Ride to the Chinese Gardens at YOUNG, 20/04/08

Attendees:
Mark and Cathy          VN1500
Scott and Jane           TT100
Peter M                M109R
Nick and Terese         Boulevarde 109
Andrew and Catherine    GL1800
Flip                  XV750
Adrian and Kristine     XVZ1300TF
Peter A               XVZ1300TF
Garry D              VN900
John and Araceli        FJR1300
Suzy the beautiful      R1150R
Norman              R1200GS

Hands up all those who knew there was a Caltex Servo at Nicholls!! Hands up all those who read their ride calendar to see that that was where the ride to Young was leaving from.
Poor Norman and Suzy thought they had been deserted/forgotten as they waited at the Caltex Servo at Watson and no other bikes turned up. Eventually, after a detour to the National Museum (what the!?!) we were all reunited.

Flip returned like a prodigal child after her self imposed exile and was warmly welcomed back. Actually she was the one doing the warm welcoming!! Mark was “celebrating” his 54yrs and 12months birthday today, a day he apparently shares with Adolph Hitler.

The day started off over- cast but we headed off to Murrumburrah for the first coffee break of the day. Gorgeous autumn leaves and colours, sheep, goats, grapes and olives and not too much traffic on the road, made for a great ride. The sun came out and all was well.

We stopped off at a little metalwork shop/gallery (Where does Peter Arday find these places…?) After a stretch of the legs, cup of tea and a meeting of the mutual appreciation society it was back on the bikes for a trip through the country to Young, being led by some lovely Ulysseans in a car (whose names I do not know).

As a pillion I have great opportunities to observe lots of things. I need to share with you a startling occurrence from yesterday. As I am sure you are all aware, when riding past a flock of sheep in a roadside paddock, they do one of two things. Either a: ignore everything but the tiny blade of grass they are eating or b: run away. Yesterday, between Harden and Young a flock of sheep raised their heads in unison as the lovely shiny bikes and happy smiley people rode passed. It was as if they somehow appreciated the glory of it all!

We lunched at the Chinese Gardens in Lambing Flat, just on the outskirts of Young. It was a great time of the year to visit the garden as the the autumn colours were at their best. What were those tiny apple things that Cathy gave Andrew and I to taste?

After another meeting of the mutual appreciation society in which Adrian and Peter staged a photo shoot worthy of a glossy magazine, it was time to head back home. Let the records reflect that we took a different route home than the way we came - this time via Boorowa with a distraction at Murringo where Scott realised that his glasses had fallen out of his pocket. Flip remembered running over some glasses (when it was too late), so Scott/Jane turned back to look for them. By some miracle the glasses were found and not only intact but improved. They now sit straight on Scott’s face. Flip has offered a fairly cheap glasses straightening service for anyone in need of the same!

After the obligatory ice-cream and/or coffee at Macca’s at Yass Service Centre, and a rousing impromptu “Happy Birthday” to Mark inside Macca’s, it was time to saddle up for the final ride of the day. The weather was getting chilly and cloudy, but another great day was had by all.

Catherine Campbell