Popular opinion across the wide, brown land suggests that Sydney Siders are prone to underestimate the cold temperatures of winter. As Whispers (HD), Dutchy (BMW) and Davo (HD), throttled onto the Mad Mile heading south from Loftus for their Monday ride, the temperature had to be in single digit. However, the sky was clear so they planned to ride to Picton, Thirlmere, The Oaks, Cobbity, Bringelly, then home via Heathcote Road.
Not a lot of traffic as we headed South, and Picton Rd was unusually sparse of trucks. Whispers led us into the loop that goes through Broughton Pass under that humungous rock overhang. Really interesting scenery, but seriously, one day, that rock must fall. It will happen and must be included in any responsible risk management plan. So, what would one do if you were the one stuck underneath when Mother Nature took over. Slam on the brakes? Nah. Do a ten point turn and go back? Nah. Bail out and head down to the stream? Nah. Knock it back one or two cogs, flatten it and hope for the best? Damn straight!
Thirlmere is a great spot to stop, plenty of parking, nice food and coffee and the café has a delightful sun catching courtyard where we let the sun thaw us out. Please note the hidden gem hiding in the shrubbery of the courtyard. Don’t worry about the two old blokes in the picture, that’s just Whispers and Dutchy, you can see them any time. See if can make, model and year the resting motor in the bushes. Our general consensus is a Ford Falcon, maybe 1965-67, any further enlightenment will be gratefully accepted. Lick o’ paint, couple of cans of WD40, a rubber mallet and you’d be off to the Summer Nats in your resto in no time at all.
A few potholes aside, the ride from Thirlmere to Bringelly is terrific. Nice curves and great scenery around the nicest bit of country so close to home. Over brunch, after redirecting the American political scene to the correct path and solving the cost of living crisis, someone mentioned a study that emphasized the positive role of socializing in it’s contribution to the quality of life of older males. But of course, we were just about at the end of a fantastic morning. On our bikes, nice weather, beautiful scenery, good tucker, nutting out a few conspiracy theories with the best of blokes guaranteed to be just as disgraceful, if not more so than yourself. But to maintain our government funding, a statistical analysis is required. So, a collective 234 yrs of Ulyssean, commandeering 3,353cc of motorbikes for about 220km at a cost of around $35 + petrol and you get to stave off dementia? Bargain.
Cheers Davo.
