Ride Report – Kangaroo Valley 20 January 2013 – Upsize me!

This was to be Ian’s ride, but a couple of weeks before this I advised Ian that I can’t go on the overnight ride to Corryong as my better half Maream (who has been overseas for a month with our son) is due to be picked up from Jolimont on the 19th. Ian and Sally were keen to go on the overnighter, so I took Ian’s ride.

I arrived at Caltex EPIC and found a sizeable crew waiting for me. A dozen bikes including mine, keen to take a pleasurable ride to Kangaroo Valley. I suggested a diversion: Morning tea at Marulan, Robertson pie shop for lunch. Is everybody up for about 550km (turns out it was 524km!)? We’ll see when we get to the lunch stop if we do the whole route I was thinking: Tarago – Goulburn 1st exit – Hume to Maralun – Tallong – Bundanoon – Fitzroy Falls – Robertson – Kiama – Gerringong – Nowra – Kangaroo Valley – Marulan (via Bundanoon again) – Hume and Federal home. One of our number (Jan Hausfeld) is still on P’s and hasn’t done a lot of riding yet (500km+ is quite a big day on the cross-section of roads we were taking today).

I advised that the road from Robertson to Kiama (Jamberoo Mountain Road) is quite challenging – narrow, hairpins, and no centreline (I know some riders are not too sure on roads that are not marked, and some of the group I have not ridden with before). I put the democratic question out there: Does anyone want to be Tail-end Charlie. No takers. Because there were a dozen of us, I advised that I’ll put corner markers out, particularly on the bit from Tallong to Fitzroy Falls. I forgot to spell out that we will take the Hume to Marulan from the Goulburn 1st exit. I did put markers out on the road into Goulburn from Tarago, to get us in to the 1st exit service centre roundabout. However my vagueness caused a little confusion, with the marker at the 1st exit roundabout following the rest of us onto the Hume before all bikes came through, so some ended up going in to Goulburn and getting off track. What can I say? I left Dave Pinkerton, with Donna on the back, stranded in Goulburn. Not a welcome that I should have given our newcomers down from Brisbane and never been on a ride with us before. Of course I shouldn’t assume, and should have waited back on the 1st exit roundabout! So Dave and Donna headed back to Canberra, not happy campers and rightly so – as soon as I returned from the ride I sent Dave an apologetic email. Suzy also had to head back to Canberra as she had a call from her daughter. Down to 10 bikes.

So, after gathering up at Marulan, refuelling and having coffee, we headed out on the short stretch of boredom (Hume) and turned right to Tallong. The road through the highlands into Robertson is a nice pleasurable ride, though a bit cool initially (summer jacket, no liner and a T-shirt under), but by the time we reached Robertson it had warmed up and the occasional light moist mist had cleared. A very nice Chilli pie and banana flavoured milk, and we discussed the route ahead. Do we stick with the plan and ride down Jambaroo Mountain into Kiama? Yes, no objections. As usual, the pie shop was packed, with lots of bikes out front. One guy advised us that the police are actively patrolling this day on the road works Kiama-Gerringong stretch, so it will be strictly 60kmh. Nick Becker advised that beyond Nowra he would make his own way to check out his holiday place at Callala Beach. So we did the Mountain, made Kiama and peeled off into Gerringong. Refuelled in North Nowra/Bomaderry. Gary offered a suggestion. How about we stop at the crest of Cambewarra Mountain, before Kangaroo Valley; there is a lookout there. I know the spot: turn-off to the right on a sharp left hand hairpin. Caution was advised for this spot, before we headed off.

The Kangaroo Valley Ride Crew!

Made the lookout, nice view, and a cafe! We decided that this place should go on the ride calendar in the future. Mick, please take note: Club ride to Cambewarra Mountain, sometime in the future during a fair weather time of year. At this point it was beyond 3PM, so one more of the number (was it Richard on the Explorer or Trevor on the BMW 1150GS) made his leave as he needs to get back home the quickest way, due home by 5PM. Down to 8 bikes. A quick photo opportunity, and then we all headed off.

I stopped again as I turned onto the Hume at Marulan to check all there, and we made our own way back home. Another great days’ ride with friends.

