C.R.A.P.

It was to be the first Canberra Riders Away Pissup... after a series of incidents our numbers were down to three... MStevo, Kip and myself.

We all met at the appointed hour (9am) at Hume, there was a stack of other bikes there heading off to the Autumn Leaf Rally (I think) who headed off before us, so after a quick go go juice (red, they had no black  ) and a repacking to accommodate some of Kip's luggage it was time to head off.

The Three Amigos at Hume:


Luggage... this seems familiar... wrong colour cans though!


We bored our way to Cooma through the cold and fog - after a wee break in Cooma we were off to Adaminiby, thankfully the fog was gone and it was absolutely gorgeous through here. We caught up with (I think?) the same group of riders, maybe another one, got past them and onto Adaminiby for refueling before the fun stuff began.

The Three Amigos at Adaminiby:


As always the fun begins when we hit the yellow lines, and soon enough Kip and Stevo were out of my sight. They have been resealing sections along here and it was smoooooooooooth  A quick regroup at the turnoff at Kiandra and a decision to stop at Jonno Corner for my smoke break and we were off again. For a change we actually stopped for a scenic photo opportunity along the way:





before continuing on down Cabramurra road, then across the border into Corryong for lunch. Steak sandwiches and fish n chips for lunch. I asked a passerby to take a group photo of us  



I guess digital cameras are a bit different from what he had in his days, bless his cotton socks 

Bikes and Stevo & Kip outside The Courthouse Hotel:


We fuelled up once again before heading off down the Murray River Road, we all stuck together for this part, it was nice to ride in a group with Stevo in the lead and Kip putting on a nice show getting his knee down all over the place  

Just before Granya Gap Kip took the lead and we set off up the hill, Kip was out of sight very quickly and soon enough Stevo was gone too... all too soon came around a corner to see Stevo pulling over and Kip standing next to the CBR in a ditch  checked he was okay, yep, okay let's get this bike up... hang on  lets get photos of it in the ditch!!! 





so after a few happy snaps bike was picked up and checked out, looked okay, started okay, Stevo rode it out of the ditch and off to the other side of the road. Kip was in a fair bit of pain in his left shoulder, had a couple of panadols and a rest for about an hour before getting on his bike to give it a go. Stevo and I set off after him a short while later and damn me if he didn't beat us down the bottom of Granya one handed  I stand by my excuse that we were going slow expecting him to have pulled over 

Straight up the highway to Albury Base Hospital to get the shoulder checked out... there was only about 2 people in the ED when we got there... we must have just beat rush hour because it filled up very quickly. Saw the cutest thing ever (and those who know me will know that I *never* get gushy over kid things... but this was just too cute):



Maybe you had to be there...

After about four hours (I think??) at the hospital, the x-ray revealed broken scapula, a sling was duly applied and we exited the hospital. Stevo had set off earlier to find us some accommodation for the night so he gave us directions by phone and off we went, Kip one handed. We had a really good run with lights etc, and Stevo had been waiting for us and led us into the pub where we were staying for the night. Got the bikes parked and unloaded, got changed then into the pub for dinner. After dinner we retired to the balcony outside our room for a few drinks before all heading to bed pretty early.

Saturday morning dawned cold and grey. We set off into town by foot to find a chemist for the good drugs for kip and some headphones for me, as the decision had been made to slab it back up the Hume to Canberra (even though kip was willing to continue on to Eden broken shoulder and all  ). After finding the above as well as a sausage sizzle (sausage in bread $1.50 - bonus!!) ...

Kip and I rocking Albury... or something (well I'm still eating the sausage)


...we headed back to the pub, loaded kip up with painkillers, loaded the bikes up, Stevo strapped Kip's shoulder into place and we were on our way. About 40km up the road got pulled over by Constable Care... bugger... ah well lesson learnt, Kip and I both paid our contribution to the donut fund and we were on our way again. Stopped at Gundagai for fuel and lunch then back to Canberra. 

So there endeth the C.R.A.P.

ZXROBYN v NEKA

WWF... HG Style

First of all partners are chosen


Neka is pleased to have been chosen as Robyn's partner for this evening's show


I'm sure this has a technical term...


Neka tries to look big and scary


"Bring it on brother!"


"this is just gonna be too easy"


The show begins... who will win?


Neka's looking to be winning...


But not for long! Girlpower! Kapow!
 

Tintaldra/Bright 2008

It was a fairly late start, the original plan was to leave my place at 10am but for some reason we left at 9:30… guess we were just keen to get under way. This saw us at the meet point at 10:00am and we weren’t leaving until 11:00am!

One by one the rest of the crew rolled in until we were all there.



We left at 11:00 and bored our way through to Cooma and on to the Snowy Mountains Highway, where the pace increased a tad until Adaminiby. Fuel and lunch and then the fun stuff begins! 



Had a good run through to Kiandra (I am starting to think I like the “yellow line” bit almost as much as the Clyde these days!) where we regrouped.



From there it was down through the snowies, past Cabramurra, past our usual "smoko" stop at Tumut ponds and onto “Johno Corner”.





Continued on, then Carl, James and I left the rest of the group to make a detour into Khancoban to feed the fuelstorm. James and I swapped bikes from Khancoban to Tintaldra (38km) and it was very, very strange at first, felt like my feet were dragging on the ground, the pegs are so low and it is a lot heavier and just generally different (it is a Honda after all) but after a few kays got a bit used to it so pushed it out a bit, then mostly stuck with the others through to Tintaldra (backed it off heaps though on the corners cuz it felt like a barge compared to the 6). James wasn’t real impressed with the 6 either! No taste… anyway…



Got into Tintaldra right smack on bourbon o’clock, got our rooms sorted then into the pub for an evening of drinking and merriment! No idea what time we started or what time we finished. 

