Club Cruise to Piccoli's Spanner Sculptures
25th August, 2018
25th August, 2018
What a great day for a cruise! The sun is shining, the sound of V8’s and the smell of premium. Too bad we can’t use Avgas anymore, but still a great day.
Meeting at the Clubhouse for a 10:15 departure, it appeared we were very light-on for members today. It surprises me – for a club with over 240 members, the majority of them owning a classic car (or several) registered on a club permit issued by us – that it is usually less than 20 members that take the opportunity to come along on Club cruises. I guess we're all too busy.
And so, as 10 of us left Bendigo and headed out through Eaglehawk, it became obvious very quickly that some didn’t even know the way to Serpentine. Cars turning left at the Allies and others going straight. Maybe we should pull over and re-group after getting split up by traffic lights or listen to Wayne’s instructions on where we’re going. Imagine the confusion if we had 60 cars on a cruise.... And we lost the Mercury on the way. Found out at lunchtime - after some phone calls - they’d decided to go to Pyramid Hill instead….
It was nice relaxing in the passenger seat today as my son Nathan had the “L” plates on and was lovin’ the V8 power way too much. We soon rolled into the sleepy town of Boort and pulled up outside the Railway Hotel for lunch. All three of us Holden drivers (told you there weren’t many members on the cruise…) had noticed a deserted Holden Dealer building across the road and after lunch set up the vehicles for some unique shots.
It was a short cruise along the Quambatook road to Piccoli’s Spanner Sculptures. A green oasis in the middle of flat, dry farming land. John “The Spanner Man” told us his story and how the spanner sculptures began. He contracted polio when he was 8 years old and then after his dad died when he was 18, had to run the farm. He began making the sculptures in the early ‘80’s and continues today even though he is in a wheelchair. John gave us a tour of his garden, explaining the stories behind the rusty sculptures and proudly showing us his much loved Macaw parrots.
An enjoyable afternoon spent in a lovely location.
Once again, a well deserved “Thank You” to the Events Guys for organising this cruise.
Meeting at the Clubhouse for a 10:15 departure, it appeared we were very light-on for members today. It surprises me – for a club with over 240 members, the majority of them owning a classic car (or several) registered on a club permit issued by us – that it is usually less than 20 members that take the opportunity to come along on Club cruises. I guess we're all too busy.
And so, as 10 of us left Bendigo and headed out through Eaglehawk, it became obvious very quickly that some didn’t even know the way to Serpentine. Cars turning left at the Allies and others going straight. Maybe we should pull over and re-group after getting split up by traffic lights or listen to Wayne’s instructions on where we’re going. Imagine the confusion if we had 60 cars on a cruise.... And we lost the Mercury on the way. Found out at lunchtime - after some phone calls - they’d decided to go to Pyramid Hill instead….
It was nice relaxing in the passenger seat today as my son Nathan had the “L” plates on and was lovin’ the V8 power way too much. We soon rolled into the sleepy town of Boort and pulled up outside the Railway Hotel for lunch. All three of us Holden drivers (told you there weren’t many members on the cruise…) had noticed a deserted Holden Dealer building across the road and after lunch set up the vehicles for some unique shots.
It was a short cruise along the Quambatook road to Piccoli’s Spanner Sculptures. A green oasis in the middle of flat, dry farming land. John “The Spanner Man” told us his story and how the spanner sculptures began. He contracted polio when he was 8 years old and then after his dad died when he was 18, had to run the farm. He began making the sculptures in the early ‘80’s and continues today even though he is in a wheelchair. John gave us a tour of his garden, explaining the stories behind the rusty sculptures and proudly showing us his much loved Macaw parrots.
An enjoyable afternoon spent in a lovely location.
Once again, a well deserved “Thank You” to the Events Guys for organising this cruise.
We'll see you on a cruise somewhere!