11/2018 mx5vic.org.au

MX-5 Club of Victoria

Print Post Publication: 100018450

The monThly magazine of The mazda mX-5 Club of ViCToria & Tasmania

Inside:The 2018 Variety Bash

More success at Winton

A ‘Sliding Doors” moment

Ain’t afraid of no ... muppets!

mx5vic.org.au

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NEW LOOK NEW

contents

11/2018

mxtra is the monthly newsletter of the Mazda MX-5 Club of Victoria & Tasmania Inc. (#A0021659A). PO Box 8173, Croydon VIC 3136. Registered for Print Post: 100018450

all contributions are welcome. Please send articles and photos (as attachments) to the editor, murray finlay: > email: editor@mx5vic.org.au > or post: mxtra, Mazda MX-5 Club of Victoria & Tasmania, PO Box 8173, Croydon VIC 3136

note: Images supplied for mxtra will also be uploaded to the Club’s online gallery. Copyright will remain with the photographer, and the Club undertakes not to use them for any other purpose without express permission.

DISCLAIMERThe Mazda MX-5 Club of Victoria & Tasmania Inc., its Officers and Committee cannot be held liable for any errors and/or omissions in articles, reports, notices, advertisements, comment and advice of events that are published in mxtra in good faith. It should be noted that the publication of an advertisement, or expression of views in articles and reports, does not necessarily imply endorsement by the Club of the advertised product or service or the views expressed in any articles or reports published in mxtra.

Reports and thoughts4 Coral’s Catch-up 5 scene about

6 gavin’s good oil 7 membership

8 Committee news – October-November2018

9 The MostImportantCarof1989...(almost)

10 Who ya gonna call? Ghostbusters!

24 Kapow! A“slidingdoors”momentforRobKiddell

Chapter chatter12 Central: BreakfastinApolloBay

14 southern Tasmania: Scamanderovernighter

16 eastern Victoria: KhanacrossatBryantPark

21 eastern Victoria: The2018“3PeaksRun”

26 northern Tasmania: SavageRiverAdventure

28 north-eastern Victoria: TheTumba-bloody-rumbarun

30 Western Victoria: ThePresidents’(count’em)run

32 eastern Victoria: OverthebordertoMexicorun

Motor Sport17 2018 aroCa 12 hour, Winton: anotherpodium!

Tech Talk34 The new Club radios: someobservations

35 gme hand-held radios: externalmic/speakerissues?

Your Committee: 2018-2019> President Coral Campbell | (03) 5261 4816 (ah) e: president@mx5vic.org.au> Vice President / social media Randy Stagno Navarra | 0409 210 872 (ah) e: vicepresident@mx5vic.org.au e: facebook@mx5vic.org.au> secretary / Website administrator Bruce Gray | 0478 219 856 (ah) e: secretary@mx5vic.org.au> Treasurer Dave Collins | (03) 9755 2167 (ah) e: treasurer@mx5vic.org.au> Club Captain – motor sport Gavin Newman | 0403 809 515 (ah) e: captain@mx5vic.org.au> assistant Club Captain – motor sport Paul Ledwith | 0491 097 269 (ah) e: captain2@mx5vic.org.au> Club Captain – social Richard Acfield | 0488 747 755 (ah) e: social@mx5vic.org.au > assistant Club Captain – social Steve Reid | 0418 124 461 (ah) e: social2@mx5vic.org.au > membership / Points Will Campbell | (03) 5261 4816 (ah) e: membership@mx5vic.org.au e: points@mx5vic.org.au> merchandise Cary Warren | 0418 368 246 (ah) e: merchandise@mx5vic.org.au> Club Permit officer Peter Dannock | 0408 522 093 (ah) e: clubpermit@mx5vic.org.au> mxtra / Website content Murray Finlay | 0416 247 677 (ah) e: editor@mx5vic.org.au–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––��> Central (melbourne) - Chapter Captains John & Katrina Palmer | 0428 306 392 (ah) e: central@mx5vic.org.au> eastern Victoria - Chapter Captain Peter Ferguson | 0419 108 128 e: eastern@mx5vic.org.au> north-eastern Victoria - Chapter Captain Loz Thomas | 0409 639 718 e: north-eastern@mx5vic.org.au> Western Victoria - Chapter Captain Tony Stoffells | 0419 114 897 (ah) e: western@mx5vic.org.au> northern Tasmania - Chapter Captain Alana McDougall | 0429 808 798 (ah) e: northtas@mx5vic.org.au> southern Tasmania - Chapter Captain John Waldock | 0409 658 716 (ah) e: southtas@mx5vic.org.au> motor sport Classifications officer Russell Garner | 0403 996 694 (ah) e: compliance@mx5vic.org.au

Cover��image:�

Things�you�see�when�you�haven’t�got�a�(slime)�gun!�‘Ghostbuster’�Bronwyn�Roche�meets�Elmo,�Big�Bird,�the�Count�and�Ernie�at�the�2018�Variety�Bash.���Photo: Geoff Roche

Find us at: mX-5 Club of

Victoria

3

■ Coral Campbell – President | president@mx5vic.org.au

Coral’s Catch-up ...

October�has�come�and�gone�–�where�is�the�year�going?�

This month, there were over six runs, the Winton 12 Hour and a khanacross event. Hopefully, that kept many of you entertained. It certainly kept the Chapter and Motor Sport Captains busy.

We had some success at Winton, with our three teams finishing in the first 10 – congratulations to all involved. There’s a full report later in this mxtra. Even as I write this, a group is heading to Tasmania for a special motor sport event, the Tour de Tassie double header at Baskerville and Symmons Plains.

however, there have been a few incidents on a couple of runs this month, providing opportunity for our Chapter Captains to review our Club run guidelines and procedures. For many years the Club has had a set of guidelines which are reviewed regularly.

Driving in a convoy is a different way of driving. Not only do you have to drive to the road rules, but you have to be aware that you are driving with up to 30 other cars. Safe distances, radio contact, and clear guidelines for keeping everyone together are key aspects of a safe and interesting drive. Obviously you cannot plan for the unexpected, so it is every driver’s responsibility to be extra diligent when travelling in convoy.

We have also had unexpected illnesses on a couple of runs, again requiring run leaders to act in a caring and responsible manner, with the best interests of the member in mind. From all reports, this has been carried out in an exemplary manner. and again, it reminds us of the wonderful work of our Chapter Captains.

This month, I joined the North-Eastern Chapter’s drive to Tumbarumba. We had a great day for a drive. I encourage more of you to make it a weekend away and join this Chapter for some spectacular scenery and relatively empty roads!

in the last mxtra, i described the role of the Points Officer. This month, it’s the role of the Vice President, Randy Stagno Navarra, who I first met over 20 years ago when, as a very young man, he joined the Club. Randy has been a Club stalwart, mainly in motor sport, ever since. As Vice President, his role is to keep abreast of everything happening in the Club, both motor sport and social, and be prepared to step up to the President’s role when needed as the Club’s delegate. For example, when I am on leave, Randy will write the President’s report, run the committee meeting and keep an overview of all Club activities. He also has another role within the committee, shared with Cary Warren – as our Social Media convenor. This involves the monitoring of the Facebook page, checking entries, and adding interesting snippets of information or photographs. Our Facebook page is quite popular and requires ongoing maintenance and care.

Coming up this month, we have a smorgasbord of runs, with single-day events to some amazing places and mid-week, multi-day events where you tend to see more, eat more and get to know others in the convoy more closely. I really enjoy mid-week runs when I can get away from work. Again, if this is not something you have tried, I suggest that you put it

on to your list for something to do when you can. But be aware – these runs are popular and often fill quickly.

The Chapter Christmas runs will start in early December – check these dates so that you don’t miss out on the festivities within your Chapter. Better still, why not go to several? You could get to three Victorian Christmas runs and a Tasmanian run across the four weekends in December!

Remember, enjoy your Club but ‘drive to survive’,

Coral

For your diary …See the full calendar for details

November13-15��NEV��Mid-week�Madness�run

18� EV� Bald�Hills�wind�farm�run

18� WV� Vererans’�Walk�run

18� STas� Rob�&�Di’s�Southern�Safari

25� NTas� Trevor’s�Amazing�Day

December2� EV� Christmas�break-up

8� CEN� Christmas�run�[date�change]

9� NEV� Christmas�run

9� MS� Sprints�Rd�10�-�Phillip�Is

15� STas� Christmas�lunch

16� WV� Christmas�run

27� CEN� After�Christmas�run

4

■ Photos: rob Tanner, Peter ferguson, June Teeuw, sandra elliott, geoff & bronwyn roche, dianne lindner, Kathy Wood, gavin newman, James Cole

Scene about ...

5

■ gavin newman – Club Captain - motor sport | captain@mx5vic.org.au

Gavin’s Good Oil ...

It�has�been�a�big�month�in�the�motor�sport�group�since�the�last�issue�of�mxtra.

The alfa Club 12 hour regularity relay was held at Winton on 13-14 October where our Club fielded three teams. The full report is on page 28 but – spoiler alert – we had three teams in the top 10 which is a very strong result.

