[SYD] Weekly Midweek Netride 14/12

Tuesday, December 14th, 10:15am, Berowra Mobil, to Mt White for breakfast
then wherever the majority decides.

 

.. Today was a good time to find out! I eased on the brakes and

sounds like you needed a Ducati behind just to get the harmonics right.

 

farkin funny look on your face that day mate.

 

Ride Report


After performing the pre-flight ritual and wheeling the Road Toad out of
the shed, my earlier morning weather forecast, scratching the nuts while
sipping coffee on the veranda and looking at the sky, was further
confirmed. Even at this ungodly hour, pre-lunch, the sun was starting to
get a kick to it and there wasn't a cloud in the sky. I was glad Clem had
remembered to get the sunscreen at the GP, year before last, and knew that
I wouldn't regret slopping the last of the remnants on.

As is par for the course I was running late and greeted by a man holding a
stop and go sign at the end of my road. After watching the seemingly
endless stream of single lane traffic for near on eternity, I spotted a
gap coming up in front of a truck. Sign man looked at me, I looked at the
gap, he looked at the gap, I looked at him, we both looked at the stopped
traffic from the other direction, he signalled them to stay, gave me the
nod and I was under way. After a quick fuel stop on the freeway, and a
friendly discussion with the lady on possible destinations for the day, as
well as the obligatory promise of having a beer for her, it was time to
negotiate the juggernauts who think that merging with b-doubles is safest
to do with a 50kmh speed differential and then sit side by side for the
next 5km just to be sure. As much as I hate freeways and the idiots that
inhabit them, time dictated that I forgo the fun roads. The Harley was
purring, only slowing occasionally for the potential hazard spots, which
payed good dividends, and the sun was shining. Bewdiful anyway. Well,
except for the first bee sting of the season, right between my eyes.

I arrived at the meeting place seven minutes late, had a quick look
around, checked the stinger was gone, talked to myself and decided we
should hightail it to Mt. White for a stop, revive, survive. The twisties
beckoned and the Toad responded as it barked up the cuttings and glided
down the sweepers. The occasional sparkling spring water hissing
momentarally as we passed overhead but offered no objection. Not even the
tar snakes had been in the sun long enough to dissuade our ever increasing
centrifugal forces. Even the push bike riders were keeping well left and
smiling bemusedly at our antics. It was all coming together nicely.

Having survived and being fully revived it was time to stop. Road Warriors
Cafe was unaccustomedly deserted for some reason, except for Max and his
staff and a Highway Patrolman enjoying smoko. By the time I was halfway
through my coffee a few other lost souls had started to wonder in. Had a
yarn to a few familiar faces then decided to hit the frog and toad. The
netride was a bit of a fizzer so I planned on heading home and getting a
few jobs done.

Had some more of the same riding, though at a more leisurely pace for
obvious reasons, up to Calga. Turned off up the Peats Ridge Road and had a
great run along the more open stretches of road to Kulnura. I saw some
oranges for sale (2 bags for $5) and made a mental note to grab some on
the way back for juicing (get vodka too). I had a message to drop off at
the servo so what better excuse than to indulge in a 'Mary's greatest
hamburger' for lunch. It was while I was having my digestion durry that
good thoughts started entertaining my mind. ****, who needs to do jobs
when Wollombi is just down the road!

Fuelled up and me and the Toad were back on the road heading the wrong way
down the Wollombi road. It's a bit bumpy along here but we were cracking a
fairly good pace past Bucketty when we came up behind a BMW car spitting
stones and wind blown debris up everywhere. I started having more of those
good thoughts as we descended the Mt. McQoid hill. There's a dirt road
down here that takes you to St. Albans and Wisemans Ferry. Me and Cam had
been wondering what sort of condition this road was in on a previous
netride. Today was a good time to find out! I eased on the brakes and
started changing down ready to turn, letting the BMW go careering on
ahead.

The top section of this road, down to about the Great Northern Road
(walk), didn't look much but I noticed the corrugations were smoother than
last time and there were only a couple of small wash aways from the recent
rain. From here it just got better. By the time you hit the creek flats
down the bottom it's bliss. All up it's about 35k's and while a bit
gravelly in places from the road base, not overly so. Powerslides through
and out of the corners were the order of the day. Now's the time to make
the most of this great shortcut from Wollombi to Wiso's. I passed an old
BM on the way down and thought it may have been Woody lost on his way back
from the Candelo markets but it was in way too good nick!

What better place to wash the dust down than St. Albans pub! This old
stone pub nestled by the river has always been a favourite of mine on hot
summer days. It hasn't changed in as long as I can remember and probably
hasn't for the last two hundred years. Just watch the well worn step/dip
on the way in.

The 10k's of dirt along the northern side of the river to Wisemans was a
pleasant surprise too. They had a grader, water truck and roller just
finishing it all off. From here it was back onto the bumpy stuff as we
wound our way along the meandering Hawkesbury river, with a cheer from the
public bar tree patrons at Spencer, then back up into the hills to
Mangrove Mountain. I didn't see one car going in the same direction along
here and the only truck pulled over and waved us past. Back up to Kulnura,
across Yarramalong Valley and up to home for a well earned thirst!

Shit, I forgot the oranges...

 

Back you go then.

Moike

 

Bastard. With your new pipe at least other poor unsuspecting bastards
might have half a chance at figuring it out!

 

They were all gone. I'll try again tomorrow!

 

I thought I had, at either Canberra or Wollommbi, but now you mention it
you may have been on the Suzy last time. I remember you mentioning it.
Doesn't matter, I've seen it now anyway!

Just out of curiosity... I presume you took the road over the bridge from
St Albans and along the south side of the river. How was that bit of dirt,
freshly graded too? Compared to bit we rode down and bearing in mind I
thought it was great.