Run Report ....
Cooma (AGM), 01-03 April, 2011 ....
Friday morning and the small group of Liz, Les and Bob departed Leo’s diner with Mike Muller opting for a later 'miss the traffic' run. We picked up Rose and hubby Harry at Sally’s corner and then Rob and Leanne at Goulburn. Queanbeyan was the next pit stop for lunch and meet-up with Mike and Gabby who were entertaining a couple of Canberra Torana Club members.
Lunch down and on the frog and toad for an easy 1.5 hour cruise to Cooma via a wreckers just a little out of town. You never know when you might need a part and in a hurry!
Arriving into Cooma we were given the steely eye by a highway patrol type setting up for a RBT session. Quietly does it folks! Noisy exhausts, not us officer.
An afternoon strolling the streets of Cooma, followed by a few rehydration units saw most of the world’s problems solved before an evening meal at Rose’s Lebanese restaurant in Massie Street. Top food and service. Cooma eh? Who would have thought?
Saturday morn and we fuelled-up the Torries with Ultimate at the nearby BP and then fuelled-up ourselves with a cooked breakfast thanks to Kim at the Sovereign Inn (nice digs).
The AGM took the full allocated hour and Lizard, our tireless secretary will provide details of the items discussed in the minutes to members. Then, off for the good bit, a cruise along one of Australia’s best driving roads with a pit stop at Piper Point to see a rare bit of scenery (it’s often as not fogged). This journey of mixed driving experiences saw us cover 180km in approx 2.5 hrs which included an unscheduled proposition to do a wedding in Merimbula. Had the bear shop in Bemboka been open, our timing would have been quite different!
Lunch stop at the waterfront in Naroma was made more enjoyable by being joined in the parking area by a gentleman called Graham with his recently acquired original condition and pristine Torrie. Fortuitous it was too, as he was a mechanic and proved to be most helpful to Mike Muller who was suffering a bit of gearbox linkage drama.
Onward to Batemans Bay, another hour of pleasant driving that proved to two of our number that prodigious horsepower is no substitute for a P-Plate! Anecdotal evidence suggests the only machine that can compete is an overloaded Hilux.
After settling into BB digs, onwards to Mike and Gabby’s at Long Beach for an afternoon tea of celebratory champers and mudcake to mark the dual birthday occasion of Liz and Les, confirming they are indeed over 21.
The evening meal at Bay Waters Motel, saw club participants joined by Mike’s neighbours, John and Mary who, themselves, are car enthusiasts and there was a whisper of 'Torana' in John’s proposed retirement plans. It was an ideal opportunity to let them observe our camaraderie.
The nights food and drink were adequate with the service orchestrated by John Cleese. Sunday morn and we headed home via the Kings Highway (with the exception of Rose and Harry who took the Princes Highway option) usually, a most pleasant drive in keeping with the general go on the South Coast.
Mike tells us yarns about the Canberra 'Yogis' and their inimitable driving style and we were able to observe this on their private racetrack (Kings Highway). Next, a pit stop at charming old Braidwood incorporating a shop-op for the ladies followed by lunch at Marulan and then home sweet home and day is done.
Apologies: Larry Sullivan and Lance Haslewood.
Bob.
Footnote: A special note of appreciation from fellow committee members, to Bob who worked hard to ensure all who attended had a top weekend.
Great Cars, Great Runs, Great People, Great Times ....