Below are the pictures taken during a cruz
early in 2006
To see a video clip of the day
click here
Please click on the photos to see them full
size.
It was a fresh morning with the typical British
weather backing us up for a potentially fun & ‘relaxed’
cruse around the country roads of Sussex….
Simon organised a route to fulfil a full day of mini adventures,
with pauses for photos & a stop for pub lunch on route.
After taking weeks to decide the best roads, he suddenly
found himself on a plane heading to Kuwait (work not pleasure,
I hope!) leaving me with a map, a time schedual & the
keys to his car, Yay!
For the strict ‘10am’ start, 11 minis gathered
at the British Queen carpark including the ‘L’ plated Bean
Machine, (practicing his mini driving skills before that
fateful day), and set off in convoy down the A27 for a petrol
stop, for the minis who can actually tell you when they
need fuel! The route took us along narrow lanes through
Wartling, past Herstmonceux, Bodle Street Green before stopping
at Rushlake Green for a quick food order for lunch &
retrieving 2 lost minis!
From there we trugged along towards Cowbeech; however, I’m
not sure we made it that far as we took a short cut to Horam
somehow, including the miss-hap at the cross roads! (I would
like to point out at this time that I didn’t have a co-driver,
& driving whilst reading a map isn’t a talent I own!)
With a tricky drive through Horam and holding up the traffic,
the time was 11:45, so the route had to ‘change’ as Lunch
was due for 12! By this time almost everyone had thrown
away the maps anyway so we played follow the leader up through
Cross-in-Hand, along the back road via Blackboys & Framfield,
a quick skirt around Uckfield (passing a few confused faces)
& finally made it to The Laughing Fish pub, Isfield.
The minis parking up out the front pulled lots of attention
& the sun came out at just the right moment! After scoffing
lunch for 19 people around a 12 seater table (work that
one out!) the convoy downed the rest of their drinks to
pose for photos, have a chat & enjoy what sun was out
before jumping back the Minis for the continuing journey.
The rest of the route took us through Piltdown, Barcombe,
cross over to Ringmer (were we almost lost Mingie2 due to
gear problems), through Glynde and heading towards Firle
Beacon…this route also included a ‘fuel crises’, including
missing syphen kits, no petrol cans at hand & a sheepish
voice message from Dave saying… “err...hold up guys, I’ve
run out of fuel” .
With Rachel & Tony on a mission for petrol, the rest
of the Minis were gathered up for the long haul up to the
top. This would have been a great spot for more photos…if
it weren’t a gale force wind! (Who’s idea was that then,
Simon!)
After a couple of windy photos for those you could brave
it, the trip back down was short lived compared to going
up but was great fun! Dave over did a little whilst trying
to show that mini’s can fly…with a belly flop on landing!
For the trek back homeward some cars went their separate
ways. The journey took us down the A27, then off the main
road towards Afriston, Excent, Friston then turn off towards
many a favourite: Birling Gap. A lovely winding route round
Beachy Head, then Daz took us home to the pub! A cold windy
day but thoroughly enjoyed and no serious casualties!
Josie
Page Last Updated - 12/12/2006
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