Brown’s Cows Belligerent Moree Muster
Why do we leave the best
for the coldest times of the year ? Because it wouldn’t be the same if it were
45c and we wanted to soak in the hot spas. Well it was cold and wet on our
sojourn to Utopia this time, Fifteen bodies left Muswellbrook in the rain and
sleet, breeze and cold and proceeded to Tamworth. Jill was not going to be lost
this year and took off like a scalded cat to lead us most of the way to
Tamworth. We were met there by the galloping trio who left the Brook late to
catch us up for morning tea.
We all came together at Warialda for a pleasant warm stop for lunch (Thank You
Royal Hotel) after which the weather improved out of site and it was a very
comfortable ride to Moree. The cloud formations were a masterpiece and made for
a pleasant viewing all the way to our warm soaking at the Spas.
As if it’s not bad enough to have to pick from two but now there were four
pools. All with varying degrees of hotness, and of course as I approached the
four for the first time, here’s a pool with 100,000 geriatrics and Oigy & Sue,
Uncle and Jen soaking away waving to say “come and join us”. Being the recluse
that I am I thought “bugger that, too many in there” this pool will do me only
two people in it. Sure, it was 330 didn’t ride all this way to freeze. Then I
saw the huge signs showing the various temperatures. You know what they say
about old people and experience, probably right eh!
Dinner Sat saw 32 bodies coming together for what was a little disappointing on
previous years performance. The Tavern did not meet with a 100% approval, and
justifiably so. A pleasant evening though I believe.
From here on I can only speak for eight who enjoyed a great breakfast once again
at Jack’s takeaway and a lazy soaking day. Dinner Sunday was a great experience
at the Bo Wa Chinese café where we celebrated Sue’s birthday. We think Oigy and
Sue were celebrating all day and come to think of it Sat too. Oigy managed to
stay dry on the outside dodging all the water puddles.
Monday dawned clear and freezing cold, the ride home was no improvement on the
cold but at least it was dry. Turned out to be a beautiful ride all day and all
returned safe.
As a club ride it was a very ordinary effort but personally it was a brilliant
weekend, thank you to those who accompanied me to make it so. It’s a shame we
can’t all ride together or perhaps help plan other rides and submit to the club
for all to enjoy, I’m sure this then would help keep the club riding as a club
and not as a bunch of Brown’s Cows.
MJC
Moree Take Two
There were 19 bodies
staying at the alternate accom in Moree, the Moree Hot Springs Resort, just down
the road from the Caravan Park where the rest of the group stayed. The forecast
when we left home Saturday morning was for "Highland Snow, Showers and
Gale-force Winds".
The Resort/Motel was very good with modern motel style rooms, including reverse
cycle air cons (very important). The pools are very large, inside a double story
complex, the 4 pools are all different temperatures. The resort also has a
restaurant and a courtesy bus. George, who travelled by car, very kindly agreed
to ferry us to the Tavern for dinner Saturday night where we met the rest for a
dinner for 30 bodies.
Some travelled to Moree Friday, some Saturday, some went home Sunday and some
Monday.
We went home Sunday stopping for Breaky at Bellata Road House, then a reasonably
quick trip home.
regards, Dave McIntyre
Mungo Brush Ride Report
8 Bikes and 15 Bods
set of on a perfect winter morning from Singleton Maccas in a couple of
different directions. Max tried to round up the strays but they got away until
we caught them up at Dungog where a pleasant morning tea was had sitting in the
sunshine. For once we had as many BMW’s present as Hondas, if Johnny would have
come, we would have even outnumbered them. We departed there, and despite my
best attempts to get us lost, travelled via various roads eventually ending up
at Mungo Brush to wait for the Ferry to take us across to the café overlooking
the water.
