Sharing fun

Well, through a catalogue of rushing around errors, I ended up home from the Hayride in the Fordor.

So - it's been running well, and with no other choice, drove down to the Suffolk coast to see the kids who have been staying with friends in their caravan.

Cursory glance at a map, top up the tank - a wise precaution now the 77 year old cork on the end of the guage has decided to lose it's ability to swim - and the previous weekend 3 lane blacktops are swapped for winding country roads.

Sunglasses on, decide to go a different B road route now I'm rolling...

Along the A143 towards Harleston, dipping over a humpback, blind bend, narrow, red brick, bridge across the Waveney. South of the river? This time of night?

Pick up the B1118 heading to Hoxne, heavy sedan rolling on the tight bends, heady smell of fuel from the overfilled cowl tank wafting in through the open screen. Roads untravelled in a while, a dogleg crossroads in Stradbroke, church to the left, quaint old shops ahead, and back into open countryside. Big old four cylinders pounding away as each bend is steadily picked off. Getting in the way of nobody - me and this ol' girl the only thing on the road. Summer evening heat. Everyone indoors for tea.

Join the B1116 south at a T junction, down into Dennington. Left turn onto the A1120, some faster swooping bends heading out of the village, a sharp ninety degree left and onto to a long rolling roman road straight towards Peasenhall. Faster is a relative term - this is no nestled in the machinery, pin sharp handling roadster, just a ponderous, lurching, top heavy mix of wood and iron. At the far end of the charming, beyond my pocket, village of Yoxford, a left turn onto the A12, before nipping across as smartly as the A can manage onto a single track, high hedged lane, - pass at the bucket of apples for £2 - onto Westleton. A left through the village green followed by a right turn across the gorse bushes of Dunwich Heath.

And rest. Cous cous and curried vegetables, skimming stones and a game of Boule on the beach till twilight hid the jack...

After a one for the road cup of tea, time to try the lights! Retracing my steps winding back through the unlit narrow country lanes. Feels fast, heading into the two pools of yellow light no more than a few yards past the radiator shell. Staggered junction across the A12, late night lorries bearing down, and back onto the A1120. Screen still open, bringing in the fresh cut harvest barley smells, lights in the field as farmers take advantage of the dry night - corn trailers the only occasional fellow travellers on the road home.

Feeling alive, mildly tense, heart beating. No-one knows where I am, it's full black dark, ancient car, no torch, phone. No idea of the time. Nothing but a penknife in my pocket and three copper coins.

But the old Sedan didn't let me down. All the familiar noises amplified in the dark, no filter carb roaring, cheap silencer joining in, occasional rattle in the bearings, jangling mixture screw, squeaking door locks, protesting heavily laden tyres on tightening bends, throbbing beat of each cylinder finding it's way home.

Don't know how long it took. Don't care. Wanted to go on some more.

But most of all, wanted someone to share it all with. It was fun, but as with most things in life - so much better for sharing.