Social Scene Report - TR Action Issue 298
Please refer to our 'Gallery' for additional photographs of the following events.
TR Action 298
Publication Date 5th June 2017
Derbyshire Dales Social Scene Contribution
Alan Ford says:
Hello again, one and all.
Our first run of the year in March was a run up to the head of the Upper Derwent Valley, a road normally closed to weekend traffic for most of the year apart from Saturdays from November until Easter. So this was a chance to grab an early run along a truly beautiful valley but one that necessitated a run best scheduled for a year when Easter was late. This year had to be it!
As we all know, runs scheduled for early in the year can be beset by questions. Will enough of our members have their cars ready for the start of the season? With a Derbyshire gritting season running until the end of March, will the weather be mild enough that the roads are free of ice and salt? And will my own car be ready?
Despite our best effort at influencing the weather forecast through wishful thinking, the promise was of drizzle for much of the day.
True to forecast the day dawned with boiler-plate clouds - solid and grey. Our wait at the Amber Hotel, in drizzle, hood up, feeling lost and forlorn and not really expecting many to arrive – in sports cars, at least – seemed a very lonely vigil. That is, until TRs started to arrive, including Ian and Ryan, hood-down, and John and Lynne complete with cracked windscreen.
Now that we have a growing membership who live in the west and north of the peak district we had arranged for a second rendezvous at the Anglers' Rest café and pub in Bamford. So it was that a procession of 'daily drivers' and TRs made their way over the tops of Derbyshire to meet yet more TRs at the café car park. Alan H had a problem with his indicators of his TR3a, so a bit of team fettling took place, soon sorted.
The run up the valley, though somewhat damp, had the benefit that water was overflowing the dam wall of Derwent Dam, offering a spectacular photo opportunity.
Our run to the end of the road wassomewhat disrupted by a cyclist who cycled in such a manner that he blocked the narrow road and hence forward progress was at his speed. A brief conversation and a little elucidation apprised him of the actual rules, producing an apology and a compliment – that no-one in our polite group had blown their horns at him!
The club night at the Amber Hotel was well attended, partly due to a raid by Leicester Group members who had come along, smart phones fully charged, mistakenly thinking we were due to have a quiz night. The run home in the dark, hoods down, was somewhat chilly at 7 deg C. with an almost clear sky and a one-day old full moon lighting the way over the hills. A heater going full-pelt only added to the magic.
Our next run of this period, on 'Drive-It-Day', was not to Devon, as reported in the last edition of TRAction (where did that come from?) but was organised by David and Val Sygrove through the backroads of Derbyshire, Cheshire and Staffordshire, taking in a coffee break at Tittesworth Reservoir and lunch at the Old Cheshire Cheese in Longnor, Staffordshire. The run was well attended with twenty TRs and two E-Types, in full sunshine.
How lucky we were with the weather. The following evening I had to drive home in swirling snow and a road which was white-over. A fitful spring, to put it mildly!
By the time you read this our Group will have completed the Derbyshire Dales Weekend in Cromford, a contingent of ours will have returned from the German National meeting and the Spa Classic, with another bunch having freshly returned from Brittany. Happy TRavelling!
Forthcoming Events
July 30th – Club Run organised by Jim Tully, details T.B.A.
Aug 9th – Club night at The Amber Hotel, Oakerthorpe, nr Alfreton