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Hill Climb, 9th December 2007 From 1905, the Automobile Association of South Australia held a number of Hill Climbs on the road from Magill, in Adelaide's eastern suburbs, to Norton Summit. To commemorate these events, the Veteran Car Club of SA held a climb over the same route in December 2006. Following the success of the inaugural event - in which a 1906 6 hp Rover managed a smooth-if-slow ascent - it was decided to have another go this year. Perhaps the beginnings of an annual run?
The route is a simple one, leaving from the car park of the Tower Hotel on the corner of Magill and Penfold Rds. The path up is via the "new" Norton Summit Rd, the same hill used in the original events. The climb is steady, punctuated by a series of hairpin bends.
At the hamlet of Norton Summit, a turn to the right leads down the "old" Norton Summit Rd. The initial descent is steep, through picturesque cherry orchards, until the gradient eases to some gentle bend-swinging for the last few kilometres back to the start point.
Lunch and a general natter was at the Kensington Gardens on the Parade at Norwood. More than one discussion mused over the question of the ascent via the "old" road. More difficult? Possible? That top bit is very steep...
On the day, six veteran cars and three veteran motorcycles completed the ascent, together with a couple of vintage machines and supporters in modern vehicles.
In a press report of the original 1905 event, the scribe noted: "On the whole, the contest demonstrated the superiority of the motor cycle over the motor car for hill work". And so it was proved again this year, with the commemorative award (based, we note, on style rather than speed) going to the rider of a 1914 Rudge motorcycle which made an untroubled climb. The rider has vowed to return next year with a significantly more feeble machine. |
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