MARK'S FOUR DAY RIDE

 We set out from dawning Davis Creek at 6.30 Picked up riders at mellow Muswellbrook, swinging Singleton and then bulging Bulga. Down the perambulatory Putty at our usual sedate pace and at comfortable Colo we met Andrew who had ridden up to meet us. On down through the back of sedate Sydney (wouldn't it be great to have to cope with that traffic everyday?) and had lunch at picturesque Picton. Back on the bikes again for the trip down to gregarious Goulburn. After refreshing at the pub for some and a nice nap for others we managed to get a table for tea in the club bustling with the Friday night crowd. An ample meal with drinkies and good times after. All toddled off to bed at the various bedtimes that suited, but all were awoken at the same hour by the regular Friday night entertainment at the taxi rank. Dave, night owl that he is, slept through it all. Up and off the next day, heading southward through our capital Canberra and a fleeting glimpse of the Peoplescape display at Parliament House. Into Bredbo just in time for morning tea at the famous pancake shop (or was that lunch). Southward again and a confirmed snow sighting on the distant hill then down the curvilinear Cann River Highway, THIS is why we came all this way. Mallcoota tonight and another good meal so good we booked in for breakfast. A little wine, a little song and a little …… someone didn't feel well the next day. Northward now, up the coast, beautiful scenery, forests and cows in green meadows. Weaving through the crafty small towns of the south coast with a promise to stop at some markets. We finally pulled in at marketown Mogo for lunch but we were all too tired to look around so we just ate our pies and hit the road again. We called in at Lyn's sister's beautiful house for a cuppa and a comfort stop. Lyn had regained her sense of humour by then. Next stop nostalgic Nowra and "left before the bridge" to familiar M & M's, sadly missed the warm character and natural relaxed hospitality of Madge and Martin. They have retired to the coast. Day number 4 and heading for home, optimistically Dave warned us that Sydney had been forecast to reach 35 degrees with possible storms. The slow crawl through sunny Sydney would not be pleasant. The morning was still cool and we had the beguiling Barrengarry Range to climb, but it was the steep little ridge before it with its sharp hairpins bends that caught a few of us unawares. Donna dropped her bike but was unhurt and the bike only slightly damaged. A quick trip back to town and a few modifications and she was back on the road and ready to face the steepest hills and the sharpest bends. The less said about the rest of the trip home the better. Time will erase the memory eventually but 45 degrees, leather jackets, roadworks, bumper to bumper semi-trailers, gale force winds, torrential rain, hail storms and a butt sore from 1800 kms might cause you to ask yourself "Why do we do it ?" Those that know the answer will cheerfully turn up again next time. Because we love it!

THE ENTRANCE RIDE REPORT

Sunday 1 ]uly was a beautiful crisp winters day when the group left singleton for a cruise by Lake Macquarie. Morning tea was at the very scenic Warners Bay Esplanade. Everyone would have been happy to sit by the shore and ponder all day. Roslyn wouldn't lick the hundreds and thousands caught in Albert's beard from his vanilla slice. We leisurely continued through Swansea and down to the Entrance. From there it is only a short hop to Wyong (via 15 roundabouts) where we had lunch at Tuggerah Leagues Club. Meals were $5.95 each and sweets for $1.00 so you could pig out for less than $10.00. No one got lost or fell off and there was no reported... senior moments. Poor old Max Cherrie got a callout on the way home so we had to go to Harrigans Irish Pub in the vineyards for a beer and coffee. It's a hard life, 'tis 'tis. Lovely day with lovely company. Regards Ron.

PORT MACQUARIE RIDE REPORT

 There were 16 bodies and 10 bikes making the trip to Port, fantastic weather all weekend. We left Muswellbrook in thick fog which had gone by the time we got to Maitland. Headed up the coast highway stopping at Bulahdelah for Smoko and Coopernook Hotel for lunch. Took a detour at Laurieton towards the coast and up to the lookout, well worth a look if you have not been there. Then on to Port arriving about 3pm, booked into the River Motel which I can thoroughly recommend, undercover and out of sight parking for the bikes. Then some went for a drink to wash down the 'road dust' while others opted for an ice cream. Lyn & Max arrived shortly after and surprisingly enough found us in the pub. fun, the function manager, got to work on a dinner booking for the now 20 of us, had a great meal and an argument over the bill. One of the group is still backing loosing football teams, and the Crownies were very nice thankyou. Next morning after breakfast we headed off to fuel up then onto the Oxley. Some thought it was a race to Gingers Creek while the test of us just enjoyed the ride *wink*. After calming the nerves at Ginger's Creek it was off to Walcha then Tamworth for lunch at the Longyard. Left Tamworth about 2pm for home with one back-tracking to the Longyard for her handbag, I won't men-tion any names, but they ride a grey BMW. Everyone had a good time and we couldn't have wished for better weather. Regards Dave McIntyre.