The Point Lobos Rally

Volume 10 Number 2

September 21, 2008

Every one that has ever owned an MG car has been on some type of rally in their life. You start off with a list of questions and a road map highlighting the route. The questions will ask “what is on the top of the tunnel near the wharf?” There are probably 25 plus questions.

This was the event on September 21^st. We gathered at El Estero Park about 10:30. Here came the Willetts,with two cars driven by the parents and with kids ready to play the game. Spangenbergs, Whittakers, Obbinks, Stewarts, Lindseys, O’Connors, Vandergrifts, Goldbergs, Grundys, Don Martine and Ann Ross, and Strands.

  Pat Whittaker passed out the folders, map, questions and pencils and at 10:30 they were off and running. How organized can you get. The route was exactly 21 miles and should have taken a little under two hours. It went through Cannery Row, on to Pacific Grove , through Pebble Beach , into Carmel , along the water front and out past the Mission on to Highway 1 and off to Point Lobos.

Point Lobos was full and we had to do some maneuvering here and there to get all the cars parked but we finally made it. Judy Obbink and Pat Whittaker had gone ahead and made certain we had some tables. When they got there you could hear the "gulp" since most of the tables were taken.

Everyone brought their own lunch and settled around the picnic tables.

But there is never an outing it seems with out some trouble. Somewhere along the line our erstwhile President Bruce Obbink found his super-charged car hiccupping and making strange noises in the parking lot near Spanish Bay . Bruce had a passenger, Wendy Coddington, Pat Whittaker ’s sister with him. Before they left, Wendy was overheard asking Bruce “this is not going to break down is it?” This is the second time this has happened to Bruce on one of our outings. Some of us are going to start asking who is doing the work on his car?

Fortunately Bruce was being followed by John Whittaker so Wendy got into Johns car. Bruce headed home to get a more reliable vehicle. He still hasn’t figured out exactly what is wrong with it. When asked he responded firmly, “I don’t know yet. I am not speaking to it”.

After lunch it came time to go over the questions. All huddled around Pat Whittaker as she gave every one the answers. At the end it was Whiz Lindsey that got most of them correct. The prize was a very handsome hand crank blender where you can fix your blended drinks no matter where you are without the need of power or batteries..

As we began to take count of everyone all of a sudden we had lost the Spangenbergs. It turns out nothing happened to them except when they arrived at the Park they found themselves in a long cue line where Park officials were not letting anyone else in until an equal number came out. Since it was lunch time Charlie evidently decided he better head for home because it was no telling when they would be allowed in. We were glad nothing had happened except Charlie was hungry!

Anyone interested in the Autumn Classic at Morgan Hill this year, go to the calendar section of the web site, www.cypressmg.com and you will find the link to their event. We will try to put together a convoy to Morgan Hill for next month.