Young - Chomp & Chat 13/03/2011

Hi Ho. Hi Ho. It’s off to Young we go!

I rolled ‘Goliath’ (Doesn’t everyone have a name for their toys?) out of the garage a little early and decided to use up the last of last weekend’s fuel before I arrived at the Nicholls Caltex. You can’t start a new ride on ‘old’ fuel’. That meant a quick trip north to nowhere, and then a refuel for my bike at Gungahlin before heading over to Nicholls. It was a case of 100 kilometres completed and a few hundred more to do for the day. Ian Paterson was already there with the big blue Honda GL1800, and thereafter shall be known as ‘Blue Leader’ since I’m ex RAAF and he led the ride to Young. He was also on a ‘Wing’, so that must mean something as well! Bit-by-bit the rest of the Squadron arrived. Chas & Jen Towie on their shiny Honda ST1300, Michael Winters on his sweet-looking Triumph ST, Hartmut Kehm on a very new BMW R1200GS, and ……………………... Nope – That was all. 5 assorted bikes, and one rose amongst the thorns.

We waited until the appointed hour, and left in good formation for the delights of Young. Consensus was to bypass coffee on the way, so we dawdled down the Barton highway to Yass and then branched off for the back roads to Galong. I have to say that it was a pleasurable ride with good spacing between bikes, no mucking about, good pace at the posted limits, no souls lost in transit, and no crash-landings along the way. The roads were surprisingly quiet, and Galong even quieter. 150 people are supposed to live there, but I only counted two as we rumbled through town. The rest must have been tucked up in bed at the retirement home!

Blue Leader led us (which is what Blue Leaders do!) on a pleasant journey through some surprisingly parched grasslands and green rolling hills between Galong and Young. We made Young in good time, and killed our engines at the appointed fuel stop. Unfortunately, no one wanted fuel! A number of other small groups of bikes were also present, so it appears as though the long weekend took a toll on all the ‘big’ rides and everyone was out in dribs and drabs. Consensus (don’t you love small groups?) was to have a slightly early lunch at the big bakery in town where the upstairs dining area afforded us a good view of the main street of Young. And so it came to pass that the Squadron’s mission of Chomping & Chatting at Young on a fine sunny day was a success!

Some of us indulged ourselves with a salad sandwich or roll, while others tucked into more ‘interesting’ food. The most appetising meal, from a smell perspective if not from a visual one, was Blue Leader’s pie with chips and gravy. The only thing apparently missing was the tomato sauce, soon remedied with a trip to the main counter! The exquisite blend of rich dark gravy and aromatic tomato sauce hand-squeezed from a small plastic sachet was a sight to behold. Our upstairs vantage point also allowed a good view of some vintage and veteran cars that were coming and going. These were lovely old things, and appeared to be mostly of the Ford Model ‘T’ variety. With lunch over, we geared-up and were once again consensual in agreeing that Blue Leader should continue to lead and take us to a little-known town called Murringo via Murringo Gap Road.

We departed Young on the Cowra road and took the third right turn to Murringo. We almost took the second turn to Murringo, but Blue Leader quickly realised that gravel would not be good for the big Wing’s paintjob, so we un-braked, which is the opposite of braked, and continued on a few more kilometres to the correct turn-off. For a moment or two I thought I was on a skinny single-lane road-train route, but it was just a skinny single-lane motorcycle route! If you haven’t been to Murringo, then it’s probably worth a visit by bike to have a look around at what an isolated country town would have been like a hundred years ago. Not much appears to have changed! It’s on my list of places to return to at some stage for a slower walk around with my camera.

We breezed through town and continued on to Boorowa for a final coffee or cold drink, thus completing the ‘chomp’ part of the day. The final ‘chat’ was held outside where we said our farewells and once again saddled-up for the run to home. I think we all headed in the same direction, but Blue Leader decided to pull over as we left Boorowa to make some adjustments to his air-conditioning or adjust the picture on the television or something else on the Wing. Thus it came to pass that Blue Leader became Blue Tail-end Charlie! Doesn’t quite have the same ring to it!

I parked Goliath back in the shed that it left from earlier in the day and contemplated a very nice day out with fellow Ulysses riders (and Ulysses pillion Jen). I am one of those guys who are often torn between Ulysses being a ‘Social club for Motorcyclists’ and the alternative view, but have to admit that this ride was an excellent social event with absolutely no pressure on the ride. The ride just happened to part of the day, and was very enjoyable and very low-stress. Thanks Blue Leader and fellow riders, it was a great day out.

Cheers. Mick Beltrame. R1150GSA.