Great Southern Frenzy Report
21st - 22nd June 2003
by Bruce Wilson

This was a two-day affair, and it worked well.

A small group of enthusiasts made it to Bowral on Saturday. Frank & Marita and Janne & Bruce, by lunch time, straight into the Bowral Brassiere, Frank christened the day with a Stout.

A good meal then walk around town.

Yes the girls bought things, CD's and Shoes. Good shop for the future, Three Wise Monkeys. The Wilson's met some old pals who run a shop in Bowral. Then back to the Briars, located a few kilometres toward Moss Vale. Good set up, Lodges well appointed looking out on little lake. They have always been noted for good tucker.

Conditions were a bit of a worry and we almost expected snow. Frank has an aversion to the cold. We holed up in the Frank'N lodge and next to roll up was Rainer. Loves driving and has an early shark with lots of hand sewn leather. His shark is a 'work in hand project' but we have to admit it goes as well as any, as we were to find out. Ray lives near Picton.

More good discussion at the Furter Lodge until Paula and Ross arrived. So now we have that ideal group to allow a split of the sheilas and the blokes, so some serious time was spent around a log fire with reds whites and stout till dinner. Really all the food you could imagine and top quality. The end of the meal resolved that the projected 8:00am departure was a bit early but Ray pointed out that if we didn't then we would not make the arrival at Albion Park on time.

So the plan became 9.00am depart

 and go straight down to the coast not around the long way via Nowra. Done deal! Breakfast (again more than enough) and away we went after removing the overnight frost. The day? Perfect! No wind, clear sky and open roads!

From Bowral to the top of the pass open country roads no traffic and good times were set. As Ray was the local he led and he really did! Closely followed by Ross and Paula. Frank & Marita cruised with Janne and I following.

In this sort of driving I'm happy to sit at the rear. Ray did not go down the Kangaroo Pass, there is another very secluded road down the mountain and I have to say it was magic. Tight, winding, a bit narrow in sections and best of all.. deserted!

We only saw one vehicle on its way up

 and the boys at the front joined the other driver in surprise manoeuvring as they passed. The visuals on this pass were great, sun from the side, tall trees, shadows across the road, dark bits of forest, open bits with paddocks toward the end, all great stuff.

The two up front reported some billowing smoke and tyre talking as they dropped down the pass. Frank once or twice caught his front wheel trying to make love to the mudguard arch but it wasn't of any importance. In retrospect we should have turned around and gone straight back up again .. and again (next time we will) and next time we need to do some serious thinking about how to get the best out of this unused terrific road early in the day or even the night before. All courtesy of Ray .. good on yer Ray! Thank you!

So there we were down at the coast with Ray leading and after he passed Albion Park (our meeting spot) heading North I started to get a bit uneasy on where he thought we were going. So we caught up and the answer was 'Oh Albion Park not Albion Park Rail!'

Now that would have been interesting, as it is sort of miles to the North, we may have met the Sharks from the North on the same road but we couldn't be sure so we returned to the meeting spot with lots of time and when they arrived it was a real spectacle.

Around twenty parked cars in line

 with a metre or two space makes it around 150 metres long, an almost 500 foot long 928 snake. But Brian was not there! News was that Brian had been invited to discuss the merits of hand held laser speed measurement with a local enthusiast in Bulli. When he arrived a little later the entire congregation surrounded him for a report and guess what, the smooth and quietly spoken Brian had somehow convinced the warrior from the Empire that 'all was OK, just take it a bit easy OK?'

Off to Macquarie Pass.

A fabulous bit of road, except that we picked up a young P-Plate female with 3 passengers in a small sh*t box and yes .. you are right! We stayed behind her for some long Ks to the first overtake zone.

What an inconsiderate klutz

.. she knew there were twenty cars all the same behind her and didn't think of pulling over. She may have got an idea of our opinions as we blasted past and so for maybe a K it was just great .. smooth road, tight turns and it was all close formation driving .. until 'holy Toledo Batman' now its a tour bus going up .. what can you say? .. and even better, just as we arrive another one of the same buses meets the first at a hairpin coming down.

So after a bit of close bus passing and another overtaking lane blast off, the rest was a bit OK to Dormie House at Moss Vale.

It could have been so much better… but that's the way it was. (perhaps next time one of the leading vehicles going up or down could have an overheating problem for a little time, to allow a radiator top up ..  to ensure no probs) with twenty 928s behind no one will overtake from behind!

Dormie is a blast from the past it makes it's living off golfers.

It has a function room with heavy silverware. The tucker was adequate and my turkey was fine. Craig's brief, he set out on was to find a luncheon spot with a fair price and it did this perfectly, the parking was no probs and Len with (new face) Akram's friend Ramir (spelling?) got very serious on the table tennis table. The full size billiard table was starting to gather a few players but the day was passing and there were those ladies among the group who were yet to get their shopping fix so that pretty wonderful sight of many sharks driving off into the sunset occurred.

Here's a point! On the way back from Mittagong to the lights at Cammeray took fifty minutes and no traffic lights!

It was the freeway all the way to Mascot airport then the harbour tunnel and with an E-Pass no stops even. Not too bad! Tracy said it took him 90 mins via Liverpool, so that is the difference the freeway system has made for us.

This southern frenzy will be repeated and improved, the accommodation is perfect for the sharks and their masters, good food and accommodation, well placed, we will be back.

Craig …and of course Julie, thank you for a really meticulous, well planned and documented successful Frenzy. The Great South Frenzy was another success…and what made it a success? All of you who got involved, we were all there together with our people and our sharks.

There is nothing to beat being in a convoy of sharks

 with their beautiful body lines, snaking ahead and behind you, dynamic, on the move, looking up past the side of the one in front, it's wheels alive, responding to the road, the sounds, especially in the tunnels of today, it must be true nobody else has this wonderful group benefit we receive…aren't we lucky!

If you don't go on these frenzies you are really missing out on the peak benefit of having your car.

See you on the next one, where ever it goes!
Bruce Wilson. 9450 1962, 9913 1393, 0419 235 230