Wednesday Ride Report – 18 November 2009

A social ride to Boorowa via Binalong

Riders:
John Broad – Kawasaki W650 (2001)
Peter Davey – Honda NT700 Deauville (2009)
Phil Dawes – Yamaha FJR 1300 (2002)
Graham Knox – Triumph Thruxton (2005)
Lorraine Litster – Triumph Sprint 900 (1998)
Stan Perry – Yamaha FJ 1200 (1989)
Floyd Primmer – BMW R80RT (1983)
Ernie Seary – BMW 1150RT (2001)
Len Skipper – Triumph Bonneville T100 (2007)

Apologies: Jim Alexander & Denis Murphy

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

A perfect clear and sunny day for a longer ride than usual, the temperature was expected to be around the mid thirties. The group decided to spit into two groups with the three members taking a shorter ride.

We headed for the Federal Highway turning off at the Sutton junction travelling through the village and left onto Murrumbateman Road, turning right onto the Barton Highway just before the Murrumbateman village. Here the group split, with three riders making their way to Gold Creek for coffee. The rest of us continued onto Barton Highway taking the Yass bypass and continued onto Binalong for coffee, covering 107km from the rally point.

After a welcome coffee and break in the central store, we set off again for Boorowa for lunch a further 40km. We stopped on route at Galong, once a proposed railway town, to check out the local pub which is due to open for business next week after sometime being closed for restoration work. A possible venue for a future overnight stay on a Triumph club rally.

We stopped for lunch at the bakery in Boorowa a pleasant spot for lunch. Some time was spent discussing possible future rides on the secondary sealed roads around the district. Ernie gave us an update on the restoration of his 350cc AJS and starting it for the first time this week, in readiness for the annual club’s rally in January next year.

Some of us refuelled before making our way home via Yass, it was not without event. A truck had burst a couple of rear tyres and provided an obstacle course for us, we eventually overtook it a few kilometres down the road running on its rims. Just south of Murrumbateman Floyd’s BMW had an electrical problem and died on him. Normally, Floyd is our ‘Tail End Charlie’ but today Graham was taking this roll. Ernie had notice that the two tail ender’s weren’t in view and turned back to assist. The bike was pushed off road and parked in driveway of a local property while Floyd went pillion on Ernie’s bike and back to Canberra to pick up Floyd’s ute. The bike was recovered a few hours later and off to our good BMW mate, Doug Bryant on Thursday. Today’s ride we covered 274km round trip and home by 4pm. Ernie and Floyd eventually got home a bit later at 7pm.

Option for discussion
This is a club sanctioned ride day and an opportunity to bring out your ‘V’ plated reliable bikes for a bit of a run. Sorry we can’t provide a back-up trailer but, we will all pitch in and help if any problem occurs.

Some members have mentioned to me that it would be nice if they knew the forthcoming ride destination because they consider around 100-125km run is more appropriate for their ‘V’ plated bikes.

We only decide on the day of departure from a general consensus of the group depending on the weather and other issues.

The group seems to be growing in numbers and in the warmer weather some members prefer to take a longer ride and some a shorter ride. Depending on what mount they are riding or if they have to be back in town in the early afternoon. I believe we can accommodate both options by running two groups that is, long and short social rides.

Let me know what you think and keep turning up on our Wednesday club rides.

Len Skipper Facilitator
19 November 2009