Ride Report – Boorowa – Crookwell Loop, Wednesday 21st April 2021

A team of seven keen riders assembled at Caltex Nicholls at around 0845 for a 0900 departure. The night before the ride it decided to pour down across the region as a result of a cool change passing through Victoria and the Alps even leaving a dusting of snow across the Snowy Mountains. Naturally the next morning many areas of Canberra were still damp and a cool 7- 8 degrees at the muster point. Despite this the sun shone through with the promise of slightly warmer weather and a great day ahead.

The ride kicked off with us tearing down the Barton Hwy with little hold up due the road works started on the Barton Hwy extension after Hall. There was only a few 60 signs posted in sections rather than what was the practice the last few weeks of having a blanketed 60kph 6-7 km stretch. Excellent! Also, traffic was light throughout the whole days ride (mid week rides I just love them).

Anyway once through Murrumbateman and on the dual carriageway we joined the Hume and headed for Burley Griffin Way and made our way towards the town of Binalong. It was along this section that we came across a very friendly semitrailer carrying cattle, or was it sheep, who waved us pass once on a straight stretch - wish there were more drivers like him.

Once in Binalong we crept quietly through the sleepy town for a right on Hughstonia road, a great little farmers road which took us all the way through the farm district to Boorowa and fuel stop one (top up) for the Triumph. Morning coffee and a chat was enjoyed at the Boorowa Bakery outside in the sun for warmth. It was here that unfortunately Ian M, a new member from the Sunshine Coast, had to excuse himself due to planned activities back at home. What a gentleman - though poor judgement this time, as he was missing the truly best leg(s) of the ride namely Boorowa - Rugby - Crookwell - Gunning loop. Oh well, maybe next time Ian.

 At Gunning we enjoyed a break and lunch chatting about just how cool the last section was, then the subject of Kevin’s new and beautiful R1250RS came up. Andrew and Mike came up with a brilliant idea of using the sophisticated technology built into the R1250RS suspension and modes to get Kev’s bike just that little bit lower to provide him with more comfort. This got us all interested, so we decided to get involved as well and before we new it, all six of us were mulling around both Kev’s then Dave’s RS’s while Mike and Andrew provided guidance on setting and adjusting the complex looking TIFF display and menu. We now know BMWs don’t breakdown, owners just get totally lost or immersed in their colourful TFT display, software updates and reboots.  Me, I have enough problems with my iPhone and Laptop let alone having such technology integrated into my bike, though I might just give it a go one day.

After this quick training session we were all a little dizzy and weary and decided it was time to head for Canberra and call it a day. Overall it was a very enjoyable ride across superb countryside with I say again very minimal traffic.


Warren

The Weather: 14 degrees on the bike 8, another brilliant Autumn day in the Lachlan Valley Region

Distance traveled: 345 kms

Riders:

• Darren Beauchamp    HD Dyna Superglide
• Kevin Sherman          BMW R1250RS
• Dave Mossman          BMW R1250RS
• Andrew Campbell       BMW R1250RS
• Ian Mansfield            BMW R1150RT
• Mike Beltrane            BMW R1250GS
• Warren Richer           Triumph Thruxton R1200

Chomp and Chat to Laggan - Sunday, 18th April 2021

 

So, I’ve been very slack and forgot to write the ride report when it was fresh in my memory, with the predictable result that I can’t remember much about the ride.

In my defence I was volunteered to write the report, by Al, who should have known better.

I do remember that it was a lovely day and an enjoyable ride to Laggan, via Gunning and Crookwell. I believe we returned via the same way, mainly to stop for a coffee in Gunning, but also because the Laggan, Crookwell, Gunning route is such a pleasure on a motorcycle.

Hopefully someone submitted some photos to accompany my abbreviated ride report. 

Andrew

• Allan Munday        Yamaha FJR1300
• Anthony Hanson    BMW R1200RT
• George Attard       Triumph Tiger 800
• Warren Richer       Triumph Thurston
• Andrew Carley       Harley 883 Low
• Kevin Sherman      BMW R1250RS
• Andrew Campbell   BMW R1250RS
• Damon Hatchett    BMW R1200R
• Noel Bentley          BMW F800GSA

Riding On Too (RO2) for April

The April RO2 is now available!!

 As with the sands in the hourglass, 

the time for a new magazine has come around and

the April Riding On 2 is now available for your reading pleasure!

>>Click here<<

 

Rockley Ride, 11 April ’21

Rockley is not a destination as such. Rather, it has a pleasant pub for lunch on a route which takes in some really good motorcycling roads; the Abercrombie River valley in both directions has countless tight turns, some steep hills, and some spectacular scenery.

In the event, there were four riders on a day when somebody had thrown the big switch from ‘summer’ to ‘winter’; winter riding gear was definitely required. The temperature on departure was six degrees, falling to four degrees as we passed Black Springs, and hovering around eight degrees for most of the ride. It was fine,but regrettably pretty windy. There was a strong, gusty westerly giving us a crosswind almost all day.

This was also the day when Kevin Sherman turned up on his new BMW. Now, having traded his thunderous Indian, people no longer refuse to ride behind him; he volunteered for TEC duties anyway as he gets used to the new bike.

The route took us through Tarago and Goulburn to morning coffee at the lovely Grand Ettie Cafe in Taralga, where Kevin and Anthony had the rather generous egg-and-bacon-rolls, then found that they couldn’t fit in lunch afterwards. After that was the first crossing of the Abercrombie; a narrow, steep descent to the river, then an even steeper climb out though on a rather wider road. From here we headed through Black Springs to Rockley with little traffic in our direction to trouble us, but a lot of motorcyclist going south. The Rockley Pub had lit their combustion stove for the first time this year, and its warmth was most welcome.

The return journey took us to Perthville for fuel, then home via Trunkey Creek and Tuena. This second crossing of the Abercrombie is also steep and winding, but two of us had the misfortune to get stuck behind a farmer ina ute who braked to hardly more than a walking pace at every corner.

Last stop was for a warming coffee at Crookwell. By now the wind was starting to abate and the temperature reached a high on the run home from Gunning; 12 whole degrees!

The team:

● Anthony Hanson BMW R1200RT
● Dave Jones Yamaha XT1200Z
● Kevin Sherman BMW R1250RS
● Scott England BMW R1250RT (RL & scribe)