Page 54 - Aug 2022

image by Renee Boblet t e

No Sweat Drive, cont inued from page 53

Above: Tour Leader Russ Welty brought his 10-year-old grandson Clayton Haralson to act as his
navigator. Clayton enjoyed the ride so much he asked to keep the direction sheet as a souvenier. This is
the way to get young people started on the dangerous path of car culture fandom.
Above: That's what we're talking about. The cool view from Rodger Mclean's windows -down MG ( It has air
Although we may have been laissez-faire about the waved as we passed by. More than one of the conditioning but he admits he's a little afraid to use when it gets really hot. ) made you forget that it was still in the
meeting point, there was no fooling around about the classic cars received approving thumbs up signs upper 90s out there in the sunshine, even at 5 pm. The group maintained a respectful distance so everyone could
departure time. Promptly at five, with the sun still from drivers in big trucks that waited courteously, enjoy the turns without having to white knuckle it because of a car too close behind. Not seen in this photo would
showing no signs of surrendering the field, tops down until we had passed by, to enter the road. be Stuart Naylor's zippy MG (below) , top down and British Green, blending in with the wooded landscape.
on several of the LBCs, including the leader's, we lined
There were some scary bits, for anyone who
up and headed out for a rare evening drive.
actually lives in the country and knows that any
Russ Welty, our club VEEP, hit it out of the park. He minute a cow might appear in the center of the
constructed a route where there were almost no stop road, or a child could chase a ball out onto a
signs, a minimum of left turns across traffic, and soon sleepy country road accelerating down a blind
had us passing through deep, dappled shade, on some driveway path and run right into oncoming traffic.
of the prettiest back roads , hidden gems that have Posted deer and cow crossing signs reminded us
escaped the push to build on every square inch of land to be on the look - out, and fortunately we sailed
that is becoming the reality in middle Tennessee. by unimpeded with no unwelcomed distractions.

The drive itself was safe but energetic, marked by little It was the beauty of the countryside itself that
twisties and turnings. Sometimes in the distance you was the principal draw. The shade and the canopy
could see the front of the line appearing to come back that arched over the roads was deep and for the
to you. We passed by mossy green creeks, by a first time in weeks it was actually possible to
beautiful covered bridge, by cows standing in the shade make yourself believe that you felt cool.
of old trees and horses at the fences absentmindedly
Believing is feeling.
swishing the flies away . People on their lawnmowers
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