Upcoming events: 28 Feb Social Dinner and 1 March a ride to Pambula

Friday Social Dinner  
Friday 28th Feb from 18:00-21:00 @  
Star Buffet at the Burns Club, Kambah
You can email Kyla to confirm at mickandkyla@hotmail.com or
 if on Facebook >> use this link<<

Sunday Ride (to Pambula)
Also on Sunday, March 1, there is a ride to Pambula. Its an approximately 500k loop and will be leaving from the Caltex at Hume. The briefing will be  at 8:50am, departure 9:00am to arrive at the Royal Willows Hotel, Pambula for lunc.
The ride leader is the illustrious Ian Paterson (0427 291 728), and the proposed route is: Out via Cooma, Bombala (coffee), Wyndham & Pambula (lunch & fuel). Back via Candelo, Bemboka, Brown Mtn & Bredbo (coffee).

 Note: Updates and future rides and events can be found on the "What's On" page or the branches Facebook Events page

Nerriga – Kangaroo Valley Loop Ride – Sunday 23 February 2020

I'm always a bit wary of planning rides in February. As we all know, it's a month prone to some scorching hot days; my least favourite riding conditions (I'd rather ride in the rain). 

As it turned out, we had neither of these unfavourable conditions, enjoying beautiful mild, fine weather across the whole route. 
 
We had a great roll-up for this ride; fourteen people on thirteen bikes – the usual, diverse mix of machines. 

A new Ulysses member, Terry Soutberg joined us for the first time. We congratulated Andrew Campbell on his acquisition of yet another new motorcycle. He arrived on a fine-looking new BMW R1250RS, having recently ditched his supercharged torture machine, in an effort to avoid being permanently crippled by poor riding posture.
 
Our route was planned to take the group through a variety of terrains, including several rural and bushland areas. We headed to Nerriga via Bungendore, Tarago and Oallen Ford. We stopped at Nerriga for our first pit stop. Fortunately, the coffee at Nerriga Pub is much improved from earlier times. There's plenty of evidence that Nerriga had a very close call in the recent bushfires.
 

From Nerriga we rode towards Nowra winding our way up the hill, taking the tight bends past the intriguing beehive rock formations at Bulee Gap. This road offers much to motorcycle riders including long straights, fast sweeping bends, very little traffic and great scenery.

Sadly, the massive Currowan and Tianjara bushfires have laid waste to vast areas of bushland in this area. It must have been terrifying for local farmers when these fires swept through the district. More than a dozen homes were lost. 

We rode past the historic Sassafras homestead which was burnt to the ground. It's also horrifying to think of the huge numbers of native animals killed in the bushfires in this area. 

We by-passed the Nowra business district, headed up Cambewarra Mountain and down into Kangaroo Valley, which is looking beautifully green. We arrived at the Friendly Inn (Kangaroo Valley hotel) at 12pm and had a hearty pub lunch. We timed it perfectly to beat the rush. This pub gets very busy on Sundays with loads of visitors to the village, including motorcyclists.

After lunch we rode over the historic Hampden Bridge, through the valley, up Barrengarry Mountain and past Fitzroy Falls. Most riders chose to avoid going through Moss Vale and some of the Hume Highway by taking the Highland Way through the picturesque villages of Bundanoon, Penrose, Wingello and Tallong. Again, there were sad sights of several houses burnt down in the main street of Wingello.

There was coffee and more erudite conversation at a pit stop in Marulan. The run back from Marulan on the Hume Highway to Canberra was the usual mind-deadening drag. It was good to get that part over, but the rest of the trip was a lot of fun.
 
My thanks to this group of experienced riders (and one pillion) who tolerated my ride leadership in good humour – at least as far as I know.
JG

Riders:

• John Grace                    Triumph Tiger 1200
• Barry & Carol Solley        Honda ST1300
• Alan Munday                  Yamaha FJ1300
• Scott England                BMW R1250RT
• Kevin Sherman              Indian Scout
• Chas Towie                    Honda ST1300
• Chris Dietzel                  Kawasaki GTR1400
• Les Robinson                 Triumph Trophy
• Andrew Campbell           BMW R1250RS
• Robert McNeilly              MV Agusta 675
• Terry Soutberg               BMW R1200GS
• Bill Barker                     Yamaha XT1200Z
• Noel Bentley                  BMW F800GS

Weekend Events! BBQ Saturday 22, Ride to Kangaroo Valley Sunday 23rd!

The coming weekend has a Saturday and a Sunday Event!

22 Feb; A BBQ @ Joes Motorcycles as a Bush Fire Fundraiser

and 23 Feb; a ride on Sunday to Kangaroo Valley. Make it So!

Ride to Tidbinbilla Tracking Station – Deep Space Café Sunday, 16 February 2020

After a night of torrential rain, the day started off sunny with a light breeze.  We met 10 riders at the new Caltex in Weston, with Jenny just coming to the Cotter because work. Gets in the way of everything enjoyable in my opinion …..

