Gotta love the first FarRide of the year, start of the 2017 ride calendar, time to catch up with those like minded enthusiasts for a quick feed……and…..if you are lucky stay overnight to be a social buttterfly and meet some new faces.
Start docket in hand @ 12:31pm and off into the heat – 39 degrees in Sydney…seriously. Getting outta town is almost unbearable..thank goodness for the camelbak (if only it was working). Sucking, sucking, nothing, nothing, finally into Pheasants Nest to investigate the issue. Problem solved tube blockage (or more commonly known as the valve shut-off) who knew it had one of those. 9 years I’ve had this thing and had no idea it even existed…LOL
Lightning and thunder followed by a drenching on a hot summers day – just the ticket.
Oh, did I mention that my wonderful, wonderful Karl installed an McCruise Control unit on Dudley – well he did and it is FAN-TAS-TIC!
Fuel in Hume, then off down the Monaro Highway (cruise control is magic) to Cooma before turning off and heading toward Bombala. Just south of Bombala and it’s raining so the cruise comes off so I can ride like normal. Watching the light and cloud show across the sky is always entertaining all the while thinking and I gonna get soaked for just a bit damp. About 30km north of Cann River it’s starts getting dark and I’m glad to pull in fuel up Dudley and myself. A little bit of wildlife, small roos and heaps of dead wombats (don’t want to be hitting one of them) had my beady little eyes peeled and on full alert. Old mate filling up at Cann River enlightens me by advising I’m gonna get drowned heading to Bairnsdale….great thanks for the heads up mate.
Back out onto wet roads and into the darkness now and it’s nice and steady going. I’m not that familiar with the road and it isn’t particularly well lit, thankfully Dudley has super lights and it makes life a hell of a lot easier. Lucky the old mate back at the servo isn’t the weather man cos he got it wrong. No rain all the way!! I rang ahead to give the motel a heads up that I wasn’t far away.
Filled up ready for an early start in the morning and headed to the Travellers Rest Motel for a good nights sleep. Marilyn here really looked after me, the lights were on, there was milk in the fridge (which I didn’t need) and if it was hot she said she’d turn the air on for me before I got there. So when I pulled up to my room apart from unpacking the essentials, I could pretty much just roll into bed! Good old country town hospitality!
On the road at 6:30ish to a morning that hopefully would be dry. Winding my way up the Omeo Highway in a blanket of intermittent fog and slight winds. Now leaving Sydney in over 40 degrees to this morning being like 3 degrees, I was not prepared for. No really warm gear packed, lucky at the last minute I threw a cardi and the jacket liner in the top box, cos I had them all on. Peter Rabbits and families were in abundance and I couldn’t help but have an awww moment each time I saw a fluffy cottontail 🙂
Had the entire road to myself this morning and I loved it. Through Omeo then up the hill to Mount Hotham. One never tires seeing the white dead trees that line the sides of the mountain. The decent of Hotham is something else. The early morning bicyclists and walkers are out (heading up) and I couldn’t help but think “my way of travel is way heaps better”. Twists and turns and feeling a bit chilly, I was glad to pull into Harrietville for breaky (had heaps of time to spare). Just finished my toast and Nico pulls up in the carpark and joins me for a coffee before we head off with our own agendas.
Into Bright cos I thought I needed some extras kays before heading down Tawonga Gap. This is really a lovely piece of road with a good surface conducive to a little bit of fun….he he he. Pulled into the lookout for a quick pic and I think Nico is stalking me LOL! On our way again and into Mount Beauty where the Settlers Tavern is overflowing with like minded crazy people….ahm, I mean enthusiasts 🙂
Tawonga Gap Lookout
Oh how the road family grows and it’s so good to see the familiar faces and meet some new ones all in one go. Hugs are big on the agenda and pics and the all important check-in. Find Felicity or she found me, can’t quite remember (we sharing accommodation tonight) and I introduce her to some of the “seasoned” FarRiders. To me it’s called paying it forward. Lady Mel took the time to help me break into the fold and now I look at it as my honour to help others get to know the familiar faces and “big dogs”.
Ed and Ethan
Philmor, Scottymor & Legend Olaf Moon
Joymor
Allan, Ray, Ash, ? sorry I forget your name, Barb
Sorry guys, I can only remember Dan..oops
Young Henk – 79 and going strong
Young Malcolm – also 79 and going strong
Nevertire Nic & Uncle OX-34
Check-in
There are so many more pics, wish I could post them all up….
Group photo – tick, now time to get some lunch and then get settled in for the afternoon. The Bogong Moth Motel came highly recommended by fellow rider Rob and the rooms do not disappoint. My only issue is the drive, it’s loose gravel and thankfully I have valet parking assistance in Gags and Sarge. Felicity and I could’ve thrown a massive party in ours…..lol After a nice relaxing afternoon with a sweet ale to help we head off to meet the others staying for dinner. The Flour + Water looked after us all extremely well for dinner (seems to be the place to eat in town) and I would go back again.
Bongong Moth Motel ready to leave
With the trusty help of Valet Gags, Felicity and I are packed up and ready to head off. It’s really cold this morning (there was snow predicted in Hotham today) and with no really warm gear to keep warm, I managed to get a chill in my kidneys. Tallangatta for fuel and then Tumbarumba for breaky where we had travelled some really lovely roads. Change of plan was decided over breakfast cos I couldn’t stop shaking to get home a bit quicker than the fun way (there’s always another day). Through Tumut and then up onto the Doom Hway to Gundagai and then into Jugiong for fuel.
Mable & Dudley at Tholongolong
Into Gunning for lunch at the Merino Cafe and a bit of a break. It’s really nice travelling with another female for a change, not something either of us usually do. Back out onto the highway and it’s a pretty ordinary run up the highway and we pull into Pheasants Nest for our final stop and say our farewells.
Home in the drive about 5pm with 1738km completed from Friday lunchtime (1044km for the FarRide).
