Departure was from BP
Watson. 0900. a bit early, and weather threatened to be cold but not too
blustery. Still, a ride to Gerringong via the Tablelands and the Jamberoo
Mountain Road should attract a few. 0900 came and went, but still just the 3 of
us – Chris, Kris and Neil. I explained the route – Macs Reef Road, Bungendore,
Tarago, onto the Hume Hwy at the Big Merino Goulburn, and morning coffee at
Marulan. Right then we needed it – fingers cold, hot coffee.
After a good 20 minute
break, back on the bikes, turning off (right) almost immediately onto Highland
Way. Via Tallong, Wingello, Penrose, Bundanoon – what a relaxing rural road. From
Bundanoon, Exeter, then right along the Werai Road, Mount Broughton Road,
turning right onto Yarrawa Road. This road connects with Nowra Road, from which
we turned left to pick up the Illawarra Highway to Robertson. Through Robertson
a few km is the well-known Robertson pie shop at the top of Macquarie Pass. We
turned right here, to begin the entrance to Jamberoo Mountain Road. Before this
however there is a turnoff to the “Illawarra Fly” tree-top walk. Pencil that in
for a club ride later in the year. The challenge is to find the entrance!
Carrying on down the
J.M.R – with the weather gods on our side, it was an enjoyable experience. If
wet this road can be a bit daunting, especially if there is traffic coming back
up the road (it is narrow, and some of the hairpins are blind and marked at
15kmh). Not a road for beginners or newly returned riders I might add. At the
base of the hill there is soon a right turn, which took us through Jamberoo. My
god it was busy! Bikers and families out enjoying the dry and sunny winter day.
From Jamberoo, continue on the Jamberoo Road through some gently winding and
typical scenic coastal rolling hills, towards Kiama. The road passes under
Princes Hwy. Immediately turn left on a very narrow road (Brown Street) through
a rock cutting, and turn left back onto the Princes Hwy. This road is just
magnificent. After a few km it becomes a 90kmh road with gently banking curves
through Kiama Heights. Dropping back down to sea level, after a few more
kilometres swing left on Fern Street toward Gerringong.
Turning left onto
Noble Street, we parked our bikes right at the lunch stop for the ride: The Sea
Vista Cafe. This is a charming place with a great balcony out back, where we
sat in the sunshine enjoying the view. I swear its close enough to the
coastline to see the humpback whales pass by if the conditions are right. After
a nice lunch we headed south (avoiding the Highway and following Crooked River
Road via Gerroa).
At Gerroa we diverted right toward Berry due to roadworks,
and then back left onto the Highway one more. Before long we were approaching
Shoalhaven Heads on our left, and in to North Nowra. We fuelled up here, and
continued through Nowra and South Nowra, and after a few more kilometres turned
right up Nowra Hill (easy to spot – there is an Air Traffic Control radar head
on the hill turning constantly). At the bottom of the hill and past some
military buildings on the right, turn right at the roundabout (straight ahead
is the Naval Museum, while left is the entrance to the Albatross Navy base).
Turn left onto Braidwood Road toward Nerriga.
It is along this road
some 10km north of the Tianjara Falls, I had a momentary lapse of concentration
and ran over a not-so-small branch offcut that was parallel to the road (approx
50mm in diameter). It skipped off the front wheel, and flicked, with the rear
running over it. That was quite a scare. Stopping for a short brake at Nerriga
pub, Neil identified exactly what it was (to that point I didn’t know!). It was
large enough, aside from giving the heart palpitations, to put a considerable
ding in the rear wheel rim. That will get well inspected when I next have a
tyre change. From Nerriga, homeward
bound again through Tarago and Bungendore.
Aside from the last
bit, a great day. Thanks Kris and Neil for tagging along! Photo’s courtesy Kris
Jirasek.
Chris Dietzel
Riders
Chris Dietzel: Kawasaki GTR1400
Kris Jirasek: Suzuki GSX1300 ‘Busa
Neil Goldfinch: Suzuki
GSX1300 ‘Busa
