Another Thursday ride rolls around again, as per our Ride Calander it’s my turn to lead, I’d already sent Keith Moyle my Thursday ride destinations covering the next few months, but I was looking forward to this one. Today we were going to Bean Roasters Café in Calderwood, and then on to the Shoalhaven Heads Bowlo for lunch, a place I’d never been to before.
On arrival at the servo Gerry was there talking to another couple, Mick on a Honda 500 and his wife Merran on her V-Strom 650, who have been Ulysses members since last May, but today was their first ride with us, and they both rode really well too. By the time I gave the ride briefing we had 11 bikes and riders ready to go, the run was pretty standard, OPH, Picton Rd, Mt. Kembla, Fowler Rd, Marshal Mount Rd. into Calderwood for mornos. Quite a few guys commented that they hadn’t been there before which is always good, we all enjoyed our coffee and cakes over the usual banter, sitting outside in the loverly sunshine and cool temps of around 15 degrees.
After about half an hour, time to continue the trip, up Macquarie Pass with almost no traffic, but we had to be on our toes due to a truck going up earlier in the day scattering sand all over the road from bottom to top…bugger. At the top we farewelled Gerry who headed home opposite the Pie Shop down through Jamberoo, all the rest followed me down through Kangaroo Valley, Bomaderry, and on to the bowlo for lunch, where Peter Simpson our ex branch Treasurer and Publicity Officer and a mate of mine who I worked with for years, Geoff James were waiting, I’d given both a call earlier in the week, and as they both now live in Shoalhaven Heads a good opportunity to catch up, also, which was a surprise for me, Brian and Sally Vincent rode up to join us, from their home further south. I’d guessed the numbers to book a table at the Club, saying about 6 or maybe 8 people…turns out we had 14…not a problem.
The meals were very good $15 lunch specials, which everyone enjoyed and all coming out together, well done cooks, along with a couple of drinks and as usual a lot of talking, specially between those guys we hadn’t seen for a while. About an hour later Col informed me he had to be back home at 3:00pm, so that started our goodbyes, the new couple, Mick and Merran commented how much they enjoyed the ride and company, saying they would ride with us again. We decided to have our fair wells as we left the Club as it was getting a little late, and we almost all rode home together. All up it was a good ride in great weather with great people, unusually, it was broken up very evenly, an hour and a half from Heathcote to Calderwood, the same from Calderwood to Shoalhaven Heads, and the same hour and a half from the bowlo home, covering 320 klm’s and arriving home at 3:10pm, so not too bad.
A big thank you to both my Tail End Charlies, Postie Jim with his bright yellow jacket and Schafie for his great radio updates…thanks boys, thanks for coming along everyone, see you all on another ride soon.
Phil “Smoko” Morris