I took a great photo in McDonalds, showing equal numbers of lady riders to male riders – something I have not seen on a Ulysses ride before. Made me happy that this rapidly growing market is coming along to our rides. 3 more riders turned up at the meet point while the ride briefing was underway, and I was very pleased because we had picked up another lady rider (and two more blokes).

 

Ride leader Ron took us on an as advertised leisurely jaunt through to Uriarra,and on to the Tracking Station. You needed your wits about you in some sections, with plenty of debris from the previous night’s storm to stay on the lookout for. A dump of dirt and the contents of a waterway were spilt all over the road at one section, but we dodged it artfully and without incident.

At the Deep Space Communications Complex, we didn’t mark the corner because we thought everyone knew the location and there were plenty of big signs, we should have done so because a couple of riders went past the turnoff. Lucky for us Kevin rounded them up on his Indian and we all made it to the venue to sample the Café’s new ownership.

The new and improved deck outside is lovely with plenty of large wooden tables and shade sails, and the weather was perfect. I didn’t eat anything, but most of the food looked just fine – not sure about Carol’s quiche - but for the most part, the sandwiches looked pretty good although strangely they were not cut. They have no Earl Grey tea, so I had to settle for English Breakfast and my pet hate of a tea bag in a tea pot. Tea drinkers will understand, right?

 Al was riding his old classic Suzuki and had something fall off, or something wouldn’t open, or something else happened that I have no knowledge of when we were getting ready to leave, but we were soon on our way home via Tharwa. It was great to finally see some green in the countryside after the catastrophy of the past few months – January has been a very long year.

Kim

Riders:

• Angela Beatty        Honda 250R            
• Al Munday             Suzuki GT750
• Andrew Campbell   BMW R1250RS       
•  Kevin Sherman     Indian  
•  Melissa Davis        Honda 700            
• Barry Solley           Honda ST1300
• Neil McRitchie        Kawasaki GTR1400        
• Carol Solley           Can Am Spyder
• Janet Mulgrue        Suzuki Burgman        
• Kim Tito                BMW F700GS
• Kerry Mulgrue        Yamaha TMax            
• Ron Tito                 BMW R1200GS    

February RO2 is now available! (Plus ride reminders)

The February 2020 RO2 is now available for your viewing pleasure!

Click >>here << to go to the RO2 page

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 Extras: RIDE Reminders

Don't forget there are two events on this weekend!

After you've recovered from Valentines Day ... there's a Saturday and Sunday ride:

Date:                 Saturday 15th February
Destination:      'The Nerriga Nosh for Bushfire Relief'  
Distance:           220km there and back
Leave:                McDonalds Queanbeyan
Time:                 Briefing 10:30am, departure 11:00am
Lunch:               Nerriga
Leader:             Arthur Mitchell (
Route notes:     Queanbeyan, Bungendore, Tarago, Oallen to Nerriga for lunch at the pub. 
Comment:         Ride hosted by Blue Knights Australia II Law Enforcement Motorcycle Club and inviting all Knights, Defence Riders and Ulysses Club Canberra and family and friends.  >>Further info<<


Date:              Sun 16th February
Destination:      Chomp & Chat: Tidbinbilla
Distance:          90 km
Leave:             Caltex, Kirkpatrick St & Cotter Rd, Weston
Time:               Briefing 10:20am, departure 10:30am
Lunch:              Moon Rock Café, Tidbinbilla
Leader:             Ron Tito 0408 697 289
Route notes:      Out via the Cotter, back via Tharwa.

BMW F800GS for sale

Peter Thomas has his well sorted BMW F800GS for sale - if you are interested have a look at the >>For Sale page <<.

Volunteers for BBQ Fundraiser @ JOE’S MOTORCYCLES on 22/2/2020

We are planning a CANBERRA BRANCH ULYSSESS BBQ Fundraiser @ JOE’S MOTORCYCLES on  Saturday 22nd February 2020 8:30am – 3pm
 15 Collie Street FYSHWICK  

We are calling for Volunteers to help out on the day!!

Contact BBQ Co-ordinator – Tony Henderson on  0408 451 220 or email: bbq.ulyssescanberra@gmail.com and let Tony know when you are available. 

Come along and check out Joe's Gear Shop and the  range of new and used motorcycles.
 

 

Cobargo ride 9th Feb CANCELLED

Word just in is that the Cobargo ride has been cancelled due to ongoing bushfire.

Stay safe folks!

Note: There will be a member of the ride committee attending the advertised meeting site in cas anyone misses this advice.
 

Numbers requested for the Nerriga Ride on the 15th Feb

Arthur Mitchell has just messaged that he would appreciate any riders who intend to attend the Nerriga ride to let him know for booking/catering on the day:

"Hi Folks

If any of the maybes or those wanting to attend the Nerriga ride on 15 Feb (see the events tab on facebook) could confirm by Monday 10 Feb so I can make necessary bookings at the Pub that would be greatly appreciated.

Hope to see you there

Regards

Arthur"