Last ride for the year (Decide and Ride) Saturday 31st December

and gathered at the Hume Caltex were:

• Mike & Sharon Kelly BMW RT1200
• Michael Winters Triumph ST1050
• Neil Goldfinch Honda Blackbird CBR 1100 
• Linda Blake Honda CBR1000F

What a glorious day for our last ride of the year Mike Kelly was made our leader and managed to plan a pleasant ride that took us on a 300 km round trip and mostly avoiding the major highways.

The plan being Queanbeyan, Bungendore, Currawang, Komungla, Goulburn, Crookwell, Grabben Gullen, Gunning, Gundaroo, Sutton and Home.

Once off the King’s Highway the roads became ours with the odd random lizard and a few flocks of Cockatoo’s, that as we found out later, proved to be not as much as a hazard as the idiot powering down a dirt road pulling a trailer and approaching the road we were on, with no sign of letting up resulting in flinging up a rock and striking Neil on the knee!!!!!

Reaching Goulburn it was time to stretch the legs and basked in the sunshine as we talked about our ride on the road through Currawang. Michael then came up with the question of who opened the door to the Butterfly farm? 

Onwards to Crookwell (what a strange name like are you crook or well?) This is the sort of thing that plays on one’s mind when you are not tuned into an iPod or intercom, not to mention those dreaded one lines from a song that get stuck in your head, although the line from the 1979 Patrick Hernandez song “I was born, born, born to be alive, be alive.....” is one of my favourite.

Arriving at Crookwell we decided it was too early for Lunch so coffee it was. I am trying to come up with a name for this one, it’s a long black with a dash of milk, topped with froth and sprinkled with coco powder.

As we continued to travel along the pastoral roads taking in the amazing views of the countryside and the wind farms onto Gunning and Lunch at Do Duck Inn, Bentley Cafe. Sitting outside in the tranquil garden under the shade of a beautiful tree we all I enjoyed our meals. I had a very tasty Mediterranean Lamb Burger and after checking out the menu I did agree with Sharon with the suggestion on coming here for a brunch/morning tea ride.

Michael felt the need to treat his dear wife Tracey who didn’t end up coming on this ride with a lovely batch of takeaway Devonshire Scones, hope they traveled well.

Homeward bound and with still enough energy left for those of us who are planning to see the New Year in. First to taper off first was Michael taking the Bungendore turn off, then Neil and myself (Linda) in Queanbeyan with Mike and Sharon continuing back to Tuggers.  

 Wishing all the best for the New Year and looking forward to some great rides in 2012. 

Linda Blake