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See the Runsheet
Snowy trip 19/20/21 October
Attendees:
List people and their bikes:
Brendan Byrne Suzuki GSX-R 750
David Malss Kawasaki ZX9R
Heath Tyson YZF-1000
Pat Heslewood TDM
Peter Lawson R6
Richard Speedy Honda CBR 9
Rudi Pamminger Yamaha R1
Tony Acar XJR1200
Friday 19th Roll-call 8:30am Narellan
4 arrivals at chez HH and off to Narellan McDonalds
Fuel and brekky at Narellan and Postie Pat leaves voicemail to say that
he will take the Hume and meet at Berridale that evening.
A quick call to Peter to say we are off and will meet at his house in
Burradoo. First bit of fun is to go up and over Razorback. A careful stroll
through Picton and the surrounds to Yerrinbool, before a blast down Old
South Road. First casualty is Cowboy-Rudi's bandanna, which is rescued
by one of the crew. Thankfully that was the only near casualty on the
trip.
Regroup at Peter's place and we are off to do Kangaroo Valley, soon the
R1 and GSXR1000 are setting the pace with a surprisingly clear run down
the pass.
We regroup at Nowra and crawl through town to South Nowra for our first
refuel session - thankfully we find that PULP is now in abundant supply
outside of the capital centres. Bikes refuelled followed by a leg stretch
and we are off to Bateman's Bay for lunch.
A few clouds threaten but nothing comes of them despite the wind picking
up on the coast. An uneventful run to Batemans Bay results in lunch at
a café where the wind cools us off too quickly and we make a B-line
for tables inside. We depart just as a few drops of rain appear- they
disappear as quickly as the came and we head for Moruya for a refuel stop.
From Moruya we enjoy the Princess Highway - hard to believe a top bike
road as this is Highway-1 - along the way Echidna rescue is called upon
to shepherd a little fella across the road who just did not want to be
picked up (mental note: Echidna spines will pierce motorcycle gloves -
ouch !). A brisk pace continues and we all get with the flow until the
turnoff to Cooma just before Bega.
A quick regroup and count of the bikes (feel like mother chicken now)
and we crank on the fun. The wind on the ridges has started to pick up
and the side wind is quite a buffeting experience - I guess similar to
what the racers experience at Phillip Island - one minute it's a gale
on the right - next nothing - then it's from the left. Concentration is
key to prevent our steeds being blown off course into the mulga.
A regular regroup occurs in the town of Bemboka and we continue to Nimitabel
and enjoy some fantastic high-speed sections and sweepers into Cooma where
we stretch and refuel. The temperature has really started to drop with
wind-fleece and winter gloves being donned by those who have brought them.
Here we now have a short run to Berridale that we complete incident free.
Once at Berridale we pay our accommodation - check the rooms and start
to make our way to the bar. As it is after 5pm the locals have started
to appear. First a bit of maintenance is performed - chains lubed and
then the bikes parked in the publican's garage. Beers are drawn and consumed
with Rudi's mind quickly wandering to FOOD - feed me !! We are all a bit
knackered after 600+ KM from Sydney and decide food might be a good idea,
after a few more beers are downed.
After dinner we decide to retire to the bar for a bit of local watching
- Ms $2 tries to hit us hard for some coins for the jukebox, we would
have gladly given her the money but we think she had eyes on some other
action as her payment - no thanks!! Brendan is carefully positioned as
an offering of jail bait should the situation warrant. Thankfully we escape
half smoked out by 9:30pm with our dignity still intact. But not before
Dogga (sic) and his mates clean up at the pool table.
Apparently the snorers in each room do not fail to disappoint their room-mates
during the night. Unfortunately due to no real curtains in the rooms we
are all awake by around 6:30am.
A quick brekky is consumed and we are ready to roll by 8:30am. It seems
that the ritual of warming bikes up then warming tires before giving it
the berries is not going to be followed. Once each bikes engine temperature
is optimal the blast to Adaminaby is dispensed in admirable time. Despite
the cool weather no damp patches on the road so we are able to commit
fully to each and every corner. What we do glimpse of the scenery is magic.
The wind of the previous day has disappeared and the sky is cloud free.
A perfect day for a punt through the best roads this country has to offer.
Adaminaby is a regroup and fuel stop location with bike swapping being
the order of the day. After leaving Adaminaby we start the run to Tumut
- this is serious bike country and the skilled riders are setting the
pace. You start to get into the zone, you see a corner, setup the bike
and body position, turn, cut the apex, and wind the throttle on hard as
you prepare for the start of in excess of 1000 corners we come across
this day.
Some riders find the yellow lines of the alpine country oddly distracting
and find it difficult to keep a constant rhythm - this soon sorts itself
out. No sooner than we are bounding along, than we come across Steve and
his GSXR1000 stopped by the road. The front tire (just fitted days before
the trip) has decided to suddenly deflate. Much time is spent looking
for leaks, using Heath's portable pump we inflate to test. We end up deducing
that the tire place had not fitted the tire properly and the bead of the
tire must not have been seated properly. The spirited riding must have
upset the bead and caused the deflation.
