A Ride With Mount Lindesay

Not being able to go on the previous ride to Goombungee due to my work commitments and not knowing if I'd be able to make the upcoming Mystery Ride, I figured I go for a squirt with the Mt Lindesay boys up to Springbrook and Eagle Heights. I'd bumped into one of their own in the Pro Kawasaki store the month before and we got to chatting for like an hour or so, so figured they seemed like a nice enough bunch. And that's what's great about Ulysses. Being welcomed by other Ulysseans and going on other branch rides as if you were part of that branch.

Anyway. The ride was to leave from Browns Plains - behind the Mac Donalds. A nice cruisey ride away in itself. Sure I had to go through a toll booth to get there. But, I've got Bike E-Toll so just breeze through. And 30-ish minutes later I arrive. Wondering how many would be there, with it being the weekend before the AGM and all. But was surprised.

I was the First to arrive. And, of course, I parked in the wrong place. But a quick toilet break at Maccas and a question asked of a couple of Mt Lindesay Ulysseans who I'd seen ride in and who were having brekky, and I was set straight. So moved my bike to the Correct mustering point and awaited the arrival of the others.

Mac arrived first on his Modified 4-wheel Harley and he informs me he is usually the Tail End Charlie. Then Mike (ride leader) and Alice arrive - hmmm, they look familiar, the couple from Maccas who pointed me in the right direction. Others slowly filter in. Lurch. Rick from the Gold Coast. And faces whose names have slipped from my mind at the time of this writing.

By the time we are ready to go there are 18 bikes. Not a bad number considering. But Mac is concerned with my Sports Bike. I assure him I'm a pretty cruisey rider and won't be zoom zooming off or pushing anyone to go faster - after all, the guys at work don't call me Easy Rider for nothing.

Mike handed out an Itinerary sheet to everyone. It has a run down of how the day will unfold. Where each stop is, a brief route such as "Cunungra via Jimboomba" and an estimate of how long it will take to get there and distance. And is broken into Stages. Stage one. Stage two. Etc. The sheet also has his mobile phone number on it, as well as Tail End Charlie's number and a couple of other numbers who I deduce are Ride Coordinator and second in charge of the ride. Mike has Blue Tooth and so does Mac so they can answer calls from wayward riders while on the go.

I ask about the Crazy Fines I've heard the Mt Lindesay Sheriff has imposed on occasion - such as fining people for driving a car to a monthly meeting instead of riding (when it's raining). And am told about the "key in ignition" fine. Oops. I quickly extract my key, just in case. But in the end have nothing to fear as the ride has no sheriff.

Anyway. Time to leave. So Mike starts his bike and we all follow suit. Then follow him out of the carpark and south along Mt Lindesay Highway until we reach Jimboomba and the turn off to Canungra.

While we're on the way to Canungra, Bob (not his real name) decides he needs to get in touch with the lead group as we are riding behind a slightly slower rider. I'm content to stay but Bob feels the need. So overtakes. Then gives a little throttle to catch up and I lose sight of him over the crest. Shortly before I reach the crest a cop car comes the other way. And Bob tells me later the cop Flashed him (to slow down) as at the time he was doing more than the speed limit. How much more? To paraphrase Alan Bond... I don't recall.

First stop is Ned Kelly's bike gear shop thing. A rather cool eclectic shop. With stuff bikers like - well, I liked anyway. And Ned put on a nice spread for us... tea, coffee, biscuits and then some Cheerios. We basically Owned the carpark at this stage. And the poor coffee shop next door got Zero business. I wonder what she thought... all this Custom for Ned and nada for her. Heck, even before we arrived there was no-one in her store while other coffee places nearby were doing a brisk trade. Ned was doing good business too. And before we left he handed out a small flyer announcing a Poker Run on Saturday March 21 (election day) for the Logan Village RSL.

On the road again. Time to head to Springbrook. And to be more precise Purlingbrook Falls via Beechmont. But due to the need to make turns across traffic, the group is kinda split up. I'm with the lead group and somewhere behind us the others await a break in the traffic. And so we negotiate the little twisties and the like as we make our way. And it's an enjoyable run with nice scenery too. And I'm startled out of my back-to-nature daydreaming by the flashing headlights of a car coming the other way. Cops ahead. Everyone be on your best behavior. Tuck your shirts in and pretend you've done nothing wrong.

