Ulysses Club, Canberra Branch Website
This Sundays (4th October) will be to Grenfell. Its a 400 km adventure which will be ably led by Ian Paterson (0427 291 728).
The route notes are: Out via Boorowa (coffee), Murringo, Bendick Murrell, Iandra Castle & Grenfell (lunch). Back via Young (245 km, fuel), Galong, Binalong & Bowning (coffee).
Warning: Daylight saving will have started!!!!!
I am unsure what sins I have committed but it seems the price to be paid is to write my second ride report in 3 days.
According to the rumours I heard, this mid-week ride was a trial run, with the view to such rides returning to the calendar on a regular basis if they prove to be viable. As a club member without midweek work commitments I can certainly see the benefits.
The ride starting point was the Caltex service station at Weston. Our outbound route was to head west over the Uriarra Crossing to join the beautiful Mountain Creek Rd then Wee Jasper Rd to the lovely township of Yass before taking the Hume Highway for the short run to the Burley Griffin Way turn off. From there it was on to the hamlet of Binalong where we took a right hand turn onto Queen Road through the township to join up with the flowing rural Hughstonia Rd beyond. This eventually connected to the Cunningar Rd and on to our lunch destination at the Pie Shop/Bakery in Boorowa.
As the departure time approached a total of five riders had gathered - an encouraging start. Despite the blue skies immediately overhead with scattered fluffy white clouds, I couldn’t help recalling my reputation as a rain magnet as I looked out along our planned route towards the Brindabella Ranges that had already formed a thick layer of ominous clouds overhead with multiple scattered showers falling. I commented to Warren Richer, our ride leader, that the weather was looking “interesting.” A fairly stiff breeze had also sprung up to add to the potential interest levels of the ride. Warren seemed completely unconcerned.
Right on time, Warren gathered us around for the ride briefing. Our objective was to avoid major roads where possible and enjoy some of the lesser travelled country farm roads. As usual his briefing was concise and very complete. He talked about the key features along the way, how to recognise the different turn points and potential hazards on the different sections of road. Great information that in hindsight proved to be very accurate. The final, “Are there any questions?” was met with silence. Pretty hard to improve on a Warren Richer briefing.
As we headed for our bikes I noted that I was not wearing full wet weather gear as some of the others. My DriRider jacket is water proof to a certain point but I usually throw a spray jacket over the top in really foul weather. Likewise my comfortable Draggin Jeans are most decidedly not water proof, so overpants are required. Both sets of waterproof gear remained firmly installed inside my seat bag along with my quilted jacket liner and spare gloves, just in case a blizzard blew in. I don’t know why, but I decided to risk a drenching. The ride group consisted of Warren Richer on his Triumph Thruxton R, Anthony Hanson on his Honda Goldwing Aspencade, Andrew Campbell on his BMW R1250RS and myself on the decidedly undersized Ducati Monster 659. That was the case except Jenny Carlin on her bright red Honda 300 had also joined us for the short ride out of Canberra as far as the Uriarra crossing. It turns out that the most difficult part of the whole ride was negotiating the multiple traffic lights and road chaos that seems to prevail through these newer western suburbs around Weston and Denman Prospect. Once we cleared the urban sprawl the ride started to be fun again.
With one eye still very much on the rain showers falling all around us, the first part of the ride was along the stunning but at times challenging Mountain Creek Road. It has a wonderful combination of tight and sweeping bends that undulates through native forest and neat farm lands towards Yass. As Warren had predicted there were a few pot holes, patches of loose gravel, fallen branches and sections of broken, bumpy road surface to be negotiated, more often than not on the apex of a blind tight curve or just over a crest. One of the highlights for me was crossing the steel framed Taemas Bridge over the Murrumbidgee River that was flowing well after recent rains. The narrow, twisting ride up the hill beyond was superb, but challenging in the cross winds and the added distraction of the stunning views.
During this section of the ride I was doing my best to keep Anthony, our tail gunner, in my mirrors but often had to slow until he caught up. It turns our he was slowing down at times to take in the beautiful scenery or hanging on to the Goldwing as the crosswinds tried to hurl him into the adjacent paddocks or guardrails.
