FRE #38 Armidale

Now before I start, dumb dumb here forgot to set the clock on the camera to daylight savings time *face palm*, so you’ll see things are a little askew in the time department.

12:01pm with a start docket firmly packed into the wallet, Dudley & I are off on his first FarRide. Up Bells Line through Lithgow and it’s getting warm. It’s a familiar road the Castlereagh Hway and before long I’m into Capertee (a place I’ve always wanted to stop but never seem to have the time). Capertee has a lookout which I am going to go back to one day to have a look from.

Capertee Hotel

It’s mid afternoon and the heat has really been turned up and with the vents in the jacket open, I’m still sweltering. Time for a comfort stop, a bite to eat (muesli bar) and refuge in the shade at the Mudgee Park. FWIW, the amenities here a very clean for a public area.

Mudgee

The long stretch of the Highway has a variety of fields. Some are luscious and green and then there was this single barren field in among it all…..and what a spectacular view of the sky.

between Mudgee & Dunedoo

Being Friday and around school time, there was a few of these road blocks out and about.

School Bus

Now, I’d seen on FB that another FarRider had located Uranus on his journey but all I managed to find was Disney’s Pluto…there was no sign of Mickey or Minnie anywhere…lol

Pluto

Turning point and fuel stop for this trip was Dunedoo. It’s a quick stop before heading back out onto the Golden Highway to Merriwa. The roads are open and free from the hustle and bustle traffic but those on the roads are dawdling along and Dudley is eager to work his way past them all.

Merriwa Post Office

The sun is behind me and it’s still pretty warm, but I still have a ways to go to get to Mum & Dad’s at Lake Munmorah. By the time I get to the Putty Rd, the pain in my wrist is intolerable (I have been persevering for as long as possible) and I have to pull over an put the throttle rocker on. The traffic is starting to build up now, everyone’s heading home to start their weekends. Onto the Hunter Expressway and I’m not sure where the next fuel stop is. The GPS wants we to go into Newcastle…really!!…I don’t think so and take the M1 to head towards the Morisset / Doyalson turnoff.

Reserve starts flashing just before I pull into the Woolworths servo at Lake Munmorah and fill up ready for the mornings journey. Safely into Mum & Dad’s @ 8:10pm for dinner and a good nights sleep.

Saturday morning the alarm…argh….goes off at 4:45am and Dad & I get up and get ready to start out for the morning so I can make check in on time. Dad’s excited!! He doesn’t get out with his mates much anymore and is so taken aback by the hospitality that the FarRider community shows him and he looks forward to joining me on these sections.

Did someone order a full serve of Pea Soup this morning because that’s what we got. It was so bad that you could barely see a car length in front of you. About Blanford, we had to stop for a comfort stop and to put my cardi on (was a tad chilly). Dad said he’d been shivering razor blades for ages but said it was too much trouble to put his extra layer on and opted for his balaclava instead…..brrrrr.

Once we passed through Willow Tree the fog seemed to lift and it was a good run into Tamworth where we stopped at Maccas for 2nd breakfast. Many other riders stopped at various stages at the adjoining servo while we had a break.

Finally into Armidale and it’s stifling hot – dry hot, park up and start the welcoming. Introduce Dad (aka Mick) to more friends, say “hi” to old friends, meet some new ones and see this other old bugger (oh, I know I gonna pay double for this one) who I haven’t seen for nearly 2 years. He insisted that he didn’t want his photo taken…that’s just a little bit of bad luck but Ghostie, it’s good to see you again. Check in – tick.

Check in

A very busy lunch time at the St Kilda Hotel for lunch today with most of the FarRiders stopping for a good feed.

Lunch @ St Kilda Pub

More hungry FarRiders settling in before we are ushered to the dance floor for the group photo.

Lunch

Alas, we are not stopping in Armidale tonight but heading across the rolling and windy roads for Nambucca Heads with friends.The sun is bearing down on us and I keep an eye on Dad to make sure he is ok. Diesel is leading the way on STella, followed by Growly, then me, Dad, Ian & Anne along Waterfall way, a nice little bike train. They are resurfacing the road along here and we are unfortunately stopped for about 10 minutes in the blazing heat……argh!!!