Logistically these types of events take a fair amount of planning and my thanks go to the team managers – Peter Dannock, Tim Meaden and Dean Brooking – for their efforts in the lead-up to the event and also over the weekend in herding the cats to a great result.

The crew members are the other vitally important participants who deserve our heartfelt thanks. These people spent countless time at the wall timing laps, and doing the many other tasks required to keep the drivers performing at their peak. There are too many to mention, but thank you each and every one of you for giving your time so freely – I hope you enjoyed it as much as the drivers did.

While at Winton, i had the opportunity to chat to one of the employees of the track. I mentioned the problems we

have had in the past with lack of grip in the wet between turns two and three. Not surprisingly he was aware of the problem and mentioned that the track maintenance team have carried out some form of surface reconditioning in that area. So it will be interesting to see if this has improved the next time we visit Winton.

A trip to Winton wouldn’t be complete without a visit to the Northern Hotel in Benalla, where just under 30 of us gathered on Saturday night to swap stories and have some fun. This added to what was a great weekend for all involved.

Tour de Tassie The other big event is our Tour de Tassie. At the time of writing we are just a few days away from heading over on the boat and there is a fair amount of excitement at the chance of competing on what for many will be two new tracks.

Then there’s Tasmania’s famously great MX-5 roads to keep us entertained between the events.

Topping it off is the prospects of great food and drink (in moderation of course!) so I’m sure there will be some tall stories to tell in next month’s edition.

Motor Sport rule revisionsfeedback has been sought from the motor sport competitors on revisions required to our Sprint Championship rules, and that feedback is now in the process of being reviewed for possible inclusion in the next major release that will be in place for the next two seasons.

2019 calendarSpeaking of 2019, we are starting to get an idea of the dates available to us from the clubs we normally work with, so the task will be to collate these with a view to getting a good mix of venues, a nicely-spaced out calendar and to fit around our other non-championship events

It’s not the destination, it’s the journey

Gavin

Photo: Suz Gallus

Club event photosHave you taken some good photos on

a Club run?Are you willing to share them with the rest of the Club?

You can!The Mazda MX-5 Club of Victoria & Tasmania has a

SmugMug Gallery at mx5vic.smugmug.com

Email them to your Chapter Captain, or centrally to smugmug@mx5vic.org.au (Bob de Bont), so they can be

added to the event gallery.

Please remember to include your full name for credits.

G’day again ... a relatively quiet month with seven new members – all in the Central Chapter – together with a small number of renewals.

Regardless, a big welcome to all of those listed below – I trust you will enjoy all that our great Club has to offer.

Central Chapter

ross Cooke 1989 White na

richard Czuba 1990 silver na

Tim driscoll 2001 blue nb

david gee 1993 Classic red na

serafino multari 1992 Classic red na

daniel scarfe 1990 Classic red na

Vivien stewart 2001 silver nb

Enjoy your MX-5 and I’ll see you out and about ...

Will

Membership■ Will Campbell – membership officer | membership@mx5vic.org.au

Current�membership�count:�

742and�growing!

We’re over the models ... let’s�see�how�our�Members�look�in�our�great�

range�of�Club�merchandise.Send a photo of your favourite Club item to Cary at merchandise@mx5vic.org.au and we’ll show the best one here each month.

If you don’t have your own favourite yet, check out the great

range of Club- and Mazda-branded merchandise: mx5vic.org.au/clubroom/merchandise

Show us your Club merchandise!

Club�President�Coral�Campbell�presents�Alyssa�Finlay�(right)�with�her�25�Years�of�Membership�badge�at�the�Presidents’�Run�in�Ballarat�on�28�October.�Alyssa�has�been�a�wonderful�support�to�the�Club�for�all�of�that�time,�and�has�produced�the�designs�for�many�of�our�Club�pins,�badges�and�banners,�and�our�great�magazine,�mxtra.��Photo:�Alistair�Dennis

WANTED: RUN LEADERSRun leaders are needed in ALL Chapters for mid-week, Saturday or Sunday runs to cater for eager participants, just like you, who enjoy going on Club runs and outings.

The only qualification required is the desire to share your passion and your favourite MX-5 roads or destinations with

fellow Club members.

There's no need to reinvent the wheel ... we have a plethora of previous runs that you can modify or re-do as suits you.

Don't be shy! Simply contact your Chapter Captain (details on page 3) who can provide all the support you need!

~ Zoom Zoom!

7

Committee news: October-November 2018

Our�last�committee�meeting�was�held�at�the�Albert�Sailing�Club�on�10�October�2018�from�6.30pm�to�about�10pm.��With�10�committee�members�in�attendance,�we�had�a�range�of�items�to�discuss.

As mentioned in the last report, with the celebrations of the upcoming 30th anniversary of the 1989 release of the Mazda MX-5 in 2019, a sub-committee has been active in chasing down venues and considering a special way to mark this event. Further information will be forthcoming, but keep the weekend of 9-10 February 2019 free.

Other things which were discussed included:

» Chapter wrap: all Chapters are very active.

• Following on from the New Zealand trip, we have, through Peter Ferguson, established a mutual agreement for the exchange of each club’s magazine.

• CB radio offer: successful uptake with orders filled and ready for distribution.

• Revised Run Leader/Tail End Charlies Procedure ready to be sent to Chapter Captains for final input.

» Communications: Website stats indicate continued interest in the Club site. Facebook is very active, including many GOR run photos

» motor sport: the team is gearing up for the Tasmanian double header – Tour de Tassie, 3-5 November.

We will keep you up-to-date on other matters coming from Committee members.

INSURANCE FOR MOTORING ENTHUSIASTS | CALL 13 46 46 FOR A QUOTE | SHANNONS.COM.AU

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Shannons. So when it comes to insurance for your special car, daily drive, bike or even your home, there’s

only one person you should talk to – a fellow enthusiast at Shannons. And remember, you can pay your

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So call Shannons for a quote on 13 46 46.

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Shannons Pty Limited ABN 91 099 692 636 is an authorised representative of AAI Limited ABN 48 005 297 807, the product issuer. Read the Product Disclosure Statement before buying this insurance. Contact us for a copy.

Mitsuoka�is�a�small�automotive�company�from�Japan�known�for�building�weird�cars�with�unconventional�styling.

Now they’re back, with a far more attractive offering to mark their 50th anniversary – the “Rock Star”, a Chevy Corvette 2 lookalike, based on the Mazda MX-5.

And, apparently, “it’s awesome”.

Club member Rod Lee found this article on “motor1.com”.

For the full story, and for more of Mitsuoka’s creations, visit <https://www.motor1.com/news/269276/mitsuoka-rock-star-miata-corvette/amp/>.

8

The most important car of 1990

Funny how the universe works ...

Just�when�I�started�turning�my�mind�to�how�we�could�celebrate�next�year’s�30th�anniversary�of�the�unveiling�of�the�sensational�new�Mazda�MX-5�“Miata”�at�the�Chicago�motor�show�in�February�1989,�this�came�to�my�attention:“Popular mechanics”, the classic magazine of popular science and technology, produced its list of “the most important car the year you were born”, which appeared on the MSN Motoring website.

Naturally, I went straight to 1989 (not the year I was born), which revealed the most important car of that year was ... drum roll ... the lexus ls 400.

Wait! What? Surely you can’t be serious! (And don’t call me Shirley.)

But the apparent travesty was corrected with a click to the next page, which announced:

1990:�Mazda�MiataThe�Miata�was,�in�essence,�the�second�coming�of�the�classic�1960s�European�roadster.�

The�tiny�Miata�was�inexpensive�(about�$14,000�[*])�relatively�quick,�and�offered�poised�handling�on�twisty�backroads.

It�soon�became�the�darling�of�amateur�racers�everywhere.�

The�Miata�roadster�was�so�new�and�fresh�at�the�time,�there�was�no�competition�for�it�–�and�some�would�say�that’s�even�true�today.

They even showed an ad from the time (above right), looking forward to the 1990s while reflecting on the heritage that the car represented.

Just a shame they couldn’t get the year right ...

The full list of “most important cars” can be found at: <https://www.msn.com/en-au/motoring/news/the-most-important-car-the-year-you-were-born/ss-BBObNF9?ocid=ientp>

[*That’s US dollars ... in South Pacific pesos at the time, that was about $30,000 – mine was $33,000 on the road, with a hard top and factory aircon.]

■ Words: murray finlay

The MX-5 Miata launced in Chicago in February 1989›

9

23-31.8.18 | Geelong to Townsville ■ Words & photos:bronwyn & geoff roche

The 2018 Variety Bash ...

Bronwyn (second left) and Geoff (right) with fellow Ghostbusteers, Trevor and Julie›

Who ya gonna call?In August this year we were lucky enough to participate in the Variety Bash, Australia’s largest and longest running charity motoring event.The 2018 Victorian Bash took us from Geelong to Townsville – the long way round – on some very remote and mostly unsealed roads. Definitely no roads for our pristine MX-5s!

