Eurotune invitation! 31st January.......

Anders and Helen from Eurotune have returned from their annual pilgrimage to Tamworth.

To Celebrate their return,and Anders' appointment as National President of "The Institute of Automotive Engineers" (the association for the elite technician) they inviting all our friends ( that must be us!) and all members of the IAME to come over and share a barbecue and the music of Gleny Ray Virus and her Tamworth Playboys.

BYOG. 7.00pm kick off. 
Casual evening affair for good music and great people.

144 Uriarra Road
Queanbeyan. NSW 2620

http://www.eurotunemotorcycles.com/eurotunemotorcyclesupcomingevents.html

Gleny Ray Virus and her Tamworth Playboys

Sun 19th Jan – Chomp & Chat and Rusty Riders to Jugiong (Long Track Pantry)

The "in" crowd

Riders gathered at Nicholls hoping for some relief from the 40 degrees heat from the previous few days.
After some discussion Ian Patterson was appointed ride leader and we headed of to Harden's Terra Cota cafe.
By the time we got there it had started to warm up and we lingered over various refreshments for some time.
It was now getting close to lunch so it was off to the Long Trek cafe at Jugiong. Due to the heat and time the option of the most direct route was taken.
We arrived to find the cafe both busy and crowded, however we found a table under the veranda to accommodate all of us.

The "out" crowd

The service and speed that  our food was served should be the benchmark that many like venues should strive for.
After the usual discussions on how to solve the worlds problems by mid afternoon most had headed for home.
Thank you Michael & Ian for running the ride and despite the heat a great day was had by all.

Richard Hay

Riders

• Gary & Nicole Dunne         Yamaha XT 1200z
• Chris Dobel                         GTR 1400
• Karen Clarke                       Yamaha Roadliner
• Kerry Mulgue                     R100RT
• Janet Mulgue                      AN 650
• Steve Acford                       Guzzi V7
• Ian Paterson                        GL 1800
• Genelle Mills.                     Triumph Bonneville
• Michael Winters                 Triumph Trophy
• Gary McDonald                   BMW R100S
• Kim Moorey                        BMW F700gs
• Ron Tito                               Honda 650 Deauville
• Richard Hay                        Triumph Explorer

Decide and Ride - 12th Jan 2014

Members of our ride group consisted of:

• Kevin Shanley       Suzuki bandit   1250
• Shelley Shanley    Kawasaki ZX6R 
• Mike Kelly         Suzuki V Strom 1000
• Mark Farrell          Kawasaki Vulcan 900
• Michael Winters   Triumph Trophy SE

We met at the Caltex at Hume with the weather already getting warm. After a short discussion we decided to head to the newly opened Roselea Café on Braidwood Road at Lake Bathurst. We were joined by Mark Farrell who wanted to tag along just to see if we have two heads or not. 

We took the tourist route, turning back through Queanbeyan, down Yass Rd, along Norton Rd, down the hill to Bungendore, before turning left and following our noses to Tarago then onto Lake Bathurst.

The Café was clean and spacious and Mike informed us that the coffee and food was of a high standard.

Roselea Cafe

We moved in and set up our table and chairs to enjoy freshly made scones and cream, tasty wraps, eggs benedict and other dishes. And the coffee was great. 

After a long stop we headed across to Goulburn, then to Gunning via Breadalbane to have another rest break at the Bentley on Hume Café. We made good use of their outdoor setting under the shade of trees in their garden enjoying another break from the heat. 

After having our refreshments we climbed aboard our steeds to head home and away from the heat of the day.

I would like to thank all those who shared in a great ride on a hot day into our neighbouring region.

Regards

Mick

Thredbo - 22 December 2013

Riders:

• Ian Paterson (leader)    GL1800
• Garry McCurley        VFR1200
• Neil Goldfinch        Blackbird
• Peter Reid            M109
• Jeff Jarvis            Triumph America
• Chris Dietzel            GTR1400
• Graham Williams        ZZR600
• Hugh Spencer & Bev Lang    R1200R

The temperature was forecast to hit 38 degrees in the afternoon so our ever-caring ride leader offered the alternative of a short morning ride so we could all be at home sitting around the pool, drinks in hand, when it got hot.
 
It was a pathetic attempt at a sham democracy. The rest of the riders saw through this cowardly, self-serving offer and insisted on being taken to Thredbo and back, no matter how awful it might be for the man out in front.

So we left Hume and headed south on the inspirational Monaro Highway. The Sunday before Christmas was chosen for this ride because our ride leader has this idea that there’s no traffic on the roads that weekend because everyone is doing their Christmas shopping. It was nice in theory, but in practice, with Christmas Day the following Wednesday, it seemed that vast hordes had taken the Monday and Tuesday off work and were already en route to their Christmas destinations.

Traffic or no, hot or cold, rain or snow, the plan was to ride directly to Jindabyne and stop there for coffee, fuel and national park stickers. However, by the time we got to Cooma it was already warming up and the ride leader enticed the ride followers into the Scottish restaurant on the way into town for sustenance and air conditioning.

Plan B now came into effect, which was just Plan A without coffee at Jindabyne. The ride across the Monaro plains was less than idyllic as there was a strong northerly wind which buffeted us from the right hand side at every opportunity. The buffetry was so fierce that Hugh and Bev pulled out at Berridale so as not to aggravate Hugh’s neck injury.

The rest of us got fuel and park stickers in Jindabyne and headed up into Kosciuszko National Park. By now we pretty much had the road to ourselves (except for one unusually intelligent kangaroo that decided not to jump out in front of us) so the ride up to Thredbo was lots of fun. After a photo stop overlooking the village, I sent the others on ahead to Dead Horse Gap, a few kilometres further on. When I got there, there was no-one to be seen. Fearing they might not stop till they reached Khancoban, and thus cause me to miss lunch, I gave chase and fortunately found them huddled together, looking lost and bewildered, a few bends further on.

After another photos stop back at Dead Horse Gap, we returned to Thredbo, where it was a breezy 25 degrees, and dined in the Thredbo Alpine Hotel’s pub area. I had a “Top 2 Bottom” beef burger. I’m not sure if it was so named because of the route it was about to take through my alimentary canal or because we were at a ski resort. Either way, it was very nice to eat as we sat and spun yarns for the best part of an hour.

There was a bit more traffic on the way back to Cooma, where it had now reached 33 degrees. We returned to the Scottish restaurant for cool drinks and, in some cases, disgustingly flavoured slushy things. You live and learn.

We said our farewells and headed back up the wondrous Monaro Highway, passing SUV after SUV packed with kids, Christmas presents, bicycles, boats, painkillers and anti-depressants. The temperature hit 35 degrees by the time we got to Bredbo, 36 degrees at the Tuggeranong turnoff and peaked at 38 degrees as I rode along Parkes Way towards Belconnen. 

The heat notwithstanding, it had been a very enjoyable day.

Ian Paterson