MX5 CLUB - BRASS MONKEY RETURN RUN - 19 JULY 2009

[Midori]

AHOC – BRASS MONKEY OPEN INVITATION RUN TO BATHURST

Meet: Caltex Service Centre, M4 West, Eastern Creek (next to McDonalds)
Time: Sunday 19 July 2009 at 5.30 am for a start at 6.00 am sharp

This is an annual open invitation point to point charge (ie, no stops, maps, run sheets or lead cars with only two rules “tops must be down” and “try to observe all the road rules”) over the Great Western Highway in 2009. Organised by the Austin Healey Owners Club to raise money for charity.

There is an ad hoc mass start with no special place in the line for MX5s. The Brass Monkey is not an official MX5 Club run. Find a friend, a bunch of MX5s or other roadsters travelling at a pace you are comfortable with and join in. You should arrive at the Bathurst RSL at around 8.00 am for an 8.30 am buffet breakfast with around about 100 other assorted roadsters and drivers.

Registration: POST a cheque for $16.00 for each participant ($12.00 for a child under 12 years) PLUS a self addressed and stamped envelope to AHOC, PO Box 3027, LLANDILO, NSW, 2747. Breakfast vouchers will be posted back to you.
Organiser: Terry Bancroft - Tel: 4777 4883 or Mob: 0427 774 883.

MX5 BREAKFAST CLUB - BRASS MONKEY RETURN RUN TO SYDNEY

Meet: Hardstand parking area opposite Sulman Park on top of Mt Panorama
Time: Sunday 19 July 2009 at 10.00 am for 10.15 am start

If you are contemplating joining the Brass Monkey, top down and very cool roadster run and have not made plans for a drive back to Sydney, you can join a small band of survivors with all their appendages and sense of humour in tact on the MX5 Breakfast Club - Brass Monkey Return Run.

Start with a drive to prevailing conditions back home on the rarely, if ever, patrolled “B” roads south of Bathurst and the highway is for, take some time to look at the exotica parked in the street, do a loop or two around the mountain before meeting on top of Mt Panorama for a quick drive home with special stages to Tarana and the highway over undulating and twisting roads through bush and farmlands.

The route to refreshments at the Tarana Hotel for before the big log fire or on the terrace in the mid morning sun will be decided on the day. The overall plan is to be across the Bells Line of Road before the returning day-trippers. A luncheon stop at a café on Bellbird Hill or Richmond or drive straight home will depend upon the traffic and the time it takes to get across the Blue Mountains.

Further Information (Brass Monkey & the Return Run Sheet, Map etc.,) see the posting on the NSW Events page in the Forum from 1 June 2009.

For possible cancellation due to an adverse weather forecast check the Forum on the evening before the run after 8.00pm.

Registration: You should be registered for the Brass Monkey. No pre-registration requirements for the Return Run. Please post expressions of interest on the Forum

Organiser: Michael Soulos

[Midori]

RUN SHEETS, ROUTE MAP & INFO FOR RETURN RUN

For your perusal and convenience please find links for the Run Sheets, Route Map and information relevant to the Brass Monkey and MX5 Club NSW’s Brass Monkey Return Run on Sunday 19 July 2009.

Run Sheets & Route Map links

http://www.mediafire.com/?sharekey=fdf2 ... 49b5870170

(a) Brass Monkey Run Sheet – unofficial run sheet for the Austin Healey Owners Club charity run to Bathurst with a town map of Bathurst showing route to Bathurst RSL Club with parking advice.

(b) Return Run Route Map – map showing the 2 optional routes from Mt Panorama to Tarana and from there to Bell. Route selection is to be decided on the day by those participating in the Brass Monkey Return Run.

(c) MX5 Brass Monkey Return Run Sheet – a run sheet for the optional long and short routes to Tarana then on to Bell for the run across the mountains for refreshments at Kurrajong and/or home.


Refreshment stop links

http://www.bluemts.com.au/TaranaHotel/

(d) webpage for Tarana Hotel, Tarana being the venue for the mid-morning stop. The Tarana Hotel is well known watering hole patronised by many car and motorcycle clubs on weekends. We will call past before the lunchtime peak for a quick tea or coffee in front of the open fire or out on the terrace under the pergola.

http://www.google.com.au/search?hl=en&q ... 0&oq=toque

http://www.toque.com.au/

(e) webpage for Toque at Kurrajong, the venue for the last stop before the city limits. Toque’s specialises in offering menus using the freshest local produce of the Hawkesbury Harvest. Toque operates as a café during the day and a fine dining restaurant in the evening. The MX5 Club was contacted by Toque who invited us to visit their café restaurant and sample their cuisine for either a meal or light refreshments on the way back to Sydney.

[mr2 spyder]

im keen to meet up with you guys on the way out and especially for the return run. who is going? doesnt seem to be much interest in this run, yet alot of talk about the icebergs run. would like to know the return run is a defiate as i have a mr2 club run on same day i am passing up for this one.

[Midori]

History shows that the AHOC holds the Brass Monkey Run whatever the weather. The current 28 day rain forecast is for no rain on 19 July 2009 for the Sydney basin and Central Tablelands. Unless rain is a high probability for the Central Tablelands then the MX5 Brass Monkey Return Run is definitely on.

