Ulysses Trip to Katoomba January 2008-01-29

We mustered at Murrumbateman, with the local Rotarians who were hosting an Australia Day brekkie. Caught up with everyone, and received our riding instructions (AND maps), and waved Dave Robinson goodbye - well everyone else did, I didn’t realise till later that he hadn’t come with us...

Rode to our first stop at Cowra where we stopped for a coffee and one of Catherine’s HOME MADE lamingtons, then onwards to our lunch stop at Bathurst where we regrouped and ate our fill of fast food.

Most of us found the YHA at Katoomba quite easily, and unpacked and dispersed for a quick look around town. Leo, Rob and I found our way to the Paragon Cafe where we supped on home made chocolates and cassata and chocolate ice-cream MMMmmm. Others (pretending to be upper class) ate at the Carrington on the veranda, and dreamed of grander and gentler days. Dinner back at the YHA where a lovely BBQ was cooked for us – really the YHA was terrific, clean and the staff couldn’t be more helpful. We had a common room set aside for us, with a communal kitchen, and the YHA staff had put up a Welcome sign for us!! A few of us, fuelled by red wine, set off to find the Three Sisters after dinner but couldn’t quite get there – we discovered next day that if we’d walked just one more block we would have been there!!

Some comments and impressions from the Ulysseans who came along…

Peter and Suzanne Arday – Yamaha Royal Star VVZ 1300 Venture
First impression – historic charm, relaxed ambiance

Adrian and Kristine Bader Yamaha Royal Star VVZ 1300TF 1300 Venture
Great ride, clean comfortable rooms, attractive city, good looking pillion – what more could a person want?

David McIlroy – Triumph Sprint 1050 – Great riding, even more so when you begin by following non-Ulysseans through Yass to Cowra!! Fantastic Hostel – spacious, friendly and nostalgic

Kerry Mulgrue – CB1000 (Honda). What better way to spend Australia Day? Great bike, great roads, great friends
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Janet Mulgrue – 750 Virago – The fog has lifted!! (Jen – Janet was the only one who seemed to have found fog – must have been of the personal kind!!)

Peter and Caroline – Hyabusa – Shirley and Evan Jones – GTR1000 , Duncan and Sue Stephen – VN1500 (oops, Nomad) all said great riding, good accommodation, great friends, very relaxing.

Steven and Tracey Cootes – Triumph Tiger 1050 – scored the Three Sisters room!!! Whoo Hoo!!. Our first sleepover with Ulysses, whoohar!!!
Ian and Sally Paterson – Honda ST1300. Great trip so far….I’m surprised at how nice the YHA is – could be a great way to go on future trips. Overtook an unmarked Police car just past Cowra but he overtook me back and all was in balance again.

 Ash and Ang Plumb – Honda Blackbird- great ride and all is good with the world – good digs and great friends– 

Andrew and Catherine Campbell - Honda Goldwing
Weather perfect for riding – BBQ and desert was yummy – bring on the Three Sisters!! Where are the promised Swedish backpackers???

Robert McNeilly – CBR1000RR – Good assortment of roads, although I could not believe the 60km limit for the windy sections near Katoomba!! Perfect temperature for a great day.

Graeme (Vulcan 2L) and Lin (Shadow 750) Barber – great people, great sights, great weather. Lots of fun, lots of laughs which helps keep us all young!! Live to Ride!!!

Judy Perry VX 535 – I shall reserve my comments till I have heard everyone else’s!! Glad not to be at home, and having two nights in the one bed! Glad the weather man was wrong. Great leadlight in town. Great value meal and private lounge. Friendly staff – country folk at their best. Safe parking opposite the police station. Almost everyone got here, except Mick and Flip as no shows – is there some gossip in that?


Sunday was spent walking walking walking walking (up and down stairs, pounding the streets), riding on the cableway, the Scenic railway and the cable car. I did hear that some Ulysseans wouldn’t even consider going on these rides which hurtled out into the abyss and plunged to the bottom – woosses!!

Oh dear and we were a bit disgraceful at the Chinese Restaurant – lovely meal but I think they were glad to see us leave...no sense of humour...

Some more impressions…

Judy Perry – visited “Gordon Falls”….not our Gordon, he does NOT fall - -he does even teeter, even when he hits a kangaroo!! Actually we didn’t stop at Gordon Falls, one of 29 stops) just flashed by it on the tourist bus which we were too pooped to get off and we were in a hurry to get to the Leura Shops… a great place to contribute to the economy.

When asked for her second impressions, Janet Mulgrue wrote – what a thing to ask after 900 steps and a 3 KM walk – great day with beautiful scenery – worn out.

Robert McNeilly – Perfect weather, up, down and across. What a way to live as a coalminer in the 1880’s!!

Adrian and Kristine – what happened to the mountains being cooler?? HA!! Walking in riding boots and shopping, and window shopping with the sun full on isn’t a good combo. Fantastic people in Katoomba and Leura – love it all!!

Evan and Shirley – so much to see and do and so little time!!

Ian and Sally Paterson – we went to Scenic World – we loved the boardwalk even better than the rides!! Peaceful and green. We found the BEST coffee in Katoomba Street. Thanks to the organisers!!

Tracey and Steven Cootes – to our surprise, the Three Sisters turned out to be really old. But tall!!

Catherine and Andrew Campbell – More intrepid 900 steps walkers – amazing view all the way down. Legs feel like jelly – not sure how I’m going to get up the stairs tonight!! Thanks for such a fun weekend – lots of laughs!!

David McIlroy – rode about 250 kms with a pair of friends with the Air Force in Glenbrook. Next year must do some things in Katoomba!

Suzanne and Peter Arday – Lots of magical moments, memories and mountains! What a wonderful weekend – our thanks to Stuart and Heather.

Monday dawned bright and sunny and we headed off home – some choosing to head home via Oberon, but the very hot day had us moving steadily home without too much in the way of distractions.

Thanks so much to Stuart, ably assisted by Heather – you did a great job of organising this weekend for us. Where are we going next??