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Ulysses Club, Canberra Branch Website
Thursday, June 27, 2019
A Lap of California – May/June 2019
Andrew Campbell has just come back from a very interesting tour of California. He describes it as "a wonderful motorcycle touring destination full of spectacular coastline, marvellous redwood forests, gorgeous mountain peaks and lush green valleys."
Wednesday, June 19, 2019
Is this your bike?
Jim Lavery, Member 71, came to the Tuesday 18 June meeting to let us know that he had found some handbooks for his old K75 BMW which he had sold a while ago.
He'd sold it to a fellow Ulyssian who he has lost touch with. If you recognise the machine, let Jim know as he would like to pass the handbooks on to the machines new owner.
Jim can be contacted on 0262916901
He'd sold it to a fellow Ulyssian who he has lost touch with. If you recognise the machine, let Jim know as he would like to pass the handbooks on to the machines new owner.
Jim can be contacted on 0262916901
Sunday, June 16, 2019
Ride Report - Green Grocer Chomp and Chat 16 June 2019
Sunday June 16 started off cloudy and cool, but there was no rain forecast. 8 riders met at BP Watson, with Tony arriving on the bell because his 'Check Engine' light had been on .... he felt confident it was a false alarm, so we started out right on the money at 10.30.
We travelled down the Fed to the Macs Reef Rd turnoff, only to be overtaken by a hopped up Sunday driver in his fully sick machine on the double lines - right after the turnoff. He overtook most of us, including a few cars and nearly had a head on with a Land Rover - and nearly got the opportunity to meet Gary - before moving to the left lane. He overtook the rest of us at the next opportunity that presented itself, scaring the crap out of an old man in a red Camry - and positioned himself right behind the ride leader. Luckily, he turned off down Denley Drive to go and harass someone else.
We rode down Smiths Gap turning left onto the Tarago Rd to head to the Collector Rd, and then it started to spit - you know that annoying kind of rain that is just enough to annoy the crap out of you ? And that was pretty much how it stayed all the way to Goulburn. Fearless leader missed a turn after going under the little bridge to take the short cut, but got us to the warm confines of the Green Grocer without incident where we all took up a warm seat by the amazing pizza oven, operating at 272 degrees. As usual, the food was great and the pizza looked the goods - those that had it, loved it.
After we ordered, Mick Beltrame appeared at the cafe fresh from riding through the rainy southern highlands.
Our numbers swelled to 9 and Gary led us to the servo on his F6B and out of town to the Gurrundah Rd. This fun detour is a mixture of goat track, potholes and smooth tarmac. Riding through Gunning and Gundaroo we noted a lot of new housing development, Gary saw a beautifully white sheep on the roadsid and a Sharpei that tried to attack as we passed it.
As we made our way into Sutton a HiLux driver tried to wipe Gary out at the intersection just before the Sutton Baker - full circle with bad Sunday drivers and left Gary believing he really is invisible on his massive motor.
We regrouped at Sutton Baker for a warming beverage, following the cameraderie that Chomp and Chats should be known for - everyone riding back together and saying their goodbyes before heading north, south, east or west to home.
Top temp on this ride was about 8 Degrees, and the rain was a pain in the butt but the company and the riding were not.
 |
| And lo there was a plan of going! |
We rode down Smiths Gap turning left onto the Tarago Rd to head to the Collector Rd, and then it started to spit - you know that annoying kind of rain that is just enough to annoy the crap out of you ? And that was pretty much how it stayed all the way to Goulburn. Fearless leader missed a turn after going under the little bridge to take the short cut, but got us to the warm confines of the Green Grocer without incident where we all took up a warm seat by the amazing pizza oven, operating at 272 degrees. As usual, the food was great and the pizza looked the goods - those that had it, loved it.
 |
| The intrepid ones! |
After we ordered, Mick Beltrame appeared at the cafe fresh from riding through the rainy southern highlands.
Our numbers swelled to 9 and Gary led us to the servo on his F6B and out of town to the Gurrundah Rd. This fun detour is a mixture of goat track, potholes and smooth tarmac. Riding through Gunning and Gundaroo we noted a lot of new housing development, Gary saw a beautifully white sheep on the roadsid and a Sharpei that tried to attack as we passed it.
As we made our way into Sutton a HiLux driver tried to wipe Gary out at the intersection just before the Sutton Baker - full circle with bad Sunday drivers and left Gary believing he really is invisible on his massive motor.
 |
| The return route. |
We regrouped at Sutton Baker for a warming beverage, following the cameraderie that Chomp and Chats should be known for - everyone riding back together and saying their goodbyes before heading north, south, east or west to home.
Top temp on this ride was about 8 Degrees, and the rain was a pain in the butt but the company and the riding were not.
- Ron Tito - BMW R1200GS
- Kim Tito - BMW F700GS
- Mark Mitchell - Triumph Tiger 800 XC
- Garry McCurley - Honda F6B
- Neil McRitchie - Kawasaki GTR 1400
- Doug Cawley - Honda VT750
- Les Robinson - Triumph Trophy
- Tony Henderson - Triumph Tiger 800
- Mick Beltrame - BMW R1250GSA
Saturday, June 15, 2019
Tuesday, June 4, 2019
Roadworks advice - Tarago to Lake Bathurst
Just a quick heads-up from Mick Winters that the road between Tarago and Lake Bathurst is under roadworks . That will be dirt rather than tar; for those who need to know.
