Touring / Weekends Away

[VinceS]

Sheet, I had no sooner posted the below than the following rocked into my in box. And since we occassionally play with the BA guys 'n gals via our NSWDOC alliance friends perhaps we should make it an official co-ride since they are in our back yard. Have a read and post your thoughts:

This year’s BA Oxley highway trip is being planned!! This year however the committee has decided to open it up to all BA members with “vouch for a friend” system.  It is classified as a level 4 bike ride rather than level 5 and is open to all experienced BA Members. http://au.groups.yahoo.com/group/bikers_anon/database?method=reportRows&tbl=87

Draft Itinerary:

Start - Friday the 3rd April,(Friday arvo, 2 groups) Destination:Australian Hotel Wingham http://www.gdaypubs.com.au/NSW/wingham.html
Oxley – Saturday 4th April, Destination:Apsley Arms (Walcha) http://www.walchapubs.com.au/index.pl?sitemenu=2
Finish – Back home Sunday 5th April

Proposed Route

Speed is not considered the major “concern” for this ride, rather the lack of experience of some of the newer BA riders and less experienced riders.  So all candidates will have to vouched for by a trusted BA member for the following:
1.       Riding Experience & Riding maturity
2.       Ability to ride long distances, long haul in the saddle (iron-butt)
3.       Speed will be managed by splitting the group if required (slower riders are welcome on this trip)
4.       All the normal group riding rules apply and corner marking will still take place
All who apply for this ride will be subject to committee review (including me). The aim of this is to apply a commonsense approach to minimising risk, irrespective of the BA Committee having no legal obligations to do so.
In a nutshell, it’s going to be HUGE!! ...   we may even have vehicle support for this ride. Bill?  Check your diary and block out that weekend!!   If you are worried about the suitability of your bike for this ride, then go rent a BMW GS1200 (He obviously meant to say Ducati here!!!) for the weekend.

Planned Route
Friday night
http://maps.google.com.au/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=965+Pacific+Hwy,+Berowra,+NSW+2081+(Mobil)&daddr=-32.465743,151.954651+to:24+Bent+St,+Wingham,+NSW+2429+(Australian+Hotel+Wingham)&hl=en&geocode=FZbj_v0dc1YCCSGaMZVcrL8_AQ%3B%3BFQSzGf4dKwkVCSEXN3loSAlp0w&mra=dpe&mrcr=0&mrsp=1&sz=9&via=1&sll=-32.572277,152.006836&sspn=1.641025,2.438965&ie=UTF8&z=9

Saturday
http://maps.google.com.au/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=24+Bent+St,+Wingham,+NSW+2429+(Australian+Hotel+Wingham)&daddr=Oxley+Hwy+to:long+flat+to:Meridian+St&hl=en&geocode=FQSzGf4dKwkVCSEXN3loSAlp0w%3BFQLdIv4doNkOCQ%3B%3BFbM6J_4dtg8JCQ&mra=ls&sll=-31.426319,152.111206&sspn=1.66166,2.438965&ie=UTF8&ll=-31.413428,152.157898&spn=1.661868,2.438965&z=9
another lap anyone? : )

Sunday
http://maps.google.com.au/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=walcha&daddr=Sugarloaf+Rd+to:Broke+Mount+Thorley+Rd+to:-32.939539,151.138916+to:Peats+Ridge+Rd+to:965+Pacific+Hwy,+Berowra,+NSW+2081+(Mobil)&hl=en&geocode=%3BFezCEf4dUFULCQ%3BFTLiDf4dNucBCQ%3B%3BFSBTAv4d-FADCQ%3BFZbj_v0dc1YCCSGaMZVcrL8_AQ&mra=dme&mrcr=0&mrsp=3&sz=10&via=1,2,3,4&sll=-32.687931,151.601715&sspn=0.81946,1.219482&ie=UTF8&ll=-32.249974,152.089233&spn=3.293629,4.87793&z=8

Apply:
If you would like to join us please put your name down on the following database   http://au.groups.yahoo.com/group/bikers_anon/database?method=reportRows&tbl=87
Please book your accomodation using the details above (mention BA) or choose your own accomodation to suit your needs if you prefer.
 
Regards,
The Committee

[VinceS]

We organised a local contingent of Ducatisti to do this exact thing about 4 years ago, it was quite successful. I have had the good fortune to ride this road both ways several times and all but one have been in the dry. It is just plain hard work in the wet but totally exhilerating in the dry since there is quite a spectrum with something for everybody. The "gee-up" through Wauchope to give you an idea of what's coming followed soon after with a superbly tarred open twisty (too short!) section wide sweeping entry to Long Flat sets you for the sprint across to the foot of the mountain where the (is it?) 45km twisty road sign crops up followed by a twisty open undulating hilly section with some brilliant esses and switchbacks - as long as you stay fully on your side of the road and don't straighten out the curves you will experience amazing sensations that only riding a Ducati with its low centre of gravity can offer you with safe but nimble straight line turning (when you travel the road you will know exactly what i mean!) before plunging into the mountain proper for a smorgasbord of snowie mountain highway quality of corners.

Gingers Creek comes up almost at the end of the tight twisties, very soon after that the road opens up to wide sweepers before then straightening out completely for the transport section into Walcha. Accommodation was bunk style at Gingers Creek which worked well (and provided a few too many opportunities for fart jokes as I recall!). Otherwise there is Mt Seaview in the open twisty section at the bottom which I have heard good reports of but never quite got there to check it out, and there is also a particularly suitable pub in Walcha. Return via Thunderbolts Way. I have concluded travelling this loop anti clockwise is the go as the Oxly is a long slow climb up and Thunderbolts has lengthy undulating sections with altitude loss done in short sharp descents which, whilst a nuisance, are much less work to deal with than the extended downhill riding you get on the Oxley.

The trick is to pick a dry weekend. I'll leave that bit to someone else!

[ChrisC]

Ginger's Creek, with the fantastic Wauchope to Walcha run, should be on the list for a one-night-away option.

I used to drive this stretch, and have still not yet done it on a bike!  Great stretch of road.

[Brett]

G'day,

Some recent discussion at the Club Breakfast prompted me to kick off some discussion on ride destinations, and perhaps look at some tentative scheduling, particularly for those in the club who enjoy travelling the greater distances ( which is probably why they mostly have ST's ). 

So we're talking about something more than the simple day trips we do for the monthly Club Rides.  We're talking about weekends ( or longer where practicable ), with over night stays, and the opportunity to see and experience a lot more of the country than you can on a tank of fuel ( or in my case three tanks of fuel...).

So if you have some ideas, destinations, itineraries, routes etc, not excluding those we already have listed Ride Details section of the web site, put them here.  Then, check the club Calendar, and if you have some dates that also suit, that's even better.  Remember it doesn't have to be an essay, just some ideas, and then others can help us finish it off.

All that should be left is to get people to the starting point...

Speak with you soon.