Coolah Ride – Sunday 6th May 07.

Five bike and ten bodies from Singleton joined three bikes and four bodies
at Muswellbrook, where on arrival a Singleton cruiser rider demonstrated
the default parking position should riders decline the side stand option.
Interesting stuff. In cool but clear weather the group proceeded to Aromas
Murrurundi for coffee and cake, where one bike and two people abandoned
the Coolah cause in favour of watching family compete in finals of a horse
event at Murrurundi.
Seven remaining bikes continued on to Quirindi where things became
disjointed. A sprint down one west-leading road found gravel, and that route
was abandoned. At the second road west some confusion and misunderstood
hand signals resulted in half the group approaching Caroona from the south
while others continued on and approached Caroona from the north. A regroup
was effective at Spring Ridge and all continued on to Coolah.
A quiet lunch was taken on the patio of the Black Stump Hotel, and we
observed that not much happened on the other side of the Black Stump on
Sundays. To provide some activity one bike departed for Gulgong and six
departed for Merriwa, Denman, then Muswellbrook or Singleton. A brilliant
day, goods roads (when we found the one we wanted), convivial company and
about 500km under the wheels. Bill Tindale.

 Three Day Ride

Preso Simmo said mount up, Donna replied “is that an offer” and without any further comment three bikes departed singleton macca’s for Port Macquarie (the long way) via Gresford, Dungog, and on to Gloucester for coffee, then off thru Barrington, along thunderbolts way towards Walcha, Max & lyn on the Honda St in the lead Donna close behind on the Suzuki and Neil and Janet on the newly acquired Valkyrie bringing up the rear. 10km short of Walcha Neil decided to switch to reserve just in case but it being Friday 13th Ruby (the Dragon Valkyrie) had other ideas and stopped roaring. The NRMA responded from Walcha bringing 10 litres of premium to get her going. An hour later we found a piece of foreign matter in the fuel tap that wasn’t letting anything through. Well that all fixed up into town we went and hooked up with Mark and Dianne on the BMW who were having a long lunch (waiting). Then off across the Oxley through a thousand 35kph corners to Port Macquarie where we were greeted with Champagne on arrival by our ride Coordinators Keith and his young lass Silvia, at a classy motel he had arranged. Saturday morning escorted by Keith and Silvia (in Lewis the Statesman) we headed north up thru Kempsey to Clybucca for breakfast then on to Coffs Harbour macca’s where we were accosted by a tall ex Muswellbrook retired chappie (Matt Swanburg) about to have a meeting with some natcom people about an upcoming event. Donna took advantage of someone’s hospitality and test rode a Motto Guzzi around the car park saying something about the beautiful noise of the staintubes and wonderful vibrations from the machine? … Well on the road again and via Nana glen up to Grafton forlunch.Sunday Morning the four bikes and Lewis (The Statesman) headed to Uralla for breakfast then Lewis had to take Keith and Silvia home while the rest of us headed on to Nundle for lunch where we were joined by the day riders led by Preso Jim and Colleen on their Valkyrie, also present were, George and Sandie on their ST, Albert & Roz on their Yamaha, Barrie on His Triumph and Lindsay and Margaret on their Harley. Lunch and a chat followed by the unwinding of the wagons from the circle and eight bikes headed down the valley for home. Neil Jacobs.