Goulburn Swap Meet - January 17th, 2010

Unofficial Ride Report for January 17th ‘Decide and Ride’ (Unofficial because I arrived at 9.00am instead of 8am!!)

About 10 riders were already waiting when I got there, and I wondered why they were all waiting out at the front, rather than out the back. After making a fewel of myself upon realising this was an MRA ride to Narooma, I dutifully went round the back.

Three riders had turned up at Watson at around 8.50 for a 9am departure after the decision making phase. We decided (the decision only involved three people so it was all done and dusted in a flash) to go to the Goulburn Swap Meet and look at the old wrecks and the old bikes. We left at 9.05, and after a not too fast ride to Goulburn via Bungendore and Tarago etc, we arrived at around 10am. 

Quite an interesting display of motorcycle parts, unidentifiable bits and pieces and other paraphernalia in varying stages of decay, including piles of dirty old motorcycle magazines (it’s amazing what some people will print), and lichen covered con rods. I rather fancied and old red Indian, lying in the back of a trailer. I said ‘How’ but he wasn’t interested. The bike on the other hand looked like it would cost me $10,000; and with another $25,000 spent on it and five years of my time to get it going, I reckon it would have been worth $15,000 when finished. Somehow I don’t think I’d have the patience to renovate an old bike, but I must admit I admire the guys who can turn a rust bucket into shiny machine with a new lease of life.

After a hour or so of browsing and spending nothing, it was off to the Greengrocer’s for lunch and then a ride home. A nice, day, and a nice ride over what was a not too long a ride, about a 100km each way, we went back the same way from whence we came.

Col Whittaker

PS Proverb: He who grows old disgracfully should wear glasses when reading ride calendar.