You are Number #35

Well, we did the VSCC Suffolk Tour today - me and the Riley Imp - and Chris from the RGEA. All told it was just shy of 140 miles after I did the run up and back to the start point. Here we are at the Mill with the adults, parked next to the tool room copy of an MPH.

Interestingly, the owner of that and many more people gave me the time of day - was it seeing what I came in or my confidence to engage with them ? Less so I thought when I was sporting my 'The Beeches Maintenance Team' top and looked like a contractor.

Anyway the route was good, although it was through really small Suffolk lanes - too small for my liking sometimes - up and down hills. It remained cold but eventually the sun came out when we arrived at the lunch stop and I had to strip off several layers.

Here we are outside a cottage opposite the pub in Hawkedon.

The afternoon route back was harder to follow and we got off the map quickly although I found the better 'B roads' easier to drive on if I am honest. We also avoided the Ford twice passing through a bridge just wider than the car instead.

Eventually we reached the Mill again and parked up - to be rewarded by tea and cake. Very civilised I thought. I also luckily found the Riley Area chap at last and had a positive reception, so I'll make an effort to meet up.

I checked the oil in the car park after the run and it was fine - about a quarter of the dip stick showing so - and the plug holes were clean. I decided to leave it alone until I got home. 

The run back was fine although the car started to sound different on the A14 and on investigation once home I guess that was because the cam cover had come loose again and I could hear different sounds. I topped up with fuel just before the end and noticed a slight leak again - but I may have over-filled it. I need to test this again as it did not leak last time I filled it full. Or did it ?

Headlines were: for the 140 miles we used 5.3 gallons of petrol, just over a pint of oil (half the dip stick) and almost no water despite running hotter then I had seen before. We seemed to have done about 26 miles to the gallon and 140 mils to the pint if my measurements are right. The tank was still c30% full when I topped it up so we might make just shy of 200 miles on a long run. The rack worked well too.

It was hard going through the lanes and very bumpy but much better on the wider better surfaced roads.