Rolling British Car Day 2003

8th Annual Rolling British Car Day
Saturday, April 19, 2003

By Greg Fletcher

We had a great time at Rolling British Car Day in San Diego, California. It's sort of a very informal car show and fun rally all rolled into one. The event organizers where hoping for 100 cars and I heard someone say 127 cars made the event!

Paul Cartagena's '74 Jensen Healey, next to wife Della's new Mini Cooper- ah, what a happy couple. An hour later in this spot (at the Miltons' restaurant) it was jammed with cars and people.

We started from Orange County about 7am. JHPS clubbers Paul Cartagena with his wife Della, brought two English cars by our house to share since my wife and I are down to no operating British cars at the moment (how nice Jensen owners are). Off to Del Mar and meet up at Milton's Restaurant parking lot. British cars where arriving by the droves. Lots of old and fun British iron to check out. We found a few other JHPS clubbers in the parking lot, see photos below.

Mmmm, fish n' chips, plenty of malt vinegar and a black & tan to washi t all down- now that's livin' large! Thank God I don't eat this stuff everyday or I'd be dead by now.

We traveled some beautiful North San Diego County backroads and saw some incredible homes (castles?) along the way in Rancho Santa Fe (known as Rancho Dinero by locals). Two hours of driving, a wrong turn (errr, the directions did say Lake San Marcos Boulevard not Lake San Marcos Drive), some map reading and we finally made it to our lunch time destination- Penny Lane Pub & Grille in San Marcos for fish n' chips and stout ale. The place was jammed and they only had two wateresses to go around for the throng that packed the place. Strangely, a group of Jensen Interceptor owners was sitting at the next table over, but I couldn't think of anything to talk to them about and I guess no one else at our table could either, so we never said anything to the Interceptor group! How weird are we? I guess I need to work on my social skills, anyway it was great fun talking to all the Jensen Healey owners- they always have something to say.

Chuck Lakowski with his wife, Dee (what a good sport, she goes to all the British car events with him!) in front of his black '75 Jensen Healey

Dave Waghorn with V8 powered Jensen Healey, vroooom!

My wife kept petting this amazing Bentley with the faux alligator trim interior, I think she was hoping it would follow her home.

All the happy JHPS members at Penny Lane (this was right before we got the bill)- left to right:

Paul Cartagena, Della Lizer, Greg & Lorrie Fletcher, Dee & Chuck Lakowski, Daves' brother (name?) & Dave Waghorn.

Clubber Bob Humphreys (not shown) stopped by and said "hello" too. I think he may have been hangin with the local Interceptor owners.

Overall, it was a fantastic time- kudos to Steve Kirby who did all the leg work to make this happenand, sponsored by The San Diego MG T Register In conjuction with the San Diego British Car Club Council (whew!). http://www.sandiegobritishcarday.org/ Event contact Steve Kirby: skirby210@aol.com