Interest Ride Sept. 19^th

to

Model Railway Open House Toowoomba

I really didn’t expect anyone to turn up on this Interest ride to view Working Models of Trains – not knowing what our excuse for a ride was going to behold, except that Al would be interested.

Then, Friday night before the Sat am ride, which I had thought was just going to be “Just the Two of Us”, as the song goes, Margaret & Roy phoned to apologise for not being able to attend. Wow! Someone else was interested!

Sat. morning, prior to helmeting up at home, I did my best to forewarn Al that meeting at BP Blacksoil would be a little Coffee/Breakfast break for us. No hurry! When we arrived at Blacksoil I was so surprised to see 2 & 3 wheel people. There were 7 Trikes (Al & I, Colleen & Stefan, Quinton, Rod & Kelly, Kerry & Bruce), and one ever faithful Motorcycle (Cookie & Lois), who initially met at Blacksoil and then we were to pick up 2 more Trikes at the Railway Museum Toowoomba for Lunch( Jack & Janice, & Col). I felt I had been a little harsh on Al with my assumption of “Just the Two of Us”.

Well, now we had to discuss what route to take and where ‘smoko’/morning tea and lunch was to be; etc. This was an Interest Ride after all! Great input by all with the outcome being: Leave BP Blacksoil and onto the Warrego Highway as far as the new turn off for Walloon. Then we followed the road through to Laidley then onto Forest Hill and Gatton. No stopping in Gatton as Ma Ma Creek was our destination for smoko

We arrived at Ma Ma Creek for a pit stop where Al ducked in 1^st to order Coffee & Sausage Roll for “The Two of Us”. Being the territory he works in, he knew this beautiful little stop over would not have endless food on hand for a large group. No, even I didn’t know! Al handed out to me the plate with our Sausage Roll as I began to walk in and many had their order for tucker, the same as ours, in their head after the delicious whiff as I walked past the motley crew with the plate. We got the one and only Sausage Roll! Well others did have a more healthy morning tea, but we copped their flack.

We had a lovely relaxing stop over, chatting to everyone, who you don’t get the opportunity to intimately talk to on the bigger rides. The time had come however to ride up to Toowoomba, but I don’t know who actually yelled “5 minutes”. Marmite, Sheriff’s book was not missed.

Off we “roared” up across to Lilydale then into Flagstone up the range to Picnic Point to make our way to the Toowoomba Showgrounds, and to the out of way Railway Model Museum within. Al & Cookie were really interested. Us girls found humour in many exhibits, ie one where there must have been hundreds of tiny 2cm people models on one exhibit, and we spent ages trying to find any 2 alike – to no avail. This museum is a work in progress at present, but they have a lot of support being offered.

Tummies were starting to rumble, only because they had missed out on the Sausage Roll Snack at Ma Ma Creek, and 2 other Trikers had turned up, so we headed off for lunch at a hotel in Centenary Park on the Toowoomba Millmerran Rd, otherwise known as the Gore Highway.                   

Once again a great opportunity to chat with fellow riders who you don’t usually get a chance to speak with. I personally love that part, in case you don’t know! I, as usual, had a whole lot of rubbish put on me about being such a slow eater, but now I’m going to look at the Kid’s Menu on future Rides.

This ‘Interest’ Ride was a great day out. I suggest to anyone who is doing a ride of their own interest to let others know through our Meeting, Newsletter and through our Website. I was totally surprised, but any excuse for a ride is enough, if individual’s time permits.

No Corner Markers needed on this ride as Rear Vision Mirrors kept all in tow together.

Many thanks to Lois and her camera work! Great picture Lois.

“Pinkie”