A few days into 2013, a fellow car enthusiast from work asked me if I had seen the scavenger hunt article in the latest Moss Motoring. He and I talked about the challenge and calculated we would have some easy sign photos within a short distance, so we decided to do it. I told my wife later and we thought this would be great fun so the challenge began!
The following Sunday my wife and I started to take a short ride in our TR3 that turned out to be a 100+ mile journey. The ride began with me thinking that there was a post office down the road that had a “Y” town name on it. But, like the age of my car, my mind is getting a bit older too! It turned out that the post office in my dimming memory was actually a creek. With a big chuckle we decided to keep on going down the road finding a regional county office sign that had three county names on it! We wondered if using that picture would be in keeping with the spirit of the chase, said “nah” and kept on going.
For me, this is part of the challenge—finding signs where you don’t expect them and not finding signs where you think they are—the makings of a fun afternoon. Isn’t that a part of the adventure of life in our classic cars, never knowing what you will find or where you will end up?
Finishing our day in Surfside Beach, we chanced upon a giant mural painted on a building where an old mom and pop grocery store used to stand. Thinking it was a brilliant shot, my mind wondered to several historical roadside failures and my wife’s predictable comment, “Are we having fun yet?” and my response is always “Yes, it is a part of the challenge.”
There are a couple of big British car shows coming up, and now it will be more enjoyable because I can add mapping new signs to collect on the way. I was surprised how many sign opportunities there are in a 2-5 hour drive, depending on the direction taken. Our club, the Grand Strand British Car Club, is putting it’s own spin on it too, by making a day for a sign hunt.
It’s going to be a fun year with the Challenge—another excuse to take short drives with a friend…stop for lunch…enjoy the day. And even though the net reward may be a T-shirt, it’s the ride that’s more memorable than the destination.
By Dennis & Rhonda Oldland
'2013 Motoring Challenge' has 1 comment
June 9, 2013 @ 4:59 pm Pat Wharton
Hi Dennis and Rhonda – Yes, it is fun to try to capture pictures for the Moss Motoring Challenge. Loved your picture at Surfside Beach. We have found the same to be true – finding signs “right now”, turn around here quick, or searching up and down the streets and around the block because you know it just has to be there. We’ve found a number of nice buildings with the words “Town Hall” on them and NO, absolutely NO city designation anywhere abouts! We’ll continue to have fun as you do. Pat and Ron Wharton