22nd October: Autumn Leaves Scenic Tour
The Autumn Leaves is usually the last run of the year and this year the 100 miles route started from Taurus Crafts at Lydney. It had rained overnight and early morning but the weather cleared nicely by the time we had all had our bacon roll and coffee for the 10:00am start. The changeable weather forecast meant we chose to take the FHC.
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| Leaving the start in Lydney | |
The run took place mainly in the Forest of Dean area, which like many places is having its roads dug up for the installation of fibre optic cables. Sometimes it seems like this has been going on for ever and the organisers had to add a couple of last minute diversions to their route to avoid closed roads sections. Two other TR7s were also taking part, Henry & Linda Brown in their Cavalry Blue V8 powered DHC and Jos & Avice Way in their red DHC also V8 powered.
In the event the roadworks did not cause any problems for the participating crews and we all enjoyed the first 35 mile section in the southern part of the Forest of Dean taking us in a loop back to Taurus Crafts for a coffee and a piece of cake.
The second part took us 30 miles and further north beyond the Forest to Garway in Herefordshire for an afternoon tea stop at Kelsmor Dairy, who just also happen to make excellent ice-cream. The tea was free but we could not resist buying one of their ice-cream varieties as well. It was very good.
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| Queue for ice-cream (picture by Dave Price) |
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| TR7s at Kelsmor Dairy stop |
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| Starting last leg (picture by Dave Price) |
Final leg was 41 miles and down alongside the beautiful River Wye via Hole in the Wall to a Sunday roast meal at Forest Hills Golf Club in Mile End, Coleford.
On the way home afterwards it was raining and dark and I found the LED headlights on FHC were not giving good enough lighting, so that will be a job for improvement later.