Most people have heard of “the Bash” and some of you may well have done it in previous years. It was a new adventure for us.

First and foremost the Bash is a fundraising event in support of Variety the Children’s Charity, a national non-profit organisation committed to empowering Australian children who are sick, disadvantaged or have special needs to have a fair go.

Prior to the Bash, all participants undertake to raise funds and, as Variety Bash entrants, we saw first-hand the direct impact of those fundraising efforts as we called into local schools and communities along the way to make donations. Before we had even left our start point at Geelong, Variety had donated 100 children’s bikes and four sports wheelchairs. A huge thank you to the generosity of many people, especially MX-5 Club members who made donations to Variety via our website or bought raffle tickets from us (sorry you didn’t win the car).

Bash participants pay all their own expenses – car costs, petrol, food and accommodation – and this is pumped back into some remote communities as the Bash passes through. This was especially beneficial for outback NSW and Queensland where the

drought has been long and hard for the farming communities. School parent committees would cater for breakfasts, an outback pub for lunch, and BBQ dinner might be put on by the local footy or Lions clubs. Small towns would take the opportunity to run raffles, sell local produce or simply tell us about their lives. Service stations are advised well in advance and, on our way to a remote cattle station in Queensland, the last servo had fortunately brought in an extra 10,000 litres of petrol!

Bash cars must be more than 30 years old, so no MX-5s yet! Considering the depth of the washaways on some tracks you wouldn’t want an MX-5 out there … however there were two stretch limos on the bash which somehow made it through.

We were lucky enough to be asked by Trevor and Julie to join them in their 1961 Ford Fairlane station wagon (aka ‘the Tank’).

There were a few caveats about the invitation:

» Julie and the two of us would be participating as rookies and our name badges and a label on our car identified us as such (seemed a bit suspicious at the time).

» The four of us would spend 10 days and over 4000km together in the car on some very rough roads

» We had to dress up to match the car – Ghostbusters

10

» We’d be joining over 84 other Bash cars

» With a total of 300 participants!

What’s not to love about that?

Whilst dressing up is not compulsory, there were some wonderful theme cars and costumes. Arriving in town was a sure attention-getter, especially with the kids. Whilst we didn’t have the amazing outfits, our Buster definitely caught people’s attention, as our external speakers blasted out the Ghostbuster theme music. Many an unsuspecting teenager got ‘slimed’ with our slime stickers.

“The long way round” was an apt description for the Bash route, which took us to places we’d never been before and always on the dirt roads where possible. We both really enjoyed the driving, navigating and scenery from Broken Hill to Tibooburra via Silverton. In the following two days we drove over 1,400km to Cameron Corner (where three states meet), Cunamulla and on to Emerald.

Some roads were well marked and graded, while others were rough farm roads which looked more like goat tracks, with sharp rocks. On dusty roads dust lights and radio communication between fellow bashers was essential. We had three punctures in two days but other Bashers always stopped to check we were OK and assist if needed. The Bash has great camaraderie, and everyone is there to have fun while also looking out for each other.

We stayed in cabins, motels or hotels and, if we couldn’t get any of those, we pitched the tent – the night skies in the outback are truly enormous and amazing.

Like any event of this size, the organisation behind it was fantastic. We had comprehensive briefings every morning after breakfast, and navigation notes for the morning and afternoon sections. We went through a checkpoint in the morning, checked in for lunch, and again at the end of the day … even if it was late at night our volunteers did not finish their day until the last bash car limped in. We were well supported by our travelling paramedics and mobile mechanics who took care of any emergencies and breakdowns.

To our surprise and pleasure we raised $10,500 (thanks again for your generous support). Overall the Victorian Variety Bash raised a whopping, record-breaking $1.6 million.

Would we do it again if we had the chance? Sure would!

Would we recommend it? As the Variety team say: ‘The Bash - Ya gotta do it!

11

Main photo: the mist rises from the Anglesea River as the contingent waits for the main group to arrive. Inset: top, a horse-drawn carriage negotiates the early GOR (source: ‘Australia – Vintage Photos of Cities and Towns in Australia’); middle, three vintage cars would have been modern for the time (‘Lorne Historical Society’); bottom, the current GOR memorial arch at Eastern View (Joan Read).

›

Chapter chatter ... 7.10.18 | Central ■ Words: Ken read ■ Photo: Joan read ■ Organisers: Katrina & John Palmer

Apollo Bay for breakfast!Since I’ve retired, I don’t do early mornings! Especially on a Sunday! Ideally, I would like to wake up slowly, have a leisurely breakfast, share completing a crossword with my wife Joan (maybe even following up with the Sunday paper general knowledge quiz), which takes us gently into mid-morning coffee time. I am only then prepared to take on the world!

So, what were we doing on the road by 6.10am going to meet a bunch of like-minded souls shivering by the river at Anglesea, waiting to join the main convoy as it passed through? It could also have been so much worse! If it wasn’t for the kind hospitality of our dear friends and Club Life Members Will and Coral Campbell putting us up for the night in Torquay, we would have had to be on the road at something ridiculous like 4am to get to the Little River convoy meeting point! I believe a cohort of drivers from Melbourne and beyond had to do just that!

Such is the reputation of the Great Ocean Road, and the Club’s annual breakfast run, that 60 MX-5s gathered to enjoy the sunrise, the coast, the sea air and the sheer joy of driving this iconic road along with like-minded enthusiasts. How could I stay in bed and miss this?

Also, how can I moan about missed sleep when we learn of how it was built and what it represents?

After much discussion and preliminary planning and the formation of The Great Ocean Road Trust, road construction commenced 99 years ago – in September 1919 – on the section from Eastern View (where the Great Ocean Road memorial arch is now) to Lorne. This part was completed in late 1922 and initially had a toll of 2/6- (that’s two shillings and six pence for those born since 1966) for vehicle and driver and 1/6- for a

passenger to assist with recovering the costs of construction. The continuation from Lorne to Apollo Bay took a further 10 years to build, being finished in November 1932.

The road was built by returned soldiers from World War I as a memorial to those killed in the Great War. It was a considerable undertaking considering the difficulty of the terrain, the geographical isolation at the time and the lack of heavy equipment. Most work was with pick and shovel and manpower, with horse and cart the main method of transport. Almost 3,000 returned service men were to work on the project over its duration and it was considered an excellent way to provide employment and rehabilitation for them.

The road was initially quite narrow and has been continually upgraded and altered since those first days, sometimes to repair damage caused by storms, bush fires or rock falls, but also to cater for the needs of modern traffic and increased tourism. We came across road repair works at various locations on today’s run to Apollo Bay, with several one-way restrictions controlled by traffic lights. However, in spite of all the changes and reduced speed limits now in place, this road is still a very special place and to travel it is a wonderful experience.

Given the Great Ocean Road is considered the world’s largest war memorial, it seemed fitting that we finished our run at the Apollo Bay RSL Club where 80 of us enjoyed a hearty cooked breakfast before returning home by various routes.

Thank you to John and Katrina and everyone else involved with the planning, leading, and marshalling for the event, it was a terrific day, enjoyed by all. ●

12

Main photo: the mist rises from the Anglesea River as the contingent waits for the main group to arrive. Inset: top, a horse-drawn carriage negotiates the early GOR (source: ‘Australia – Vintage Photos of Cities and Towns in Australia’); middle, three vintage cars would have been modern for the time (‘Lorne Historical Society’); bottom, the current GOR memorial arch at Eastern View (Joan Read).

Zoom Zoom!

The Central Chapter is currently operating without an Assistant Chapter Captain, which is putting a lot of pressure on Katrina and John. We need someone to step up to share the load, and provide the support that Katrina and John deserve.

As the name suggests the job of Assistant Chapter Captain is to assist the Captains and some time in the future move up to Chapter Captain.

It’s not a one-way street however … besides the good feeling you get from being a volunteer in a responsible position, you’ll also get your annual subscription fee waived, and receive a printed copy of mxtra. To top it off your membership card will proudly announce to everyone the responsible job that you hold within the Club.

OK, maybe the latter isn’t a good reason to seek the job but we really need one or two Chapter members to rise to the occasion.

There is a hard core of members who attend most runs; I ask those of you who are getting a lot out of your membership to think about giving something back to the Club. If you’re a new member, volunteering as Assistant Chapter Captain offers you the opportunity to accelerate the rate at which you make new friends within the Club.

richard acfield, Club Captain - social

Many hands make

light work!

See more photos at mx5vic.smugmug.com

13

Chapter chatter ... 13-14.10.18 | Southern Tasmania ■ Words & photos: rob Tanner ■ Organisers: don & linda nicoll, duncan & isabel Pyper

Day One

Saturday, a beautiful clear sunny morning and a forecast 19 degrees, a perfect start for our weekend adventure.Unfortunately, Don and Linda were delayed in Melbourne by illness, and were unable to make it, so we had eight cars and 15 overnighters, plus David Pitt along for Saturday only.

