Sunday Ride - Snowy Loop, 1st December

This coming Sundays  ride is the "Snowy Loop", a  475 km ride led by Al Munday (0438 510 137).

The ride will commence from Caltex Hume, with a briefing at 8:50am, for a departure at 9:00am. 

Lunch will be at Tumut with the route to be  via Cooma, Adaminaby (coffee) & Tumut (lunch) returning via South Gundagai & highways.

Chomp and Chat to Laggan 17th Nov 2019

A beautiful bright and sunny day, but with a hint of morning chill, saw twenty souls gather at BP Watson for the ride out to Laggan. Apparently Maritta, the listed ride leader had called in sick, so Al-ride-leader-for-hire, stepped into the breach and led us to Laggan.

We picked up one (Garry) in Gundaroo and lost one (Jenny) in Gunning on our journey to Laggan, via Sutton, Gundaroo, Gunning, Grabben Gullen, and Crookwell.

I’d never actually been in to Laggan, having only gone through the four-way intersection on my way to Taralga. It’s a small but pretty little town.  Laggan pub was quite nice too and noticeably popular. Many and varied punters there including quite a few bike riders. My only complaint was it took them 50 minutes to knock up a hamburger. Maybe just a bad day. (But it was worth the wait, I thought – Ed)

Once our meals were eaten Al offered a route home that comprised heading to Goulburn , taking the Range Road to Breadalbane and then on to Gunning for an afternoon coffee stop.

Half the group took the Al-offered option, while the others headed home via the highway from Goulburn.


A great day’s ride in perfect spring weather!

Andrew Campbell.

Riders:

• Alan & Lyn Munday    Yamaha FJR1300
• Kevin Sherman          Indian Scout
• Jeremy Rule               Harley Trike
• Emma Campbell         Harley Free Wheeler
• Paul Woodward          Yamaha FJR1300
• Garry McCurley          Kawasaki  H2SXSE+
• Chas Towie                Honda ST1300
• Kim Tito                    BMW F700GS
• Rob Auzner               Triumph Tiger
• Jenny Carlin              BMW F700GS
• Steven Bardwell         Moto Guzzi California
• Melissa Davis            Honda
• Andrew Campbell      Kawasaki H2SXSE+
• Damon Hatchett        BMW R850R
• Kerry Mulgrue           Honda ST1300
• Janet Mulgrue           Suzuki Burgmann
• Tony Henderson        Triumph Tiger 800
• Garry Cashmere        BMW R1200GS

Sun 24th Nov, Ride to Australian Motorlife Museum, at Kembla Grange.

This weekends ride (Sun 24th November) will be ably led by Al Munday, 0438 510 137, to the Australian Motorlife Museum, at Kembla Grange. The ride will be approximately 460 km, leaving BP Watson at 8am following a Ride Briefing at 7:50 am.
The lunch stop is planned for Dapto and the route will be as follows:Out via Tarago, Bungonia, Marulan (coffee), Moss Vale, Robertson, Macquarie Pass & Dapto. Return to be discussed at lunch.
Note:Museum entry $17.50 (pensioners $15).

 

The 2019 November RO2 is now available

Good News! The November 2019 RO2 is now available for your reading pleasure!

>>> Click here to go there  <<<

 

Chomp n Chat to Laggan and the Bombala Bike Show

A heads up for the coming weekend. You have two events to consider and perhaps you might like to go to both. Saturday brings a day ride or more to The Bombala Bike Show and Sunday brings us our Chomp and Chat to Laggan. Its an opportunity for a great riding weekend! The details are:

• The Sunday (17th Nov) Chomp 'n Chat is for lunch at Laggan Hotel. Al Munday (0438 510 137)  is ride leader. Meet at BP Watson, Federal Hwy 110, Watson 2602 for the Briefing which will be at 10.20am with departure at 10.30 am. Ride length is 250km. Expected route is via Gundaroo, Gunning and Crookwell. Back via Goulburn (fuel if needed).

• The 28th Bombala Bike Show is held at Bombala over the whole of the weekend the 15th – 16th November 2019. Further information can be found at: https://www.bombalamotorcycleassociation.com/ Note: Entry and camping $30

Ride to Bermagui – 3rd November 2019

Our ride left from the Bungendore Caltex petrol station - the weather was mild but with the hope of rain to relieve the parched conditions of recent months. Before starting off, the group gathered for the ride briefing discussing the need to ride responsibly, keeping within our abilities, keeping to the road rules and to look after each other.  I had ridden the ride route to Bermagui on the previous Thursday just to check out the road conditions – all was good.  It was nice to see a new rider with us this morning – Paul had travelled from Yass to join us. He is new to the country having crossed the ditch from Island of the long white cloud - we hope to see him again on other rides in the future. 

