12 bikes, 2 trikes set off for a trip to the Gold Coast on a bright and sunny morning - Sunday 8th February 2009. We arrived at the BP around 8 am to be met by 20 or so smiling faces, all fuelled up and ready to go.

Al lead the ride for us, with Hagar (aka Bazza) as tail end charlie with Mother (aka Jan) and BJ (aka Po) as back seat drivers.  We travelled via Walloon, Yamanto, out to the Boonah turnoff, Beaudesert for a short break, Canungra for morning tea and a visit to Ned Kelly’s and off to Southport via Nerang. … this is when the fun began.  It quickly became obvious to the group that we didn’t really have a plan of attack for lunch or where we would go once we arrived at Southport.  Luckily for us Jo (Bear’s finance) is from the Coast and soon set us on our way.  The 12 bikes and 2 trikes attempted to get a park near the Grand Hotel, Southport along with around 200 other cars.  Some of us, ie James and Liz, Gary, ‘The Twins’ Cookie and Lois and Glenn, Hagar, Jan and Po and Ado and Amanda were able to sneak our way into a few parks, thanks to Big James for his parking inspector impersonation.  A few mobile calls later and we found the rest of the branch.  They weren’t willing to fight for a park at the overcrowded car park at Southport and headed off to the Spit where they enjoyed the sea views and lunch and a lot more space.

For our group lunch was the next thing on the agenda – with Lois and the Twins getting takeaway from the Fresh Fish Shop and the others heading off for lunch at The Grand Hotel… we highly recommend the hotel, the meal and service was great and the price was good.  One suggestion though, the meals are very large, and could easily be shared by two.  

Unfortunately we didn’t take our camera on the trip, but were able to con a beach goer into taking a picture of our small group at the beach.  We headed off home after chatting for a few hours, taking the quick route down the highway.  Adrian and Amanda met up with Theo from Noyes Honda on the way back to Yamanto.

The day was great, the sea breeze was wonderful, the crowds at the carpark and on the beach were enormous, the pelicans were entertaining and the company was fun.  We got to chat with and get to know better a few of our newer members during the day.

13 bikes and 2 trikes met at BP Blacksoil for a run to Southport on a beautiful morning.

Mousey led off through Boonah and stopped at Beaudesert for a breather, then off to Ned Kelly's at Cunungra for tea / coffee and a look around, BJ found a yellow trike badge and patch for us.

Next we went through to the Gold Coast and got caught up in the traffic on the eay to the Broadwater where we were going to have lunch. Through the roadworks we ended up getting split into 2 groups, one having lunch at the Grand hotel [the meals were fantastic] the other group having lunch at a mystery location.

There were a lot of other riders and car clubs out for an enjoyable sunday ride/drive including a Ford run and a group of Porsche's parked at Cunungra.

After lunch and a photo shoot near the beach we went our indivual way home. Another great ride with good company and well led again by our ride co-ordinator.