Tarago Turnout

20 July 2019 / Story by Brian Clayton Photos by Anda Clayton and Anne Zattera

The day opened cool but bright and sunny. We met Graeme and Anne at the Heritage Bakery and enjoyed a cup of coffee before heading off for our next rendezvous. It was a lovely run in the cool sunshine down to Batemans Bay with very little traffic but quite a bit of road kill along the way.

Not long after arriving at Batemans Bay at the appointed spot but before the appointed time we had the opportunity for a leg stretch. Soon Ray and Jane arrived with a car and a dog each. Time for a warm greeting and it was on the road again.

Again, we were lucky with the traffic, at least for most of the trip and enjoyed a lovely drive, at the speed limit, through the hills and across the flat into Braidwood. Passing through Braidwood with time to spare we stopped at a rest stop to water the dogs and give them a piddle break.

Ready to go again for the final leg into Tarago. Well, not quite. Jane’s car, which had been running well all the way decided it did not want to start. Ray’s diagnosis was it was probably too warm and to let it cool down.

So, the remaining two cars, at Ray’s insistence, proceeded to lunch at Tarago, expecting the recalcitrant vehicle to start once it had completed its rest. A phone call from the pub obtained the news that the car would not start and the NRMA would be there in two hours.

Four of us went in to lunch and enjoyed the chit chat with our friends from Illawarra and Sydney chapters. Lunch was great, the room was warm, courtesy of a lovely open fire place, and the catch up with good friends made the afternoon fly by.

Despite some concerns about recent road works a group of us decided to return via the Nerriga Road. Road works which had been in progress just a couple of months previously had been completed and a new stretch proved no problem at all. The convoy was making good progress except for a Toyota Land Cruiser which caught up to our convoy and seemed intent on passing each of us in turn. It took him about 50Kms but eventually he passed the last of us not far from Nowra. For those of us who know the road there are not many safe places to pass or even to pull to the side along that piece of road. We hope the Toyota driver managed to avoid an accident, a booking, and a heart attack as well.

Arriving home, we received the news that Jane’s car did complete its rest but not in time for its owner to join the gang for lunch. They completed an uneventful trip home.

All in all, another magic day enjoyed with fine company.