Dubbo for Lunch? Not on your Nellie! We had lunch at Dunedoo. But I digress..................... Five bikes and eight bodies set out from Muswellbrook into what appeared to be a fine, but cool day. No-one noticed the wisp of high grey cloud to the west. At Merriwa Mark announced that Dianne wanted to put on some warmer clothing- thank goodness! We all did. CCChrist it was cold! We then rode on into the ever darkening sky. By the time we were half way there it was 9 degrees with a wind chill factor of at least minus 9 degrees. At Dunedoo an executive decision was made to lunch at the White Rose Cafe’ and I can recommend that you do to, sometime. I would also like to welcome “Strop” and his daughter to our group. He rides a mean Harley and I say this because, despite my efforts to maintain a reasonable pace on the outward journey, a couple of our members who sit astride 44 gallon raised the cross-bar quite considerably on the way home - or was it just the westerly wind? Home through Scone and by the time we got back into the Valley, the temperature was a balmy 19 degrees. You get that. It is winter after all. We had a safe ride despite the Kangaroos on the Merriwa - Scone road. they were everywhere! That’s riding.  

  There were 13 bodies and 8 bikes made the trip to Urunga. After some phone calls the night prior it was decided to travel up via the coast as the temperatures have been very cold inland. The coast ride was very pleasant, however being the last weekend of school holidays there were plenty of ‘men in blue’ patrolling the road. A couple also joined us who are Visiting from Darwin, they rode up to Port Macquarie with us then returned home again, just for the ride! We arrived at Urunga about 3pm, greeted by Mat & Lyn Sponberg, who had come down from coffs Harbour for the night, already into the turps. Then about an hour later another couple arrived, who were not aware of our change of ride plans, anyway the 13 of us booked a table at the pub for dinner and had a great meal. We also had a couple of drinks, some stayed up to midnight, some went to bed, and some tried to win a dollar on the pokies. All should have gone to bed early. Sunday morning and Donna’s bike battery was dead, so after a push start we were on our way. No doubt Mark will have a photo of this on our website. Some went to home the coast, some went up to Dorrigo and inland home. When we arrived in Ebor it was cold, however the guy at the servo said that on Saturday it was minus 15, yes that’s minus fifteen!! So our decision to go up the coast was the right one, for a change. Good ride, great pub and meals, nice town We should do it again.  

At last the time has arrived for our sojourn to Moree and the hot spa’s. At 6.30am we left Maitland for Singleton in beautiful clear sun lit skies and this glorious weather remained with us for the entire weekend.

Picked up at one tonne all be it without old mate Nicolde on and Preso Bear, get well Bear so you can join us again, and Muswellbrook saw all but 4 of us together and we proceeded on our way.

Nice slow procedure through Scone single file for most of us however Booby McGee thought he would get a piggy back through town and tried to climb up the back of poor old Oigy, didn’t last long but Oigy had to stop and change under dacks. Deliverance revisited.

Tamworth for a warming cup of coffee and such and onto Manila etc and Warialda for lunch. Back to deliverance for fuel at Bingarra, poor Donna thought she might have to do some white water rafting to get away from the servo attendant.

Met up with Jock & Sandy, Mark & Dianne at Moree. The Spa’s were beautifully warming and a few drinks poolside and we proceeded to the DC3 Tavern for a great dinner. Dave cleaned up on the Pokies once again and suffered the wrath of Cocktail hungry women only to see the profits of his endeavours slip down their throats in mudslides. It was much appreciated by all those who imbided.

Sunday was breakfast all over town in Moree. We were twenty two and just a few too many for Jacks takeaway so some ventured down town for an equally good breakfast and then unfortunately off for home. For those of us who stayed some had a quiet day and just relaxed while some of us thought why sit still, lets go and exhaust ourselves and ride to Lightening Ridge and dodge road kill, road live, herds of cattle, flocks of sheep, get challenged by kangaroos arguing as to who owns the road, and after all that fight of the excitement of Lightening Ridge and its captivating inhabitants.