Meeting at Red Square Cafe, Cambridge Park, at 9am for 9.30am departure, we all had a good catch-up chat and, with a couple of latecomers, we finally got away about 10am.

We headed out through Cambridge on to Richmond Rd, past Richmond and north to Tea Tree Rd. A left turn brought us on to a nice undulating run through Tea Tree to the Midlands Highway.

A boring bit up the highway led us to Melton Mowbray, followed by a left turn with a great section of “MX” road to Bothwell for morning tea.

At Sealy’s Store, a beautiful old 19th century corner store, and now a café/gift shop with great old-world charm, we spent a relaxing hour enjoying the home-made scones, with jam and cream, plus some excellent coffee.

The cars were all lined up along the wide grassy nature strip across the street, providing an ideal photo op.

A highlight was on old local in an MG sports car (about 1938 vintage). Both car and driver were absolutely original ... the car with faded paint work, surface rust, pateena, and very worn leather seats, and the driver complete with leather flying helmet and gloves, and with his two pet sheep dogs in the passenger seat.

To get out he removed the old wood-rimmed steering wheel, and placed it on the bonnet. I commented, “What a great theft deterrent”, to which he shook his rather large tummy and replied that he couldn’t get in and out of the car with it in place, and also that the gloves were to stop getting splinters from the old steering wheel. What an absolute classic!

We then headed north on the Lake Highway, up towards the central plateau, with a brief stop at the “Steppes Stones”, a series of large stones placed in a circle like a mini Stonehenge, each with a bronze sculpture of Tasmanian wild life on it. These have been here since 1992.

Heading on towards Poatina, the skies darkened and we got some rain and fog on the steep winding descent from the Great Western Tiers. Past the Poatina Village turnoff, and on to some more great “MX” country roads, with the weather clearing we headed south-east to Campbell Town and our lunch stop.

With an hour allowed for lunch, and the weather back to warm and sunny, everyone did their own thing in the many local cafés, with some checking out the local shops.

Back on the road, with a short run up the highway, and a right turn heading east on to the Esk Highway, we struck good, wide undulating roads through Avoca, Fingal, and St Marys. David left us at St Marys to head back down the coast to Hobart. The rain returned before St Marys, so we had a careful descent of the very steep and winding road down St Marys Pass to the east coast

After a short run up the coast, we arrived at Scamander Resort Hotel, our destination for the night, about 4pm. Settling in to our rooms, most of us then went for a relaxing stroll on to Scamander beach, a beautiful stretch of white sand and blue ocean, with no other company than a couple of beach fishermen in the distance.

back to the hotel, we gathered in front of a roaring fire in the lounge bar for a few relaxing beverages, and then in to the dining room for an excellent meal from the comprehensive menu, and a few pleasant hours enjoying great company and fine food.

14

13-14.10.18 | Southern Tasmania ■ Words & photos: rob Tanner ■ Organisers: don & linda nicoll, duncan & isabel Pyper

See more photos at mx5vic.smugmug.com

Day Two

Sunday dawned with misty nuisance rain.We gathered for a nice buffet breakfast in the hotel dining room, and then, after packing up, and checking out, we headed off in convoy back up St Marys Pass, and then part-way down Elephant Pass to the Mt Elephant Pancake Barn for an enjoyable morning tea of delicious pancakes and coffee.

Our convoy was now down to five cars, as some members had to be back in Hobart early, and had headed straight home.

With the rain increasing, we headed down Elephant Pass, and south down the east coast, with a fuel stop at Bicheno, and lunch at a nice little café in Swansea. Outside, the weather was blowing a howling gale, and raining.

After lunch, and with the others heading off on their own way, our “convoy” was down to two cars: Duncan and Isabel, and Dianne and me.

We headed through Triabunna and Orford, turning right on to Fingerpost Rd, and through Richmond. Here, Duncan and Isabel headed home to Lauderdale, while Dianne and I headed over the winding Grass Tree Hill road to Moonah.

many thanks to duncan and isabel, and don and linda for organising a fantastic weekend. We covered around 580km and, as we say in Tassie, if you don’t like the weather, come back in 10 minutes. ●

Scamander overnighter15

Chapter chatter ... 14.10.18 | Eastern Victoria ■ Words & photos: nic bodey ■ Organiser: Peter ferguson

The Bryant Park track complex near Moe is a small but fantastic and well-maintained track, run by the Gippsland Car Club. It is split into two sections – three if you include the car park which gets used later in the day! There is a timing/viewing booth at the top of the track where most of the runs start, and this is usually the finishing point too.

Each khanacross run takes around a minute or two, or a few if you’re a little less experienced, and involves weaving through traffic cones in a specific order.

i started doing khanacrosses when i first purchased my mX-5 when i was 16, and found that it was a great way to learn the car and to push the limits in a safe, pressure-free, welcoming environment. I would highly recommend it to anyone who is looking to increase their skill levels, and to anyone who just wants to have a bit of fun!

There were many members of the Gippsland Car Club present, driving a few Hyundai Excels, a Toyota Starlet and numerous other vehicles. There were quite a few junior drivers present as well from the Gippsland Car Club. The beauty of these khanacrosses is the large variety of drivers, from completely inexperienced juniors who have never legally driven a car on the road to experienced drivers who know their way around a track or two.

A perfect spring day brought out at least 13 MX-5s to the track, with potentially more earlier ... but I forgot to count. Four NAs were among them, along with six NBs and three NCs.

The regular visitors attended as well, with Rob Krygsman in his Kia and Peter Ilijash in his ND RF both attending for moral support.

at right is the list of competitors, listed in order of their time results. apologies to those who are missing and for those without their cars attached; unfortunately i didn’t grab all names and have forgotten some details! ●

Steven Cassar » red NB SE

Bill Roder (MX-5 member) » black MR2

Ajith Perera » silver NC

Isaac Pitolo » red NB8B

Andrew Waddleton » red NC

David Salter » white NA

Nicholas Bodey » red NA

Jarrod Treloar » red NC

Travis Abreu » red NA

Ron Gillick » blue NB

Mark Pether

Don Pether

Nicholas Bordi » red NA

Damon Bordi » red NA

Khanacross at Bryant Park

16

This year’s event was the 13th running of the Alfa Club 12 Hour Relay. Having started back in 2006 as a six-hour event, the duration has been increased to match the 10- and 12-year milestones it has passed. A few hardy/foolish souls have speculated on a 24-hour event when it reaches its 24th running!

For those unfamiliar with the format, this is a regularity event for which each driver nominates a target lap time, which they then attempt to match as closely as possible.

This event uses a very simple formula to calculate points, essentially:

» Completing a lap scores you one point

» Recording a lap time between your target time and one second slower scores one bonus point

» Slower than that and there are no bonus points

» Faster than your target, no bonus points and�(here�is�the�killer)�the base lap doesn’t count either. This is referred to as “breaking out’”,and is the enemy of well-scoring teams.

With a lap taking somewhere between 105 and 110 seconds, being accurate to within one second while negotiating 37 other cars on track requires a high level of accuracy, considering that timing�devices�are�banned�within�the�cars. It therefore requires teamwork with an army of helpers who time laps with a stop watch and display the results via pit boards to assist the drivers in calibrating their times. Without their help, the Club could not consistently achieve the great results we do.

Our Club has a strong history in this event, with the Flyin’�Miata team having won it back in 2012 and 2013, and collecting a number of other podium spots over the years.

This year saw three teams entered:

Team name manager drivers

Essendon Mazda MX-5 Motor Sport

Peter Dannock Peter Bolton, Peter Marks, Gareth Pedley, David Adams

Global Access Flyin’ Miatas

Tim Meaden Robert Downes, Noel Heritage, Max Lloyd, Paul Ledwith

Pronto Software Cutting Edge

Dean Brooking Alan Conrad, Gavin Newman, Scott Newman, Kim Cole

You will note the team names indicate the support of three corporate sponsors for this event and we must express our sincere thanks to those companies for their backing.

Results:The final places for the three teams were:

2nd essendon mazda MX-5 Motor Sport6th global access Flyin’ Miatas9th Pronto software Cutting Edge

Firstly, to have three teams in the top 10 in a field of 37 teams is a great result, and one that many clubs can only dream of. But the congratulations surely must go to our podium place getters of Peter, Peter, Gareth and David along with manager Peter (can’t�have�too�many�Peters) and their crew. This team was probably the least experienced of the three and obviously employed some cunning tactics to nominate achievable target times and then consistently score well. it is a result i know they are very proud of, and rightly so.

Alfa Club 12-Hour Relay2018 AROCA 12 Hour – Winton, 13-14.10.18 ■ Words: Gavin Newman.

17

So you may wonder what goes on behind the scenes at an event like this ... well, here are a few anecdotes from the team managers:

Global Access Flyin’ Miatas

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» espresso Coffee solutions provided the machine and coffee for the event. Max was so pleased he helped out by filling the empty water container. However he managed to open the electronics panel and poured in the water. Proudly he grinned saying “Hey Tim, I filled the coffee machine with water!” It wasn’t until water was seen on the floor (out of the machine) slowly working its way into the bags and clothing of the Sprite Club next door that we realised something was amiss. Luckily all was OK and Max didn’t electrocute himself or kill the machine.

