"John was a great Fiat enthusiast and loved his 500T. The more he learned the car and its capabilities the more he pushed it and had more fun. 

John's Dragon Companion ~ Ready to Rumble...

I believe no one drove the Dragon [an 11-mile of road, in Tennessee, reported to have 318 curves - edit @] more than John, once he learned about the road and realized how close he was to it he just made it a multi month drive. He would often call and share his experiences and could not wait for us to get together in Fall for the second Fiat On The Dragon reunion - it's in two weeks time.

The Little Red Flirt taking a break...

It's amazing how this little car has brought people together who otherwise would have never met. The enthusiasm and joy it brings is a true celebration with new found friends. I will always remember John and the spirit that carried him to be such a good natured person. I look forward to the Fall drive in his tribute and celebrate on the roads that brought him joy." - Edwin Barron

Taking in the View, but which one...

I would like to recognize John & his Little Red Buggy as honorary members of the Cream City 500 Club as well as commemorate, in other words celebrate, the occasion on our upcoming Gelato e Guidare cruise ~ doing exactly what brought them together with so many other FIAT life enthusiasts. 

Thank you, Edwin and the other CC5C representatives lucky enough to drive with the pair. We're certain your upcoming meet will be amazing. Live joyously. Love madly. Drive friendly.

Ride on John & Little Red Buggy ~ Beep-Beep...

Vivere.Amare.Guidare.

Ciao!

@