After paying our $3 each to cross, we enjoyed a leisurely lunch with the bird
life in close attendance ready to swoop at any chance. One Kookaburra, not only
got one of Lyn’s wedges, he had the audacity to stop and dip it in the cream
before he left…..When it was time to depart, a short discussion was held with
the prospect of travelling back via Bulahdelah mentioned. When he head there was
some 8 klm of dirt involved, Mick generously offered to pay anyone who could not
afford the fare back across the ferry to discourage any such foolishness. An
uneventful but pleasant ride home completed a great day out, with Robbie leading
a couple of us on some very enjoyable mobile chicane dodging between Raymond
Terrace and Home. Thank you all for your company and I hope the couple of new
adventurers will join us again on some future rides.
Cheers Oigy
Long way to Scone ride report
Sunday morning saw 5 bikes and 8 bodies leave Singleton under the ominous threat from looming rain clouds. Sure enough down it came in buckets, leaving me to wonder why people of somewhat mature years (some more mature than others) would want to be gallivanting around the country side on bloody motorbikes in early monsoonal rain as opposed to sitting at home in comfortable chair, slippers on, steaming mugs of good coffee and Sunday papers on lap. The rain ceased at Jerry's Plains, sunshine and perfect bike weather. Morning tea at Merriwa, where Max would have devoured his tomato and cheese sangers that he ordered with gusto if only they had made them for him. Off to Scone through Bunnan and Owen's Gap, a first for me and a beaut ride. I'm sure I heard Nico break the sound barrier three or four times and at lunch there was much deliberation as to the feasibility of cramming a "Hyabusa Power Plant " into a motor scooter. Apparently that could happen at any time !Enjoyable lunch at the Royal Hotel Scone and then a leisurely ride down the highway home. When a day's ride finishes like that it makes me realise just why we brave the elements to do what we do ! John M.
Delinquent Dubbo Dashers
We set off from Singleton on schedule all be it a few light, (I hope the flu has run it’s course young John) McGee, and picked up three trouble makers at Muswellbrook and onto Scone for a pair of rabble raising bikes and the ten of us set off for Merriwa. Extremely pleasant weather and next to nil traffic, very good cruising conditions. After Merriwa we decided to do our share to assist in eliminating the locust plagues. Dave suggested I crank up my screen like he and Oigy and the rest of the ST’s could, but no, how else can one enjoy the thud, splat, thump, the sting and the time to clean off the yellow slurry after every stop. Wouldn’t miss it for the world. The laughter at every stop while we ambled off to scrub up was worth every dead locust and grass hopper. Mind you we were a lot better off than a group of 6 or so “tough” Harley riders with open faces heading from Dunedoo to Merriwa. Would have loved to have seen them half way through it all. While some went via the Cape of Good Hope to Dubbo six of us arrived at the motel clocked on and went into town for some lunch and a visit to the Gaol. Yes we did manage to get Dave and Donna back out, though the Gaol officials were dead set keen on keeping them in, well Dave anyway. The Globetrotters arrived as we made our way back to the motel and we scrubbed up and ventured to the Bowling club for a few pleasant ales and an even better dinner. The girls did a great job in the queue at the Bistro. 40 minutes to order dinner and about ten to get it. The meals certainly worth the wait. We breakfasted around eight AM and sauntered off by nine. Lovely conditions once again to Wellington and Gulgong cool and clear and traffic no problem. We did catch up with a few more bugs and locusts but no where near the magnitude of Sat. From Gulgong some decided to visit the Gulf this time and three bikes continued home. A lovely weekend ride and a great time was had by all. Mind you still cleaning the yellow and black goop off the jackets and helmets and gloves and trousers. MJC.
