Genevieve arrived in Brighton forty-five minutes or so after we did. Clicking my digital camera into high resolution mode, I managed a few more pictures.  

The rain finally arrived -- in buckets -- about an hour after that, giving most of the cars and participants just enough time to find shelter. 

Our group - Bill & Mary, The Hawley family, and Anthony and David - safely retired to The Old Ship Hotel, a Brighton establishment that dates back to the sixteenth century. The recent three million pound renovation was greeted with less than full enthusiasm by the members of the group ... who no doubt are inclined to prefer restoration to renovation. We had a few pints at The Old Ship, talked about the Run just finished, Runs in the past, and Runs to come.

I had a couple of days in London after the Run, and that was more than enough time to develop acquaintances into friendships. David Burgess-Wise and his wife Christine graciously invited me to their home and we spent a marvelous car-filled day together. I even managed to spend time with Alan Trevennor, who researched "Genevieve" filming locations and wrote the fascinating article that appears elsewhere on this site. I arrived as a stranger with an email address... and left with valued new friendships. I never could have predicted what a fabulous journey it would be.

Where once there was one Darracq... there now were two. 

Where once there were memories of the London-to-Brighton as seen through the cinematic vision of Henry Cornelius, Christopher Challis, William Rose, and a brilliant company of actors... there were now added memories of the London-to-Brighton as seen with my own eyes, shared with a cast of characters no less memorable or appealing than their invented counterparts in that wonderful  movie  -- "Genevieve."

Grateful thanks to all of those who made London to Brighton 2000 so memorable:

Bill and Mary Ellam; Clive and Maureen Hawley; Clive Hawley Jr.; David Burgess-Wise; Anthony Roberts; David Potts; Evert, Quirina, and Anisa Louwman.

David Burgess Wise's article on London-to-Brighton 2000 can be found here.

Alan Trevennor's filming locations article, illustrated with his photographs, can be found here.

And if you'd like to return to the home page of the "Genevieve" site, click here.