A few clicks up the road the twisties flatten out, we top a rise and there, near the bottom, is Evil Knievel. Radar gun, not in sight. And as we go by his elbow is on his rear box and his head is being supported by his palm. It appears his bike has ceased functioning. And all he can do now is try to avoid the sun, wait for a tow truck to arrive and watch with a sullen look on his face as the bikes sail on by. I'm sure he was adding up all the revenue he was missing out on collecting.

We get to the Springbrook turn off and make the turn. And I think to myself... why are there no corner markers? And we proceed. Only to get held up and forced to suck fumes as we follow a clapped out van up the mountain and through the nice scenery as the road joins back to two lanes. And then, we are there. The Purlingbrook Falls parking area. And it's pretty full. But we find a spot and go for a wander to have a look at what mother nature has given us to enjoy. And to think, just a short ride from civilization is raw Australian bush. Gotta love it.

Back from the walk (the short walk not the 4km round trip walk) and the other half of the group has still not arrived. While we are informed that some riders have Left the ride. Just left. Didn't say boo. Just decided to go. Odd. And maybe ten minutes later the other half arrive. They got lost because there was no corner marker. And only found their way cause one of the riders in the group realized what must have happened, overtook them all to get in front, pulled them up, then lead them to the Falls. Good thing too cause they'd nearly made it to NSW!

After our fill of falls it's time to head to Eagle Heights Resort via Tallia and Maudsland. Sure, it's a round-about way. But hey. The ride is nice. And so we leave the Purlington Falls car park to the waving hands of a couple of kids watching us go. And head into the twisties. Nice twisties. Nice scenary.

I hear a rumble behind me. Then Zip, it overtakes. A Ducati of some description. And I think... hmmm, he's got a lot of work ahead if he's going to overtake everyone. And then Bam, I'm overtaken on the inside by another sports bike. Impatient fools. Now both stuck behind the bike I was following. And then a Deeper Louder Rumble from behind. And he too goes past - whoever he is. But he's got a female pillion on the back. And he overtakes the other two sports bikes and all I can see is his fat rear wheel and the back of his girl as he straddles the double white lines around left and right bends. And I think... if You want to be an idiot that's one thing, but to put your passenger's life in jeopardy is plain Not On. But Mike pulls over and we follow suit and let the three impatient riders go.

Slowly the group splits. Three pillion carrying bikes and me coming up the rear. And I'm having déjà vu - last ride it was me and three pillion carrying bikes as well. Then the bike in front of me overtakes and is gone, just leaving us three with me in the middle. Lead pack nowhere in sight. And I have no idea where we are going. I love an adventure. And am thinking, this will soon be the end of the ride as we're nearly in Mudgeeraba and I've seen nothing. But then, around a bend we see him... corner marker! Phew. And we're all back together and make it to the resort for lunch.

They've reserved a nice spot for us and we place our food orders and get liquid refreshment while we are treated to a trio of ladies singing (kind of) to a karaoke machine. I take a shot of the view.

They seem to be doing a roaring trade. And even though the system is... place your order and then go wait at your table while the food is made, just waiting to place the order is an ordeal. How long does it take to take someone's order when there is a designated order taker who does nothing else? Minutes each person it seems. And I begin entertaining thoughts of cobwebs covering us before we reach the counter. And then, while seated at the table and waiting for the food, I entertain more thoughts of the food arriving to a bunch of skeletons covered in cobwebs. Everyone has eaten and where the heck is my burger and chips anyway? What? Are they killing the cow? Harvesting the spuds? Better go make sure they haven't forgotten or are suffering from "can't find the table" syndrome - which, while waiting in line to order, I saw several episodes of, and while waiting at the table one of the staff asked US if we knew where table 3 was!?

Finally my food arrives. And a darn butcher birds wants me to share. Fat chance of that. Bloody freeloader. As I eat, one by one the others have had their feed and make their farewells. Some go home. Some go for a squiz into Tamborine Village. I have a staring contest with a butcher bird. Who quickly leaves once it sees the last chip enter my mouth. And then there were five. And the day is done. As we make our ways to our bikes and say our goodbyes until next time.

A rather pleasant day overall. Shame we lost our tail end charlie at the first stop - feeling ill. And others went their own ways along the way. And what started as 18 bikes was down to 10 to 12 by the time we had lunch. But, the ride was enjoyable. The company was enjoyable and friendly and jovial. And to quote a snobby neighbor I once had... a good time was had by all.