MX5 BREAKFAST CLUB - CTW EVENT - 28 & 29 APRIL 2012

[Villa]

A tremendous weekend that reminds us all why we own and love to drive our MX5's. A big thanks to Michael for his organisational prowess and to Tony for sharing his beautiful backyard with 14 MX5's and a Mini

[Midori]

Everything went well thanks to the efforts of Tony in suggesting then planning the run around his backyard. Over two fantastic days Tony took us to roads, localities and hamlets that were new to most of us with some fascinating 19th Century architecture in various stages of restoration or decapitation each interesting in their own way.

We were introduced to some fantastic MX-5 roads through farmland, bush and pine plantations. Some of these back roads will form the core of the MX5 Return Run from the Brass Monkey breakfast in Bathurst on 3 June. Once again a very big thanks to Tony.

The Prologue Run was awesome thanks to the great job up front by Robert leading us up the Putty Road to breakfast in Singleton then on to Bathurst. A special thanks to the four members who joined us for a day run with Jean and Patrick staying with the group as far as Rylstone before heading home as we proceeded up to Mudgee.

Robert’s route from Mudgee down to Hill End was sealed and not dissimilar to the experience of driving on the Lue Road. The road from historic Hill End to Bathurst, checked out by Robert and Barry last year, was a surprise packet so much so that we will do a BreakFast Club to the Hill End in 2013 instead of Sofala or Mudgee. A great driving experience to a heritage icon village.

To the drivers of the other 15 MX-5s on the CTW a special thanks as without your enthusiasm and camaraderie it would not be same. For Bad Bong I am the only person, other than Yvon, happy that you were driving a Cooper S without which I would have been driving a Corolla rent-a-car home with the compliments of the NRMA. The upside of the coil and/or crankcase sensor malfunctioning is that I have found two more things to replace after 200k when I thought I had done it all.

[baz10]

What a wonderful three days, great roads, enjoyable company as always and delightful spring weather and colours.
Tony you really excelled and set the bar very high, not forgetting the detailed run booklet, definitely a collectors piece.

[Tony]

Thanks everyone; it was a shame about all those bloody potholes though. With my track-biased suspension I certainly didn't enjoy them at all.

After that monster under the railway bridge at Tarana, I probably need another wheel alignment and all! I hope the guys on super low profile tyres didn't suffer any long term damage.

[Zohxoco]

Hi all, photos took a while, long hours at work etc. Here's my photos from Prologue.

















You can have anything except what's on the menu:


This one was friendly...

[Midori]

Hi all, photos took a while, long hours at work etc. Here's my photos from Prologue.

Great images Timothy but we are hanging out out for the videos

[Zohxoco]

Hi all, photos took a while, long hours at work etc. Here's my photos from Prologue.

Great images Timothy but we are hanging out out for the videos

OK I'm looking into the videos now. In the mean time, CTW pics..

[Zohxoco]

First some coffee


And a jig


And breakfast


Then just drive






Some great history from Tony


Country folk don't change cars too often


But very friendly!




Bug catcher


Lunch














A car wash to remember


More pics on Flickr

[Zohxoco]

Icy start








Oh dear....




A great place to end a great weekend


More pics on Flickr

[Guran]

Love your work Timothy! I've got some downloading to do for Club Torque. I will be saving the CTW article for the Winter issue due in August, so no rush just yet.

[Midori]

First some coffee
replicate

Hey Gavin,

Timothy has taken the first photo of the new espresso fad, half cappuccino / half flat white, a technique that our barista Robert is trying to judge and replicate. I thought you were our gourmet photographer What do you have in your gallery

[marty085]

They are awesome photos!

[Apu]

Wow! Really regret not making the time for this!

[Zohxoco]

OK here's a first try at a video. Benny Hill style. I don't know how else to do it to make it interesting. I need a better video editor. iMovie is seriously lame. Let me know if you have any requests for stages as I'm not going to do any others unless there's requests. This is with Midori on board.

[Midori]

Do not sell yourself short, you have done well for your first attempt. It was not a genuine Benny Hill video as I did not see anyone chasing voluptuous girls around the paddocks.

There were some awesome sections over the three days and your video captured the section up to Oberon. Sitting in your passenger seat I could afford to take my eyes off the road ahead and your video recorded the run through the pine plantations that made you think you were somewhere in Europe .

I would like to see more sections if there is any support.

The run from Black Springs to Oberon is about 56km recorded in a little less than 4 minutes. The last time I travelled that far that quick was cruising at 10,000m . How do I watch the video in real time

Did you take any video of my favourite stretch of road (the Putty Road)' and the fun run up the Bylong Valley Way. To watch all or part the drive on the freshly sealed road out from Hill End would be great as would the the run down and up from Wyangala Dam and the section from Oberon to Portland.

Sections 1 and 2 with part of section 3 on Day Two will be part of the route from Bathurst on the MX5 Return Run after the Brass Monkey on 3 June 2012. For those who were not with us on the CTW here is your chance to drive these fabulous back roads that Tony introduced to us.