What started out three years ago as three cars meeting for a New Year’s coffee in Norwood has grown into some 13 cars taking a morning drive up to Uraidla for coffee and breakfast. 13 cars at 9am on New Years day … and that doesn’t include the late withdrawals, one from illness and at least one from a suspected NYE hang-over! At this rate we will have the whole club turning out within a year or two! Wouldn’t that be an amazing sight heading up Greenhill Road!

The pictures fail to accurately show just what a glorious morning it was too. Hopefully a good omen for 2024.

Starting at the Sporting Car Club for the first photo of the year, the plan was simple enough. Get a group photo at the start, a straightforward run up Greenhill Road and coffee or tea at the Uraidla Republic Cafe. We had 12 cars at the start, picking up Don and Elaine on the way (Don gave the Midget a run for the first time in quite a while). If we do get any more cars we will have to park closer together at the Sporting Car Club or find a new start point as we just about filled the driveway! Quite a sight to behold really!

It was great to see club cars out that we don’t see all that often, cars that have left the club and have now returned with new owners, and just new cars and new members! And of course friends of the Sprite Club, the Shipards with their Mk3 Sprite and the Oliphant’s with their stunning 260z (although some of us were disappointed their ‘new’ 1960 Falcon XK didn’t come out for the day!).

Aside from one motorcyclist doing his/her best impression of a temporary road user it was a great run up the hill. Easy and straight forward, a good way to start the year I think! But I have to ask … with the number of fatalities recorded on South Australian roads last year you would think that vulnerable road users would be somewhat more circumspect on the first day of the year and show some patience. We were, after all, all doing the speed limit and not holding up the traffic! I’m not sure about the other drivers but I was mentally brushing up my first aid as I watched him/her weave in and out of the line of cars and the oncoming traffic … ok, rant over!

What’s coming up next I hear you ask?

The rest of January is fairly quiet until Australia Day and the club’s annual Thong Throwing competition, hosted again by the Chabrels. Its a fabulous day and a great way for new members to meet the Club over a BYO lunch and the heat of competition as the thongs fly, all whilst overlooking the picturesque Oakbank Racecourse. Stay tuned for more details on what is always a great day!

There was a bit of a ‘buzz’ around those at Uraidla about another breakfast run to somewhere with a few recommending the Rise Artisan Bakery at Nairne so again, stay tuned for run details to there soon.

Oh, and a personal note to self. Don’t attempt to follow a certain green Sprite through a twisting road. The driver (and probably car) are much better at going through curves than I am!

(photo credits – Gary Dodd, Paul Mitchell and some bloke with GoPros hanging off his car!)