As our group approached Yass we finally found the edge of a localised shower. Fortunately it only lasted a minute or two before we were out the other side. Superb skills from the rider leader to steer us along the course and avoid the worst of the showers. As we rode through Yass the road was showing signs of recent heavy rain. Another bullet dodged.
The run down the Hume Highway and onto the Burley Griffin Way was fairly straight forward and uneventful on a good road surface as you would expect. At Binalong we turned right onto Queen Street through the township and out the other side onto Hughstonia Road before eventually joining Cunningar Road for the short run into Boorowa. Hughstonia Road despite being a minor farm road had a surprisingly good road surface with the exception of a few scattered rough patched and pot holes that were easily avoided. What a great choice of road. What made it even more enjoyable was the unfolding canvas of rural beauty and colour. The sky was a stunning blue that contrasted with the dark grey and black rain clouds scattered throughout. The fields were a mass of colour including multiple shades of rich green pasture lands and cereal crops along with the bright yellow of the canola. There were also hillsides and some paddocks filled with a blanket of yellow and black Cape Weed flowers and the vivid purple of Paterson’s Curse. There was even some wattle still in flower amidst a variety of green foliage. Once again we had a few spots of rain on the visor and I must admit to turning on the heated grips for the last few kilometres of this leg. The temperatures enroute ranged from a low around 12º to a high of 16º but felt colder in the more exposed windy sections and when the sun was behind yet another rain cloud. By the time we reached the bakery in Boorowa I think we were all ready for a good feed. A lunch of delicious meat pies and coffee certainly filled the spot along with the usual diverse topics of conversation mingled with the odd tall tale.
Feeling refreshed and refuelled it was soon time to tackle the return leg. The plan was to backtrack along the Cunningar Road then to follow the Galong Rd back to the town of that name before rejoining the Burley Griffin Way and Hume Highway back to a coffee stop in Yass. From there it was the Barton Highway back to Canberra. At this point both Andrew and Anthony decided that they would take the more direct route back via the Lachlan Valley Way. I took one look at the sky and decided it was time to pull on the waterproof trousers for the return.
With our group of four now become two, Warren led the way once more. If the Hughstonia Road was a smooth flowing delight, the parallel Galong Road was definitely not. No sooner had we turned off Cunningar Road we struck the first pot holes and bumps. At first it was a case of ducking, weaving and dodging the ever increasing pot holes until eventually the pot holes became so numerous and closely spaced that there was no chance of avoiding them. Funny that the two riders equipped with touring bikes and plush suspensions opted for the highway whilst we two on bikes with much more rigid, unforgiving sports suspension had opted to tackle the rough stuff. Large sections of the road had been marked off in preparation for much needed roadworks in the near future. However, it wasn’t all bad and the scenery was stunning as we wound our way through rich farmlands. The weather continued to become more threatening. You know that something is going to happen when all the sheep in a paddock crowd together under some trees with their backsides all pointed to the wind. We ended up making two stops on the way back to Yass. The first was to take photos of the two bikes on the Galong Road with the amazing backdrop of colour and me doing my best Stig impersonation. The second was a tactical pause at Binalong for a short while to allow the rain system in front of us to move away from our track. Another top job by Warren as ride leader as we encountered no rain all the way into Yass. What we did encounter was the drenching clouds of road spray being thrown up off the wet road surface by passing trucks. Good job I had put on those wet weather trousers after all.
Peter Ongley
My first (failed) experience as ride leader.
Several months ago I had my arm gently but purposefully twisted by our ride coordinator (thanks Ian) to have a go at being a ride leader. I had led small group rides before but never a larger club group. So, the ride to Burrill Lake for fish and chips was to be my debut leading a ride for the Canberra Branch. As events unfolded I am forced to admit that my virginity in this regard is still very much intact.
