Wednesday Ride Report - 17 June 2009

A social ride via back roads with lunch at Gold Creek Village

Roll Call:
Jim Alexander - Moto Guzzi 850T3 (1978)
John Broad - Yamaha SR 500 (1979)
Ian Duvall - KTM 640 Supermotard (2004)
Graham Knox - Triumph Thruxton (2005)
Lorraine Lister - BMW K75 (1986)
Denis Murphy - BMW X Country (2008)
Stan Perry - Honda CB 550/4 (1972)
Floyd Primmer - BMW R80RT (1983)
Ernie Seary - BMW 1150RT (2001)
Len Skipper - Triumph Bonneville T100 (2007)
Peter Wilson - BMW R65 (1981)

Apologies: Peter Byatt

Rally point: 10.00am from the Shell Fuel Station at EPIC

It's been some weeks since we last had a Wednesday ride for one reason or other. After the long weekends enjoyable Kickstart Rally at Berry NSW on 5-8 June, riding around the coastal byways in the good company of the Shoalhaven Club members, on warm and sunny days. Just to note here, our Club did manage to pick-up a few awards and did alright at the raffle during the dinner night on Saturday. I have to say, you couldn't fault the most enjoyable food and catering arrangements. And, the organised rides were fist class as well, (see separate report on the rally). However, the ride home on Monday was rather dreary with wet and overcast conditions.

Mac West's funeral was on the following day, it was another very cold and wet day, well attended by our Club members for the motorcycle procession. A few of us decided to cancel the Wednesday ride based on the weather forecast but, as it turned out, it was cold, but bright and sunny. Graham Knox did brave the conditions on his own account and mentioned the temperature was low as 3 c and slightly higher in other places on his ride to Gunning.

This week's ride was ideal with the usual attendee's on a typical Canberra winters day, bright and sunny. After brief discussion on where to ride too, Gunning and Bungendore was getting a bit repetitious and Yass was mostly on the Barton Highway. Instead, a shorter and more interesting route was in order because, Stan was running-in his recently rebuilt CB550/4.

We headed off up the Federal Highway turning right at Macs Reef Road then left onto Bungendore Road crossing the Federal Highway again and turning left onto Chingle Hill Way which leads onto Bungendore Road then Right at Sutton Road then left onto Murrumbateman Road and left onto the Barton Highway, stopping at Gold Creek Village for lunch at Two for Tea Cafe. After a most enjoyable lunch at reasonable prices we made our own way home. Total distance from the Rally Point to the cafe was 95km.

We'll have to get our heads together to organise the next destination ride on the ride report. It also seems that the current rally point at the Shell Fuel Station at EPIC is a good central point for all of us.

Len Skipper
18 June 2009