VVC Overnight run to Jervis Bay: Riders: This was the last overnight Club event for the 2009-10 season, as Winter is almost upon us, not that cold weather would stop us riding, just the will to ride the long distances overnight runs entail. This was also a midweek ride aimed at those of us with free time during the week, like the Wednesday riders! However there was another agenda for this ride, to attempt the Nowra to Nerriga road, long touted as a promised shortcut from Canberra to Nowra, & reportedly close to completion, we would find out! On Tuesday night 4 May the heavens opened & a vicious cold front passed through, over 15mm fell & the temperature plummeted. When dawn broke it was still raining & I had visions of another 'La-Rain' cancellation. However the Met Office radar suggested that the weather would soon clear so I took the decision to proceed, the others agreed, being as keen as I was to ride. Denis had selected his unusual BMW off road machine for the task, whilst Lou was on his ex police K1100 touring mount. Len was on his Bonneville & I had mounted my '74 T150 Trident for the ride. A strange mix of machines I must say, but all handled the roads very well. At the start, the ex Shell Station on Northbourne Ave, Stan Perry & John Broad had joined us for the start & agreed to ride with us to Tarago before turning for home. The weather was indeed clearing & dry roads greeted us, but not for long. We rode back into poor weather north of Canberra, & squally showers spilled over the Lake George escarpments upon us. The Loaded Dog in Tarago provided welcome hot coffee & route advice before the two groups parted company. I had decided that we would ride to Jervis Bay via Kangaroo Valley & return via Nerriga the following day when the synopsis was much brighter. We refueled at Marulan, & here the skies cleared so rapidly that it surprised us. Then onto the back road to Bundanoon, past James' corner, where my Son wrecked his R65 BMW back in January. In Bundanoon a hot meal was served at a cafe & we then rode on into the lovely Kangaroo Valley. The views as one descends into the valley never cease to thrill me, ever since my first descent way back in 1982. The evening was approaching as we arrived in Huskisson, where we had a nasty shock. I had booked rooms in the Huskisson Pub, whose website promised 'fully refurbished rooms'. The reality was the most run down accommodation any of us had ever seen. Indeed the pub was so derelict that we were amazed it was still operating. I was deeply embarrassed, but the others were more sanguine, declaring that it was only one night & at least the beds were clean. Toby Bateman & his wife Kerry, Triumph Register members from the 'Bay', joined us for dinner at the RSL & a fine evening we had. The previous weekend, Toby & a few of his Triumph mates had scouted the Nerriga road to help me & his report on the state of it was very useful. After a reasonable night's sleep, we had breakfast in a cafe with sea views in a sunny morning before we rode to Toby's place at Old Erowal Bay, to see his Triumph collection, & a fine one it was, consisting of five machines. Then it was time for the adventure & we were soon on the 'Braidwood Road', which starts at HMAS Albatross Air Station. The road was a fine 'A' Grade one seemingly little used to date. It rose gradually through wooded country for about 35 Km, before we reached the warned of construction zone near Sassafras. Here we had to await a convoy escort through 11 Km of heavy construction, & what construction it was. There were at least 200 men up there with every kind of construction equipment imaginable. The pace of work was frenetic. One might think they feared Kevin's largesse would evaporate any day! Once past the 'zone' we returned to a magnificent road crossing a range, complete with grand cuttings & embankments, sweeping down to the Nerriga Valley. There was unfortunately no convenient place to stop to admire this road, a pity. Nerriga, which I expected to be just a locality, is instead a village, with a pub & village Hall, & school. Here we stopped at the pub for a feed. It is being refurbished in anticipation of much passing trade once the road is complete. From here on however it all became a little strange. According to reports, confirmed by the landlord at the Loaded Dog, the State Government has decided not to push the road through to Braidwood, its logical end, as this would push extra traffic onto the already accident plagued King's Highway. Instead the 'Plan B' is to divert traffic from Nerriga to Tarago & hence on to Collector & the Federal Highway. A look at the map suggests that this would be a valid plan, except that when we rode on this route we discovered a 'C' grade road, complete with single lane culverts & tight bends. This road, despite being tarmac except for 3.5 Km of poor dirt (also being worked on), is no match for the Nerriga road & totally unsuitable for heavy traffic. The Shoalhaven River crossing at Oallen Ford was a bottleneck, narrow & prone to flooding, with a single lane plank bridge followed by a steep & winding ascent. From the junction with the Windellama road its quality improves to good 'B' grade standard to Tarago: a bit of a mixed bag of roads. We rode on to Bungendore for afternoon coffee, before the final leg homeward. When I pondered upon this road I was left more than a little bemused. Why build a splendid road between Albatross & Nerriga only to divert traffic only a substandard road to Tarago seems to me to be asking for trouble. I had vision of the road when complete; of grim faced little men in big 4WDs forging out of Tarago towards Nerriga, & the carnage that would ensue. However for us motorcyclists a tarmac 'C' Grade road is just fine thanks. This road may be complete by Spring, & when it is we will ride it again, before the rest of Canberra discovers it I hope! How much distance did it save? Well, Kambah to Huskisson via Kangaroo Valley = 200 Miles: Return via Nerriga = 120 miles, saving 80 miles or 130Km WOW! Lorraine Litster
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