Our small group travelled along the Kings Highway riding towards our first coffee stop at Nelligen, where we enjoyed the peace of the river while having a coffee.  We continued after the short break checking out the new bridge construction at Nelligen and Bateman’s Bay on our way down the road towards Moruya for our first petrol stops. The biggest surprise was the weather - it was a constant warm temperature as we rode along the coast. The reduced amount of traffic added to the enjoyment of a lovely stretch of road with a great selection of curves dotted along the way. We rode through beautiful sections of coastal towns and estuaries with scenic stretches of water views to admire as we passed. 

Bermagui had put on a fine display with the clear translucent colour of the water in the river reminding me of our past holidays. We pulled up in the car park and walked upstairs where Tim the proprietor of the Sundeck café greeted us showing us to our reserved table with views of the harbour.

It was only fitting, as we were in a fishing village, that the fish of the day was the unanimous decision for our meals.

It was great to sit back and enjoy the environment and join into the diverse conversations, tales tall and true, over our lunch break.  


We checked out the weather front before leaving and decided to continue out to Cobargo where some of the members stopped to put on their wet weather gear. I on the other hand decided to brave the elements and just see how protective the fairing on the Trophy actually is. We made our way up the Brown Mountain with rain falling from time to time. I must thank the Snowy Mountains Council as when I travelled between Nimmitabel and Cooma on Thursday afternoon large patches of the road were still dirt but they were sealed for our ride home today.

We stopped at Cooma for our last fuel stop and to thank each for a great day of travelling safely and enjoying each other’s company. On our last leg of our journey the heavens opened up between the outskirts of Canberra and Queanbeyan. I was impressed that I had stayed dry most of the way only getting slightly damp.

It is a shame some people did not get out of their comfy chairs to join us on our ride – they missed the excellent roads and views and impressive food but best of all the friendship of similar minded people.

M.W.

Riders:

• Michael Winters            Triumph Trophy
• Paul Woodward             FJR 1300
• Kevin Sherman             Indian Scout
• Dave Jones                   XT1200
• Butch Wills                   K1100 BMW

For Sale - 2004 Honda ST1300

Shane has just written in to say that he is selling his Honda, a 2004  ST 1300

If you are interested there are more details on the "For Sale" page. 

Get out your door and get going - on your motorcycle!

Over the years I have enjoyed vicariously traveling the world through the eyes of various motorcycle adventurers who put their tales and photos into print. I think this started with Charlie and the Bear (Peter Thoeming) on an overland trip from Oz to the UK but then followed on to Ted Simon's "Jupiters Travels", Charris and George Schwarz travels on their R60 BMW from Europe to Australia and recently Elspeth Beard.

These were perilous trips especially done without the benefits of modern technologies be they GPS and the modern mobile phone and host of apps to navigate and translate. Some of the countries traveled are even more difficult now due to war and politics, and some were not much different then. They had these adventures without backup and modern tech ( yes I'm looking at you Ewan and Charlie) :-)

This morning, Hobart Radio (I do like this internet AM) introduced me to Heather Ellis who has ridden through Africa, Central Asia and later traveled from London to Hanoi over the Silk Roads. So there's more reading adventure for me (and now you).

There are a host of other folk who have followed these wheeltracks or forged paths of their own. If you too are interested here are a few links or details about the folk mentioned above.

• Peter Thoeming needs little introduction having produced Australian motorcycle magazines for many years, along with his travel maps ( conveniantly spiral bound for the motorcycling traveler). Peters link to the Ulysses Club is apparent whenever we look at our logo. https://www.ridingon.com.au/stories/musings-on-ulysses

• Ted Simon inspired many a traveler with his book "Jupiters Travels" about his 1970's 4 year solo around the world trip on a 500cc Triumph Tiger. Ted visited Canberra on his second world trip and a signed copy of Jupiters Travels which may still be found in the ACT Library system.                 https://jupitalia.com/about-ted-simon/
  

• Charis and George Schwarz may not be as well known but theirs is also a wonderful tale of adventure on their R60 "Du". Their book is fairly hard to find but there is an excellent summing up in this article from the Museum of Applied Arts & Sciences where Du now resides. https://maas.museum/inside-the-collection/2017/09/20/love-affair-with-a-1965-bmw-motorcycle/

• Elspeth Beard at 23 set off on a two-year solo journey around the world on her beloved BMW R60/6 motorcycle, before returning to England and completing her architectural studies. She still has the R60, and lives in a restored water tower.

       https://www.elspethbeard.com/
       https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xaxo5EIJhrY
       https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KwBYy5Clm5U

• Heather Ellis as noted earlier has ridden through Africa, Central Asia and later traveled from London to Hanoi over the Silk Roads. There's so much more to Heather as her second trip was under the cloud of what she believed was a terminal illness. https://www.heather-ellis.com/

What can I say - our weekend club rides and Annual Rallies are calling us for much more comfortable mini adventures of our own on our own doorstep! Some of our members have gone further afield! So get some inspiration from these adventurers, and then get out your door and get going - on your motorcycle! 
There's no time to lose!

Cheers
Gary Mac