I got a typical cryptic Micky Message on MSN with just a link to a netrider thread… about a social ride sunday to the pie shop… curious… is Micky back on a bike? They anticipated being at the pie shop just before lunch so I had decided that I was going there and was toying with the idea of heading down the coast and spending a night down there (though I should really spend some time at home, washing blah blah blah) and then I looked where the current TAG was at… both FarRiders and the GTR forums were at Mt Hope - two for the price of one! Matt had been asking me if I was riding on the weekend and trying to talk me into a burger run, but nope - after Robertson, I’m heading west! I told him he could come with me if he wanted and he said yes to my surprise!
Saturday morning was fairly cool here in Canberra and only got colder and colder as I headed into Goulburn. I turned off for the Highlands Way just after Marulan and it was a nice run though I kind of regretted a bit with how bad the suspension was feeling on the 9 (I think it got worse?). Arrived at the pie shop and Matt was already there - I was only 5 minutes late!! Was starving so grabbed a pie and a coke and sat down in the sun (yay sun!) to await the arrival of Micky… before long the bikes started rolling in… first of all was a kwaka versys… I thought “Phil has a versys” then off came the helmet and … it was Phil!!!!!! awesome. Everyone else arrived in dribs and drabs… then Micky on the back of the scooter! No mohawk (I had put mine back on especially for the occasion) but it was great to see Micky back on a bike!
We all stood around chatting for a bit then everybody headed off. Back to the freeway and into Sutton Forrest for fuel and then for the boring stretch of Hume (I actually didn’t mind it - it got us to Yass very quickly). I sent Matt off in the lead as my odo is so far out, I assumed that my speedo is as well (though it’s not too bad compared to the VFR). There was a bit of traffic which all disappeared after the Canberra turnoff. Just coming near to Yass and we were overtaken by a car travelling at a fair pace… not much further up we were just passing under a bridge when a car pulled out, disco lights flashing, gave Matt a bit of a start but they pulled away into the distance to pull over the car that had just passed us.
A quick stop at Yass for a smoke, next fuel stop was to be Young, so I set off in the lead towards Boorowa, now on that road there is one corner which is quite bumpy and always catches me out but I must have been doing something right that day as I didn’t have any troubles. Through Boorowa and then onto Young (I haven’t been that way in years!) for fuel and a drink and then onto Grenfell. I was worried that Matt was going to be bored and I think he was, but he didn’t complain! I had promised him that the road between Young and Grenfell was quite nice but I think I was thinking of the road between Grenfell and Forbes?? or maybe it just looked different coming in the opposite direction?? Anyway, headed through Grenfell and stopped at some little town to remove the liner from my jacket as it was hot now! Into West Wyalong for fuel. This is all new country for me, I have never been out past Grenfell before.
Next stop was to be Rankin Springs but I forgot so stopped at the first rest area after there, then into Goolgowi for more fuel (I figured that I could get to Mt Hope and back to Hillston on that tank full). It was about 7pm by this stage?? Matt said we should stop in Hillston for the night, not knowing what Mt Hope was going to be like so we rode in to Hillston (few skippies along the way who all ran away thankfully) and pulled up at the first pub… tattersalls which reminded me of Winton 
but they had no accommodation so on to the next pub, the Clubhouse Hotel where $30 got a twin share room for both of us which apparently had airconditioning (but the aircon was next to useless). No meals there so up to the ex-workers club (which was full of boys!) so a bit of a chat, some dinner then back to the pub and to bed (probably about 10pm by now?).
but they had no accommodation so on to the next pub, the Clubhouse Hotel where $30 got a twin share room for both of us which apparently had airconditioning (but the aircon was next to useless). No meals there so up to the ex-workers club (which was full of boys!) so a bit of a chat, some dinner then back to the pub and to bed (probably about 10pm by now?).
Woke up about 7:30 and went for a bit of a wander, cafe next door was open so bought a chocolate milk then went and looked out over the river for a bit while I had a smoke. Went back up to the room and Matt was still in bed so I went back down for another smoke and got chatting to one of the blokes who was living in the pub (Jack) and we were talking about various places in Australia, he said camel rides on the beach at Broome is a thing to do so that sounds cool, that is on my list of things to do now :) Eventually Matt came down and we went next door so he could have some breakfast, then loaded everything up and got underway (about 9am maybe?).
I really enjoyed the ride from here to Mt Hope - it was very pretty. Saw an emu with four baby emus off to one side (running in the opposite direction). Got into Mt Hope and pulled up for the photo. John (from the pub) came out for a bit of a chat, we took our photos and as we were taking photos a guy with a trailer pulled up and offered to take a photo with us in the photos to give him and excuse to stretch his legs. He came over then for a bit of a chat, reminiscing about the rallies that used to be held up there. John knows Hal here in Canberra and comes to Canberra twice a year to get tyres for his bike.
It was getting warm by the time we got back into Hillston and I was pretty sore from taking a beating on the bumpy roads and also my stupid blue jacket and new leather pants were annoying me greatly so stopped at Griffith for a break, then Temora for fuel. The servo had a pie oven but no pies in it 
but Matt had spotted a bakery (I was just going to go for a red bull and a milky way LOL) so went to the bakery, the pie was no Mrs Macs but not too bad. Not far to home now, I would make it off this tank. Through Harden, Binalong and onto Yass for a final break and then home along the Barton.
but Matt had spotted a bakery (I was just going to go for a red bull and a milky way LOL) so went to the bakery, the pie was no Mrs Macs but not too bad. Not far to home now, I would make it off this tank. Through Harden, Binalong and onto Yass for a final break and then home along the Barton.
Got home and the Tag was still live (yay! I was so paranoid it would be gone) so I got it on both forums, yay!
Oh and I got the most awful sunburn ever where the stupid blue jacket keeps riding up above my pants, on the right hand side where I can’t pull it back down properly on the move… one of the girls at works said it looks more like a proper burn than just sunburn
Mt Hope, NSW
No comments:
Post a Comment