A days adventure riding in the Central West 11/09

[GregMember]

Well after being given a weekend pass by a sick Sal I figured a day trip and report home to look after her would be a safer bet considering how much I will be away in Oct and Nov. I wanted to go the Nundle and had spoken with Mal5.1 and Menace but couldn’t get someone to ride up there with and going out through the back of Denman etc I thought I should go with someone, maybe I should have just manned up and done it :blush: . I thought about riding out to Bathurst then up the bridle trail to Hillend to meet Krusty and the Owl’s would be an option. There was a rock slide blocking the bridle trail a few weeks ago

(Borrowed photo)

And it’s in a location you can’t exactly go around it :laugh:

As I rang everywhere and couldn’t get a straight answer on if I would be able to squeeze through I went to plan “B”. I met Krusty at 6am at Maccas near my place and we travelled out to Aaron’s pass near Mudgee. Unfortunately this meant a road ride for me but the Tenere takes it in its stride. On with the I Pod and grip warmers and happy days. I took of and got to the arranged meeting point only to find what looked like a Bogan in a flannelette and beanie doing donuts and I thought you’re kidding what’s doing here. Then out get Owl 02 ha ha bloody Bogan. Both the Owl’s are driving one each of the many paddock bashers they have at the Owl lodge. Let me tell you the Lodge is the best man cave / shed / weekender / getaway I have ever seen. It has everything guys want for a weekend / week or life time even if you have to bag your own shit paper :dry: :huh: :blink:

A quick feed of bacon and eggs and a coffee and the guys got suited up. We left the secret squirrel lodge location and rode back to Aarons pass. From there we took the CIA track (these Owls are weird) to Hillend with only one stop. It was a great twisty, slippery little track / road to the Sofala – Hillend road.

Once at Hillend we fuelled, my bike had done 326kms to the bowsers and took just under 18 litres leaving 5 litres in reserve.

We parked the bikes and went across the road to the pub where we found

There was a heap of road bikes there, it was a girl’s ride weekend. There was two attractive young lady’s sitting in the sun and we watched Owl 01 in action. Everything he said got himself in trouble, it was the funniest viewing I have seen for a while. As it was only 11 o clock on a beautiful sunny day I decided I wasn’t wasting it standing at the pub waiting for the bistro to open so I would be off then. I found out I couldn’t go the Bridle trail, not because of the rock slide but because the water was over a metre high at the first causeway according to the guy at the servo. That would mean that the river crossing at Long Point on the Orange ride would be the same. I bid a farewell to the Owls and proceeded to get underway but not before a couple of the girls got up me for not going down and crossing the metre high causeways. They were up me telling me I had knobbies, what sort of a man was I, I left very :blush: :blush:

I had a nice ride to Sally’s flat and took the back road into Bathurst. I went and did a lap of Mt Panorama while I chatted with Crash on the phone via the blue tooth in my helmet. I wanted lunch and thought I would head to Tarana for lunch (great pub thanks Mal5.1 he took Crash and I there after a ride once) I left and went just out of Bathurst and headed up the dirt to the back of Mt Horrible and through some of the tracks we used on the Sofala weekend until I came into the back of Yetholme. I rode around Yetholme and found some slippery twin trails that saw me nearly drop the bike twice, the front IRC I dug out from under the house was doing a great job on the bike although as you can imagine it was a little sketchy on the tight bitumen corners. The rear was a different story as the 606 was well past it use by date

I went back into the pine forest and eventually came out at Mal 5.1’s rock star treatment pit stop site

From the jail site I went across the road and thought hey this track looks good, oh that’s steep oh that’s bloody clay oh I am laying on the ground. I managed to lift the bike up (its heavy :silly: ) I had two goes to get up the hill and dropped it once more but eventually got to the top and met a fire trail that I followed using the GPS came out on the great western hwy which I crossed and headed to Tarana.

