DOUBLE FIFTY RALLY

50 miles in the morning and 50 miles in the afternoon. 61 cars from six branches. A cold, crisp and clear day which was a surprise given how awful the weather has been so far this year. All the ingredients for a magnificent Double 50 rally for 2023. The last time I did it in my Daimler Conquest I ended up with the Hard Luck award for getting a flat tyre so I was a bit wary of doing it again. I was fortunate in the long experience of my erstwhile offsider and navigator this time, Andy Hammond.

I was voluntold by our Branch Secretary to write this report and help with parking. So I was able to turn up early to the clubrooms and see the broad range of cars that turned up to take part. I was lucky to see everything from a Veteran to P80s arrive and park in the carpark and the frosty field next to it. The frost was rather thick on my shoes and cold enough for me to feel my toes go numb.

We were lucky enough to have a cooked breakfast provided as part of our registration fee which staved off the cold. This rally was a well oiled machine (pun intended). Briefing was held and we all trooped off to get ready to go for our timed start. Heading in the direction of Leamington, we quickly realised that the straight line navigation section was upon us in the back streets of this settlement. Most people have a love/hate relationship with straight line navigation. It separates the purists from the less competitive tourers. In an experience I like to call, ‘Lost in Leamington’, the less said about it the better. After that, heading towards Maungatautari, the timed section mercifully ended outside the hall.

The weather could not have been more perfect for a rally; a chance for us to marvel at the beautiful countryside that the Waikato is known for. Missing Arapuni, our lunch stop was the Ngaroma War Memorial Hall via Arohena. This is a cosy little spot which felt like a step back in time as there were official photos of HM The Queen and Prince Philip still on the walls. Some of this countryside was new to me as I realised how far we had come with Maungatautari Mountain on the horizon.

The Dame decided to pack a sad and have a flat battery after lunch (I had only unhooked it off the tick charger that morning) so the delightful Colin Giles saved my bacon again by giving me a jump start with his 32 Chev (he was the same one who had a jack to save me with the flat tyre last time). It was a bit strange to have my jumper leads going from my battery under the back seat to his battery in the floorboards under the pedals. Such are the idiosyncrasies of old cars. With that we were off for the 2nd half of the rally which was heading for home via Wharepuhunga, Wharepapa South, Owairaka rangi, Leamington and back to the clubrooms; making for

Ann in his legendary 1915 Saxon. That little car did the whole rally. After stopping a couple of times to check things; I realised Joe was in front of us as we made to roar back up ”, the poor Dame had to crawl up behind him but we all whooped and clapped when the little Saxon made it. I left the Dame running when I dropped Andy back to the clubrooms as I knew it wouldn’t start again under its own power and took it home. Living locally made it easy to come back in the evening in my own car for the prizegiving and dinner. Mr Graham Pate entertained us in his usual style (I was glad someone gave him a box to stand on). The results are elsewhere in this issue so I don’t have to list them here. Knowing how many questions and silent checks we missed, I know we didn’t come last so I count that as a win. Some of the results were incredibly well deserved given how difficult some of the checks and questions can be. It was great to host that many branches for our club’s legendary Double 50. Well done to the organisers and the plotters on a great day out. We were lucky with the weather which topped it off. A hard act to follow for whoever gets the lucky job of organising it next year.

Aaron Kearney