Sunday 6 July - Putty Rd to Wollombi

From Grant

Not even the rats at my "luxurious nest" were awake when I crawled out of bed after a bad dream about sprocket nut lock washers. Shit gotta check that b4 this big ride to Dr Jurds place. Oh well greasy fingers on a Sunday morning gotta be better than - nah bullshit - I like the other..... Oh well, dream was right, bent the washer over and put her all back together again, even gave her a wash.

Down at the Sheep station the usual suspects were waiting, not a cloud in the sky, filled her up with Optimax, who gives a shit about all that bullshit, she was going to get a flogging anyway, that I knew for sure!!

The crowd all gathered for caffeine at Trenties eager to hit the Putty. Next stop Colo river, what 4 I dunno, I rode right on past for the first taste of Optimax and to warm the tyres up yehaaa!! Past the crew on the way back, now theres a challenge lets see how good this Optimax is!!

Shit some of you ride fast!! Well the photos are there to prove it we all made the Halfway mark. Everyone beaming, shit did you all fuel up on the old Opty as well!! Only premium here well that will just have to do, its down hill all the way to the Dr's anyway!!

Tagged onto the back of a Tassie Tiger on a Flamin R1, now that boy knows how to ride that wet shady corners, must be from all those years escaping his relatives. Ah well if he can I can, shit don't pay top $$ for these Rennsports to let him blow me off!! Hi 5's at the Broke turnoff all round, then onto the Dr's.

Yeah guys, that thing between your legs, no that other thing, is a fuel tank, and you either put Opty, Premium or if desparate just plain unleaded in it, oh well you all know how far you can go on reserve now don't you.

Burgers at the Dr's and a couple of beers and we're off to EPA territory, got me trusty label legally glued where the sun don't shine, those nasties are not taking the piss out of me Yosh, more good $$ have been spent on that. Loaded with caffeine again for some old road boogy, not a blue light to be seen or even an L Plater, loved the water runoffs on some of those corners - yeah me Tassie mate has taught not to let that stuff interfere with a good corner.

Still wearing me leathers in front of the TV watching the F1 at 1am, shit does a day get any better than that?

- Bad Dog

Sunday 13 July - Seven Mile Beach

From Soph

Sunday’s ride was perfect: beautiful weather, fantastic roads and a yummy lunch!

We set off from Gymea nice and tidily, all 25-odd bikes in a row, and gradually split up along the Nasho until Stanwell Tops – a bit damp, but the road was it’s usual twisty self. Here we dutifully filled in the MCC survey forms (Illawarra motorcyclist research!) and posed for Chris’ piccies. Then we headed off toward Mt Keira along the Old Princes Highway and the freeway – gotta love that huuuuuuge hill along there – and Troy enjoyed posing for Rob’s camcorder, a la Las Vegas Extreme (he’s only had the bike since Friday!!!!!). Suddenly we came to Mt Keira, swapping six lanes for about one half, and headed into the trees for some nice twisties.. that is until our casualty came off on a big muddy corner (my typically crap memory can only remember that your pillion’s name was Lara!!!). Then again, if you’re going to come off you want to do it somewhere soft – there was no serious damage to rider, pillion or bike, though Kerry’s wondrous first aid skills did help tidy up a bloody hand.

On we went down through Wollongong, along to Kiama (nice bends! great view too.. I think!), and finally down to our destination: the Gerroa Boat Fishermen’s Club, purveyor of the finest fish and chips – though one rider didn’t seem to enjoy his chicken tandoori pizza quite so much. We also got a text to say that the injured pair had made it home safely – always good to know! Comfortably full, we trundled round the corner to top up the bikes at the local two-pump Ampol – I don’t think the poor guy knew what was going on, all those bikes on his forecourt – and someone with a blue SV found it necessary to protect the fairing by trapping his leg under it..

The way home was pretty good too, but there was a lot of road glare – not so nice for those without tinted visors, and probably not that good for those with them either. Jamberoo Pass was a bit on the tricky side cos it’s so bloody narrow, but after successfully avoiding the temptation of the Robbo pie shop the trip down Macquarie Pass was lovely – there weren’t even that many cages! The remainder of the trip home was pretty simple, but a nice wind-down along the Old Princes Highway after a good day’s riding :)

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Saturday 26th July - Wakefield Park Track Day

Alright, already! I probably shouldn't write up a track day that I only took a luxury dual cab ute along to, but I will anyway since no one else has stepped up.

pics thanks to Chris Turner

Goulburn was as Goulburn is - cold enough to freeze something(s) off a brass monkey. I was damn glad that I didn't have to brave the elements on a bike - I almost froze to death just being trackside watching the bikes go round. Even WITH THERMIES!!! [Who is this 'Thermies' guy? - Ed.] Friday night was a good night at the bar [Trappers Inn? - Ed.] for the few of us that made it in time for a drink. Jason, Andreas, Scott, Steve and myself had the odd laaaarger while wondering what happened to the weekend organisers (ChrisT and crowd)????? They might have their own LONG story to tell on that one.

