Mid-Winter Run and Lunch
Sunday July 16, 2017
What a fabulous day it was on Sunday after the nasty winter blast during the previous week. Great and thoughtful planning also to have a later start time for those who had to travel a distance to join us at the set off point; and for those of us who prefer a more leisurely rising time on Sunday mornings, especially at this time of the year!! Thanks Phil!
The WBOPDC car park has been a frequent meeting place for our club, and served us well again on this day. We had to change it from our original one so as not to get caught up in a road closure caused by a Hikoi that were planning their route over the Wairoa Bridge.
Our navigation instructions in hand, we duly set off. It is amazing how you can be living somewhere for many years and not know half the roads around the area. Our discovery trip this time was in the Pyes Pa and Oropi direction, down roads with fascinating names like Glue Pot Road and the wonderful Oropi Gorge Road, providing a variety of undulations, bends and cambers, but nothing too challenging either. The serious drivers among club members will have to wait until another outing for a drive that will test their driving skills. For me, driving our car for the first time since Ken died, it was just right. I was grateful that I was aware of the general direction I was headed in and where I needed to finish. Navigating from notes, without a navigator to read them to you, is very difficult.
We progressed to Welcome Bay Road, then Kairua Road and back along the Eastern Link, over the flyover and Bridge to the Trinity Wharf Hotel on Dive Cres. Some did as I did and turned left too soon, and had to do a U-turn to get ourselves back on track, but hunger was navigating by then and we all ended up where we needed to be.
We were greeted by more Club members who had chosen not to go on the run and just wanted to join us for lunch; after all, eating and talking is what we are best at isn’t it?
The Halo restaurant has certainly got a wonderful position over the harbour. Our views and enjoyment was enhanced by the glorious fine day. Almost made us forget it was winter.
The other thing I enjoyed was the spaciousness. Noise dissipates much better with high ceilings, and you can hear your dining companions. The staff were very attentive and our buffet lunch served efficiently.
No one seemed in a hurry to depart; and when we finally did we were treated to a Market Day stall in front of the foyer of the Hotel in the form of John Devine’s Jaguar parked with the boot open, (ready to get his bags out and check in for the night, we thought). But no, he was selling club regalia in his usual encouraging fashion – almost auctioneer style at times -to the great amusement of us all, and I hope the tolerance of hotel management.
It was an excellent, easy, no fuss run. Just right for the shorter days we are enduring. Thanks again to Phil who, because of the Hikoi, had to go on a hasty planning run at the last minute to change our route, requiring a different set of navigation notes to be prepared. You are a legend.