Easter Experience

We had 3 Prefects, 3 Y’s and 2 Mini’s to start with and were later joined by 3 Popular’s (one Zephyr powered) and 1 Fordson (V6 Powered). All we needed were a 100E or three to complete our range of marques, are these in the club?

We had an excellent run through back roads to Hamilton and lunch at the lakeside. Harvey and Val became separated from the main group through uncertainty over road signs that had been vandalized at Thackeray Street, lost too much time obtaining oil and trying to get out of Hamilton with inadequate road signage and an out of date map and no compass! A used-up prepay cell phone etc so went straight to Cambridge and motorcamp. Very nice here with amazingly few guests for a fine Easter, so we had it largely to ourselves. The rest of the group arrived shortly afterwards and it was community fish and chips or hot dog, or hamburger and chips for the first night.

Next morning Ray and Ollie from Cambridge ran the day’s trip through back country roads east of Hamilton. Very enjoyable, never been there before, there was a quiz as well, very challenging, but Harvey mucked up the directions and had to make another mercy dash back to the motor camp to save time having lost a lot. To the Prince Albert restaurant for a-la-carte dinner that night, good ambience and food there.

Up early next morning for Steve and Cazna Payne’s run which was by devious routes to the awesome Early N.Z. museum at Tirau, a look around the antique and craft shops and then on to Putaruru to an interesting early car display housed in "Burger King" style "50's" décor (this building used to be the post office). Then to a hydro-station at Arapuni and around Mangatautiri Mountain and back to Cambridge by devious routes. Some of the lads went over to Te Awamutu to view Steve’s workshops and cars then a dash back to clean up for dinner at the Riverside Diner for a smorgasbord meal, hosted and entertained by Gerry Merito, late of the Howard Morrison Quartet. Prize giving happened as well for the previous days quiz with Chris Kite taking the honours for accuracy and diligence.

On Monday it was home again by more devious and scenic routes, popping out on to S.H.1 just north of the old Meremere Power Station. Many thanks to Ant and Karen, Ray and Ollie, Steve and Cazna for their hard work, good ideas and a successful weekend!

Harvey.