Below are the pictures taken during a cruz early in 2006

To see a video clip of the day click here

Please click on the photos to see them full size.

It was a fresh morning with the typical British weather backing us up for a potentially fun & ‘relaxed’ cruse around the country roads of Sussex….
Simon organised a route to fulfil a full day of mini adventures, with pauses for photos & a stop for pub lunch on route. After taking weeks to decide the best roads, he suddenly found himself on a plane heading to Kuwait (work not pleasure, I hope!) leaving me with a map, a time schedual & the keys to his car, Yay!

For the strict ‘10am’ start, 11 minis gathered at the British Queen carpark including the ‘L’ plated Bean Machine, (practicing his mini driving skills before that fateful day), and set off in convoy down the A27 for a petrol stop, for the minis who can actually tell you when they need fuel! The route took us along narrow lanes through Wartling, past Herstmonceux, Bodle Street Green before stopping at Rushlake Green for a quick food order for lunch & retrieving 2 lost minis!
From there we trugged along towards Cowbeech; however, I’m not sure we made it that far as we took a short cut to Horam somehow, including the miss-hap at the cross roads! (I would like to point out at this time that I didn’t have a co-driver, & driving whilst reading a map isn’t a talent I own!)
With a tricky drive through Horam and holding up the traffic, the time was 11:45, so the route had to ‘change’ as Lunch was due for 12! By this time almost everyone had thrown away the maps anyway so we played follow the leader up through Cross-in-Hand, along the back road via Blackboys & Framfield, a quick skirt around Uckfield (passing a few confused faces) & finally made it to The Laughing Fish pub, Isfield. The minis parking up out the front pulled lots of attention & the sun came out at just the right moment! After scoffing lunch for 19 people around a 12 seater table (work that one out!) the convoy downed the rest of their drinks to pose for photos, have a chat & enjoy what sun was out before jumping back the Minis for the continuing journey.
The rest of the route took us through Piltdown, Barcombe, cross over to Ringmer (were we almost lost Mingie2 due to gear problems), through Glynde and heading towards Firle Beacon…this route also included a ‘fuel crises’, including missing syphen kits, no petrol cans at hand & a sheepish voice message from Dave saying… “err...hold up guys, I’ve run out of fuel” .
With Rachel & Tony on a mission for petrol, the rest of the Minis were gathered up for the long haul up to the top. This would have been a great spot for more photos…if it weren’t a gale force wind! (Who’s idea was that then, Simon!)
After a couple of windy photos for those you could brave it, the trip back down was short lived compared to going up but was great fun! Dave over did a little whilst trying to show that mini’s can fly…with a belly flop on landing!
For the trek back homeward some cars went their separate ways. The journey took us down the A27, then off the main road towards Afriston, Excent, Friston then turn off towards many a favourite: Birling Gap. A lovely winding route round Beachy Head, then Daz took us home to the pub! A cold windy day but thoroughly enjoyed and no serious casualties!

Josie

Page Last Updated - 12/12/2006 - Copyright (c) EDMC 2006.