Day 28 Des Georges du Tarn

Day 28 Des Gorges du Tarn

We are now in Des Gorges du Tarn and motoring along in true relaxed 12/50 style with Peter and Janet in the lead ...it was just delightful... until about 11kms down this scenic, gently winding road when Mike's car decided to throw away all its water! 

Des Gorges du Tarn - fabulous 12/50 touring roads.  

As above - every turn brings a wonderful vista.

 Dale raced ahead and caught Alan fairly quickly and passed on the bad news.  With Alan returning to help Mike, it took a fair bit longer to catch Peter and Janet as a Fiat Rapide....travelling not so "rapideeeely" stayed between the MG and Peter's 12/50 who where enjoying the fabulous weather.  Once we finally caught them and after some discussion they opted to go on to the next village for lunch and we returned to assist Mike - if needed.  The concern was that it may be a cracked head.  However after Alan had towed Mike back to the Hotel and traced the problem to a corroded aluminum core plug, a bit ironical given the 12/50 Register Spares man always advises members to only fit steel core plugs and has an alloy one in his own car.!!  Fortunately the boys found a local garage and after the proprietor "phoned a friend" for help with interpretation, they towed Mikes car to the garage (about 15 miles) and the friendly staff solved the problem, cleaned out a lot of the muck and changed the oil, all for a very reasonable price.

Maritta, Ruth and Noeline had wandered in search of the men thinking they may need a cool drink. We had walked a very considerable distance (having thought the garage was just around the corner !) it was very hot and Noeline's foot is not good.  Any thoughts we had of being nice to them quickly disappeared when they appeared from the other end of town, driving at great speed in the Diffey's 12/50 with the MGB following closely behind and all three just waved quite regally as they sailed on by. It's a wonder you all didn't see the smoke stacks in Australia. We started to walk back with discussions of revenge heavily contemplated and at least 5 or 6 minutes later they sheepishly returned. Their excuse was they didn't think we were that far away from the hotel.

Discussing the day's events over a stiff drink.

Fritz enjoying the sights and sounds of the Gorges du Tarn region

This interlude did do us a good turn though, as we had passed a little bar/cafe affair on or walk. We all went back there for lunch which was a very enjoyable baguette and cool drink.  It was so good we went back for Pizza that night for dinner.  Mike was obviously a bit overwhelmed with the day's events as he appeared for dinner in his pyjama top and had to go back for a hasty change when Ruth pointed this out to him in the lift.  The dinner and wine was great for 8 it cost us just 120 euro - about 20% of the bill at the hotel the night before.