The SCS July Fun run was... fun! The run was attended by a vivid variety of Saabs (and owners) consisting of several C900s (3 coupes, a 4 door, and a convertible), 2 9000s (including an Aero) and a NG900. Click each thumbnail for a larger photo....

July 29, 2000 (Sat) 8:45am

    I fire up my trusty 900 turbo, and my wife and I hop in, and we're off to Scanwest Autosport. Why on earth am I headed to an independent SAAB shop on a Saturday? A bunch of the SCS members are going on a Fun-Run...!!!

    Cruising Northbound on I-5, the air is cool, and the turbine is whistlin' along just fine. Had an oil-change yesterday, the intake-pipe blow-off-fiasco has been remedied, and the tank is 75% full, and a commuter-cup full of Sumatra Blend from Starbucks. Check! Cruising up 85th street, leading to the shop, Yumi (my wife) and I see a peculiar sight. I notice the red SAAB Convertible. She notices the two dogs sitting in the rear seat, waiting for fun and treats. All the while, I'm thinking, "I wish that SAAB could come along to the Fun-Run. Yumi'd have a blast watching the dogs... and I pass them after turning at an intersection.

     What's this? They're heading toward the meeting place! I get into the parking lot, where there are some people gathered about and SAABs, SAABs, SAABs. The Red 900TC pulls in witht he dogs, too - It's Curt Peterson and his buddy. Mark Jeter (newly sporting facial hair and his slick 900 4dr. turbo) is buzzing around with his handy digi-cam (watch for the photos to appear on the SCS website) with Kristine and her son. Matt Williams' SPG is parked with the hood open (He blew a turbine cooling pipe, coming up here, and was fixing it). John Nelson and his girlfriend was standing by his COOL Blue 9000 Aero, and soon John Mahony drives up in his freshly tuned SPG.

     After fiddling with the coolant pipe on Matt's SPG, we managed to get it off, and now, were looking for some pipes. Check the dumpster - none there. Check the back, where there are old parts stashed - nope. What can we do??? We have to get Matt's car in shape so that we can meet Chris in Monroe (40-minutes or so away). It's Saturday, and Scanwest is closed... Some one must've been very good, because at the precise time we were going to give up looking for spare parts, Doug Schrenk from Scanwest drives in, with his Yellow NG 900 rally car in tow. With his divine timing, free parts, and helping hands, Matt got the SPG fired up. Off we go. Six SAABs in line 900, SPG, 900, SPG, 9000, 900TC...

    We hit the floating bridge, and there's a HUGE traffic jam. This bridge gets jammed enough as it is, and they HAD to take one of the lanes out fo commission... What the #@!!... I get a call on my wife's Minnie Mouse Cell, and it's my brother (A Subaru freak). "Yo, Jimbo, what's with all the SAABs?! I'm behind you guys, and it's freaky!" When the traffic finally clears, he zipps up to me and is driving with two thumbs up, in respect to the fleet of SAABs.

   We're now a good hour behind, and are flying thrugh traffic, trying to get to Monroe, where Chris is waiting. Bellevue, Kirkland, Woodinville, Monroe. Drive through the town, and there's Chris' 900SE !!! ...and what's this??? There's Debby Connors' 9000T - "We were JUST about to leave!!!" said the Debby. Thanks for waiting!!! We all pile into a huge parking lot for the local pump, and make like Buffalos and create a circle of SAABs. Curt Peterson is laughing at me as I skip to the latrine... Curt's canine team meets the Connors' beast (a Chow mix), and greet themselves with some growling.

    After everyone's been introduced, we make a bee-line onto Highway 2 to head towards Stevens Pass, where we arranged to regroup. Kristine pops out of Mark's 900T's sunroof to take Digital snapshots of the fleet, evertime there's a sweeper (watch out for low overhangs...). The two SPGs are whizzin, and my 900 is bouncin... The 9000 aero, pilotted by John Nelson is like the father figure fo the pack, and has a watchful eye on the pack. The canine unit 900TC is really enjoying the summer sunshine, topless. Chris' 900SE is hunched down with the direct injection system ready for more!!! Blaze through the local tourist traps, and get to some winding valleys. THIS is what road-going SAABs are made for!!! Rubber planted onto the pavement, turbines spooled up, and the chrome grilles glistening in the summer sun. Whiz past the SUVs, Rice rockets, and luxo coupes. My 900T is doing great - even with the AC on.