I do not know how many MX5s are going on the Brass Monkey or meeting up on Mt Panorama. I believe around 100 assorted roadsters will leave from Eastern Creek, roof down with their occupants seriously rugged up, at sparrow's fart. I suspect that there will be at least a 10 cars roll up for a return run on the back roads south of the highway. The Datsun Car Club has confirmed eight for the Return Run to Toque Cafe at Kurrajong for lunch.

You are free to join in the Brass Monkey anywhere along the Great Western Highway on route to Bathurst. If you are not joining the AHOC for breakfast at the RSL then we might meet up with you opposite Sulman Park at about 10.00 am to select a route for the Retuirn Run across the mountains to Kurrajong.

[Guran]

This weekend I paid a visit to Bathurst with a group of friends. We had a police escort from the moment we entered city limits (from Sofala) until we passed a speed trap on the Oberon Road. He tried to catch us with a speed trap on Conrod Straight (hiding behind the trees -- careful LIDAR speed detectors have 500m range!). When leaving the mountain, it was ludicrous being followed right-left-right-left-right through the backstreets of Bathurst by this cop who obviously had nothing better to do. Pleased to say that no-one in our group gave him a reason for us to contribute to state revenue (except for one bloke who left early on his own). I certainly hope that this run doesn't attract the same sort of attention because it's bloody irritating and downright intimidating.

[Midori]

TOQUE MENUS

Toque have provided their Breakfast Menu and Winter Lunch Menu for your perusal. We should get back to Kurrajong between 1.30 and 3.00 pm depending on road conditions and what routes the participants choose to Tarana and then to Bell for the run across the mountains. Lunch at Toque ends at around 2.30-3.00pm so the staff can set up for afternoon tea for which no menu is needed.

We should get back to Kurrajong for the Lunch Menu augmented by the non-egg dishes off the Breakfast Menu. The chef and management have only good things to say about their housemade scones, pancakes & fruit bread; which I am told are all delicious and very popular whatever time of the day you place an order. The menus can be accessed on this link:-

http://www.mediafire.com/?sharekey=fdf2 ... 8114394287

I appreciate Guran's concerns and sympathise with his frustration however I have never come across a patrol car other than on the highway and on the road down to Oberon from Hartley and back up to Kelso via O'Connell. I saw no patrol cars when the Brass Monkey last visited Bathurst or had any trouble with the boys in blue in an other Brass Monkey run It is always possible that 2009 could change my perceptions of the dangers lurking around the roads on the Central Tablelands.

[Leonw]

Not sure about who is going on this run but Margy and I will be staying at the Country Comfort Motel at Bathurst on the Saturday night and really looking forward to travelling with the top down back to the Central Coast on Sunday.

We rarely go on a club run but I think this one is worthy of a healthy MX5 contingent.

After all. Mxs are really comfortable in the cold with air con, heating etc, not like the old sports enthusiast's cars.

Leon & Margy

[CoffeeBoss]

Keen for this run and will hopefully be free that day. I hear great things about the Brass Monkey Runs of years past. Not to mention, the driving around that area of the mountains is well worth the trip.

[sliq]

i'm going for shiz

[bjones]

Just got the ministers seal of approval!!! (as long as I still have the car- )

BJ

[RG.net]

I might be down, will be one of my last chances to say goodbye to sydney and surrounding roads.

[mr2 spyder]

looks like i am out for this one tried to get the other mr2 guys to join me for it but they kept there run up north as planned. i was still going on this one but now the newcastle mg club has invited the mr2 club to their hill climb day on the same day. so i think i will go up there and try that one out. done one run all year then everything on the same days. the mr2 north run moved to the next weekend, which i was going to join the toyota guys for a run and is the same day as the cruise for charity. hope to see you at the iceburgs run.

[RG.net]

BUMP

No one else on MX5-cartalk are going to this?

[Regie]

im suppose to be heading up the Hunter this weekend

if that falls through ill be in this for sure

wont know till friday though

[Midori]

BRASS MONKEY SEVEN DAY WEATHER FORECAST

The Metropolitan Weather Bureau’s seven (7) day forecasts indicate a fine cold morning with a very low probability of rain for Sunday 19 July 2009. In other words an appropriate day to put your tackle on the line and accept the challenge of the Brass Monkey with topless, collar up and beanies pulled down to cross the Blue Mountains and dash over the Western Plains with Jack Frost nipping at your ears.

SYDNEY BASIN 7 DAY FORECAST:-

Fine with light to moderate west to northwest winds;

City: Mostly sunny
Min: 7 Max: 17 Chance of Rain: 20% < 1mm

Prospect: Mostly sunny
Min: 4 Max: 16 Chance of Rain: 20% < 1mm

Penrith: Mostly sunny with high risk of frost
Min: 1 Max: 17 Chance of Rain: 20% < 1mm

CENTRAL TABLELANDS 7 DAY FORECAST:-

Mostly cloudy with high risk of frost.

Katoomba:-: Frost then sunny
Min: 0 Max: 8 Chance of Rain: 20% < 1mm

Lithgow:- Frost then sunny
Min: -1 Max: 8 Chance of Rain: 20% < 1mm

Bathurst:- Mostly cloudy with high risk of frost;
Min: 0 Max: 11 Chance of Rain: 10% < 1mm