The Ride(s) to Ipswich and Back
The Trip Up
This is my first attempt at writing a ride report so please bear with me, only nice criticism accepted.
A quick bit of background first. My brother, Peter, was coming out from the UK in time for both of us to come up to Port for the annual meet and had been told to book early but like all Poms he knew best and left it until the last minute and found that he wasnt the only one heading to this great country and hence arrived on the 7th October and as Im a little too long in the tooth to be riding a 1000ks in a day I had to give the meet away. I would have let him find his own way up from Tulla but the pillion..!
Anyway the trip got postponed until the 10th October BUT, and this is no bull, just as I walked out of the door with the last pannier in my hot little hand to put on the bike the phone rang and it was my son telling me Trip Cancelled kids crook and you dont want it So back indoors to unpack.
We didnt really unpack as the cook was away so! It was decided to go the following Monday or Tuesday which was also cancelled as it was raining. Ok I know were pussies but when you can please yourselves when and where why get wet?
We left the next day Weds 26th (speedo on 53952 trip on zero) and not too early in the morning in fact 0915am and I drove the first leg to Jerilderie where we stopped for coffee. I always carry a flask of hot water, coffee and
condensed milk in a tube so I can have a cup when and where it suits me. Pete took over then onto the Newell Hwy up to Narrandera where we filled up @ 132.9cents/litre cost
$24. 57
My turn again, stopped in Forbes for a quick coffee then onto Parkes where we filled up again before hunting round for a place for the night. We of course ended back at the place we first went to, a small caravan park on the right just as you come into Parkes. Cost $50 for a small cabin but was OK. I have stopped there before on a previous trip up to Ipswich. Ate in the RSL club that night, not a bad steak at a very reasonable price. 559ks for the day
Next morning up bright and early and away at the ridiculous hour of 7am. The usual steady drive and plenty of comments from the rear about huge trucks etc. We stopped about 15ks before Coonabarabran for coffee and a fill up again having done 292ks. I had told Pete about the museum in Tamworth so as we both had had enough of the Newell we headed for the Museum via Gunnedah on the Oxley hwy. Paid our $6 entry fee and ogled at all those excellently restored bikes. Worth a look if you get the opportunity.
As the sky was beginning to look a bit threatening rain wise we decided to head for Armidale. The guy at the museum assured us it isnt going to rain as it was coming from the wrong direction-never listen to museum curators. We headed North up the New England Hwy with those dark clouds in front of us and soon wet roads appeared there was a break in the clouds in front of us so. Anyway it bucketed down and Pete was driving and had not bothered to put on leggings before so when we stopped for the night in Uralla the family jewels were a little damp. Mainly from rain hitting his helmet and heading in a downwards direction.
We stopped in the Country Road Caravan Park $34 and nice people there recommended. By the way we carried our own sleeping bags so didnt have to hire bedding. Dined at the Uralla Bowling Club, good meal at about the same cost as a Chinese restaurant. The beer in the bar was cheap!! It was a couple of ks walk to the bowling club but the legs (and bum) needed the exercise. 571ks for the day.
Left next morning @ 7- 30am and stopped in Armidale for fuel for both us and the GTR. 296ks 18.22litres. It was a good run across the top nice and cool and not traffic much. There was a fair bit of roadwork going on and one place we had to wait for 15mins or more but were right up the front of the queue and had a good yak with the stop/go man. As we got nearer to Warwick it got hotter and more humid and I was still in my Dririder jacket and pants so when we pulled up at the servo the other side of Warwick it was into the loo for Jeans and a cool shirt. More go juice after 330ks.
A fairly uneventful ride to Ipswich though there was a very nasty thunderstorm out to our right, big black clouds with lightning regularly heading down to the ground. Its a good ride heading down through the Cunningham Gap but the testosterone is about dead so we went down it and a gentle pace.
Arrived in Yamanto (suburb of Ipswich) for the final fill up after a trip of 1820 ks, 101.17litres of fuel, costing $103.17 at an average cost of 126.90cents/litre and the GTR did 15.7ks/litre which I didnt think was too bad for two up and both panniers and topbox well loaded Also had a tank bag mainly carrying the coffee making and my wet weather leggings.
