Beat the Heat Run
Lake Leschenaultia– 18 February 2007

". . and the fish was this big, dinkum!"

It’s the eyes that do it. The soulful look of a dog about to be left, and she knows you are going somewhere, and she doesn’t want to be left at home. She broke the First Rule of Dogs: I must not beg with my eyes…So I had fired up “Gently” and was all packed up ready to go to Lake Leschenaultia, to join the other members of the Club on the second Beat the Heat Run for 2007. I called for the dog to come into the house…and I got “the look”…I relented, and she hopped up into the car. I thought I’d risk it…but missed out because the first big sign at the Lake said “Sorry No Dogs”. I persuaded the gate-keeper to let me go in, join the others, take a few photographs and take my dog and my BBQ home to Toodyay again!

Meanwhile some 14 Proper Motor Cars had met up in Guildford Square and then set off on an epic tortuous trip through the hills, via Mundaring Weir and eventually to Lake Leschenaultia. The Lake area is a proper park (hence no dogs…) with a beautiful serene lake, shady trees, and a beach area. In the middle of the lake was a floating pontoon, and the water looked very inviting. (I had my goggles and cossie…but I also had the dog…)

The Club Committee had agreed to pay a nominal fee and a whole section of the car park was roped off for our exclusive use. Mick Rust and Glenice Matthews went ahead in the very Special Red Rolls-Royce to ensure the arrangements for the car park, and Mick directed everyone in. It was good to see Max Cuypers with his 1932 20/25 Arthur Mulliner Limousine GBT 41, previously featured on the cover of the WM. There was the usual banter in the carpark, and everyone collected their BBQ goodies, picnic baskets, silver service and bone china and the usual quantities of culinary goodies sufficient to feed an army, let alone the occupants of some 14 cars. New members, Alan and Carolyn Rose came along in their exquisite Morris Minor Convertible, and there was also a rather nice two seater Morris Oxford (sorry, a rather nice white MGA) (Old Morgan owners joke…).

Alan and Carolyn are featured elsewhere, and hope to bring their Silver Shadow to future events. David Jay’s 1964 Silver Cloud III in the very elegant Dawn Blue over Shell Grey was a picture, and is ahown above.There was only one Bentley…mine…ah, well!

Alan and Rita Dickson arrived in style, chauffeured by his elder brother, Douglas. The immaculate and concours winning Rolls-Royce Silver Spur was carefully maneuvered into the car park, after an interesting run about the Hills. Douglas and his wife, Rachel, have retired and are on an enviable world tour, mainly back-packing, but with a little Rolls-Royce thrown in. It must have seemed a very long way from Darlington in the North East of England, in mid-February, but fortunately the day was not too hot! Alan recounted their itinerary, which has included, so far, months in India, China, and Thailand and with the prospects of a month in the West, a month in the Eastern States, some time in the Land of the Long White Cloud, the US of A, Central America and eventually home. I was exhausted at the prospect, but as you can see, Douglas looks well on it all so far!

Max Cuypers talked about how much he enjoys the originality of his lovely Limousine, which he said has been painted once, but otherwise, it just delightfully original, crackling leather, wind up Division, and he has the microphone used to communicate with one’s driver, but the lead has perished…a project for the future, no doubt. I think a speaking tube would be more fun…but that’s the Navy in me!

So that’s Beat the Heat No 2 for 2007, a straightforward simple run, a convivial Sunday afternoon by the Lake, and a leisurely drive home. Just what a motorin’ association of fine fellows and their ladies is all about!

Andrew Marsden