RIDE REPORT: 22 February 2009 - Cootamundra Club Ride

Nicholls Servo (Caltex, Pete - not BP!!) some 31 brave souls (a potential new member was given dodgy instructions from Pete and was unable to make it in time) were given the route by Peter, including a number of not-so-busting metropolises (metropolii?) that most had never heard of. In short, we were hoping that Pete didn’t get too far ahead of us! Most appropriately, Pete asked us to think of the significant number of Victorians, victims of the recent bushfires, for whom simple pleasures such as riding with friends was no longer an option.

We headed off for Coota via Stockingbingal bypassing Binalong and its scrumptious treats on the promise of stopping there on the way home. A mid-morning stop at Harden(?) helped fuel the tums, and some outstanding acts of selflessness on the [part of the male Ulyssians saw the local flora next to the river gain more than the usual quota of liquid fertiliser, due to the pronounced absence of public toilets.

The sun burned through the cloud and those of us who had dressed for the promised high-twenties day were at last warmed up and vindicated. A number of riders had their ears bent by a local who was, it appeared, about to get himself a bike. Nice to know that motorcycle fever is alive and kicking.

Participants…

Peter Arday XVZ1300TF
Garry McCurley VFR800
Jen Woods XVS650
Elca Cooper NT750
Terry Cooper ST1300
Gordon & Trish Tiger (S)
Judy Perry GT650
Ross Anderson Aprilia Caponord
Nick Hicks M109R
Todd Vercoe Le Mans 850
Jill Fleming Suzuki GS500F
Andrew & Cath Campbell GL1800
John Burns Nomad 1600
Trevor McLeod FJR1300
Jim Crosbie & Donna GT1000
Jim & Rosalie Lovell R1200RT
Yvonne Laird GS500
Terry Mills VT750
Bruce Black CBR1100
David Robinson FJR1300
Chas Towie ST1300A
James & Cheryl CB1300
Les Cocks CBR1100
Caroline Palin VN900
Darryl Palin ST1300

After a short break we continued to Cootamundra, where most of us concentrated on a particularly tasty lunch (Jen couldn’t resist the banana, bacon and cheese grill) while some, including Pete and Chas, put on their best Ulysses trenchcoats and went off to watch the beach volleyball in the main street.

Post-lunch we headed home via the Olympic Highway, including a refreshing stop at Boorowa where cold drinks and icecreams were the order of the day. The gang then headed home ‘best speed’ and, until the vicinity of Murrumbateman, the roads were sweepy and largely traffic-free. A great ride, well-patronised, all in all. However, when I make PM caravans will be banned from the roads!

Thanks to Peter Arday for his organisational skills, and to the back-markers and sweep who herded the cats so well.

Todd Vercoe