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Sent to me by BobS
The Trip Up
This is my first attempt at writing a ride report so please bear with me, only nice criticism accepted.
A quick bit of background first. My brother, Peter, was coming out from the UK in time for both of us to come up to Port for the annual meet and had been told to book early but like all Poms he knew best and left it until the last minute and found that he wasnt the only one heading to this great country and hence arrived on the 7th October and as Im a little too long in the tooth to be riding a 1000ks in a day I had to give the meet away. I would have let him find his own way up from Tulla but the pillion..!
Anyway the trip got postponed until the 10th October BUT, and this is no bull, just as I walked out of the door with the last pannier in my hot little hand to put on the bike the phone rang and it was my son telling me Trip Cancelled kids crook and you dont want it So back indoors to unpack.
We didnt really unpack as the cook was away so! It was decided to go the following Monday or Tuesday which was also cancelled as it was raining. Ok I know were pussies but when you can please yourselves when and where why get wet?
We left the next day Weds 26th (speedo on 53952 trip on zero) and not too early in the morning in fact 0915am and I drove the first leg to Jerilderie where we stopped for coffee. I always carry a flask of hot water, coffee and
condensed milk in a tube so I can have a cup when and where it suits me. Pete took over then onto the Newell Hwy up to Narrandera where we filled up @ 132.9cents/litre cost
$24. 57
My turn again, stopped in Forbes for a quick coffee then onto Parkes where we filled up again before hunting round for a place for the night. We of course ended back at the place we first went to, a small caravan park on the right just as you come into Parkes. Cost $50 for a small cabin but was OK. I have stopped there before on a previous trip up to Ipswich. Ate in the RSL club that night, not a bad steak at a very reasonable price. 559ks for the day
Next morning up bright and early and away at the ridiculous hour of 7am. The usual steady drive and plenty of comments from the rear about huge trucks etc. We stopped about 15ks before Coonabarabran for coffee and a fill up again having done 292ks. I had told Pete about the museum in Tamworth so as we both had had enough of the Newell we headed for the Museum via Gunnedah on the Oxley hwy. Paid our $6 entry fee and ogled at all those excellently restored bikes. Worth a look if you get the opportunity.
As the sky was beginning to look a bit threatening rain wise we decided to head for Armidale. The guy at the museum assured us it isnt going to rain as it was coming from the wrong direction-never listen to museum curators. We headed North up the New England Hwy with those dark clouds in front of us and soon wet roads appeared there was a break in the clouds in front of us so. Anyway it bucketed down and Pete was driving and had not bothered to put on leggings before so when we stopped for the night in Uralla the family jewels were a little damp. Mainly from rain hitting his helmet and heading in a downwards direction.
We stopped in the Country Road Caravan Park $34 and nice people there recommended. By the way we carried our own sleeping bags so didnt have to hire bedding. Dined at the Uralla Bowling Club, good meal at about the same cost as a Chinese restaurant. The beer in the bar was cheap!! It was a couple of ks walk to the bowling club but the legs (and bum) needed the exercise. 571ks for the day.
Left next morning @ 7- 30am and stopped in Armidale for fuel for both us and the GTR. 296ks 18.22litres. It was a good run across the top nice and cool and not traffic much. There was a fair bit of roadwork going on and one place we had to wait for 15mins or more but were right up the front of the queue and had a good yak with the stop/go man. As we got nearer to Warwick it got hotter and more humid and I was still in my Dririder jacket and pants so when we pulled up at the servo the other side of Warwick it was into the loo for Jeans and a cool shirt. More go juice after 330ks.
A fairly uneventful ride to Ipswich though there was a very nasty thunderstorm out to our right, big black clouds with lightning regularly heading down to the ground. Its a good ride heading down through the Cunningham Gap but the testosterone is about dead so we went down it and a gentle pace.
Arrived in Yamanto (suburb of Ipswich) for the final fill up after a trip of 1820 ks, 101.17litres of fuel, costing $103.17 at an average cost of 126.90cents/litre and the GTR did 15.7ks/litre which I didnt think was too bad for two up and both panniers and topbox well loaded Also had a tank bag mainly carrying the coffee making and my wet weather leggings.
---
Sent to me by BobS
