Xmas in July, Forbes July 2011

Ho Ho Ho it was off to Forbes we went for Xmas in July. Around 35 people made their way to Forbes via a couple of different routes. Some people arrived on Friday, and the Saturday crew rode via Boorowa, had the obligatory pie stop and continued on to Cowra for lunch at the Bowling Club.

The tables were set and the staff was getting a little edgy when the riders were 15 minutes later than the booking time, but were very welcoming and efficient and the food was tasty.

I don’t know how it happens – one minute everyone is sitting and chatting and the next minute, everyone is up at the same time and getting ready to go. Maybe it’s some sort of biker’s osmosis! Anyway, back on the bikes through Canowindra and Eugowra to Forbes.

Some of us were booked into the pub and others at one of the motels, where having a booking didn’t necessarily mean you were booked in. Fortunately there were enough rooms to go around and someone even got upgraded to a spa room – Butch and Jan, we wonder what sort of a stunt you pulled to get that!

We congregated in the car park of the motel for an hour or two, around a welcome table of nibbles thoughtfully provided by Kyla, Mick and crew, who arrived earlier - thanks to those involved.

While we were all having a good time in the car-park, we found out that 12 traffic cops were also booked into the same motel. Our esteemed president had a brief chat to let them know we were all a great bunch and wouldn’t be causing any trouble.

Of course, there’s always one exception to the rule; again it was Butch – he got a knock on the door by the constabulary and was told the bike parked in front (Butch’s bike) had a ‘defective and do not ride’ sticker slapped onto it! All in jest of course, and it set the tone for a great night.

Time was marching on, so we cleaned up and made our way to the pub around the corner where we would eat, drink and be merry. Thankfully we were graced with the presence of one wise man; there was a santa or three, lovely lady santas, an elf and many others dressed in the xmas spirit.

Present time was lively and interesting; the game was fun, the presents were varied and some were exchanged many times over, especially the wine and the seductively appealing chocolates; oh my - the stories those chocolates could tell!!!
It could be said that we were living up to the club motto of growing old disgracefully, up until 10:30pm anyway – because just about everyone had gone to bed by then.

In the morning it was a get-together for breakfast and then back to Canberra for most, once again via a couple of different routes.

It was a great weekend, with a mix of new and long-term members and it was a good opportunity to get to know one another.

Hats off to Judy for doing all of the organising.