We had 26 cars of various makes and models meet at the Darnum Stump Tearooms for tea, coffee and scones etc, from 10 o?clock on, and we packed the room out! There was a lot of happy chatter about all manner of things including examining of the day?s tour maps.
The Drivers Briefing just before 11am pointed out some of the intersections to watch out for and emphasized the ?Convoy Rules? about waiting at a corner for the car behind to see which way to turn. The day was fine with John predicting rain at 2.30pm, so the drive looked good.
However as soon as we left, a group ?did a blocky? which was fine, but they then took off before the large main convoy got there ? and promptly went the wrong way. So much for the maps! They eventually caught up much later.
We went south to Hazeldean Rd and then on to the lovely Hunters Rd ? where some almost missed the turn. Then it was on to Sheehan Rd in Hallora which is a favourite steep up & down roller-coaster road. John had warned about getting airborne over the top of some hills if speed was maintained. (I wonder if anyone tried it?). The sharp turn into Brocks Rd presented us with one of two spots where the bitumen had broken up, but not too bad. The countryside looked magnificent with lots of contented cows grazing.
The winding Invermay East and West roads followed with its difficult intersection between the two sections, but all got across without problems, but at the top of the West section some got stuck behind a concrete mixer and turned left instead of right on Westernport Rd. So much for the maps once again! However it was not all their fault, because the car in front did not follow ?Convoy Rules?, where they should have waited for them before or just after the corner! That group went to Lang Lang, then realized their mistake and so took a short cut to the Kooweerup Hotel, where they joined some others who had booked in to go directly there.
The convoy went through Ripplebrook, and down Coster Road which was the second roughish road we were warned about. On through Longwarry to Bunyip and then south following the main drain through Vervale and Catani to Cora Lynn. This productive flat potato and vegetable growing area was in its ?rest? stage with not much happening as we burbled along on the straight roads.
From there we went through the small township of Bayles and on to Kooweerup ? the heart of the asparagus region of Victoria. Most of us turned right at the lights ? as instructed ? and went on to the pub and found parking in various spots, but sadly not all together because of other cars, so no group photo of our cars. The other cars who went straight on at the lights eventually realized their mistake and soon arrived back at the Hotel. Another group who got delayed by the concrete mixer, but who followed the maps arrived before we went inside.
Sign-in or QR codes was required, but soon we were all seated at our reserved tables, and orders were taken while all the animated talking took place. The food came out continuously for our large group of 52, and hats off to the staff for coping so well. The food was excellent as was the variety offered.
Just after 2pm some very fine drizzle started, and this was the cue for some to start leaving. By 2.15 it was lightly raining so most decided to leave. John was out in his weather prediction by half an hour! The drizzle was on and off on the way home, so was not too bad.
Another very enjoyable MWR.
PLEASE NOTE THAT MID-WEEK RUNS ARE NOW IN RECESS OVER WINTER AND WILL RESUME IN SEPTEMBER.
Words and pictures by John Fowler
