FarRide East #20 – Renmark cont

Saturday morning and what a surprise, it’s been raining….how typical..LOL.  I don’t think any one us (well maybe Paul) got a decent nights sleep). Brian as sent a text saying “I’ll meet you girls out the front”, no worries Brian at least you are OK and the bike is sorted. Packed and ready we roll up to meet Brian. Where’s Paul, not ready…doh. karl say’s “you lot get going and we’ll catch you up”. Good plan and Phil, Brian and I are off into the dark morning.

I love riding at this time in the morning. Watching the world come to life as the sun rares it head and while crossing the Hay Plain is no exception. It’s not long and the Thunderbirds have all regrouped. through Balranald onto Robinvale for fuel and food (it’s a bit chilly…….again).  Now 3/4 of the Thunderbirds refuel but Brains (insert Karl for this part) reckons he’s all good. Nice hot breaky and we are on the move with a mission in mind……DO NOT be late.

La la la lala we are just ambling along the Sturt Highway, seen a couple of bikes and I know where they’re headed. The suns up, it’s a beautiful morning and then Karl pulls over. Now I needed a loo break myself but we are ONLY 12.4 kays from Yamba surely you can hang on if I have too is my thought. But NO it’s not that sort of pitstop he needs…… Yep you guessd it. Mr I’ve got 30 litres in my BMW has run OUT OF FUEL….LOL. Lucky he’s the Brains and I’m only along for personality and obviously fuel…he he

While Brains and Phill got busy with the job at hand, Paul and I decide to have a little wander and check out the scenery.

Several riders pass us while we are waiting and we wave and indicate all is good.

12.4 kays later we arrive in Yamba (he he) and we ALL fuel up this time and take a pic at the crossing.

Through the vineyards of Trentham and the citrus fields heading into Renmark, the scent is refreshing. It’s a great morning for a FarRide. Mustered into the carpark by Muttley (ride co-ordinator) we park and I set about saying my hello’s to all my friends and am loving introducing Karl (who most believe doesn’t exist) as well as Paul, Phill and Brian (FarVirgins) to everyone. Coffee (thanks Paul), check in and these guys are now FarRiders. Lunch, socialising, words from our Messiah and it’s time for a rest.

We all head of to our accomodation for a restful afternoon. All of those who chose to stay in Renmark headed to the Renmark Hotel for dinner. FarRiders is a fabulous group of like minded people that come from all over Oz and walks of life to say “g’day”, share a meal, a story and then head off to where ever your path leads you.

Sunday morning and we get going at 7:30am ACST in search of FarChallenge pics for me (thanks guys). Have I mentioned it’s chilly, this morning is no exception. First stop Pinnaroo for a bakery pic and we were hoping the bakery would be open for breakky….well it wasn’t!!

The boys decide to stay while I head to Parilla for my next FarPic. Nice stretch of road and I get a short ride on my own

On the road back to Pinnaroo to meet the boys, I came across this unusual stack of hay

The long and meandering road that leads us to Manangatang where I thought there would be fuel and lunch but no. It’s but a blip, blink and you’d all but miss it. It’s here that Brian and Karl decide to do a bit of bike swapping. Now, I’d made a few comments about the ST1300 and Phill (ever so bravely) offers me his….WHAT are you sure about this? yep he was, and I handed him Angels keys. I rode the ST 84 kays to Swan Hill. How easy would it be for me to loose my license on this thing………HUGE. I can see the appeal for this humble STead as a FarWeapon, it’s effortless, almost like cheating, I got NO buffeting at all (my head didn’t even breach the top of the screen…LOL). Stoppin in the servo in Swan Hill all I could think of was “don’t drop it when you stop”, thankfully I didn’t and was glad to be comfy back on Angel again.

Brian is leaving us today to visit friends in Echuca, so we say our farewells here before heading off again. We need to make Wangaratta this afternoon. Not much happening, just cruising until we pass through a little town before Echuca and one lone Mr Plod appears from a side street. We had been good citizens the whole trip and so we gave Mr Plod no reason to pursue us any longer than he felt the need to keep an eye on us. Into Echuca and we toot and wave as Brian peels off and we decide to stop for a cuppa at the next servo.

Come one, it’s still chilly, getting late and I at least want to be in Wang before dark. We are following Karl and his GPS obviously had a different route to my GPS and I think we ended up going a bit further than we needed too. Anyways, we eventually make it to the Spume Hway (just before Brains almost takes a wrong turn and heads for Melbourne…What tha!!). Now in search for my next FarPic but by the time we pull into the servo it’s just dark , no hope tonight Kimmie you’ll have to get it in the morning.

Phill takes us to the all the best places for dinner and the Wangaratta RSL was the place tonight. The smallest RSL I’ve ever been in, but the food was awesome and dessert was even better.

 Now after the boys have had a few sherbets a discussion on how to get home tomorrow is underway. Straigt up the highway isn’t an option and going through the Snowies is HI on the list. Only thing is it’s -5 in Cabramurra and there was snow last night so I’m not a huge fan besides I don’t have the right gear to keep warm (I’m already freezing and have everything on in my limited wardrobe). Lets sleep on it and see how we are in the morning.

Monday morning and there’s due and a bit of frost….going through the Snowies isn’t an option for me (I’m too cold), so the boys can do it if they want. Disappointed they travel with me up the highway to Goulburn but not before snagging my last FarPic for this journey.

How boring is the Spume. We haven’t had breakky and it’s cold….have I told you how cold it is. While I’ve travelled this way many times before the place to stop is the bakery in Holbrook. They sell great pies, B&E rolls and the hot chocolate and coffee isn’t bad either.

Finally we hit Yass for fuel and then Goulburn and the turn off (thank god) to take us up the back way. Now Phill had talked about a pie for lunch in Taralga, so I was dreaming about a nice hot pie for lunch. When we get to Taralga we stop at the pub, beauty a homemade pie for lunch…..NOT! the pub don’t sell pies. Phill heads to the other place in town but Karl had already ordered so maybe Phill will pop back with a pie. Paul and Karl eat their lunch while I pinch a few chippies from them. Phill pops back as says he had his pie….huff!!

Twisty roads are the calling. It’s been such a while since I’ve done any that you loose your ride eyes, so it’s a steady pace for me (besides my tires are as square as damn house bricks). Into Oberon and we all have smiles on our dials. Turn right off Jenolan Caves Rd and we head for Bells Line of Road. The traffic on Bells is ridiculous, just a joke. So by the time we hit Bilpin we decide to pull off into a coffee shop for our last cuppa (and warm up too).

Phill says he knows this back way off Kurmond to avoid all this traffic, so after we say our farewells we follow Phills lead. WOW, the way he takes us is a great little secret that we are sure gonna use again (and no I’m NOT tellin yas). We wave Phill off at Norwest while Karl, Paul & I continue through and onto the M2. We wave to Paul as Karl & I take our off ramp and finally after 4 days make it home, safe and sound.

Total of 2768 kays for the 4 days. I have no idea how much fuel or the cost (but I’m sure Karl has it worked out to the litre). Another FarRide completed and Rule #1 obeyed. My FarRider friends finally believe Karl exists and my 3 FarVirgins Paul, Phill and Brian are now certified FarRiders – well done guys.

Bring on the next one.

Highlight of the trip…….I got to ride with my Sweety.