A few of the Long Distance Riding (LDR) Community decided to go to Urana NSW to have dinner with one of our crew who’s not riding at the moment, Ricecooker (Mel). Many were staying overnight but sadly time was short for me so a day ride was indicated. By the shortest route the return trip was going to be 1420kms and there was absolutely no point in only doing that many. So a 1600k+ route was planned.
Here’s the SPOT link first up to help identify places if you aren’t from around here.
So with the ST1300 still unwashed and farkled from it’s last outing, The OzSTOC Group SS1600K, I left Newcastle with a docket at 6.07am for the first leg to Dubbo. At Newy it was 26 degrees, by Merriwa it was into the mid 30’s and climbing.
A minor delay near Jerry’s Plains (cute calves) 🙂
As I approached Dubbo I saw a familiar form perched on a little Yammie. Karl (Skidoooo) had come out to greet me and make sure I got through Dubbo without being “uted”. Karl led me out of town and I was on my way south through Parkes, Forbes, West Wyalong and then a detour towards Griffith to add the necessary k’s in.
Here’s Karl and the 150 parked behind the ST. Even though we had a chat and I wasn’t in a hurry he still sprayed me for having an inefficient stop (13 mins)! Karl led me out of town and I was on my way south through Parkes, Forbes, West Wyalong and then a detour towards Griffith to add the necessary k’s in.
I wonder if I’ll ever go for a ride and not cop one of these
I had to stop for a 7.5m wide load, this was the first of two of these giants!
Then I went through Barellan for the first time in my life and saw Yvonne’s tennis racquet.
The temperature had dropped damatically to 19 degrees and it started to drizzle just enough to be annoying after I refuelled at Griffith. The upside of the wet was that the organic dust from crop stripping that goes on this time of year wasn’t a factor. There’s always an upside! I was also a bit ahead of schedule so I bypassed the Urana turnoff and went to Jerilderie for a corner docket and a quick snack. The SPOT watchers remarked later they wondered what I was doing, thinking I got lost! Me, almost never!
At Urana I met up with some great folks and spent a few hours chatting, drinking soft drink and eating fried rice. Just before 7.30pm it was time to head off in order to get the riskiest roo/emu country behind me before the sun went down. I must do something about auxillary lighting for the ST one day other than just talk about it.
After dark I rode through Wagga and it started to drizzle/rain/drizzle again. My last fuel stop was Gundagai and I set myself a goal of not putting my feet down until Lambton, a touch over 500kms if the ST had the range.
The wet lasted until just before the M7 then it was clear sailing home. With some tom foolery and slow riding practice I managed to get through Pennant Hills Road without putting my feet down (although I really could have done with a McChicken and Coffee at Thornleigh) and that luck continued all the way to the last right turn to my finish destination. But I’m claiming it, it was in Lambton within site of the servo.
Another SS1600K all done and dusted once the twin pack Cherry Ripe and docket was sorted.
Mel, it was great to catch up with you, I hope the rest of the night was a blast. ED, great to see you out and about again too. All up 1682k’s by the Etrex. OA 83.1 with 3:47 stopped time. A nice cruisy day out!