2017 OzSTOC National Rally ........

glitch

Mapping the next ride...
Staff member
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:clap::glu
 

Williamson

Part of the furniture
How many times were you offered drugs in Nimbin? I think we were offered by 3 different people in the time it took us to order and eat a kebab last time we stopped there. Nowadays I ride the road, but I don't stop.

Third time I've been to Nimbin, can't say I've been offered any hooch, or similar, on any occasion.

Must be my conservative, boyish, good looks .......

:bs
 

Williamson

Part of the furniture
Some sweet roads and pics there Michael.
Thanks, reading with interest.

I forgot to mention earlier, the Wednesday evening meal deal at the Royal in Armidale surpassed our 2015 meal deal in Armidale and Kyogle.



This was the 200g rump with salad and chips and pepper sauce and (because we were house guests) a pot of beer, all for $10.
 

glitch

Mapping the next ride...
Staff member
Third time I've been to Nimbin, can't say I've been offered any hooch, or similar, on any occasion.

Must be my conservative, boyish, good looks .......

:bs


Man, they can smell "officials" from a mile away....and when you mentioned "rates", it was all over :bs
 

Williamson

Part of the furniture
Day 5 (Friday) evening at Wooli was a meet and greet, press the flesh, catch up with old friends, meet some new ones sort of affair.

If the number of pics is any guide, some people might think the National Meet was a fizzer, but it wasn't.

Day 6 started with the obligatory bacon and eggs breakfast, followed-up with a seafood lunch from the local oyster shop.

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I thought one doz. small oysters, $12, fish 'n' chips, $10 makes a nice lunch. Phil had other ideas, two doz. oysters as well as fush 'n' chups for him - he likes oysters.

Beer o'clock was early, OzSTOC members and guests (around 80 in total) were spread all around the Big4 and in the pub next door. The person responsible for getting this motely crew together should have received an award.



Saturday evening's dinner involved presentation of awards. Here's Paul with his award for the most charismatic ST (it was an ST1100 is show room condition).



Promise, please, to let me know when I get charismatic, please.

Here's Big Ted with his longest distance award.



BT rode the long way from Perth, via Broome, Darwin, Mount Isa, Townsville.

Wendy, the only female rider (there were a few pillions) rode the long way from Darwin, via Adelaide and Melbourne, was pretty pissed. Wendy's ride included a 1,200km day, better than I could do.

:clap:

An early night (but the latest so far for the trip), bed by midnight because we have an early start on Day 7.
 

Williamson

Part of the furniture
Day 7 was something like this:


Bright eyed and bushy tailed we headed for Grafton for a poached egg, bacon and skinny cappuccino breakfast and a few pics. Grafton's Jacaranda trees were putting on a show:






The Mighty Clarence River



The Clarence River Bridge is BIG:



Dinner's on the table, be back soon .........
 

Williamson

Part of the furniture
Dinner's on the table, be back soon .........

Day 7 (cont.) ......

....... from Grafton we headed up the Armidale Road through Nymboida. The road was to its usual high standard, great curves and bends, nicely banked and cambered, surface pretty good overall (apart from a couple of mid-corner surprises, but nothing that couldn't be handled).

Time to unleash the Mighty ST1300. I noticed Phil stuck behind some cars, caravans and trucks so had time to get a couple of pics

Phil & Suzi:


Didn't see this angle of the Suzi very often:


Turned left headed for Dorrigo and the coast just after Dundurrabin, found a train grave yard at Dorrigo:


There were around 60 of these locos and 100's of other rolling stock.

Followed the Waterfall Way from Dorrigo to the coast, a very good ride, would have been better with less traffic. Then followed the Pacific Highway to Taree. Where the highway is good, it's very good; when it's bad, it's shyte. Lots of road works in progress, I reckon it'll be all freeway between Brisbane and Sydney by the time we get there next. Won't be a rider's road, but it'll be quick and safe.

At Taree, we stayed at the Freesort:


This cousin Tony's home. Free bed, home cooked roast lamb and veggies, a few beers and plenty of BS. Michelle's roast is not as good as Helen's, I hope she doesn't read AusTouring.
 

Williamson

Part of the furniture
Day 8

Freeway from Taree to Nabiac for an eggs and bacon breakfast, and then via Dungog.

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Then back roads to Singleton, lunch with Phil's cousin and her husband, spent a couple of hours them whilst Phil caught up a family news.

More back roads to the Putty Road. Despite some of the doomsayers suggesting that the road has been spoilt by low speed limits and police patrols, it's still and enjoyable challenging ride.

I'd booked us into the Hawkesbury Hotel, had it confirmed in a SMS, this didn't mean much to the staff as there was no room for us.

The manager served us a couple of freebie schooners whilst he checked and re-checked his books, cursed his partner for the stuff-up and gave-up. He then called around other local pubs and hotels to find us a room, job done.

Sent us on our way with a couple of more beers, said the barmen, "Give the boys a coupla travellers". Barmen wraps a couple of long necks of Tooheys Dark for us.

Phil doesn't like dark ale, I do!
:clap:

Checked into the Alexander the Great Motor Inn, $120.00 for the room. Steeper than we'd planned, but it was a huge corner room with a double bed and four singles, plenty of room to spread out.

Shared the long necks with Phil before heading to the adjacent Chinese Restaurant.

One of the best meals on the trip. Every cloud has a silver lining.

Day 9, went something like this:

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Sydney's peak hour traffic is not fun, find our way to the M2 ASAP, and then off and headed to Livepool, Royal National Park and then Bald Hill Lookout at Stanwell Tops, the view is worth the stop.

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It's a popular stop for motorcyclists.

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South side of the sea bridge is a popular vantage point.

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Phil did a lap.

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Other lookouts along this section of coast.

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Greenwell Point Hotel for the night.
 
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