Week 47 16-22 Feb

Sunday 16

Church in Bell this morning. Stuart preached and run Child Safe training after morning tea. I attended as a backup for Liz as she plans youth group leadership. We were late for church as we chased a calf out of the bull paddock. Dad and Robyn went to lunch at Pips n Cherries. It was about 3pm by the time I got home so I went to work on the bike. Setup gps which fitted on the bracket that came with the bike. Removed headlight and fitting LED bulbs and changed the oil and filter. Robyn then pulled the lounge apart to find the rat. We did and we relocated him permanently. Nala was a good help. Sniffing out where it was. Finish the day bringing in the washing which Robyn had got done before church. Very happy about the rat. 

Monday 17

Checked LED lights last night and one was not right so I had to pull the head light assembly out again. Did that and fixed it. Put it back un this morning and washed Explorer 1 and 2 and the Honda. Put the bikes in the shed and covered them. Put the utevin the truck shed. Packed up all my tools. Did the mouse baits and put a couple in each floor well in the ute. Went out and put tie wires on fences in a couple of places we knew needed them. Came back and packed. After a ham sandwich with Dad we left home about 1pm. Only disappointment was we could not find Robyn's Tayka Relph shirt. We rode to Leyburn and filled then to Texas and topped up had a spring roll each then on to Glen Innes. Arrived about 7.45pm after covering about 35k of gravel we were not really expecting on Rocky Creek road. Pretty ride and gravel was good. Pub was as I remember. Simple and cheap. Had tea and went to bed.

Tuesday 18

Big day today 750k 9hrs. Started about 7am rode to Uralla for breakfast and fueled up. Next to Willow Tree for coffee and a snack. Turned right just north of Musselbrook through the mining space to Sandy Hollow for fuel and lunch at a pub that was playing dinsey tunes.  From here we rode through the Bylong Valley to a short break in Rylee before Bathurst where we stopped for fuel. The ride from here to Crookwell was new to us and a good fun ride. We arrived at 6.30 and booked in to the pub. Drama here was with ladies showers tge reno there had not gone well and one of the shower flowed out the door. Otherwise pressure was good and bed was comfy. 

Wednesday 19

Bit smaller day today. Left Crookwell and fueled and breakfast in Gunning. Bit of a cool start with temp dropping 10.5 at one point. Next stopped after an hour on the Hume was a great cafe the Nigara in Gundagai really old school and well maintained with great service. From there we started into the Snow Mountains fun lunch at Tumbarumba and on to Corryong to catch up with Kim and Karl. Kim is an IBA friend who has been recovering from hitting an emu south on Cobar. Great to see her and met Karl her husband. From there we fueled up and made the call to do the more direct gravel road up to Benambra to our stop for the night. It was a good gravel road with spectacular views. A cool adventure.  I booked the Benambra Hotel based on a Facebook post asking for support. The pub probably has a long way to go to be a great place to stay but to support Erin the young and determined young woman who has taken it over it is well worth it.  The pizza was great and we enjoyed good company with another two couples on their way to WSBK. 

Thursday 20

Cool start today. We got out warmer riding clothes. Left after making our own breakfast about 8.30am. For the first time we rode Omeo to Bairnsdale another good road. Morning tea at our now usual stop at Jarrod's Bakery. From there we took the direct and dull road to Mirboo and our next usual the Strzelecki Bakery. Another great chat with another couple on their way to WSBK. Then on to Cowes. Always a great feeling riding on to the island. Booked into Sea Parvilons for the second year. Bigger room this time. Had to sweep the floor but nicest place so far. Brought stuff for tea from Voles and had an early night. 

Friday 21

Made you way to the track arriving about 8.30am after working our way around road works. Good to be here. Went through the trade displays and over above the pits and then to find our spot at Siberia. Came back to trade displays and caught up with Tayla Relph which was great. At the trade displays there was a replica of Troy Herfoss' Indain Bagger. Good fun. Spent sometime dreaming at the bimoto stand. They have built an adventure type bike with leading arm suspension. Very interesting bike. Day finish with ASBK 300 race and Tara Morrison won. Her first win. She is another girl making her way in motorcycling. 

Saturday 22

Back to the track. Arrived with ASBK 300 race. Spent most of the day at Siberia. Nicolo Bulegar ran away with the main race as was expected. Left the track and went to Pinos for tea with a couple from the US we meet at our accomdation Dan and Jamie Glennie. They are from Maine Very nice evening.