» our pit crew was brilliant over the two days and worked with clockwork precision. Great camaraderie amongst the crew made for good fun with the serious bits in between. Suzette Heritage and Pam Phillips were outstanding on the wall, over the two days. During Sunday we looked over

and they were both ducking down below the parapet covering their heads. Apparently a wheel had come off an Alfa at turn 11 (rumour had it that Neil Choi was the culprit!) and shot across the track, heading straight for them! They saw it coming and took evasive action with the wheel coming to rest right in front of them.

» our four drivers strategically did the Friday test ‘n’ tune to lock in our nominated times. This meant we were all qualified, had done some extra practice and were all ready for the race start by 11am on the Saturday. A relaxed atmosphere pervaded the garage ... unlike the Sprite team next door which had two cars breaking down in the morning. Gee, I wished I owned a Sprite ... problem is, I am too young!

» it was max’s 75th birthday on Sunday. He had a great day and drove really well. Apparently he was sponsored by

the Halcyon Retirement Village. It was excitement all round when Lesley revealed a beautiful cake at lunch time on Sunday. As Lesley was striking the match to light the candle, Paul leaned over and said: ”Ah, I don’t think we are allowed to have naked flames in the garage!” Lesley took it well when we pulled the pin on the candles ... lovely cake too!

» We had a team meeting every morning which everyone managed to get to on time. We made sure Max sat next to me so he could hear everything that was discussed, however we had to resort to blowing a whistle to get his attention if he was needed urgently. This would have worked well if it weren’t for a whistle blown by an official every time a car was in the pit lane. We benched the whistle after that and just yelled ... worked well.

» one of the more entertaining parts of the weekend was the pep talks. Not everyone got one, which led to Paul Ledwith continually asking for one. He was like a dog with a bone, so eventually we gave in and he got some pearls of wisdom. I think it even worked ... a bit!

Another 12 Hour – another podium! ■ Words: dean brooking, Tim meaden, Peter dannock ■ Photos: James Cole, gavin newman, facebook

Peter Dannock (left) with his 12 Hour-winning team: Gareth Pedley (centre), Peter Bolton, David Adam and Peter Marks. The photobomber in the green shirt is an Alfa Club official.

›

18

See more photos at mx5vic.smugmug.com

Pronto Software Cutting Edge:

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» one team manager, so focussed on ensuring his team was fully prepped, forgot about his own road transport and turned up to the track with slicks (bald tyres and steel belt hanging out) on his car. (No names to protect the guilty!)

» most teams had their cars fly through scrutineering, while the Pronto software Cutting Edge Team, had the pickiest scrutineer available, finding trivial issues with two of the three cars in the team.

» Two members from the same family, driving the same car, made visits to the Stewards’ office on the weekend: one was a mis-identified car, the other requiring in car video footage to prove no contravening of the rules had occurred. Luckily no penalties applied.

» fantastic support from the Team assistants, James, Stewart, Alan, Kirsty, Adrian and Robyn, all providing excellent timekeeping and communication with each of the team’s drivers. A big thank you goes out to you all.

» from what i heard, the Pronto software Cutting Edge and essendon mazda teams (second on the podium) were lucky enough to share a garage. The same would not be said for global access Flyin’ Miatas, who shared a garage with the early morning Sprite space thieves … sharing means 50/50 space!

» sharing a garage with essendon mazda created great entertainment for Team Pronto software Cutting Edge. One team member from essendon mazda ended up in race suit straight jacket, and looked more like he had been clamped up in the stocks waiting for rotten fruit to be thrown his way. Poor Peter ended up with three people assisting the breakout, freeing him from his captive state of race suit hell.

» We know how these events can be long tiring days and, just to prove it, we have photographic evidence of three wiped out MX-5 members taking more than five minutes to recover. However, we cannot show the photo, due to a background striptease by a team member who finally escaped his race-suit stocks.

» With such great drivers there was very little to report from the driving point of view. The team’s drivers – Gavin, Scott, Alan and Kim – all kept their cars pointing in the right direction and clocked up lap after lap. Late on the Sunday, after a non-Mazda decided to leave coolant from one end of the track to the other right on the race line, Gavin drove some interesting laps and on one occasion became the drift king of Turn 12 ... I think it was much to his horror, rather than a planned sliding activity (it’s not an 86 Gavin).

.../continued

19

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» 2nd place for a team with two new drivers at the event was an outstanding result. Peter Bolton and Gareth Pedley were in the same team last year, and were as consistently good as usual. For Peter Marks and David Adam it was their first Alfa 12 Hour event, with David competing in a regularity relay for the first time.

» for our new drivers, there was lots of advice on how to set a lap time ... some of it helpful, some of it not-so-helpful. Whatever the advice, it is best to let new drivers work out the way they want to drive in order to set their lap time.

» The team was just short of achieving one bonus lap on average for every three timed laps.

» The team received a bonus lap on the very last lap of the event. Without this bonus lap, the team would have slipped to 3rd place, showing how close 2nd and 3rd place were.

» Contrary to noel heritage’s suggestion, I didn’t have my acceptance speech ready for the podium presentation. But, I will make sure it is ready for next year.

» The whole weekend was well supported by a great team of volunteer helpers, emphasising it as a true team event. Lots of helpers were happy to stand on the wall for hours on end to help the drivers achieve great results. Can’t do it without them – thanks!

» Thanks to the global access Flyin’ Miatas for staying out of our way. We appreciate the clear air they gave us and no doubt would have given us a few bonus laps.

» next year, a camp bed will be supplied to the global access Flyin’ Miatas team for nanna-naps needed between driving stints (see left).

AROCA 12 Hour - continued

20

Chapter chatter ... 16-19.10.18 | Eastern Victoria ■ Words: Peter ferguson ■ Photo: margie Cusack ■ Organisers: rob & mel Krygsman, Peter ilijash, Trish stewart, Peter ferguson

See more photos at mx5vic.smugmug.com

3 Peaks run The 2018 edition of the “3 Peaks” was run with a new mid-week format from Tuesday to Friday, 16-19 October. The new timeslot was a boon with the Bright area so much quieter and the roads virtually ours.

Most of the 34 cars travelled from the Latrobe Valley with two groups leaving Traralgon, and then meeting up with many others plus several of the “Far East (unofficial) Chapter” joining us for lunch and for some the run up to Omeo. Two of the Far East couples (plus Jolt Bijker who has become a default “far eastern”) joined us for the entire 3 Peaks Run.

Our normal photo stop at Mt Hotham was marred by fog and foul weather – an unusual event for the normally beautiful-weather Eastern runs, but we decided to compromise this year with this contribution to the farmers – the drought needed to be broken! (That’s our excuse anyhow …)

At the briefing before we took off, a strong point was made about marking the corners (waiting till the next car comes along).

We booked out all of the 30 rooms at the Bogong View Motel, plus three at a nearby motel and, for one couple, a nearby timeshare. All our brekkies were catered for at the motel by our very active band of volunteers, under Peter Ilijash’s direction – they have become known as the Chapter’s catering corps, and provided a brilliant cooked brekkie each day – well done guys!

All our main meals were also had at the motel, with roasts delivered on the Tuesday night, pizzas on the Wednesday and a catered meal in the motel dining room on the Thursday night. This also gave us the opportunity to make some announcements about next year’s run and present Bill Roder with the

“king hoon” award (read on ...).

On the Wednesday, some went on a bus trip to do some wine tasting while the others went for a drive to Falls Creek for a coffee – what a road! While we got fog and some rain again, it was still a brilliant drive (I’m looking at YOU, Kerry Reynolds!)

Three of our number, under the direction of “king hoon”, Bill Roder, had an early brekkie and then took off to visit ALL three peaks in one morning – Falls Creek, Mt Hotham and Mt Buffalo. They still managed to meet us for lunch at the Red Stag by 1pm – a brilliant effort.

This was the sixth running of the 3 Peaks and it has progressively grown and evolved. The decision has been taken to once again use a mid-week format for 2019, but to leave on the Monday and use a full five days to allow some extra activities to be included. The motel will have an additional two rooms available and a large room we can use if we get inclement weather – now all we need is on-site car washing facilities ... eh, Lori?

At the final night dinner we called for expressions of interest for next year and found that we are already oversubscribed! A wider invitation will be sent out soon and then the organising committee will have the difficult task of working out/balloting who will get spots and then who will go on the waiting list.

Once again, the raCV provided $500 sponsorship which was used to subsidise the cost of the bus on Wednesday and the rest on meals. We really appreciate Daryl Meek and the RACV’s on-going support of this run and the Club generally (they have recently provided funds to subsidise other events as well). Please bear this in mind – we should support our sponsors whenever possible.