Keeping an eye on dad

Diesel had mentioned a little detour in Dorrigo to look at some trains. What “trains” in Dorrigo??, even Dad hadn’t heard of trains in Dorrigo but here you are…..the Dorrigo Train Graveyard. Pulled up in the shade and Dad to all our surprise can name the models of half of them.

Dorrigo Train Graveyard

Dad & Diesel having a laugh and being great mates. Pretty impressive scene…oh and the backdrop too!

Great “new” mates

Come on guys, it’s hot and Anne & I need to find a comfort stop, which was provided by the Dorrigo Hotel along with some cold drinks and air conditioning. No time to kick back though, we have the best part of this road to navigate before arriving in Nambucca.

Diesel goes on ahead to set up for some photo’s and I lead us down the winding mountain into Bellingen. Waterfall Way with a new surface…what a piece of road! It’s not long and I don’t see anyone behind me….hahaha oops 🙂  But my fun and everyone else’s is slowed by a ute who insisted on going more than 10kph under the limit….arse!

Finally into Nambucca, check in and darn it…..Dad & I have been upgraded to a Waterfront Cabin (first world problems…lol). Unpacked in into the lagoon for my swim…ahhh! lovely. Bump into Ian & Anne on my walk and they have advised that the Tavern suggested we should’ve made a booking for dinner if we want to eat. Gotta love a smart phone. Booking made for 15 in the upstairs octagon…crisis averted, now back to get ready grab Dad and head on back down for dinner.

Dad is in his element!!! Telling stories, passing on his mountains of worldly advice and enjoying fabulous company with my friends…who are now his friends.

Dinner

It’s hard to beat a great view when this is straight out in front of you!

View from the Octagon

After a big day (long) in the heat, we adjourn back to party central (our cabin) and wait for the boys to arrive with the keg and beer nuts. The party animals include, Sarge, Ed, Ethan (to make sure we stay in line), Growly, Diesel, Dad & myself. James Boag keg tapped – check, cooled glasses – check, beer nuts – check, port for toasting – check, sharing stories – check, all means a fabulous after dinner ending.. That doesn’t sound right….ah…night cap! that’s better 🙂

The view from our cabin across the lagoon to the half moon isn’t half bad either.

Romantic moonlight

Sunday morning and we are off to Urunga for breakfast at the Wharf Cafe (which has become a tradition). A healthy line of participants this year!

Breaky line up

The morning doesn’t start much better when you have a view like this.

Anchor Cafe

or company like this lot!

Breaky Crew

The morning is marching on and the heat is already stinging the air. Most important thing is that I get Dad home safely back to Mum or he’ll never be allowed out with me again. We say our farewells and Growly decides he’ll ride with us. It’s so late in the morning the traffic is heavy. Fuel in Macksville, next stop Taree.

Looks there’s not much report, afterall it’s the highyway but the heat is something else. Growly 7 I have vents in our jackets and hydration packs but Dad, has nothing. A cordura waterproof jacket with that terrible plastic liner and NO VENTS! Growly pulls over at Coolongolook, Dad gets fuel and Growly says his conscious can’t let Dad ride in that jacket and we don’t give Dad any option and Growly gives Dad his vented jacket and dons his leather one (lucky I have space in my top box for Dads jacket) and we head off again.

Lunch in this stinking heat is Heatherbrae Maccas and the air conditioning is a god send. But alas, we have to get going again. Down the M1 again and at the Morriset / Doyalson turn off the traffic is stopped…yep red tail lights for as far as the eye can see…not good news! I signal Growly to follow us and we all head back to Mum & Dad’s to wait out the traffic and hopefully the sting of the heat will have gone when we head out again.

Mum’s happy to have Dad home again and was puzzled about the jacket…but later asked me to thank Growly for his generosity. It’s amazing what an hour and a half can make and we head on out. Traffic’s better, weathers better and we are finally making some progress. I wave good bye to Growly at Wahroonga and pull in the driveway just before 7 – hot and tired.

FarRide #38 done and dusted – another great riding start to the FarRider calender.

Thanks Team FarRider and All my riding friends for making Dad so welcome and for organising a great event.