In the week leading up to the ride I was closely following the weather forecast for Sunday 20th September, 2020, and it wasn’t looking very promising. Depending on the source of weather information, there was a 90-95% chance of 10-20mm of precipitation predicted. Then again, I also knew that being a weather forecaster is the only job that you can get totally wrong and still have a job the next day. I tried to remain positive despite having a reputation within my circle of family & friends as being a rain magnet. They have all refused to go camping with me for many years now based on multiple soggy, wind-blown experiences.
Taking my responsibilities seriously, I jumped in my car on the Tuesday before the ride and headed off to check the route. The weather on the day was perfect. The drive was fascinating. I should have been on my bike.
The thing to know about this particular route was that it encompasses some of the worst hit areas of the catastrophic summer bushfires in our region. It was interesting to notice the prolific regrowth in much of the forest along the way, but also vast expanses of totally barren, blackened hillsides and ridges where only black sticks that had once been mighty eucalypts now remained. The Australian bush has an amazing capacity to regenerate itself but the intensity of the flames in large portions of the landscape means that nothing survived. It will be a very long time before we see these forests return to their former glory, if ever.
One of the positives to emerge from the fires was that sections of the Kings Highway down the Clyde Mountain and the Princes Highway north to Tomerong have been extensively resurfaced due to the damage caused by the intense heat. Other sections around Nerriga and beyond to Tarago remain somewhat damaged with signposting to warn of the potential dangers in the worst patches.
My recce of the proposed route proved to be well worth the effort as certain things became apparent. Firstly, the road surface was generally in good condition and well signposted, but narrow and bumpy on the return leg between Nerriga and Tarago. It also provided a couple of briefing points, namely the multiple cleanup crews I encountered on the Clyde Mountain removing mudslides and fallen rocks after recent rains. Something to bear in mind if the predicted weekend rains arrived. The other revelation was the two fairly sudden and deep dips in the road between Nerriga and the Oallen road turn off that where quite broken up and had standing water in them. These could be potentially hazardous, especially after heavy rain. Finally, although the Fish Shop in Burrill Lake provides excellent food, it has no seating or toilets and the only shelter in bad weather is under the nearby road bridge or on the narrow veranda of the adjacent bait shop. Further exploration revealed a couple of fixed picnic tables about 100m away at the end of the road past the shop and public toilets in the local park several hundred metres in the other direction that had been fenced off by the local council for whatever reason. A single port-a-loo was standing forlornly in the middle of the park as an alternative. Having no desire to be crucified by my fellow riders for the lack of creature comforts, especially in foul weather, I scoped out a number of alternatives in Burrill Lake and beyond in Ulladulla. The Lakeside Cafe in Burrill Lake was the eventual winner. Again, it was well worth the effort to do a recce before the ride.
By Thursday I was still feeling very nervous about the worsening forecast so I contacted our august ride coordinator for advice regarding the procedures to be taken if bad weather prevailed. I was informed that rides are rarely cancelled except in “catastrophic” weather conditions, but that ultimately it was my choice as ride leader whether to proceed. I felt the almost crushing weigh of responsibility descend upon my already stooped shoulders and wondering just exactly what constituted “catastrophic” weather. In over 45 years of riding motorbikes all around Australia and New Zealand I have experienced pretty much everything mother nature can dish up, but in recent years I have become quite averse to riding in the rain, especially through muddy landslips and flooded creeks. Oh well, I was still trying to remain positive.
I awoke early on Sunday morning (around 6am) to the sound of steady rain falling on my roof. My rain gauge was already indicating 9mm of overnight rain and the weather radar looked less that positive. As my planned departure time for the ride got closer there was a brief glimmer of hope on the weather radar indicating that the weather might be clearing from the west. However, a solid block of rainfall seemed to be permanently blanketing the entire area of our planned ride route. I remained hopeful that the rain would clear before departure time.