[pause and space here for future contributions... - Ed]

I managed to be part of the support crowd (Steve, Joy, and myself) for about four sessions on the track before deciding that it was time to take off for warmer weather... Everyone starting out slowly getting used to freezing tyres and freezing riders. By the first session after lunch (gotta worry about the 'food' at Wakefield), everyone was looking better and more confident. The sessions were over so fast I barely had time to work out who was who.... Jason on his green machine was humming!! The two Ducatis were looking good ["...looking good...". Is that diplomatic language for non-running Ducatis? - Ed.] Grant, ChrisT, and Garry were zipping around like they owned the place.

I'm glad I didn't take my bike in the cold, but I'm damn sure I'll be at the next Wakefield track day with bells on (or something). ["...bells on...or something"! I should hope 'something' more! We don't want everyone crashing!!! - Ed.]

- Ruth, ZR7 & luxury dual cab ute.

Sunday 27th July - To Mt Victoria for Devonshire Tea

Yesterday's ride to Mt Vic was beautifully sunny - and %$#@!*&$#% COLD!!!!!!!!! The nice bloke at the McGraths Hill servo laughed when I told him where we were going, considering he'd turned back from his own ride on Saturday due to snow.. We got to Windsor, spent a few minutes trying to warm up and figuring out who actually knew the way, then set off looking like a bunch of Michelin men on two wheels (plenty of extra layers there). Bells Line of Road was just a wonderful as it ever is - lovely turns, hardly any cars - but even with an extra jumper and quilted Dririder gear, sub-5C temps plus windchill are BAD. I may be English, but I try not to be totally nuts and was soooo glad when the lads turned toward Mty Victoria at Bell - rather than on to Lithgow and back up the pass. It would have been a nice ride, but I wasn't the only one with extremely painful hands by this point.. when I took my gloves off they were the pale-yellow colour of a Post-It note and definitely enjoyed the log fire inside the pub. As it happened, it was actually pretty warm outside once we'd stopped moving and ordered assorted hot meals and drinks (hot choccy.. mm..) - apart from Troy, who decided it wasn't cold enough and headed off for a track afternoon at Eastern Creek. The sun was lovely and bright and the Imperial was full of motorcyclists - must have the same cold [in]tolerance as us! - and there was a fair bit of window shopping going on. Srool turned up too, with 2 litres of orange juice down the side of his bike -DOH! - and Michael was doing a good impression of Chris with his lil digicam. After lunch, some of the group headed right back down the Bells Line of Road again, but others decided that frostbite just wasn't worth it and headed down the Gt Western Hwy instead. A bit on the boring side, possibly wimpy, but more relaxing for me considering I wasn't able to feel my bike's assorted levers earlier on! Ok so the new Krispy Kreme shop at Penrith had something to do with it too, but then the queue was so long when we got there that we gave up on that idea.. :( All in all it was a good short ride, and there never was any snow, but still a long way to go for a nice hot choccy on a @*&^@#$*&% cold day... :)

- Soph

Sunday 20th July - NW Sydney Back Blocks Blast

The late-ish start time of 9:30am stretched a little as we (I) wolfed down service station brekkies and signed up a few newbies. Sixteen willing riders assembled for the day and the sky showed lots of promising blue patches after some overnight showers.

Comenarra Parkway was over in a blur and we regrouped at the servo on Galston Rd. before the gorge. Three decided to go on ahead (freight train, I'm sure) to Wisemans, whilst the rest moto'ed through the Galston - Dural backblocks to connect with the Northern Rd. Traffic was really quite light. Wisemans Pub came up quite quickly so we indulged in an hour or so chinwagging and elbow bending out front of the pub to build our appetites for the Wisemans-Mangrove road and for lunch at Mt.White. Funnily enough, the three speedsters arrived after us! Find some great alternate route, guys??

photos (at Wisemans Pub) thanks to Mike

The riverside strop from Wisemans was damp in many spots, but adrenalising and fun. The old 'Trannie' - Honda Transalp - felt good, flying off hump-back bridges and adjusting my corner line with it's high, wide 'bars. I've always loved the challenge of that mix of blind bends and black (invisible) road repairer's pea-gravel, damp and moss. Keeps one on one's toes!

From the Mangrove intersection with the Peats Ridge - Wollombi road, we headed east, after another short regroup. Nothing unusual to report here, just lovely high speed sweepers then the Old Pacific Hwy, where the usual idiots (not us, truth!) always overtake you just as your leaning into a bend, then you have to stay, baulked, behind them as they wobble into some sembance of a line and woefully slow cornering pace, before they blast their 100 ps plus again, like a bazooka.

Mt.White was nearly crowded, and we found a few familiar faces to enjoy their company and lunch with.

Just when I thought it was safe, I was walloped! - for an obscured (by rego label) licence plate. $78, no points. The policeman tried to do me for the Staintune too, but my bike's age fell outside the legislation. Phew! (I mean, where would I get an original exhaust (locally) for a 16 year old model that sold only about 300 examples in Oz - and half would be crushed/rusted by now.) All in all, a pleasant, short, one tank distance, social day. Now a few more of us have discovered some more of the long-loved edge of Sydney riders roads.

- Tom Torok & 'the Trannie'.