Trial Bay Run and Lunch via Crescent Head
18 June 2018
MX-5 Mid North Coast Chapter Car run to Trial Bay via Crescent Head
The Rivermark Cafe on Hastings River Drive was the starting point for the club’s Saturday 16 car run to Trial Bay, with a stop at the famous Barnett’s Bakery on the way. The weather was perfect tops down MX-5 conditions, with brilliant sunlight cloudless skies and just enough chill in the air to make sure you knew you were alive.
The group was comprised of Graham, the convenor with his sparkling blue BMW-MX-5, Peter, Run Leader with his trusty NB, Pam and Allan in their gleaming red ND, Judith and John with their freshly washed NC and new members Susan and John from Forster Tuncurry in their newly acquired green NB. Sally and Warren from Coffs Harbour would meet up with us at Trial Bay. Tops down and heaters up, we went along Hastings River drive to turn onto the old Pacific Highway and onto the recently completed twin carriage way Pacific Highway up to the Kempsey turn off. Although this was the motorway with a strict speed limit of 110 kph the drive itself is quite scenic with plenty of greenery to be seen along the way.
It did not take long to arrive at the Kempsey turn off and then the right-hand turn onto the road to Crescent Head. Not much traffic on this road today, so it was a pleasant drive to Barnett’s Bakery. As usual the choice of what to eat was difficult as this was supposed to be a morning tea stop and were booked in for lunch only about an hour away! A short detour to the beach for a comfort stop was next. The ladies gave the new Amenities Block a tick of approval.
We then took the back road to Trial Bay. The drive along the river bank, although familiar, still looked magnificent with the sun reflecting off the river looking like sparkling diamonds. The road being relatively smooth has sections with considerable potholes and dips in the surface. Pride certainly comes before a fall. No sooner had I congratulated myself on avoiding the large depressions in the road surface when “clang”, I had hit the same pothole which had been hit on previous occasions! The noise with the roof down was considerable, but no damage done.
Graham took over run leader duties at Jerseyville to lead us on the road to Arakoon and eventually Trial Bay. We followed the headland through the caravan park and some of us discovered the limited ground clearance that the MX-5 has over the speed bumps. Away from the bumps we turned onto a part of the road that took us to a magnificent view over the ocean. Graham told us that he had organized a surprise for us and to look out to sea. We wondered what it was; and then saw several whales in the middle-distance cavorting as whales do! Not only were the whales putting on a display; the local dolphins also came out to show off, rolling over and over through the small waves.
Once the show and obligatory photo op were over it was time for lunch. Sally and Warren had driven their well-prepared NC down from Coffs Harbour to join us. We lingered over lunch at the Trial Bay Kiosk, in fact we had to be asked to leave!
The talk continued in the car park and then it was time to say farewell and to make our separate ways home.
Thanks once again to Peter, the run leader, and of course Graham the convenor for organizing the display of the whales and dolphins!
Report by Judith and John Hansen
Photos Graham Rochester
Members: Graham Rochester, Peter McDonnell, john and Judith Hansen, Allen and Pam Martin, John and Susan Little, Warren and Sally Shipway.