Eventually the time arrived when I had to make a choice as to whether or not to ride. Given that it was still raining heavily in Banks (sometimes referred to as North Cooma) where I live I decided that driving the car to the meeting point was the wiser option. In the lead up to the ride Anthony Hanson had been texting me to discuss his involvement or otherwise. He was keen to ride if the rain stayed away but was not keen on riding in the wet. The telling final phrase was him stating that the closest he was getting to being wet today was in the shower at home. I wholeheartedly agreed but still bore the burden of responsibility. I thank him for his ongoing courtesy in letting me know what he was intending to do if it rained or otherwise.
As I headed towards the meeting point I drove through steady rain until reaching Queanbeyan where it eased a little. I was beginning to feel somewhat justified in my decision not to ride. The only other bike I observed on the road was a rider and pillion on an adventure bike heading in the opposite direction looking decidedly sodden. Obviously they had somewhere else to be rather than tucked up in bed, warm and dry.
On the approaches to Bungendore the rain increased once more and the view across the valley looked decidedly ominous. Ironically, as I pulled into the IGA carpark the rain decided to ease off to an intermittent drizzle, with the sky lightening to the west. I found Scott England and his BMW R1250RT already waiting for the group to arrive. Kevin Sherman was right in front of me on his Indian and Steven Bardwell mounted on his Moto Guzzi California arrived almost immediately after.
We chatted briefly about the ride options, including my apology for letting the side down and my concern about the creek crossings near Nerriga that had already received 8mm of rain overnight. The word “wimp” was muttered somewhere during the conversation, but I’m not sure if that was a title entirely intended for myself or one I now share with one to two other club members who have also been tagged as “wuss.” Scott revealed that he had only intended to go as far as Batemans Bay anyway, so that became the new plan.
Just prior to the mighty web-footed trio departing, Steven reached into his left hand pannier and produced a fairly evil looking set of pointy-nosed pliers. These were then deftly used to remove the baffles from his exhaust pipes. When riding in the company of Kevin’s famously loud Indian it doesn’t pay to be out gunned it seems. The happy trio was last seen and definitely heard heading off down the King’s Highway in search of the bright lights of the Bay. I hope they got there and back safely. Maybe that could be the subject of a further report.
Riders:
The Sun 20th September ride is to Burrill Lake and will leave from the IGA carpark, Kings Hwy, Bungendore.
The distance for this ride will be approximately 425 km ex Canberra, and will leave at 10am following the 9:50 briefing.
Canberra Ulysses are a hardy lot. I had been advised by a certain un-named Ride Coordinator that September rides shouldn’t start before 9:30, but I stuck by my guns for an 8:30 start on a day when showers and wind were forecast. In the event, there were nine riders, and most of them were at the Hume Caltex by 10 past eight.
The first leg of this ride was the run down the Monaro Highway to Cooma, where we stopped for coffee at the Lott Cafe. Now, the Lott has a reputation as the best cafe in Cooma; the problem is, everybody else seems to know that, and the place was packed to the rafters, at least as much as any place can be at the moment. Thus, we were reduced to standing outside with a takeaway cuppa.
From here we headed north on the Snowy Mountains Highway, then turned west on back roads through Rocky Plain. These roads are narrow, but in good condition and with hardly any traffic. There are miles and miles of rolling hills and sweeping bends, with views of the alps. Next came a fuel stop in Jindabyne, where the Caltex was pandemonium with departing skiers, then on to Dalgety for lunch.
Buckley’s Crossing Hotel was our lunch venue. Since we had a table in a room to ourselves, and all the group seemed to enjoy their lunch, I think I fulfilled my brief as Ride Leader. If there’s one thing I’ve learned about Ulysses rides, it’s that the quality of the lunch determines the satisfaction of the ride.
The afternoon leg from Dalgety to Cooma traverses a part of the Monaro which is largely treeless and is again rolling hills and countless sweeping bends. This area can be uncomfortable if it’s windy, but on Sunday, despite the forecast, it was fine, and once again there was barely any traffic.
The final leg was the Monaro Highway from Cooma to home. At his time on a Sunday afternoon, the traffic was quite heavy with skiers returning home; still, it’s only 100-odd kilometres and the road has quite a few more passing lanes these days. The Ride Leader and TEC stopped for a coffee at Bredbo; everybody else pushed on home.