We continue through magic country-side on our way to Tumut - with the
odd bit of fine blue gravel on apexes that causes several heart-stopping
moments as bikes step out under power. Brendan declares that he would
like to meet the Mr Gravel Man and explain why it is not motorcycle friendly
- Dogga would be happy to discuss Brendan ( I've been loved and I'm bleedin').
Steve double checks the tire and does a 60 PSI pressure test - all OK,
so it's of to Tumburumba for lunch.
Lunch at one of the pubs in Tumburumba seems to bring the most business
they have seen for some time. The wait for our meals takes a while when
the mum and grand-ma show bring lunch through.
After lunch a few of the locals and kids come to gawk at the bikes making
statements like - "I bet these go". Rudi to assist diplomatic
relations takes one of the kids for a blast on the tank of Heath's bike,
he omits the obligatory stoppie on his return so that mum/dad could catch
junior.
We now make our way to the Elliot Way turn off, some fantastic scenery
and a top hill descent with a regroup at the bottom prior to the scamper
up the other side
It is at the end of the day that Steve comments that Saturday has been
like a 600km track day - we all concur prior to visiting the bar for beers.
We ended up being too knackered to lube chains so the bikes are parked
for the night.
Nine hungry lads descend on the local Chinese and the wine and beer flows.
We order enough to feed the famine and demolish the lot, desert and all.
We return to the bar for more bevvies and Steve starts taking a few digital
photo's resulting in a missed photo opportunity of the local female flasher.
Rudi is requested to kindly ask the local lass to do it again for a close-up,
the gentleman that is Rudi, is elected but declines despite her appearing
to being willing.
We retire tired, full on sportsbike riding takes its toll.
Sunday 21st, the return trip.
Once again thanks to the limited curtains and clear skies we are all
awake nice and early. A quick packing session is followed by retrieval
of the bikes from the garage. (Richard feels that at this time of the
morning, leathers are over rated for moving bikes. - Brendan) We start
the warm up of the bikes and some basic maintenance, some of the riders
think their bikes will need oil - but it is due to the cold climate turning
engine oil into treacle that fools us.
No one is really awake except for the publican's kids who accidentally
activate the pubs alarm - anyone who was intending to sleep in is soon
awake.
Again the plan is to take a lazy stroll into Cooma - since the bikes
are already at operating temperature we enjoy a spirited ride into the
town. Bikes are refuelled as planned (we could have left the previous
afternoons fuel stop at Jindabyne out). Pat decides that pushing his machine
in the company of extreme sportsbikes is not wise and farewells us here
in Cooma.
Now the run through to the start of Brown Mountain - the decent reveals
a dry road with broken tarmac on the approaches to the corners - care
is needed to prevent any mishaps.
A regroup on the plain below and a quick bike swap allows the group to
head for the coast. Traffic is nice and light and as a group we make good
time into Moruya for a refuel and lunch at the local fish and chip shop.
After lunch we continue along the main highway to Batemans Bay where at
the exit we turn to Kings Tableland Highway - something we were all keen
to try on our sportsbikes.
The highway starts with some average though good quality road before we
come to the section that leads us up to the tableland. It is this aggressive
hill climb that has the tin tops gasping as we rocket past them - bounding
from one corner to another.
At the top there is a gathering around a damaged motorcycle on the left
hand side of the road. We pass it to park some 500m away so as not to
add to the spectacle. It is later revealed that a Ducati (infamous for
dodgy sidestands) has been ridden off with the sidestand down - first
left corner the rider has leant into and down he has come - no major damage
to the rider or bike.
We continue through some nice countryside that eventually takes us by
Goulburn. Goulburn is the place selected for an afternoon snack - "The
Paragon" is descended upon by 8 riders in full leathers (bug splattering
plus) only a few patrons look up from their scones and tea. We take one
booth for us and another for our helmets jackets - no one complains.
After our afternoon refreshments we take another new section that Peter
has previously scouted for us (end result is we are only on the Hume for
3KM).
This some nice fast road up and down dale with the odd wombat - huge buggers
!
At the end of this piece of great challenging road we rejoin the Hume
for a refuel stop (the last for the trip) - plod is busy with someone
in a ute - we motor quietly by.
Heath elects to take the Hume home due to commitments and general feeling
of being knackered.
Next stop is Peter's house for some refreshments and the group splits
up some more with similar reasons to Heath earlier.
An uneventful trip home is had by the crew, confirmed by the odd SMS
sent to mobiles.
1820KM parked at home. New tires for some - sleep for all - and a bike
wash, tomorrow.
Memorable quotes.
· Dogga - need we say any more ?
· Female at Berridale Inn: "Any of you boys got two dollars
?" . Chorus: "NO !!!!"
· Can we do it again ? (a common request whenever we completed
a top bit of road)
· Its just like a 600KM track day - towards the end of Saturday's
road section.
Highlights of the trip.
· Alpine region has the finest roads one could ask for.
· The best test rides - bike swaps galore in the alpine region,
more manufacturers should try this formula.
· Top company
· Shagged rear tires - for all the right reasons
· Responsible riding - no pressure on anyone to outride their abilities
· Brilliant weather and road conditions - blue gravel permitting
· No dirt roads
· No one got punctures, ran out of fuel, or got lost.
By Richard Speedy.
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