Red Hut Diner

On the morning of May 15, 2022, we had our first breakfast drive event of the year, and drive we did! It was the first time since June of last year that we drove a route with a planned destination, and it was the first time since our static Cars & Coffee soiree of August 29, 2021, that we got our little group together. The weekend forecast was not favorable, although threats of actual rain were called off for Sunday morning. Nevertheless, the day dawned foggy and humid, which likely contributed to a light turnout of five vehicles.

We five met at our usual spot in front of the Mahwah Sheraton, and Larry did an excellent job of planning a route north through New York a bit before we dipped back into New Jersey, finally getting on Route 513 South which comprised the majority of the miles driven. Our destination was the same as last June, the Red Hut Diner on Route 46 in Rockaway, NJ.

We sat outside under a tent, although we needed it neither for shade nor water protection. It was quite comfortable outside, and we chatted about our favorite subject as usual: pencil manufacturing the car hobby.

Our waitress did an outstanding job ensuring that coffee cups never ran dry, and since we were the only patrons at the outside tables, they didn’t rush us out of there. Contrary to a forecast which predicted sunnier skies as the day progressed, we began to see dark clouds roll in, which kept the convertible tops of the Alfa, Porsche, and Miata in their raised positions.

It’s difficult to believe that summer is but five weeks away; our hope is to get at least one more event on the calendar before the longest day of the year brings unbearable heat with it. We’ll work on that schedule while we hope for a larger turnout next time.

The group casually known as the Sunday Morning Breakfast Club had its 2^nd outing of the post-pandemic year which is 2021 on Sunday, June 6. Since our initial convening was a static Cars & Coffee hangout, we can consider our June event as the first “drive” of the year. As is our long-standing custom, we gathered in the parking lot of the Mahwah Sheraton hotel, and with Google Maps/iPhones/GPS/Waze/paper maps at the ready, we pushed off for our destination. One small change was our earlier-than-usual departure time: 14 people in 11 cars were motoring out of the hotel lot by 8:15 a.m.

Above : Back to our early morning fishing tales

We were headed to the Red Hut Diner on Route 46 in Rockaway NJ, and our planned route encompassed very few turns: Route 287 South to Route 23 North to Route 513 South, then a mile of local roads to Route 46. A nice surprise was picking up our long-time friend Jeff in his BMW Z3, who surprised us by staging himself on Route 513, awaiting our arrival. Good thing we didn’t change the directions from what had been sent out!

The good men and women of the Red Hut Diner were waiting for us; having requested an outdoor table under the tents in the back, the staff obliged us by having a single table ready for us at 9:15. Our server, Lindsay (named after actress Lindsay Wagner she informed us), worked hard to keep the hot coffee flowing our way. The food arrived soon enough, and I heard nary a complaint. My co-defendant Larry and I decided that our inaugural visit to the Red Hut was successful enough that we will put the joint on our regular rotation.

Above : The gang is happy to be back together

De-masked and lacking social distancing, it truly felt like old times again. We enjoy our machinery, but we also have come to learn that we enjoy each other’s company more. Several folks had to take off soon after breakfast ended, but again as is custom, a few die-hards stuck around the parking lot, trying to squeeze in one last comment! We’re back and we hope to get this group out on another Sunday in the not-too-distant future.