Thanks to Kevin Sherman for volunteering to be TEC. Thanks to everybody else for making my first official venture as Ride Leader a success.
The crew:
What a day! Magnificent weather, a great group of people, and a ride that would be hard to beat. Firstly, let me introduce myself. I am Noel, a relative “newbie” to Ulysses , having joined late last year. At lunch I found myself sitting next to ride leader, Maritta, who asked me to put a few lines together re the ride. I suspect, after noticing that I had a gift of the gab, she thought my writing skills might be up to the task! I'm not so sure about that!
After meeting and briefing at Caltex Nichols, the group (of 11 I think) got away on time at 10:30 and headed out to Young via Binalong and Galong, eventually coming into Young via Moppity Rd to lunch at Wilders Bakery.
It turned out to be one of those days where everything came together just beautifully, with Mother Nature presenting herself to us in all her glory. I had never realised just how many hues of green there are along that broad rolling landscape - and touched here and there with the golds of canola crops and blossoming wattle. The whole experience was quite enthralling and uplifting. At times I became so engrossed in the scene as to momentarily ease up on the accelerator – until at one stage I was abruptly brought back to reality rather quickly when I noticed a cockatoo narrowly escaping with its life after playing chicken with the rider in front of me!
While looking at the riders ahead and behind I couldn't help but reflect how all of us seemed to be so perfectly at home with Nature on that ride. Some might describe it as one of those sublime moments which seem to energise us. But it all had to end, at least for the time being, as we rode into Young and began to think about energising the body at Wilders.
Wilders Bakery lived up to our expectations in providing great food for three tables of very hungry riders. The lunchtime conversations are always interesting as we begin to learn a little more about one another. At our table someone touched on the stresses of dealing with the impact of COVID-19 on work related and family circumstances. Another took the topic further in mentioning the healing and therapeutic power of motorcycle riding and how valuable it was at this time. All agreed on its benefits and I thought briefly about my own uplifting experience as I rode along Moppity Road earlier in the day.
No doubt about it; motorcycle riding in group can be truly rewarding, sometimes unexpectedly taking us into that more private, contemplative dimension of our self and our world. And later, to get together with others to relive and share the experience over good coffee and food. And afterwards we look forward to doing it all again the next week
Well done Ulysses. And thanks from us all for a great day, Maritta.
Noel
Two for the Price of One! A few thoughts on the ride from new member Anthony Hansen!
What a brilliant days riding with 13 riders on a variety of bikes attending. Starting point Caltex Nicholls Canberra departing 10:30 along the Barton Highway out past Yass then turning of right and heading out via Galon, Moppity Rd arriving at Young for most relaxing and enjoyable lunch at Wilders Bakery.
Return trip back was Young to Boorowa through to Yass and back along the highway through Murrumbateman.
I split from the main group just before Yass and pulled off at Yass for coffee before continuing back solo.
Thanks to Maritta for leading the ride job well done and thanks to our tail guard also job well done. It was a pleasure catching up with all riders and I truly enjoyed the conversations and ride shared.
Scenery was spectacular.
Anthony
The September 2020 RO2 is now available for your reading pleasure!
>> Click here to view the September Riding On Too (RO2) <<
and click >>here<< for the 30 year archive
This ride is a 420km loop through the Snowys. Leaving from Caltex Hume, with a briefing at 8:20am, for a departure at 8:30am, it will be led by Scott England (0402 207 474). Lunch is planned to be at Buckley’s Crossing Hotel, Dalgety.
Don't forget this Sundays Chomp n Chat ride, (Sun 6th Sept) will be to Young.
Leaving from Caltex Nichols with a briefing at 10:20 for departure at 10:30am.
The ride will be led by Maritta Heiler (0417 633 000) should take about 300km to deliver riders to Wilders Bakery for an appropriately distanced nosh.
The Route notes: Out via Galong, Moppity Rd & Young (lunch & fuel). Back via Boorowa. and ...The canola will be in flower!