Spring Equinox Drive (21 Mar 2004)

Approaching the National Trust meeting point at Chartwell, the black clouds and drizzle suggested my first Club run would be a hood-up day. However, the skies cleared with the sun drying things off nicely so we were topless from the start.

Driving down the Kent and Sussex B-roads, dappled sunlight between the trees, hearing birds chirping away and being far from cold, winter definitely seemed behind us.

We arrived at the Ringmer lunch stop with minutes to spare before the heavens opened. Unfortunately, being Mother's Day the pub was fully booked so it became a drinks break until the rain stopped.

Shortly after the start of the return leg, I managed to take a wrong turn in the Lewes one-way system, splitting the group up. It took a couple of laps before the convoy was back on its way.

A late lunch was taken in the village of Lindfield. The second village pub we tried (the Red Lion) had a chef much more willing than the first to cook for all of us. The sun then shone for the final stretch back to Chartwell, where we headed to the coffee shop to wind down from the day's enthusiastic driving.

James Hoggan