Ride Report - Wild Brumby Distillery, 30 December 2018

The turnout today was great; 9 strong from Caltex Hume for a 9am start. Always up for a small taste of any new flavours of Schnapps, the chosen location being the Wild Brumby Distillery a short run past Jindabyne on
the road that passes Thredbo Village.

The day was quite warm (with a suggestion it might get to 35 degrees), so I offered a choice of long (via Nimmitabel, Monaro Highway, Snowy River Way and Dalgety to Jindabyne); medium (via Berridale and Dalgety to Jindabyne); or short route (via Cooma directly to Jindabyne). Most were good for the long option, and so after a warning of “Double Demerits” and the decision made, we left.

The first hiccup for the day was poor Mark with his new Tiger XC who picked up a puncture before reaching Nimmitabel. He must have been ruing the decision for the long route, as it wouldn’t be a surprise for this to have occured on the short detour through the Polo Flat diversion around Cooma. The rest of us (7) had coffee at Nimmitabel while I made contact with Mark, advising that the ever-thoughtful Mick Beltrame is riding back to offer assistance. Mick met him and after deciding that there is nothing to do but to park the bike and return later in the day with a friends’ ute/trailer to pick the bike up, while we enjoyed ourselves on the rest of the ride).

Thanks Mick, and our condolences go out to the two of them who missed the day. 

I also made contact with the Wild Brumby for a lunch booking for 7, and through the commotion in the background, I heard snippets of a conversation ‘please be here by 12 or we cannot guarantee you a table until after 3’.

It is a Nimmitabel that I should have gathered the group to advise that at Dalgety, there are 2 roads to Jindabyne (or put corner markers out!) – the T-intersection on entry has the ‘longer by 5km’ route through Berridale (right), while left and then right at the Dalgety pub (make sure to stay right at the fork at the top of the hill) route is shorter and has the distinct advantages of less chance of plods (even though this day being double demerits, speed was not an issue!) and the twisties over the top of the range past Beloka. 

Kim and Bill took the right fork, and so after waiting a little way I made contact with Kim (the Bluetooth system works a treat!) and advised to meet us at the roundabout through Jindabyne.

We 7 all gathered there and made our way to the Wild Brumby Distillery. Well, that earlier conversation on the phone was the warning I should have heeded; we arrived at site. No table, busy as (that would be the pre New Year crowd from Thredbo Village!). Still, while trying to get a table I snuck in a little taster of Sour Cherry schnapps. It’s delicious (but not enough at $42 for a 375ml bottle to buy a bottle). With no tables, we headed back in to the mall at Jindabyne for lunch.

And whom did we meet? – Margaret Titheradge and her daughter, who were holidaying at East Jindabyne. After lunch, from there we all made our way home under own pace via the most direct route. Despite the mishaps, it was a great day. 

Thanks for taking the photos Kim!

Chris Dietzel

Riders
Chris Dietzel: Kawasaki GTR1400
Neil McRitchie: Kawasaki GTR1400
Leo Farrelly: BMW R1200GS
Kim Tito: BMW F700GS   
Robert McNeilly: Honda VFR800
Bill Henshaw: Triumph Explorer 1200
Andrew Campbell: Yamaha FJR1300
The (not by choice) early exits:
Mark Mitchell: Triumph Tiger 800XC
Mick Beltrame: BMW R1200GS