Glenn rolled in eventually having come straight from work, damn he's hard to catch with a camera!



I took over Stevo's camera to get up close and personal with a few familiar (and new) faces... can anybody put faces to the names? LOL







Can you see why the above two make such a great couple? :P















Obviously someone else thought this was a great idea so tried to copy me :P


Me with my 'dad':


One of our hosts for the evening:


I got a lesson on how to pull beer:


And yes... I do like jugs! and cowboy hats 


Saturday morning dawned bright and clear… well so they say. Everybody got up and was breakfasting etc… I decided the wisest option was to stay in bed as long as possible… I was feeling somewhat delicate LOL. 

Click this bar to view the full image.

A few of the girls and my “dad” had decided to head straight for Bright… and I was very tempted by this idea, with the thought of having time for a nanna nap before the evening’s entertainment began… but after being called soft and the threat of having my HTFUC status removed I opted to go to Thredbo with the rest of the crew. I wish I had of gone straight to Bright! Was feeling okay when I was on the bike and moving but every time I stopped it was bad… 

We all left Khancoban and in spite of the hangover it actually was quite a pleasant run up to Thredbo. I ended up with nobody in front or behind me for most of the way - just me and the bike and the road which I find very peaceful. Got pretty cold the closer we got to Thredbo – was freezing at Thredbo! 



A few people didn’t find the bakery where we were and ended up going through to Jindabyne! Oops. Eventually they came back to Thredbo, everyone was fed and the group split up a bit more with Trevor, Mark with Esther on the back and Glenn heading off first as they had gear and Esther’s bike to collect from Tintaldra. Jeff headed off to set up on a corner to take some more pictures and Karl, Kim and Bec headed off shortly afterwards. Eventually the rest of us followed.

For the run back through to Khancoban I was once again mostly on my own, and it was pretty uneventful. A quick regroup/rest at Khancoban before heading to Corryong to catch up with everyone else and refuel.

Fuel concerns for the fuel storm saw James and I heading off in front of the rest of the group along the Murray Valley Highway heading for Tallangatta for more fuel before the run to Bright. I was starting to feel much better and had a lot of fun on the run into Tallangatta. We passed Jeff along the way (he’d headed off earlier again too) and he followed us into Tallangatta. Fuelled up and ready for the final 98km to Bright!

Since I was the only one who actually knew where the little back road to Tawonga/Mt Beauty was I was in the lead. The end part of it is called the Redbank Road but at the start it is something different, I have no idea what! We had a good run along that stretch, pretty much keeping together. 

Headed up Tawonga Gap with me still in the lead, James on my tail until the top and unbelievably I left him behind! I love that stretch of road, had an absolute ball. 

Quick regroup down the bottom at the T-intersection before all three of us rolled into Bright. Over the next hour or so everyone rolled in except for Jase and Josh… James got onto them on the phone, they were at Dinner Plain so not too far away.

Bikes at Bright:


Everybody got sorted into their rooms (it was a bit of a free-for-all which seemed the best way to do it, hell I didn’t care, I got a double bed!) and a quick trip up to the supermarket for supplies (read bourbon and dorritos) and we were set for the night. 

Unfortunately the pub had stuffed up our booking, we had asked for 7pm and got told it was at 6pm! Everyone scooted off to the bistro very quickly, ordered and the meals arrived super quick! I ordered, got to the table, had just started buttering my bread roll and my meal arrived. Food was good and quick, we were in and out very quickly. 

Jase and Josh turned up eventually, they had copped snow coming over the top of Hotham!!!!

We all sat around outside the pub for a while before a few of us headed back around the back where the alcohol was cheaper. Eventually the band kicked off so we all headed to the pub for more socialising and a spot of dancing LOL. Except of course for all the softies who went to bed early (you know who you are!)

Eventually (no idea what time, maybe midnight?) bed seemed like a good idea so off I went. 

It rained quite heavily through the night but when I woke up in the morning it had stopped raining, was a bit foggy though. We hung around saying our goodbyes with the Victorians (and saw Seph off with them) before departing ourselves around 10am. 

Jeff, Karl, Kim, Esther and Bec all left earlier again so we had Glenn, Stevo, Carl, James and I riding back to Walwa where we were to meet the others.

Had a pretty good run over Tawonga, except for a few moments with motorcyclists coming the other way on the wrong side of the road… grrrrr.

Back up the Redbank Road and into Tallangatta to top up the fuel, then over Granya (which was in great condition!) and into Walwa to meet the others and have some lunch. Burgers were the go (well worth the wait). 

In the general store in Walwa:




Headed back along the Murray River Road for 5km before heading over the bridge into Jingellic and onto Tumbarumba to top up the fuel yet again. From there it was up the Elliot Way and Kiandra for another regroup then onto Adaminiby for fuel and to say our goodbyes.

I don’t know what time I got back into Canberra (I should really start looking at the time when I arrive places) but I expect it was about 6:30pm.

It was once again a fantastic weekend, a huge cheers to James for organising it all and to everyone who participated, it was an absolute blast!

When’s the next one? Anzac Day Long Weekend of course… awesome, bring it on!