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West Winfield, NY to Burlington, ONTARIO
By John | July 29, 2009
Today was yet another delightful example of the clubs both up and downstream of one another, working together, taking part in The Drive – and clearly having a load of fun in the process! That’s what TTACD is all about!
Cindy and Doug Jack of GRTCC (Greater Rochester Triumph Car Club) collected me from my B&B at 09.00 – and after one or two panic stops on my part thinking I’d (first) left my passport at the B&B and (second) thinking I’d mislaid my cellphone – I eventually got it together.
The two car caravan (black TR6 hardtop) and “uncle jack” drove steadily westward along Highway 20 and within the hour ‘connected’ with George and Bev Heynes in their topless GT6. Bev took over “uncle jack’s” passenger seat and we continued in chatting mood to the ‘Tom Wahl’s’ lunch stop where yet more GRTCC members awaited us.
All too soon, it was time for the ‘Morning’ group of GRTCC to hand “uncle jack” over to the ‘Afternoon’ group – but not before the all-important and essential photo-opportunity had taken place! And yes, the snout of that red car on the back row to the right of the second-generation Mini, really is an Alfa Romeo! What’s more, it was great to have it as part of the gathering!
and with Jeff (Cosmo) Kramer leading the field in his Royal Blue 4A, “uncle jack” accompanied by a Spitfire and another Stag ventured onwards and further westward, through the backroads and farming country of upper New York state. ‘Cosmo’ was well at home here – as he lives nearby and knows the land blindfolded.
At this point, it’s important to mention that Jeff has really taken the TTACD concept well and truly ‘on board.’ He’s going to stay with “uncle jack” until we leave Indiana and while the TR and it’s driver want to avoid the heat and sun of more southerly climes, we’ll be meeting up again in Portland, OR – to caravan together down to the finish in San Luis Obispo. That’s commitment by any standards – and we look forward to seeing more people (who are also as terminally insane as us) doing the same thing!
The ‘Afternoon’ caravan continued to an Indian Reservation within five miles of the Canadian frontier where fuel is 5 cents a gallon cheaper (!!!) and at this point, we said goodbye. The caravan still stayed with us after that point until just before the frontier – but the fuel station was the ’shake hands and good luck’ location.
We crossed the border – and then went in search of Tony Fox and the rest of the contingent from Toronto Triumphs and British Car Club of Canada who had convened at Niagara Falls car park to meet us – but be warned! In case you’re planning a trip to the Falls in the near future, it costs $Cdn20.00 to park your car for about an hour!!!!!
We declined that opportunity but still successfully cluttered up the entrance area and then set off on the Canadian caravan. The pic below shows most of the cars – but there are still another four or five out of sight at the back of the picture as they emerged from the car park – so it was a very convincing assembly of elderly carbon footprinters!
Onwards for about an hour to the meal stop at a most engaging establishment and finally, the last bit of the journey to Tony’s home at Burlington. The pic below was difficult to take ‘one-handed’ with the camera pointing backwards out of “uncle jack’s” unzipped rear window – but see all those headlights? Those were Triumphs (and a Jaguar) all in line astern and all of them making it a very memorable day.
Thank you EVERYONE who took part today – GRTCC, Toronto Triumphs and BCCC.
And ain’t Lake Ontario HUGE? Thought I was back on the south coast of England looking across the Channel to France – and that thing’s a freshwater LAKE?
Ye gods!
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