TT2 | Sunday Report | Old Deer

MENU

BMW Racing

Lotus Elise

Toyota MR2

Skateboarding

About Me

Contact Me

TT2 | Sunday Report | Old Deer - Perth (180 miles)

It's a glorious morning in Old Deer. We've had fantastic weather ever since we got to Scotland and today looks like it's going to be a real scorcher. I have a sausage sandwich for breakfast and then get the car packed.

These self-deflating storage bags have worked out well. Tom turns up having stayed at a B&B last night (very wise). He invites Thor (Tut's Alsatian) into the car which is a mistake. Thor knows what an Elise is and now he's expecting a run down the road. Tom has to go back to the B&B to collect Kirsty so once Thor realises he's not going for a drive he goes apeshit and runs around the grounds barking. Tom eventually manages to escape.

The starting point for today's run is at Mintlaw Academy in the next town. It's a much shorter route today, just 160 miles. After filling up the cars we head for the big lineup. Gav is causing trouble with his water pistol but after soaking Hetty, he has met his match. It's not long before the tables are turned and Gav is drenched. Tut and Verian pose for some photos and then it's back on the road.

Not wanting to get stuck in a big queue of Elises we hatch a cunning plan. We will take a small diversion at the start of the route which ought to win us some time and get us ahead of the pack. Things start well and we seem on course to get ahead. Then Kev decides to take a right turn and Hailey is telling me it's left. Kev's leading so it's his call and I think perhaps he's worked out a better short cut. We follow Rob and Kev down a narrow track for some time but when we head straight through a farmyard and run out of tarmac it's clear we've messed up big time. We turn round and plod back to the junction where it all started to go wrong. So much for our cunning plan!!!

One toilet break later and we're starting to get into our stride. We've got split up from Simon (already!) so he waits for us by the ruins of a church where he's seen a lot of other Elises go by. At least we weren't the only ones to get lost! I'm leading again and oh goody, the Cabrach-Dufftown-Tomintoul section lies ahead. Now it's my turn for a solo sprint. This is it for me - I just love these roads and I up the pace (significantly) and keep it there. At each junction I wait for the others to catch up. First Tom, who's not far behind and then the rest. Each time I'm grinning from ear to ear. I've got my head togther, the car is behaving beautifully and I'm in heaven! I'm not going to try to describe the roads 'cos I just couldn't do it justice but believe me, if you're ever within 100 miles of Dufftown head over there and go for a drive. Doesn't matter what you're driving, at one point we saw a Rolls Royce tanking round a bend, body leant right over and driver wrestling with a steering wheel that would do Simon proud.

Soon we're at Braemar for lunch. A grand 3-course affair and very nice it was too. Lunch is followed by coffee in the lounge where people are studying their road maps, planning their route beyond the point where the run stops. We're staying with friends in Perth which is only 20 miles from the finish. Outside I say thanks to Tut and goodbye to a few others that are heading straight home. Then it's back on the road.

The A93 is very busy. This is the busiest I've seen the roads all weekend and soon we're in a 40mph queue. Tut and a couple of others come screaming through the traffic. I'm reminded how remarkable it is that Tut has made it into his sixties at all! The remaining journey to Blairgowrie is a slog in traffic but at least it's sunny. By the time we get to the end we're running a little late so we quickly make our goodbyes and head off to Perth. We're immediately held up by motorbikes (impossible to overtake on twisty roads) which is frustrating. They pull over and let me by 1 mile from the A90. I make up some time on the dual carriageway and spot another Elise that I don't recognise from the TT2 collective.

We get to Perth just about when we said we would and it's good to kill the engine and put my feet up for some sunbathing in the garden. I even have time to jet wash the car and enjoy a very relaxing evening. The best bit of all is the 9 hours of peaceful sleep that follows... we'll catch up the with others tomorrow.