The RCCV has prepared a bit of a social drive to go with the Bastille Day multi-club luncheon being held at l’Auberge in Lilydale.

It’s open to all members of each club, whether attending the luncheon or not. Members going to the luncheon do not have to do the drive as well if they don’t wish to (but why would you not?). It has been designed with the varying capabilities of the collectively diverse range of potential participating vehicles.

1. Those going on the drive meet in the car park of the Heide Museum of Modern Art (7 Templestowe Rd, Bulleen) at 9:00am for a 9:15am departure.
2. A 1/2 – 3/4 hr drive out through Templestowe, Eltham and Diamond Creek to coffee stop at Pepper’s Paddock General Store in Wattle Glen.
3. Coffee stop for 1/2 – 3/4 hr.
4. Three routes of ‘nominal’ 1/2, 1 and 1&1/2 hr travel times to get from the coffee stop to L’Auberge. ‘Nominal’ means that’s how long at a normal pace for a modern vehicle. Aim is to be at L’Auberge between 12:00 and 12:30pm.
5. The half-hour run is intended for older vehicles that may be operated at a more sedate pace, or that may not wish to travel the greater distance. This run goes via Warrandyte and Wonga park to Lilydale – a fairly flat (ie un-hilly) run.
6. The longest run is for those wanting a more ‘spirited’ drive. If they depart from coffee first, as planned, they should arrive at lunch about the same time as the others.
7. The medium and long runs go out to Kinglake via Hurstbridge and St Andrews, across to the Melba highway and back past Yarra Glen and Coldstream to Lilydale. The long run replaces the Melba Hwy leg with a zesty jaunt via Toolangi and Healesville.
8. There’s about 10-12 turn points in each run, with nearly all having very clear sign-posting making for easy navigation. Solo drivers should be able to navigate even the long run by remembering only 4 or 5 intermediate destinations.
9. All roads are generally good quality – no unsealed. The leg to St Andrews is gentle to moderate curves and rises. From St Andrews to Kinglake is a leg of climbing tighter turns – the posted speed limit of 60 being considered reasonable, and that David J’s 850cc 1958 Renault 750 pretty much kept up with the pack on a previous run gives a sense of the standard. From Kinglake the roads are highway grade. The Toolangi leg is again a leg of turns – downhill this time.

Maps and detailed navigation instructions will be provided at the start (at MOMA)
It is not our usual practice to do this, however we’re providing links to Google maps in advance for each of the three run alternatives so that members can, if they wish, inform themselves more fully before deciding to come or which route would suit them.

Short Run

Medium Run

Long Run

Finally, the long range weather forecast is indicating a period of stable weather with wet weather clearing. So good chance of a mainly sunny day with lower than average, for this time of year, rain. Of course, this could all be so different by the week-end!