Shoal Bay Ride Report
Well, wonderful weather preceded an even better ride today, as we had a gentle sojourn to Shoal Bay. John McGee was sure that I never knew where we were going and furthermore didn’t know how to get there.After today he will probably say “see I told you so”. Eleven bikes and seventeen bodies made the most of a wonderful day and travelled via the vineyards, Maitland, Patterson, Morpeth, Raymond Terrace, Williamtown and eventually Port Stephens, to enjoy lunch at the Country Club at Shoal Bay.Oigy has got to cut out the finger gestures even when those four wheeled poor excuse for drivers abuse the generosity of a group of bikes and attempt to barge their way into our roads. Good work Dave, keep him in check. MJC
Gulgong Day Ride
Only a few brave souls set out on a wet and miserable ride to Gulgong for lunch. It got too wet for one couple who decided at Merriwa that enough was enough and turned back for home. Those intrepid wanderers left continued on where lo and behold, the rain cleared and by all reports a pleasant lunch was had by all and an uneventful trip home in the dry.
GEELONG AGM Ride Reports:
There were 6 bikes and 11 bodies in the group
that I was with that took the 'short cut' via Broken Hill and The Great Ocean
Road. There was another group from Singleton that went down through the Snowies,
total about 20 bodies, from the Upper Hunter Group. Considering the size of our
group, that is an excellent roll-up.
We left Saturday morning, in the rain, met the Singleton folk in Denman. The
rain stopped there and it was to not rain again for the entire trip!
We travelled through the Locust swarms on our way to Cobar for our first night.
Don't they make a mess? First job was to clean the bikes which were covered in
bright yellow 'stuff', then into the pool for a swim.
Next day we headed for Broken Hill, steady at first looking out for roos, then
'quite quick' for the last cupla hundred klms. Fuelled up at Wilcannia, $1.19
per litre! Why would anyone live there?
Next night was Swan Hill, then through the Grampians to Halls Gap for the
following night. None of us knew Robbie could play the Piano so well. Next
morning we headed for Port Fairy and fish n chips for lunch, ask McGee about the
lighthouse there, although he probably doesn't remember!
Then is was off to Port Campbell to over night, I can certainly recommend the
pub meals there. Next morning we had breaky at Apollo Bay (nice spot), following
the Great Ocean Road. Arrived at Geelong about lunch time, pulled up at the
registration area with the other group from Singleton pulling up beside us.
We all stayed together in Geelong, taking over the entire motel, along with the
Grafton group.
We did all the tourist things, the AGM activities were all well organised, and
the Dinner on the Saturday night was a massive exercise, 5000 meals were served
that night. We also had a couple of drinks.
Sunday morning we left Geelong, headed for the Queenscliff/Sorrento ferry. John
McGee then got us all lost trying to find the highway to Bairnsdale. You really
need to get yourself a map John.
From Bairnsdale it was up into the mountains heading for Albury. By this time
Bear didn't know where he was going or even where he was coming from. Then more
mountains on our way to Cooma. Left Cooma in thick fog, but not cold (which is
unusual for Cooma) on our way down to the coast and to overnight in Ulladulla.
The next day we headed home arriving about 2pm. We had done 4,570klms all up, in
less than two weeks.
The ride through the mountains was well worth doing, Mt Hotham and Thredbo were
both cool but dry and great scenery. We had a copper intent on booking us on our
way to Thredbo, but on this occasion we were too clever, so he booked someone
else.
Kerry laid his bike down on his way to Geelong, only skinned his knuckles.
Anyone who doesn't wear Draggin Jeans should talk to Kerry about them. I hope
your ST is fixed soon. I think we stopped at nearly every Bakery we saw on the
trip.
Next year the AGM is in Canberra, you need to be booking this NOW, some of us
are going to NZ for a month instead.
2006 AGM is in Tasmania, quite a few of us have had this accom booked for about
a year already, 2007 AGM has now been confirmed for Coffs Harbour.
regards,
Dave McIntyre
And Another from Mick and Beth:
Well everyone could say all had a great trip down to Geelong along many different ways. Bricks, planes and only one mishap which could have been a lot worse. Only the brick/Kerry was very lucky to get scars to remind him of the trip. Probably another new brick on the way. Everyone has many stories to tell as there was many different rides coming home as well. I am sure you will hear some of them.
Beth and Mick.