5-7 July was our Group’s big event of the year, our Dales Weekend, based at Aysgarth. We were blessed with largely sunny and warm weather throughout. Most of us arrived on the Friday via “pretty” routes. The Saturday runs took us over some roads that we hadn’t used before (after all these years) to Bedale. Here we were allowed to park at Bedale High School before taking lunch and attempting a walking-about type photo quiz. The result ended up being a close-run thing between Malcolm & Anne Newman (from North Wales) and our own Rob & Janice Leonard. Steve & Julie Buxton (Derby Dales) took best car on the day AND furthest travelled on the Friday, so took home two pieces of Dartington glass. Now others had travelled further to get to us, but not on the Friday. Best interior was Richard Seaman (Red Rose), and oldest (both car & driver) our own Phil Warkup. At the end other spurious awards were made, including dirtiest car to Duncan Elder, all the way down from Paisley (Clyde Valley Group) and camping on the field behind the Aysgarth Falls Hotel, so no wonder his car was dirtiest. Our route back from Bedale was through Masham, over the moors to Pateley Bridge and back up Nidderdale, with a couple of fiddly bits on the end. The theme this year was the Eastern Dales, so we headed off west on the Sunday!!! Up over Buttertubs to Tan Hill, then the long straightish route eastwards down Arkengarthdale and Swaledale to lunch in Richmond, and the prize-giving. Lots of positive comments after this weekend, so thanks to all the attendees for making it a good weekend.
24th July was our evening “Fish & Chips” run, organized by Steve & daughter Gabrielle Butter. In the middle of the heat-wave, we had a dozen cars meet up at the lighthouse in Paull. We took a route through Holderness & along the coast, to finish at the Black Swan, Brandesburton, for our fish & chips. On the run, we had 2 x TR2s, 3 x TR3As, 2 x 4As, a 5, a 250, 2 x 6s, plus a visitor in an MX5. Some of the cars realized for the first time just how high their temperature gauges could go without their engines over-heating! Our regular summer members, Clive & Maggie Thornes, from the USA, have re-imported their 6. They have had issues getting it on the road in UK and then with getting to club events without clashes to the rest of their lives. So, this was the first outing for the Thornes’ 6 on a club run, but it must have been hot in there with the hood up. Steve Butter had brought his 6 out to lead this one too. Well done to Steve & Gabrielle for organizing a good evening social event.