     We roll into the parking lot at Stevens pass like a herd of cattle - no idea of who's going where. The suffocating dust cloud settles, and hey, we're all lined up. Curt must've gotten the best view of the line-up fiasco with his top down amidst the nebula of mountain dust and turbine heat... We all get out, and Colin is the first to point out that we were very popular amongst the locals. HORSE-FLIES. They were all over the place, and we thought they were just a nuisance, but they thought we were LUNCH. Unshaken by the assault, we gather around and talk about the 9000 power unit, how John's AC pipe was sweating and he wasn't, How my 900 needs more black, how John Mahony is determined to get the 3" exhaust from Scanwest, and how thirsty the Dogs were.

     Group picture. We grab a bicyclist who was nearby (what was he doing at 4000+ feet in elevation, anyway???) to take a digi-shot of the SCS. Knowing the beautiful heritage of the marque, he shouts "say Lutefisk" and digitized out souls on disc.

     Back on Highway 2, heading down the pass, whizzing past more and more Winnebagoes and SUV's, we twist and turn and dip through the Evergreens and the raging river. Finally, we arrive at Leavenworth - now the tough part begins... PARKING SPOTs... Get caught in the traffic and watching the tourists fight for street parking, we continue through the town, and I see a locally sponsored car-wash next to the post office. Hey, it's Saturday. The post office should be closed... Pop in there, and th kids at the car-wash thought must've thought that they were gonna get a bonus! Eight SAABs all together...!!! Sorry Kids.

   Seen SAABs facing the road, parked together (Curt found a shady spot to park his 900TC) envoked rubbernecking from the traffic still fighting for spots to park. That SAAB god must've really liked us. Matt's Turbine coolant tube, Helping hand on the weekend from Scanwest, Last-minute meet-up with Chris, Debby, and Colin (and their pup), and prime parking at the post office... Amazing. John Mahony had to jet, because of a long story (he has yet to reveal the reason for having to help his Girlfriend's Sister move in Wenatchee - LOL - Suckerrr!!!)).

    We split off to act like tourists, and arranged to be back at 3:00 to head back. Yumi, Matt, Chris and I duck into a Pizza joint (where the service was marginal, but the food was good). Others fade into the buzzing trouist crowd. We polish off the chow, and split off as well. Yumi and I put some money down for some artwork, we return to the post office with ice cream cones in hand (and on face). After some more discussions about parts, and future excursion possibilities, we dicide to head back to Seattle. Mark decided to stay a little while longer with his crew, and Debby & Colin decide that they want to visit the reptile zoo that they saw on the way up and head backwards where we came from.

    Through Peshastin, and onto Highway 97, heading through Blewitt Pass... Here's a nice set of curves and aggressive anti-slide pavement on the tight ones. We finally catch up to traffic, and putz along for a good ten miles, and we get to the Main Interstate (I-90), where we really open it up. I take the initiative (hey you guys, I want you to take the lead next time) and lead the pack through homeward-bound traffic.

    Okay. Here's where it gets interesting. Out of the blue appears this older model Subaru Legacy, speeding through traffic, and literally weaving her way through our pack. She must have read the postings on the Subaru Website, where a 9000 owner harrassed a newer Legacy owner, and SAABs owners are getting a bad rep. She was keeping up with the pack, but was clearly trying to cause trouble. Almost ran some of us off the road, and knew that we wouldn't do anything since we were in formation. Really ticked us off, but we kept our cool, since we were too occupied with enjoying the moment, rather than have Road Rage take a bite out of our day.

    Matt jumped into warp speed and headed back to Seattle after the rest of us took a detour into Northbend to fuel up (or watch James Fuel up). The topic of discussion at the Texaco station in Northbend was all about that Subaru Girl, probably envious of the Swedish marque... We pity those who have to harrass other people on the road to get attention. We knew taht the Legacy was no match for any of the turbos in line, but we weren't about to give into the challenge from some one who is willing to die to get her point across - about her disposition towards SAABs... Some people...

    We broke off, as Chris headed through the Valley to go home, John was busy doing something to his 9000, Curt and the gang hopped over to the Gap outlet stre, and Yumi and I were just enjoying the spine-jolting suspension set-up of "Lachesis", my 900T.

    Totalling about 270 miles, I think all who participated had a good time, and had a good chance to unleash the Forced Induction Power Plant. We look forward to the next fun-run (without interruption from Road-rage). Looks like everyone got some sun, fun, and great sense of pride of owning a special marque.

Thanks for every one who participated, and look forward to the next outing.

Planned for the next get-together is a BBQ. ...this ought to be interesting (Trolls on a stick, Lutefisk, Meatballs, etc).

James Nakatsu
SAAB Club of Seattle (SCS)