We went home from Bright in several different groups and directions. Most of

the Eastern Chapter attendees and some Central folks came back over Hotham – a glorious morning (why couldn’t it have been like that last Tuesday?). You’ll note in the SmugMug photos a shot of a police bike – the Chief Commissioner was out on a fundraising walk and we got caught up in the traffic management as they went by – the cop on the bike had seen us at Hotham on Tuesday with rooves down and was impressed!

After lunch in Bruthen, some of us dropped by Lindenow to visit Graeme and Kathy Wood from the Western Victoria Chapter, as they were babysitting a post office (their new business). After that we set off, had a coffee and went our own ways.

BUT, as two of us were passing Traralgon Hospital, we found Rob Kiddell’s car sitting there with the hazard lights on. The short story is that Rob had dropped Di off in Traralgon to pick up her car so she could go and get their dog. Near the hospital, Rob took ill, got out of the car and passed out. The landing broke his neck! The following day, he had almost eight hours of surgery to pin his neck and fit external bracing. The latest news is that Rob is OK, talking and feeling fine. He will be in a brace for many weeks. By the time this article is read, Rob will hopefully be well into his recovery. We wish he and Di all the best and look forward to seeing them at next year’s 3 Peaks! (But we might send him home in a taxi!)

Overall, the run was enjoyed by all with lots of very positive comments throughout and emails since.

my thanks to our “organising committee” of rob and mel Krygsman and Peter ilijash/Tail end Trish stewart. big thanks must also go to the catering corps who do a magnificent job each year. ●

21

Chapter chatter ... 3 Peaks 2018 - continued ■ Photos: bob de bont, June Teeuw, alan laine, Trish Price

3 Peaks in a day?

Wednesday 17.10.18

■ Words: andrew Tate

We�awoke�to�what�was�a�very�cloudy�day,�but�it�wasn’t�raining�so�it�looked�promising.

After a hearty breakfast, a small group of us set off at 8.30am for a spirited run from Bright up to Falls Creek.

We drove across the Tawonga Gap and then up to Falls Creek. As we worked our way up the road became increasingly wet and foggy. Not much of a view at the top so we promptly turned around and came back down, giving a wave to the main group who had left a little later and were on their way up.

After traversing the Tawonga Gap road once more we then turned left in an attempt to run up to Mount Hotham, “just for fun”. The road was damp and the rain and fog increased which reduced our progress. We decided to head back and have a coffee/hot chocolate in Bright. Then someone suggested a “quick” run up Mount Buffalo before lunch.

So we set off and, suffice to say, it also was a little wet in places. Still fun. That was our “3 Peaks in a Day”.

I think some others went off to a winery. I don’t know why, when you should be out enjoying your MX-5!

We met the rest of the group for a tasty lunch at the Red Stag deer and emu farm, and we were all pleased to see the sun appear as we enjoyed our meals. After a short drive back to the motel, with the sun shining we enjoyed relaxing for the rest of the afternoon.

We finished off the day with pizza for dinner, and great conversations. ●

22

Mt Buffalo run

Thursday 17.10.18

■ Words: alan laine

Today�we�had�our�planned�run�up��Mt�Buffalo�for�a�coffee�rendezvous�at�Dingo�Dell.�

The police were in waiting for us as they had somehow heard that the MX-5 group were heading up the mountain on Thursday.

Poor tail-enders Peter and Trish were last in the group one convoy and they got nabbed, checked over, questioned and breath tested.

After being informed that MOST of us are old and retirees, just enjoying the views, the police then left us alone to continue with no further problems.

Some of us drove across to the chalet to check out the views ... but the only view was fog – and lots of it. So it was back down the mountain to spend some free time in the afternoon.

On a closing note, unfortunately, on the previous day – due to a misunderstanding on my part I had failed to turn up at the Red Stag restaurant to take my sweetheart back to the motel (I was two hours away on a drive). Via text, I suggested she hitchhike back (that went down REALLY well!), but Ferg was the knight in shining armour and chauffeured sweetie back to the motel for me.

as a result my pennance was to spend the afternoon visiting every opp shop in the district, on my best behaviour ... sigh ... ●

Jolt’s drive home ... ■ Words: Peter ferguson ■ Photo: Jolt bijker

Another one bites the dust

Clubman�Jolt�Bijker�had�to�head�home�from�the�run�after�dinner�on�Thursday�night�(home�is�currently�Metung)�as�he�had�a�meeting�in�Dandenong�on�Friday�arvo.�

It meant he was heading off over Mt Hotham and through Omeo to Bairnsdale in the dark (very dangerous) – he got home 11pm.

His text to me reads as follows:

“On the journey last night I saw ‘live’:

• 5 kangaroos one at least 6 feet tall; • 15+ rabbits, 7 possums + one dead one; • 1 massive wombat crossing the road which I only just managed to see in time.

“And my car is still in one piece!

“Good luck rather than good management.

“Guess what?! After all that, this morning half way to Melbourne our meeting in Dandenong was cancelled and postponed for two weeks.”

23

Kapow! Take that, Batman ...

I wonder if you share with me a fascination as to how the rickety roller coaster of our life’s journey can suddenly come upon a sharp T-intersection, with only fate deciding which way we progress.

On Friday, 19 October at about 5pm I encountered one of those situations where we often say: “There but for the grace of God …”.

I was returning home after travelling with Di and MX-5 Club friends for a few days around the high country and Alps surrounding Bright. Late in the day Di had picked up her car in Traralgon and then gone to get [our dog] Rufus from the boarding kennels, while I made a pit stop at McMillans’ office in Traralgon before continuing home in the MX-5.

I had been feeling a little queasy for the previous hour or so, but as I waited to turn right onto the Princes Highway from Aerodrome Road that queasiness quickly increased, to give me that feeling we have all experienced shortly before throwing up. I completed my turn on to the highway, parking on the southern edge of the road, flipped on the hazard flashers and got out of the still-running vehicle, suspecting food poisoning and intending to throw up over the wire rope barrier that ran along the southern edge of the intersection. However I wasn’t sick; I straightened back up and then ...

As Richard Stubbs, the former 774 afternoon’s presenter would say, I was in a “world of pain”! I had blacked out and, when I returned to consciousness, I was face down in a muddy puddle with a Good Samaritan or two in attendance. My natural instinct was to try to get up but I couldn’t move, and it felt as if an entire football team had run through me. The Good Samaritans cautioned patience to wait for the Ambos, who were said to be on their way. That advice may well have saved me from spending the rest of my life in a wheel chair.

Although I’m still not entirely sure what caused me to black out, the falling down across or through the wire rope barrier had broken my neck and also crush-fractured one vertebra in my thoracic spine. As well as being broken at several points, my neck was displaced with a bulging or prolapsed disc.

Happily, this occurred in sight of Latrobe Regional Hospital (“LRH”) and, once transported there by the Ambos and the first x-ray was able to be seen, the kid gloves of the Ambos increased a further 10 fold. My memory is a bit hazy here, but shortly after I arrived at LRH my daughter Elspeth was by my side and supporting me while I waited for the pain-killing morphine. I was then rolled up in giant bubble wrap like my forum moniker – Bibendum Michelin Man –and then, together with Di (who had dríven back from Mirboo North by this time), they expressed us off to the Alfred Trauma Centre in Melbourne by road, as no helicopter was available.

The lovely women Ambos looked after me really well, including pulling over somewhere near Moe for 20 minutes or so to stabilise my blood pressure and heart rate. They did this with the help of a MICA paramedic who arrived where we were parked very quickly

and who talked to me about the options and was happy to sanction our onward journey once the vital signs normalised.

As I write this I must confess to feeling very emotional. This is in part because I can’t think of anywhere else in the world where I would have got better, more professional medical help than that offered by our ambulance service, LRH, the Alfred Hospital and, as of last Friday [2/11], Epworth Rehabilitation Service.

So after just-on eight hours of surgery, preceded by some scans, an MRI etc, I woke up almost normally and I’m told all went well. My cervical spine (neck) has been fused and strengthened with titanium nuts, rods and a mesh cage at various levels. The crush fracture in my back will be treated conservatively and, apart from a loss of 50 percent of flexion, there shouldn’t be much to prevent me resuming life as normal by late January.

I feel very blessed and gratefully thank family, friends and colleagues for all the support over the last few weeks. Di has now allowed me to have my phone and computer back with me in the ward, so long as I turn them off and only use in small windows … so, yes, real progress is being made.

I said I felt blessed – or maybe it’s like having a guardian angel? Some of you will recall my XR8 was written off on Remembrance Day 2013 after a highway-speed head-on collision caused by a kid travelling around a corner on the wrong side of the road at excessive speed. Although my car was written off and his looked like a crumpled soft drink can 150 metres away, not to mention that his seat belt let go and he ended up another 10 metres or so down the road in a ditch, I walked away with only a few minor cuts and a sore chest. It does sound corny and is hard to explain … but I have felt protected both times and also don’t appear to have suffered from shock in either incident. Make of that what you will.

As a result I have resolved to spend at least some of the time during this upcoming enforced holiday to think deeply on what is really important … and what is not.

As I have already told some of the visiting members of our great club, recent events will certainly strengthen my resolve to use our MX-5s a bit more than I (we) have done over recent years.

