I’ve been to Grenfell many times, but I can’t resist the place and love going back. Not only was one of my ancestors on a farm not far from town back in the 1890s, but there are also some lovely back roads to explore on the way, and the service at the Albion Hotel is always friendly and welcoming and the food is good.
Sunday morning dawned bright and sunny, and the promise of a warm though windy day lured eleven eager riders to Caltex Nicholls.
Daylight saving had started the previous night so here was proof that at least a few senior citizens had remembered to put their clocks forward. It was also the Sunday of the Labour Day long weekend, threatening double demerits and ensuring a relaxed, leisurely ride.
It almost got off to an inauspicious start for me – 100 metres after I pulled out of my driveway in the middle of Hawker a big roo leapt out in front of me and took off down the street. Fortunately, it turned left where I turned right, and that was the last I saw of it.
Predictably, there was quite a bit of traffic heading out of Canberra but we took it easy and were soon at Boorowa, downing pies and coffee in the Superb Café. Here, Maritta announced that she was feeling crook and needed to head home. Oh well, shit happens.
As she left, Janet and Kerry walked in, claiming they had slept in and had raced to Boorowa to catch up with us. Magically, I did the sums in my head: 11 – 1 + 2 = 12 riders now.
From Boorowa we headed north-west to Murringo. Instead than turning left towards Young, we continued north on the delightfully winding but narrow road through Murringo Gap and along the delightfully straight and even narrower Chews Lane to the Olympic Highway.
We turned right and rode a few kilometres to the hamlet of Bendick Murrell where we turned left and followed an assortment of back roads to the top of the range. As the first few of us pulled over to admire the view, it became obvious that someone had either (a) forgotten how the rolling corner marking system works, or (b) simply forgotten to mark a corner, for the rest of the crew were nowhere to be seen.
While we waited and wondered if we would ever see them again, we took time to scan the scenery – and it was stunning. Everything was bright green apart from the canola, which was still in bright yellow flower, and the purple Paterson’s curse, which was reaching a spectacular (though feral) peak.
The temperature had risen to 27 degrees, which was very pleasant after the damp and Covid-infested winter, while the promised winds had turned out to be pretty mild. And the roads we took were definitely those less travelled, which made for a traffic-free, stressless and very enjoyable ride.
As we stood and gazed upon our vision splendid, the silence was broken by a distant roar, like an F/A-18 blasting its way up the valley. Yes! It was Kevin’s thunderous Indian, making steam as he and the rest of the team, having found the right road, headed up the hill to join us.
From our vantage point it was less than half an hour to Grenfell via Iandra Castle, the outskirts of Greenethorpe and the Mid Western Highway. Here, Mike said he was feeling crook and needed to return home. Again, I engaged my mathematical brain: 12 – 1 = 11 for lunch at the Albion.
We spent a pleasurable hour or so dining and shooting the breeze before riding down to Grenfell’s grain silos, which have been decorated with beautiful murals portraying the region’s agriculture. Kerry and Janet had gone for fuel and reached the silos just as we were leaving, so unfortunately you won’t spot them in the photo.
The team in front of the lovingly decorated Grenfell grain silos.
We headed south on Mary Gilmore Way with the Weddin Mountains on our right before turning left onto Old Forbes Road, right onto Henry Lawson Way and into Young for fuel.
Then it was via the Moppity Road, Galong and Binalong to Bowning, where seven of us pulled in for a farewell coffee at the Rollonin Café (which is still on the market, if anyone is interested). Chas had an iced chocolate that was almost big enough to count as dinner.
I got home at 4:35pm, having ridden 435 km. This had echoes of the Rosehill back roads ride back in March when I got home at 4:20pm after riding 420 km. Spooky.
- Ian Paterson Honda GL1800 Goldwing
- Kevin Sherman Indian
- Mark Sayer Kawasaki Z900RS
- Warren Richer Triumph Thruxton 1200R
- Chas Towie Honda ST1300
- Mike Kelly BMW R1200RT
- Maritta Heiler Kawasaki 900 Vulcan
- Robert McNeilly Honda VFR800
- Dieter Walter Ducati Multistrada 950
- Steven Bardwell Moto Guzzi California
- David Burfoot Suzuki Boulevard C50
- Janet Mulgrue Suzuki Burgman AN650
- Kerry Mulgrue Yamaha T-Max