Chris Dietzel

• Chris Dietzel, Yamaha FJR1300 (Ride leader)
• Suzy Arnold – BMW R1150R
• Neil Becker – Honda VFR1200
• Rick Costan – Ducati Monster
• Steven Hausfeld – Honda ST1300
• Jan Hausfeld – Honda CB400 (on P’s – did Jamberoo and Kangaroo Valley well!)
• Richard Hay – Triumph Explorer
• Gary McCurley – Honda VFR1200
• David Pinkerton & Donna Woodward – Yamaha TDM900
• Trevor Prebble – BMW 1150GS
• John Terlich – Harley Davidson Road King (with his better half on back)
• Mark Walker – Honda Deauville NT700V (now a black one, the red one has expired!)

Ride Report – Wee Jasper 13 January 2013

It’s been very hot. Not the best weather for fun riding conditions. There have been fires in and around Bungendore and Yass (lucky we did the Burrinjuck ride before Christmas, as the Burrinjuck road was under threat). Mick Winters rang a couple of days before advising I might need to change the destination. “OK” I said, “I’ll wait till the day and check that morning”. Check I did, and rang Stables Tavern (about the only thing there that would have any food). Assured all was well, and yes, they do have food! 

The day arrived, temperatures were cooler, and the Regional Fire Service web site suggested the risk to that area had lessened. 10 of us (plus a dog!) convened at the Nicholls Caltex servo, and I mapped out the route – Nanima Road and onto the Murrumbateman – Gundaroo Road, then Gunning (this stretch took us past some blackened farming land), and onto the Hume for the boring bit (only 30km) to the Yass Valley Way. By the time we got to yass, it was evident that there is no fire risk here – for a fire that was burning eastward from Black Range Road / Burrinjuck toward the Yass township, one would expect more smoke. There was none to speak of. 

The road from Yass to Wee Jasper is pleasant, though a little bumpy (which road around country NSW isn’t?), and some care is needed for the short stretch of winding road riding up out of the dip at Mountain Creek, and into Wee Jasper (don’t look down!), and there are some of those convex safety mirrors to glimpse at. Stopped for lunch at the pub (Stables Tavern), and was kept intrigued by the lady that owns the place – Do you know she has had some repeat break-in’s by thieves that keep knocking off stocks etc – they target the CCTV cameras first and then make off with their booty, after destroying the TV’s. A few suggestions go around the table here as to how this could be resolved ‘you know there are wild pigs out here; how about getting a few pig dogs, that should fix them’.

Pizza’s and cool drinks (Bundy... ginger beer of course), some chicko & sausage rolls. Mick Beltrame bids farewell (he’s taking another route home), and Kerrey, Janet and Michelle decide to check out the campground on the Tumut side of the crossing and make their own way home. The rest of us discuss which way home. Gary is insistent that he will return via Yass, and I said I’ll lead the remainder along Mountain Creek Road “I’m sure there is less than 2km of hard-packed dirt. No problems”. Gary’s decision to stay on tar is vindicated – it was 16km of dirt all-up, and very little was hard-packed!. While Mountain Creek Road only had less than 2km, when we got to the junction of Uriarra Road and Fairlight Road (to the left, back toward Uriarra Crossing), I find my error – It’s dirt in both directions. Remembering the corrugations all too well from my previous sojourn on Fairlight Road, we ride ahead on Uriarra Road. All is well for about 7km, and then the corrugations begin. Shelley is not happy when we finally get to hard pavement again – the bikes are dirty, but although we’ve been rattled to the bone, no damage done. At this point Rick heads left to Uriarra Crossing and into the Belconnen area, while Kevin, Shelley and I turn right, through Uriarra Village and through a nice series of twisties leading down to the Cotter Road. This takes us past the viewing point (no standing zone here though) of the Cotter Dam. Following this we ride down into Curtin to refuel, and I give Kevin and Shelley directions from here. 

Distance travelled 250km.

Another great day on the road with like minded (although not all happy about my choice of roads!) friends. Growing Old Disgracefully. Every day is a great day when you’re on a bike; some days are just better than others.

Chris Dietzel (Sorry, camera is on holidays in Thailand with my better half – no photo’s)

Riders:

• Chris Dietzel (ride leader) - Yamaha FJR1300
• Mick Beltrame and Kipper - BMW GS1150 with Kipper chariot
• Rick Costan – Ducati Monster
• Garry McCurley, Honda VFR1200
• Terry Mills – Honda Shadow 750
• Michelle Mount – Suzuki Burgmann 650
• Kerrey Mulgrave – BMW R100RT
• Janet Mulgrave – Suzuki Burgmann 650
• Kevin Shanley – Suzuki Bandit 1250
• Shelley Shanley – Kawasaki ZX6R