Thanks guys.

Rob» 1993 supercharged NA Clubman » 2009 NC2 » 1978 Fiat X19 » 1976 LT Celica » 1968 split screen Type 2 VW » DD 2016 Renault Clio RS Sport Premium » Vale XR8 AU111

As mentioned in Ferg’s “3 Peaks” report on page 17, long-time Club member Rob Kiddell (left, with his wife, Di) suffered an incident on his return home which left him in hospital with a broken neck and spinal damage. Fortunately Rob is on the mend, and posted this report on the forum, mx5.cartalk.com, thanking the medical professionals who assisted and the many Club members who have rallied in support ... some of whom he only met for the first time on that run.

24

DL RACV 26 JULY_2017.indd 1 7/26/17 9:15 PM

Club Code of Conduct

members of the mazda mX-5 Club of Victoria & Tasmania inc (“Club”) are required, under this Code of Conduct, to behave at all times in a way which upholds the Club’s values and complies with its statement of Purposes and rules.

The Code of Conduct contained within the Cams member Protection Policy applies wherever the mazda mX-5 Club of Victoria & Tasmania’s Code of Conduct is deficient.

Honesty and integrity

A Club member must behave honestly and with integrity in the course of Club activities.

Care and diligence

A Club member must act with care and diligence in the course of Club activities.

Respect and courtesy

A Club member, when acting in the course of Club activities, must treat everyone with respect and courtesy, and without harassment.

Lawful compliance

A Club member, when acting in the course of Club activities, must comply with all applicable Australian laws.

Directive compliance

A Club member must comply with any lawful and reasonable direction given by someone in the Club’s organisation who has authority to give the direction.

Confidentiality A Club member must maintain appropriate confidentiality about dealings that the member has with any sensitive matter that relates to the Club.

Conflict of interest

A Club member must disclose, and take reasonable steps to avoid, any conflict of interest (real or apparent) in connection with Club activities.

Proper use of resources

A Club member must use the Club’s resources in a proper manner.

Undue advantage

A Club member must not make improper use of:

– inside information, or – the member’s duties, status, power or authority,

in order to gain, or seek to gain, a benefit or advantage for the member or for any other person.

Behaviour – general

A Club member must, at all times, behave in a way that upholds the Club’s values, integrity and good reputation.

v2: August 2014

25

Chapter chatter ...

We are privileged in Tasmania to have some of the best drivers’ roads in Australia – a state of twisty Gorges and challenging passes … roads the MX-5 was built to dominate.Today’s run was from Somerset on the north-west coast to the west coast mining town of Savage River. It’s a long way so an early start was in order. Northern members were to meet up at the Frankford Hall at 8am, then to rendezvous with the Devonport-based members at 8.45am, then on to Somerset to join up with the North-west Coasters.

At Somerset we enjoyed the opportunity to welcome Barry on his first run.

After the usual catch-up we were off on a drive we all would enjoy. Dale led us on some of the back roads of his childhood to the Murchison Highway and our destination. A highlight of this road is the Hellyer Gorge, with lots of hairpin turns and short straights, used as a competitive stage of Targa Tasmania. After a comfort stop at the rest area at the halfway point through the Gorge, we were off to Waratah for our early lunch stop.

After lunch, Tony led us as we completed the run through to Savage River.

With only one sealed road in and out of Savage River we ended the run here. The journey home was as much fun as the trip to Savage

At Waratah the Northerners chose the Cradle Mountain route while the North-west Coasters took the Hampshire track. It was good to see Lisa behind the wheel.

Two others decided to do some rallying from Savage to Corinna across the Pieman River on the ferry then back to Burnie via Tullah along some brilliant hydro roads … another day, another run!

The day started with a threatening sky low cloud and low temperature, and ended with perfect weather for open-cockpit motoring.

despite the threatening weather we had 17 cars on this run, a testament to the strength of the northern Tasmania Chapter. ●

14.10.18 | Northern Tasmania ■ Words & organiser: darren agar ■ Photos: Jill steer, lawrie Pitt, alana mcdougall

26

Savage River Adventure

27

Chapter chatter ... 21.10.18 | North-Eastern Victoria ■ Words: ron gillick ■ Photos: marg gillick, ellen milanes ■ Organiser: loz Thomas

Tumba-bloody-rumba run

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21.10.18 | North-Eastern Victoria ■ Words: ron gillick ■ Photos: marg gillick, ellen milanes ■ Organiser: loz Thomas

See more photos at mx5vic.smugmug.com

Ahh … another beautiful day in the North East (forget the very welcome thunder storms we had the day before ... we have not had anywhere near the amount of rain we need).Warm morning sun, coffee and plenty of chatting till Captain Loz welcomed everyone. Will and Coral, Ellen and Edmund, and Ian from Central joined seven local cars for one of the longer runs on our calendar.

On leaving Wodonga we travelled past Tallangatta to Koetong where there is an old rail trestle bridge, which will be eventually restored to form part of the Rail Trail. We always go zooming past but today we squeezed the cars into a small parking bay and took the short walk to admire a piece of local history.

Next was a stop at the Southern Cloud Memorial, commemorating the loss of eight people in a plane crash in 1931. Last time we stopped here the whole valley was shrouded in fog; this time we enjoyed views across the Maragle Valley to the snow on Mt Kosciuszcko, while having a cuppa.

Lunch was at ‘The Tumba Hotel’. Phil carried our order number 80 which he reckoned was about as old as he felt … and he is one of the ones keeping the average age down!

We munched and chatted till Loz interrupted so we could get back on the road. We travelled along the north side of the Murray river to Jingelic then on the Victorian side to Bethanga to cross the Hume Dam and finished the day with another coffee in Albury.

Will summed up the day: “What better way to spend a day than driving around [these great roads] with you lot?” ●

29

Chapter chatter ...

The Presidents attending (foreground, left to right): Coral, Peter, Murray, Will and David›

.../continued

28.10.18 | Western Victoria ■ Words: noellene gleeson, Kathy Wood ■ Photos: alistair dennis, Kathy Wood, margie Cusack, bob de bont ■ Organisers: Tony stoffels

It was the Western Chapter’s turn to hold the Presidents’ run for 2018.This year, it was “Presidents” – plural – as we had five of the last seven Club Presidents in attendance:

David James 1999 - 2001

Will Campbell 2001 - 2004

Murray Finlay 2006 - 2012

Peter Dannock 2015 - 2018

Coral Campbell 2018 -

Missing were Matt King (2004-2006), who is still an honorary member of the Club, and Don Nicoll (2012-2015), who has moved to Tassie with his wife Linda and is still very active with the Southern Tasmania Chapter.

These people, along with their supporting committee members, are willing to give up a great deal of their private time to do the work that makes our Club work so well for all to enjoy.

At our run start meet-and-greet gathering, Coral introduced all the Presidents and then presented Alyssa Finlay with a Club 25 years of membership badge (which Alyssa herself had designed!). As Coral said, the badge recognises the years that Alyssa

has been involved, but not the incredible job Alyssa does behind the scenes. Congratulations Alyssa – well deserved.

Chapter Captain Tony then welcomed everyone to the event, including new members John and Adine Cuscadden and out-of-town members.

After instructions, we started engines and were away ... around part of Wendouree Parade, turning at Forest Street, through the lights and the first roundabout when ... we heard someone had been hit. Will and Coral had been collected by a huge 4x4. Thank goodness they were OK; as they say, cars can be fixed or replaced.

A few of the guys worked to get a mangled panel away from the back wheel before Will and Coral decided it was best to head straight home. Thank you to Ken and Joan for accompanying them.

That left five cars to be led by Murray to catch up with rest of convoy. We were very grateful for Tony’s run notes (a first for a long time!) and the quality of the new CB radios that some members had in their cars.

After quite a few left and right turns we were now in farming country showing off a patchwork quilt of healthy crops.

Before long, we regrouped with the main convoy around the Kingston-Newlyn area, before heading towards our morning coffee stop at Vaughan Springs.

With much to talk about, and enjoying the yummy slices that Tony’s wife Pam (great cook!) shared with everyone, we certainly enjoyed the sunshine.

Then it was off towards Castlemaine, Newstead and Hepburn Springs before we turned a few heads as we travelled down the main street of a very busy Daylesford.

Out on the edge of town we turned left towards our lunch stop at Jubilee Lake, a lovely spot with plenty of ducks, and peacocks strolling around the grass on the edge of the lake.

after lunch, John and i headed off to pick up our van for a week away. so now it’s over to Kathy for the afternoon report ...

Presidents’ run

See more photos at mx5vic.smugmug.com30

Dawn, Margie, Kathy, Noellene, Pam and Bronwyn ... sweeping Brian off his feet›28.10.18 | Western Victoria ■ Words: noellene gleeson, Kathy Wood ■ Photos: alistair dennis, Kathy Wood, margie Cusack, bob de bont ■ Organisers: Tony stoffels

After relaxing with the peacocks over lunch at Jubilee Lakes, several of the group went their own way. While a couple of cars left to investigate a venue for next year’s 30th birthday of the beloved Mazda MX-5, 14 cars continued on in a group driving back through Daylesford.

