Alpine Autumn Frenzy '04 Report
by Mike Kelly
New to the Porsche Club of SA I am but to Porsches
I'm not, having owned two 928 models, the first one purchased in 1992.
Twelve years of continuous Porsche ownership and loving it.
The 928 community is alive and well in SA as it is
right across Australia. The most popular forum is probably the landsharkoz
website, which actively encourages local Porsche Club membership.
Through this web based email forum, 'frenzies' (a
gathering of 'sharks') are often organised. I have been fortunate enough
to participate in a few of these over the last few years, in SA, Vic and
NSW.
At the end of April, beginning of May this year, an
energetic soul from the Blue Mountains, Shane Navin, organised the Autumn
Alpine Frenzy to take place in the snow fields of Victoria and New South
Wales. "Be prepared for cold
weather" says Shane "but
we will be ahead of the snow season".
Well the weekend before, 30cm of snow fell at Dinner
Plain, the scheduled second nights stop for the group. "This
is very early, just a flash in the pan." We hear!
I had my beautiful 1994 928 GTS, all 350hp of her,
washed and polished from front to back, inside and out, ready to
represent SA in the best possible light.
Thursday morning, quick call to the Department of
Agriculture to find out where the dreaded locust plague was waiting to
'splat' me, then my lady and I set off for our first night in Bendigo.
Fortunately for us but not the farmers, no rain and very thankfully, no
locusts and we pulled into the classic old Shamrock Hotel in Bendigo as
the sun set.
A leisurely breakfast, followed by a quick look around
Bendigo, then we met up with friends Roger, Deb and their two children for
lunch. They had just travelled up from Geelong in one of the finest 1989
928 S4 Porsche's in the country.
Lunch out of the way, we set off for a spirited run
together, destination Beechworth and our next night and the official
start of the Autumn Alpine Frenzy.
After checking into the beautiful Latrobe at Beechworth,
we met for drinks, then dinner with about thirty 928 devotees and their
partners and children.
It rained heavily all night and was
still raining at 6:00 am when I convinced my bemused partner
Sharyn of the benefits of filling the room rubbish bin with warm
water and washing the now brown and Grand Prix white GTS before
breakfast. Who wants to have the dirtiest 928 in the obligatory
morning line up after all?
|
Fifteen 'Landsharks' line up on a freezing, misty morning in Beechworth, Victoria.
|
The plan from here was to have morning tea at Mount
Buffalo but it was snowing again and chains were required so we opted for
the Autumn Carnival in Bright instead.
Our next night was booked
at the Crystal Creek Resort at Dinner Plain, the only freehold land
above the snowline in Australia and it was still snowing higher up.
With much discussion and lots of "I'll never put chains on
my Porsche", myself included, it was decided that a bulk
deal be done at the chain hire shop in Harrietville. We may not need
them but we are required to carry them, so carry we will.
We set off to cross Mt Hotham on route to Dinner
Plain with more reports of snow still falling. The two cars from the
western side, Deniliquin and Wagga Wagga, having to come back the
same way, opted to head for the 'low plains' rather than be snowed
in on the wrong side of the mountain, a long way from home and work.
The rest of us started the long climb up the mountains in the rain.
|
The chain hirer's delight - a yard full
of Porsches
|
|
"I'll never put chains on my Porsche"
|
It was not long before the rain stopped and this funny
'fat rain' started hitting the windscreen and the ground became
progressively whiter. Soon the road was covered with snow and ice and the
visibility was down to a couple of hundred metres.
Progress was still quite steady,
though slow was the order of the day being my first time driving in
snow and ice.
|
|
The PSD 'Porsche Slip Differential' light became a
regular feature of the instrument panel as the brilliant Porsche
traction control stepped in at every detected rear wheel spin, to ensure
the best possible grip and safety.
We came to a particularly steep and quite sharp bend
where one of the group had completely lost rear wheel traction, stopping
him right in the middle of the road. Fortunately he was able to reverse
back to a fairly wide verge, clearing the path. Back into drive we went
and cruised right on by only to meet up with the two front runners stopped
to fit their chains. The 'spousal warning system' had kicked in, "We're
going to die if we slide over the edge".
"We've only got a few
kilometres to go but they are the worst, so we're opting for
chains", were the wise words of the leader, so out
came the chains. Yes, the, 'I won't fit
chains' ones!
So out into the snow, at a mere 2.5
degrees C, went my sweet lady, armed with said chains. Fortunately
the snow stopped falling soon after we stopped and the snow plough
made a couple of speedy runs, so by the time the other two had
theirs fitted, it was decided to take mine back off and give it a go
without.
|
|
I was very happy to be travelling with experienced
alpine drivers and took their advice gladly and on we plodded.
The scenery now was just breath taking. The snow had
stopped falling and the visibility was up to a few kilometres across the
snow covered valleys as we cruised into Dinner Plain, the log fire, the
bar and great company.
The group emerged next morning, one by one for a
sumptuous breakfast, then out into the -2.5 degree C morning to start
the ice covered 'landsharks'.
From Dinner Plain to Omeo for fuel, (hard to find 98RON
fuel in these parts).
There aren't many bigger smiles than on a service
station owner's face when ten 86 litre fuel tanks roll up, owners with
credit cards at hand.
Now for a spirited drive down off the mountain to
Bairnsdale, then fish-n-chips for lunch at Lakes Entrance before winding
back up through Cann River, Bombala and Cooma, to arrive in the dark at
Lake Crackenback Resort near Jindabyne for the night.
The next day brought us to the last
morning as a group. Monday already and work duties calling for most.
We had beautiful sunshine once more as the line of
glorious Porsches snaked their way across to Adaminaby for lunch and
goodbyes.
|
The morning line up for the last day
|
Sharyn and I stayed on at Adaminaby for the night, then
set off early the next morning, via Cabramurra, the highest town in
Australia, through more snow and sub zero temperatures as we crossed the
Alps to follow the Murray River to Swan Hill.
Such a change from the narrow, twisty snow covered
roads, to touring the open flat farm country with the cruise control
locked on 100kph for hours at a time.
From Swan Hill to Mildura and the fabulous Grand Hotel,
with dinner at Stefano's Restaurant, of 'Gondola on the Murray' fame, then
back home to Adelaide the next day.
3000km travelled in just one week, through dry open
plains, beautiful forests, stunning south coast, snow covered Alps and
pouring rain. This really is 'God's country' and how better to travel it
than in a superb V8 powered Porsche?
Mike Kelly '94 928 GTS