As I came into Tarana I figured the bistro would be shut so I got on the railway service track and headed east then up onto the Rydal road and over towards Hampton. From Hampton I took the first road/dirt track right and headed into the valley, both GPS’s lost the track but I thought I would just see where it went at one stage when I am sure I went through someone’s property and then I went through the back of Ganbenang

From there to little Hartley, Hartley Vale, Mt Vic and home via Badbowies who wasn’t home. 518kms, nothing fell off, everything worked all day which was the test.

Thanks to the Krusty and the Owls what a setup I cant wait to go back up there

TB

[Brendon CarreMember]

Looks like a top day out TB, Good to see that the Tenere held up ok and you didnt shake anything off!! So whats the verdict then are you happy with the new ride? :huh:

[scott bockingMember]

Awesome report TB. The bike looks the business fully loaded up. I wish I had the footage of you picking the big girl up.

STM

[GregMember]

singletrackmind wrote:

Quote:

Awesome report TB. The bike looks the business fully loaded up. I wish I had the footage of you picking the big girl up.

STM

Ever seen how they really make calamari rings Scott :laugh: :laugh: I figured it was pick it up or walk to Medogrockets place and get laughed out :laugh: :laugh: (I could have unloaded it I figured although I have been laughed at before an will be again )

TB

[GregMember]

boulder wrote:

Quote:

Looks like a top day out TB, Good to see that the Tenere held up ok and you didnt shake anything off!! So whats the verdict then are you happy with the new ride? :huh:

Yeah Boulder its fantastic it is now a comfortable adventure bike that you can ride all day in all conditions and most importantly with all the gear and luggage aboard. It can also be punted along at a fairly rapid rate keeping the day exciting and I wanted that because I enjoy that sometimes better then being stuck riding with nothing to get your heart rate going. It handles great, its predictable, it gets good fuel economy, it goes good and looks horn I reckon. Its taken a while and cost a bit but not that much. Happy yeah but its neither a Honda or my 1st love the XR

TB

[Mick DMember]

Great Report there TB, yes the Tenere is a good looking weapon and the country you rode through looks great too.Bet you cant wait to head off towards Camerons corner and really give her a test.

[Gary BloxsomeMember]

TB, looks like you had a great day after you left us at the Pub. Great feed though, you should have stayed and joined us. It would seem that you were quite impressed with the home of Molech. It’s taken 10 years to get it to the stage it’s at now and as you said, it’s got the lot.Fantastic play ground for the kids as well. I have spoken with 01 and he agrees that we should have a OBT weekend up there some day. Will have to keep the numbers down so not sure how we’d manage that.

01,Krusty, I guess you both know that the secret location of the OWL’s nest has now been compromised. The secret should be safe with TB I think.

Cheers 02

[GregMember]

OWL 02 wrote:

Quote:

01,Krusty, I guess you both know that the secret location of the OWL’s nest has now been compromised. The secret should be safe with TB I think.

Cheers 02

Yes grasshopper I know the secret, but its safe with me why didnt I post my GPS route oh wise Owl :laugh:

TB

[ChrisMember]

Trailboss wrote:

Quote:

OWL 02 wrote:

Quote:

01,Krusty, I guess you both know that the secret location of the OWL’s nest has now been compromised. The secret should be safe with TB I think.
Cheers 02

Yes grasshopper I know the secret, but its safe with me why didnt I post my GPS route oh wise Owl :laugh:
TB

Thats ok.. The chip I had my CIA mates install in your head Saturday morning won’t allow you to divulge the location..

This is what happens if you illegally park and don’t follow the the OWL rules while in the nest..

[Andrew RobsonMember]

Good trip. I went up to Sofala and Hill End a couple of weeks ago with some Canowindra riders and had lunch at the pub. We were going to head back via the Bridle but the water crossings were uncertain or maybe the other track (name I can’t remember) that goes across the Macquarie and comes out near Orange. Crossings spooked us here as well.

[GregMember]

Not for highway use wrote:

Quote:

Good trip. the other track (name I can’t remember) that goes across the Macquarie and comes out near Orange. Crossings spooked us here as well.

Long point its called, great pub Hillend

TB

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