- Ian Paterson GL1800
- Arthur McGlynn Vulcan 1700 Kawasaki
- Darryl Cullen 1250S Bandit
- Ron MacPherson SV1000
- Chas Towie ST1300
- Michael & Tracey Winters Triumph Trophy SE
I was up early as we had an earlier than usual start for this ride to see a red sun rising in the east caused by the fires around the state. The smoky haze was to be with us all day. Other than this the weather conditions were perfect - a good day to take the new bike on a long run and see if it really was as comfortable as I remembered.
We got to Nicholls to meet five others and by 8.30 we were on our way travelling the well ridden path to Jugiong via Harden. After some nourishment at the Long Track Pantry we rode down the Hume and stopped at Gundagai for fuel. At Tumblong we left the highway to follow the beautiful Adelong Creek through Adelong and thence to Batlow. We rode past the Cow and Calf Picnic Ground but there was only a horse in attendance.
Batlow Apple Blossom Festival seemed well patronised by locals – the weather was sunny and we had some fun looking at all the (usual) stalls. There was an apple pie eating competition, vintage cars and fire-trucks, local craft in the form of quilts, paintings and photography, and the largest collection of old cutlery I’ve ever seen. Ian had to ask what one of these was:-
The return trip was through Tumut and along the Wee Jasper Road to riding through Killimicat and Brungle to South Gundagai. The countryside was beautiful and the road through Killimicat had lots of twisties to enjoy as we rode past very pretty paddocks full of Pattersons Curse. On our prairie ride we even saw what looked like a small herd of Buffalo in a paddock.
Our last stop was for coffee at the Tuckerbox where the local eatery has finally succumbed to the boring sameness offered by franchises such as Subway, Guru Coffee, KFC etc attached to the Shell station. Where will Gary McCurly find his ice-cream with two scoops? By now the weather had warmed up quite a bit and cold weather gear spent the remainder of the trip in top boxes and panniers.
As usual we two turned off the Barton Highway at Murrumbateman to head home via Sutton – and despite the fact that this day was the first of the Annual Murrumbateman Field Days for 2013, traffic was quite good. Living in Canberra’s eastern suburbs the 570 kms trip was perhaps longer for us than the others, but I can report that the bike was as comfortable as I remember it.
Tracey Winters
