To finish off the 50th Anniversary events, Club members Russell and Judy Schmarr planned a Mid-Week Meander – Northern Celebratory Ramble, providing members a chance to drive a range of roads to the North of Adelaide.

I will let Russell and Judy inform you of the day of Spritely Motoring….

“Starting out in the rain from Tilley Reserve at Surrey Downs, the 11 cars assembled faced a damp start to the 120kms Northern Meander.

Progress was a little slower than the last time we drove on the One Tree Hill Road, along the pot holed Humbug Scrub Road to cross the South Para River Ford and into Williamstown.

Looking out to the west we could see a glimmer of light in the otherwise grey skies as we drove through the Barossa Valley to our morning tea destination at Bethany by 11am. The shelter was welcome but still cold enough to just have time for a warm up tea or coffee before taking to the roads again.

We wandered up the Valley avoiding the large towns and traffic, turning off to enjoy the well loved Seppeltsfield Drive, then on to the little town of Greenock where we seemed to have come out of the rainy grey to see patches of blue sky.

In the rolling paddocks to Kapunda, Tarlee and Stockport the gaudy golden canola crops offered bright contrasts to the other staid green oats, beans and wheat plantings.

Coming out of Stockport our planning for no dirt roads came to grief as the road was being upgraded – wasn’t there on the test run – luckily only about 200meters to turn off the dirt to Hamley Bridge , still in sunshine, to enjoy a tasty lunch at our destination – the recently renovated Hamley Bridge Hotel.

Despite the cold and uncomfortable conditions our participants today were in good spirits, making the best of the day.”

Thanks to those members who braved the conditions at the start, glad to see the skies clear and provide a nice finish to the day.

Our thanks to Russell and Judy for planning the Mid-Week Meander – looking forward the next Meander.

Thanks to Russell and Judy Schmarr for the words and photos and the Hamley Bridge hotel for their photos as well.