As usual, all eyes were on our beautiful cars and we knew that many of them “just wanted to be us!”

Someone posed the question: What is the collective noun for a group of MX-5s? – a frenzy, an affair, a pride, a twisty, an acceleration ... or ????

We headed towards Trentham, winding our way through the Wombat State Forest. The tree-lined road was a stark contrast to the rolling hills and open paddocks of the morning. As we passed through Trentham we chorused a “Goodbye Bob & Margie”.

The beautiful weather bought many Sunday drivers out, including one guy motoring along the road on his gopher. We finished the run with a relaxing drink and chat at the Greendale Hotel before the rest of the group dispersed and went their separate ways.

Thanks to Pam and Tony for organising a great run for such a large group. ●

31

Chapter chatter ... 28.10.18 | Eastern Victoria ■ Words: arthur howie ■ Photos: Peter ferguson, June Teeuw ■ Organisers: andrew & Janine boyce

Me xico runAcross the Border into

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28.10.18 | Eastern Victoria ■ Words: arthur howie ■ Photos: Peter ferguson, June Teeuw ■ Organisers: andrew & Janine boyce

See more photos at mx5vic.smugmug.com

Across the border to Mexico (for the Central Chapter’s good roads) meant that the sombreros had to come out – at least in the car park (they are a bit big for an MX-5).I must admit that the weather was perfect for an Eastern Chapter run but a ‘storm’ was brewing. Our leaders, Janine and Andrew Boyce (Central Chapter), brought a car each and so it was ‘leader, Andrew’ and ‘tail-end Charlie, Janine’. So Peter would be somewhere in the middle of the convoy and no ‘Tail End Trish’, but this is an Eastern Chapter Run.

Andrew did say that he and Janine had found some roads that we may not have seen ... and did they deliver! Apart from the start of Mizpah Settlement Road where the fire trucks were running amok, it was twists, turns and the speed limit all the way to Neerim South for a short break. It was then on to the smooth winding roads of the Central Chapter.

Old Warburton Road is one of the jewels in the crown of the Central Chapter but care is needed: the road is smooth and winding, but it is a little narrow. The chitchat on the radio stopped abruptly when some one called “car off the road, car off the road”. The ‘storm’ had broken; I slowed and rounded another two bends where we found a car had gone exploring in the bush. With the occupants safely out of the car, we left a bruised ego and a battered MX-5 with a few others to lend a hand, and headed off to Mt Donna Buang and then lunch.

To our great delight, the Intrepid explorers joined us at lunch, but the ‘storm’ continued to rage when another Club member had a medical incident. Our sincere thanks go to Ambulance Victoria for looking after our member; no hospital treatment was needed, thankfully.

With the ‘storm’ subsiding, some left the convoy and headed for home. What was left of the convoy did a cut and run to Pakenham (a Central Chapter suburb). A motorbike accident closed the main road and we were diverted up a dirt road.

As you read this, Lori, Bryan, David and myself are still cleaning and polishing the dust off and out of our cars!

so to finish this report on the Central-eastern Victoria Chapter run, i would like to thank Janine and andrew (Central Chapter, but eastern Chapter adoptees) for finding some amazing roads and doing all the work that goes into such a wonderful run. Thanks to June (Central Chapter, but another adoptee) who i am sure has a photo or two on this page and this run report by arthur (Central Chapter). ●

33

■ Please note: All “Tech Talk” information is provided as a guide only. All work is carried out at the owner’s risk.

■ Words: Peter ferguson, eastern Victoria Chapter ■ Photo: richard acfield, Club Captain - social

Observations on the new radios tech alk

Car care products – member discounts

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products (excluding already-discounted kits and the following brands/products: Polishangel, Vikan, Flex and Concours 900

Polisher).

Check out the Waxit range and order online at www.waxit.com.au. Our Club coupon code is mx5club.

Please add your Club membership number to the “comments” section of your order.

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10% discount on all their products.

for more information, call 0430164123or e-mail renovo@bigpond.com

Other than a brief play on the “3 Peaks” run, the “Mexico Run” on 28 October gave us a first chance to have a play with the new Club-supplied radios.

Richard Acfield had one of the slightly more expensive units – the UH5060 – with all controls in the hand piece. I used one of the base model units – the UH5000 – with the controls on the radio unit.

The aerial is a magnetic mount (I cut up a piece of rubber work glove as a rough paint protector) and they are powered via the cigarette lighter outlet.

how are they?

In a word, good. That’s not to say that they are hugely better than other radios – it seems all CB-style radios are a compromise affected by such things as aerial quality and, in particular, terrain.

Our runs also still have a mixture of 40-channel and 80-channel units in use and these all have different issues and qualities.

The aerials seem to make a big difference. At 3 Peaks, I swapped my own permanent aerial with one of the newies (an RFI CD34 optimised 4dB gain whip antenna), and was immediately told the reception was better.

The new radios are delightfully small and ideal for permanent mounting, either in/under the dashboard or even under the seat.

For my money, I’d pay the little bit extra and get the UH5060 with all controls in the hand piece, so the main unit can be somewhere like under the seat.

A particular issue is that the UH5000 has the speaker in the radio; even when using the external mic and this was inconvenient ... I ended up having to put the radio beside my leg so I could hear it.

The external mic of either model does not have a seat belt clip (which it needs if you are driving alone) and I ended up following June Teeuw’s advice and used a paper clip. Richard Acfield has dreamt up a good “homemade” solution. You can likely also buy a clip-on unit.

should you chuck away your old 40-channel unit?

If it still works and gives good service, the answer is probably ‘no’ unless you want to tidy things up and permanently mount a unit up.

You should however, consider an external aerial – they make a difference!

although the Club offer on the discounted radios is no longer available, it might be possible for richard acfield to source the antenna under the same deal for a while yet (if you ask nicely!). ●

Richard�Acfield’s�comments�...on the recent ”mexico” run, i made it a point to note the quality of both reception and transmission of my new uniden radio in the heaviest forest and hilly terrain,

I have to say that I was very pleased – the UH5060 was 100% better than my hand-held.

There was no time during the run that I couldn’t pick up the run leader or tail-end Charlie, including when the run leader was well ahead going up Mt Donna Buang while the rest of us were stuck behind traffic.

The improvement may have had little to do with the radio, as most brands are of a similar quality, but the 4dB gain antenna is a winner.

...�and�his�solution�to�the�mic�clip�...here’s my home-made solution for mounting the mic hanger for the uniden radios.

Using the hardware supplied with the radio plus a plastic bag sealer (available at supermarkets, hardware, Ikea etc), I created an easily-installed/removed hanger that clips on to the seat belt, putting the speaker/mic of the UH5060 radio up close to your ear. ●

34

tech alk

■ Words & photos: Peter ferguson, eastern Victoria Chapter

GME radio external microphone/speaker problems?

I have been messing around with “el cheapo” radios for a couple of years and had ongoing small issues with them, so I decided to buy myself a “decent” portable radio just before we went on the “Fush N Chup Trup” to New Zealand in September.In my typical form, I did this just before the Club generously decided to subsidise the purchase of some “proper” radios. Bugger!

anyway, i am convinced of not just the worth of, but the absolute necessity of two-way comms between cars.

This was highlighted on the Fush N Chup Trup where it made adjusting our schedule on the run a dream, particularly when we had a brilliant “navigation type” who had downloaded maps to her phone – I’m looking at you, Kathy Wood.

We also had our brilliant “Tail End Trish” at the rear of the field, making certain we knew what was happening and dealing with “lost sheep”. Once again, great use of the radio.

While my new GME TX6155 was brilliant (and a couple of others had new GME similar models which also worked very well), I had an ongoing issue.

Plug in the external mic and operation was superb. Over time, however, I would continue to hear others but when I transmitted they could not hear me.

Unplug the mic and plug it back in (my wife Carol became very adept at this!) and all was well again.

When I got home I sent it to GME for service. They rang me upon receipt and pointed out they have this issue all the time (I note that there is nothing in the instructions about it!).

If you look at the photos you’ll see the mic plug has an O-ring around it to maintain waterproof-ness.

If the plug is not pushed in – hard – then it effectively gets slowly pushed back out by the O-ring. Occasionally, they have to replace the O-ring as it simply won’t push home properly.

So, if you have a GME hand-held radio (which, from what I can see, is an otherwise excellent radio – confirmed by many other GME models I had while in business), and you are having any issues with intermittent operation, try pushing the plug in harder or seeing if the O-ring is obstructing its passage.

This same issue may also apply to some other premium brand hand-held radios which are made to be water/dust resistant/proof. ●

PS: After plugging it in properly, we did entire the 3 Peaks Run and the radio never missed a beat – perfect!

PPS: Please note that this issue only affects GME hand-held radio units. It is definitely NOT a concern with the Uniden “dash mount” radios that the Club has just offered to members.

35

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