Run to Maison de Provence

LCQ Day Run – Sunday 8 October 2017

Story by Peter Upham, photos by Gloria Wade.

The last DTC of the year was marked with record entries (65) limited by paddock space and the need to give everyone the best number of runs for the day.

Clive and Gloria Wade organised this run, and the meeting point was at the Caltex at Carseldine. The bad news was that it was at 6.30 am. I try very hard not to even be awake at that time on a Sunday morning, so getting there on time was difficult, but definitely worth it given our breakfast venue.

Obviously a lot of others felt the same way, as we had 16 cars and 32 people arrive in time for the 7.00 am (ish) departure.

The first stage was simply a run up the highway called Bruce, with Clive and Gloria in the lead and Norma and I at the tail. Our destination was Maison de Provence in Cooroy. They don’t normally operate on Sundays and Mondays, but were opening specially to provide us with breakfast. And what a magnificent breakfast it was. They also gave us samples of some of their delicious pastries, which were just a taste of the magnificent range on offer when they are open for normal business.

We probably spent longer than intended at Cooroy (with good reason), and we had a long way to our morning tea stop at the Mary Cairncross Scenic Reserve at Maleny, so Clive and Gloria set a fairly brisk pace, west by back roads almost to Kenilworth, then up the Obi Obi Road to Mapleton where we stopped to regroup. Then on along the Blackall Range to the Mary Cairncross Park.

It seems that most of Australia had the same idea, so the car park was full, and cars had spilled out onto the road for some distance. No way were we going to park 16 cars, so on we went towards Kilcoy. Unfortunately Norma and I had to head for home at this point, but the remainder went on to Kilcoy, then around Somerset Dam and up the back of Mount Glorious. From there they descended to Samford, and a late lunch at the Flying Nun Café, arriving about 2 pm. I am told that the lunch was excellent, and all enjoyed the day.

Thank you very much Clive and Gloria for organising an excellent run. And I can thoroughly recommend a return visit to Maison de Provence.

Attending were: Greg & Chris Bray (blue Elan), Naresh Dayananda & mate Troy (green Exige S), Peter & Leanne Drane (blue Elise), John & Jenny Flynn (blue Elise), Mike & Maggie Goodfellow (white Elan Plus 2), Phil & Gail Hart (silver Elise), John & Debbie Mactaggart (red Evora 400), Barry Mather & Jess (white Exige S), Colin & Robyn McKay (green Elan), Rob & Tracey Preslmaier (yellow Elise), Richard & Susie Probert (silver Elise), Johan Rensenbrink & Katarina (silver Elise), Darryl & Tania Ringuet (orange Exige), Andrew Row & Brydie (titanium Exige), Peter & Norma Upham (yellow Elise), Clive & Gloria Wade (green Elise).