If it makes you feel any better Neil, I didn't make it home with the roof down!
Thanks for organising Matt, that was a brilliant day driving, in fact the first proper day out this year
5am alarm goes off, 5.30 am I leave the house and have a quiet run up to Newlands Corner, about 60 miles and 90 minutes for me. I encountered a couple of heavy showers, but they only lasted seconds and I stayed dry. Definitely worth watching out on the roads in the Surrey Hills though as they were very wet in places.
Arrived at the start and all I could see was Elises and Exiges! They soon left on their run, soon to be replaced by another couple of Lotus cars with friendly drivers who weren't running late as we presumed, but had their own run organised.
Here are some photos of the start:
Matt's car with new wheels and tyres:
My car which I washed specially, didn't look so clean once we'd reached Cheddar!
The first couple of hours we had great roads with no traffic and dry weather, brilliant!
At about 9am we stopped for fuel somewhere near the A303 and heard the local Costa was open:
When we parked up we found it was drive through or order on an app. Kev was very popular as he ordered drinks and croissants for us
As we were chatting a little light rain came and went, so we decided to move on. Matt asked someone else to lead, so I offered and immediately turned out of the car park into a dead end
The next stage the roads were a bit tight and bumpy and we had som annoying showers. Matt missed a turn and those following didn't tell him.......... The rest of us proceeded to Cheddar, down some very narrow and wet lanes, Neil did the sensible thing and stopped to put his hood up, while I bashed on half blinded by the fortunately brief shower. The itn took us to Cheddar village, but lead us away from the gorge, I believe this may have happened before! I realised the error and headed back the way I came in time to wave at the others and tell them to turn round.
We eventually all made it to the gorge to find Matt chatting with a very friendly Westfield owner from Bristol, sorry I can't remember his name
Here's a couple of photos:
As Neil said it was actually nice and sunny at the gorge but there was a river running down it. After a good chat we headed to Chew Valley for lunch after a very slow run up the gorge following a very slow van who didn't seem to want to pass a lady cyclist.
At the lunch venue it was packed, so I said goodbye to everyone and headed home. I turned on the satnav and found my eta was 18.45 when I was supposed to be back for roast dinner at 6
. Some hasty editing gave me a sensible route home via A34 and A272. Before that though I was caught in a cloud bust near Frome, there was nothing for it but the half hood had to go up and I got soaked in the process
After Petersfield, it was bright enough to put the hood down and as Neil said the A272 was very quiet so the run finished on a high note and I arrived home at 5pm, eleven and a half hours of 90% driving. It was good seeing you all, the roads were great, the scenery was too and I enjoyed the banter, I've been missed that and the driving too much this year