Ride Safe!
Ride Safe!
Monday, June 3, 2019
Ride Report: Gerringong, 2 June 2019
Today’s ride began with a sort of poetic symmetry. A week previously, the Ride Leader had been unable to attend and Ian stepped into the breach; this week, Ian was designated Ride Leader but he was unable to attend himself due to an inconvenient respiratory infection. So there we were, six riders at the BP in Watson, and no leader. Amongst our number was another newcomer, Jerome Hitchings and his Triumph Tiger Explorer; welcome, Jerome!
I was on just my second ride with the club, but foolishly admitted that I had Ian’s planned destination programmed into my GPS. Naturally, it was unanimously agreed that I now qualified as leader. Oh, and by the way, scribe. Something like “There’s the deep end; now swim!”. I had a destination, I had a GPS; how hard could this be?
So, in sunshine, no wind and five degrees, we set sail for Gerringong via Bungendore and a coffee stop in Nerriga. It was there that Kris admitted to the rookie error of departing on a ride with her fuel tank half full of air, so the next stop was Nowra for a top-up. No problem, we all tanked up and no further fuel stops were necessary for the day.
From Nowra to Gerringong seemed to be one continuous roadworks, and the temperature was now 20 degrees - hardly suitable for the layers of clothing with which we had all departed. Time to stop at the Sea Vista Cafe in Gerringong. With a name like that, we all ordered seafood, and none of us were disappointed; good food, good service and good company, and a pretty good view of the coast as well.
The next leg of the journey was what we had come for; the ride up Jamberoo Mountain and on through the Southern Highlands. Initially we were stuck behind an L plate driver doing, oh, about the pace of a horse and buggy on Jamberoo Mountain Road. I was pottering along wondering how to get six riders around this obstacle when Mick demonstrated correct passing technique to the learner unleashing the mighty torque of a BMW 1250.
We were also mixing, at this point, with a group of young gentlemen on Harleys. They seemed to be in some sort of hurry to pass us, only to stop at Jamberoo where, presumably, they had a libation then returned down the hill. We continued up the mountain on our journey of around 500 km; try doing that distance with ape hangers and a hardtail!
No more stops; we continued home through Robertson, Fitzroy Falls, Bundanoon and Marulan, where Kris peeled off to take the highway home; then through Bungonia and Tarago to Bungendore, where Mick peeled off and the remaining four of us said our goodbyes.
There was something for everyone today; tight winding mountain roads, fast sweeping corners, country lanes, and a bit of highway. The road surface wasn’t too flash in places, but those on adventure bikes claimed not to have even noticed. Many thanks to Mick B for assisting my novice leadership by ‘leading from behind’, and thanks also to today’s other riders for their patience and cameraderie.
Scott
The Team:
I was on just my second ride with the club, but foolishly admitted that I had Ian’s planned destination programmed into my GPS. Naturally, it was unanimously agreed that I now qualified as leader. Oh, and by the way, scribe. Something like “There’s the deep end; now swim!”. I had a destination, I had a GPS; how hard could this be?
So, in sunshine, no wind and five degrees, we set sail for Gerringong via Bungendore and a coffee stop in Nerriga. It was there that Kris admitted to the rookie error of departing on a ride with her fuel tank half full of air, so the next stop was Nowra for a top-up. No problem, we all tanked up and no further fuel stops were necessary for the day.
From Nowra to Gerringong seemed to be one continuous roadworks, and the temperature was now 20 degrees - hardly suitable for the layers of clothing with which we had all departed. Time to stop at the Sea Vista Cafe in Gerringong. With a name like that, we all ordered seafood, and none of us were disappointed; good food, good service and good company, and a pretty good view of the coast as well.
The next leg of the journey was what we had come for; the ride up Jamberoo Mountain and on through the Southern Highlands. Initially we were stuck behind an L plate driver doing, oh, about the pace of a horse and buggy on Jamberoo Mountain Road. I was pottering along wondering how to get six riders around this obstacle when Mick demonstrated correct passing technique to the learner unleashing the mighty torque of a BMW 1250.
We were also mixing, at this point, with a group of young gentlemen on Harleys. They seemed to be in some sort of hurry to pass us, only to stop at Jamberoo where, presumably, they had a libation then returned down the hill. We continued up the mountain on our journey of around 500 km; try doing that distance with ape hangers and a hardtail!
No more stops; we continued home through Robertson, Fitzroy Falls, Bundanoon and Marulan, where Kris peeled off to take the highway home; then through Bungonia and Tarago to Bungendore, where Mick peeled off and the remaining four of us said our goodbyes.
There was something for everyone today; tight winding mountain roads, fast sweeping corners, country lanes, and a bit of highway. The road surface wasn’t too flash in places, but those on adventure bikes claimed not to have even noticed. Many thanks to Mick B for assisting my novice leadership by ‘leading from behind’, and thanks also to today’s other riders for their patience and cameraderie.
Scott
The Team:
- Dave Jones Yamaha XT1200
- Jerome Hitchings Triumph Tiger Explorer 1200
- Kris Jirasek Suzuki GSXR1300
- Mick Beltrame BMW R1250GS
- Robert McNeilly Honda VFR800
- Scott England BMW R1250RT
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