Despite a less than glowing forecast, the sun was shining when the VICMOG monthly lunch group assembled at the Todd Road service station at the foot of the Westgate Bridge. Our destination today was the Farmers Arms Hotel at Daylesford but to get there did involve some of my least favoured driving places in a Morgan i.e. over the Westgate Bridge looking at Monster B-Double truck wheels spinning near your head and threatening to crush you to matchsticks in an instant.
Fortunately my worst fears were not realized and as we moved from the Westgate Freeway onto the Western Ring Road and then finally picked up the Western Freeway, the traffic thinned and we got a chance to open up our Morgans on nice smooth multi laned highway with light traffic and a 110K speed limit.
All too quickly we were at the Ballan/Daylesford Road turn off and left the highway for a rather nice winding country road cutting through the forest. Around this time the sun vanished behind large dark threatening clouds and the temperature took a sudden dive.
Fortunately the heavens did not open up on us and as we entered the main street of Daylesford the skies brightened, as did the faces of the shoppers as ten Morgans processed slowly down the main street.
Just out of the township we reached the Farmers Arms and parked in a line on the other side of the road from the hotel. We were joined by two other Morgans bringing our total to twelve and, as we were dismounting, the local media arrived and started taking photos.
Today’s organizers, Ross and Jane, had booked a special dining room for us at the hotel and soon we were enjoying some rather good food. If you are ever passing through the Daylesford area, the Farmers Arms is well worth considering as a lunch stop with great food sourced locally and a very friendly and competent staff.
After a very enjoyable lunch and lots of great conversations, in accordance with our Lunch Club Rules, we discussed next month’s venue and decided on Eynesbury Station with John Link to organize. Then back into the Morgan and home via a different route that Ross and Jane had mapped out for us.
I would like to record our thanks to Ross and Jane for arranging such a fantastic day out.