Oigy was volunteered to lead us home and about 50 metres past a significant left hand turn (i.e. the road to Moree) in his attempt to turn around and see if he’d missed it he decides that the tar has been too boring and runs off the road and does a little turn of motor cross down the embankment. Cleverly, fortunately, he stayed upright and managed to turn around. It was good for a little chuckle.

The quote of all quotes must be recognised, while soaking away the bumps and grinds of Sundays little journey westward, we were discussing our little mishap at our coffee stop in Tamworth, when, YES, someone had a little step off or lay off, and apart from a sore shoulder and leg, a rear vision mirror and blinker lens ones pride was the most damaged, John McGee comes out with "Don’t worry Val it is only just another dent in the Mudguard of Pride". Can’t top that.

However after all this we soaked in the pools again before dining and having a good time once again priming our selves for our journey home on Monday. Again I believe it was a great weekend with wonderful company to make it so much better.

Michael.

Those of us who had to leave on Sunday morning to come home, wished the others a good ride and set off for Gunedah to meet those coming up for lunch, although Max & I nearly had to stay as Max couldn’t get the bike to start. Everyone had left the caravan park and here we were standing in the drive way, me with a worried look on my face and Max scratching his head. "It turns over but won’t start" he says. He spots Mark and calls him over, explains the problem, Mark has a fiddle with the handle bars, turns the key, presses the button and away she goes. Max has a very stunned look on his face. Mark says "It works better with the kill switch off". Very red faced off we go. Nobody at Gunedah so we decided to continue on to Willow Tree Truck stop for a feed. Our tummies full we continued on home. It was a perfect day for riding. Thanks everyone for a great weekend. We really live up the Ulysses motto ‘Growing Old Disgracefully’

There were 10 bikes and 14 bodies leaving singleton for Mungo Brush, no make that Nundle!

It was decided that as it was raining at the coast, we would be clever and head inland and stay dry.

So off we went, however, just south of Murrurundi it was raining. After a short stop to put on wet weather gear and thaw out a bit, two decided that they really didn’t need a wet ride so they headed home.

The rest of us headed on towards Nundle, no make that Quirindi!

when we got to Wallabadah, it looked like it was pissing down over Nundle way so we thought we would be clever and turn left to Quirindi and stay dry, and we did.

However it was {{{freezing}}} in Quirindi, so off to the Club for lunch.

After lunch we all headed home and right on cue it started raining again just before Murrurundi.

Not to worry we had a ride and ‘enjoyed’ ourselves. The Mungo Brush ride has been put in again later in the year.

Rain, no play. this ride has been put in again later in the year.

About 20 bodies and 14 bikes left on a very overcast day. By the time we got to Denman it was starting to rain, had smoko in Merriwa and as we arrived in Gulgong the rain was getting heavy.

We ordered lunch just as the power went off, fortunately the pub had gas and we got a hot meal. On the way home it was wet and {{cold}} all the way. Sound like a fairly ordinary ride? Well in winter we can expect ordinary weather, but it is better than not riding at all.

MT SEAVIEW

There were a couple of new bikes and those of us putting up with the old ones headed off to Mt Seaview Resort. We had smoko at Tamworth with warm weather. Then off to Walcha where is was freezing, fancy that, had Pizzas at the Hotel with a log fire going. Paul & Sally met us in Walcha, making 19 bodies and 13 bikes in total. From here the road was wet all the way to Mt Seaview although we stayed dry. The Oxley Hwy in the wet is no fun at all, however all made the trip safely. Mt Seaview put on a great BBQ for our group, where the weather was much warmer than at Walcha. They also made a Birthday cake for Polly and Dianne, who were ‘celebrating’ another year. some danced, some drank, some attempted both (badly), all had a good time. Next morning it was off to Pt Macquarie for breakfast. some pigged out on pancakes, some went for a more traditional breaky. Then down the Coast Hwy to Bulahdelah, where we were met by another 4 from our group for lunch. Another good ride with great company. Dave