Quick Snowy Lap - April 2022

Monday 4 April 2022

Oyster Bay – Nowra – Nerriga – Tarago - Bungendore – Queanbeyan – Cooma

420 Km

Day 1

First trip in 11 months. Between winding down to retirement from work in December 2021, Covid lock-downs and an extremely long bout of very wet weather, it's been tricky finding some time to get away. I thought I could squeeze in 5 days, Monday to Friday. I was planning last week but it did not stop raining. This week was looking doubtful as well because the weather report was predicting more heavy rain later in the week.

Sunday was good and Monday looked like a nice sunny day so I thought I would take a chance and booked a motel in Cooma for Monday night thinking I would spend 3 days in the Snowy Mountains and maybe venturing into the Victorian high country.

So Monday morning arrived and was a lovely sunny day. I left home about 8.30 and headed south. The last few times I have gone to Cooma I have been through Braidwood and down Cooma Road which is about 100 km dirt road. After all the heavy rain we have had lately I thought this would be a mess and so decided to stick to the asphalt on this trip. So it was off to Nowra and then on to Nerriga, Tarago and Bungendore where I stopped for some lunch. Once you get passed Nowra you are really out of town and I always enjoy this part of the trip. As it was a couple of years since I have been this way it was interesting to see some changes. A few new houses have been built and a couple that were being built for a long time looked to be finished at last. Very little traffic and lovely weather means I made good time. An always reliable steak sandwich at R&Rs Diner and I was off. I had filled up with fuel in Nowra so I didn't need more till Cooma.

Shoalhaven river

Tarrago

Short trip to Queanbeyan and then off down Monaro Highway to Cooma. Not much traffic on a Monday afternoon and I had a nice relaxed cruise for the 100 kilometers.

I was in the Nebula Motel, an old favorite, and was told I had the last room. Apparently the motels in Cooma are full of workers from Snowy hydro 2.0. Fish and chips in my room for dinner from Monaro Seafoods. Nice and quite.

Tuesday 5th April 2022

Cooma, Adaminaby – Tumut – Gundagai – Wallendbeen – Wombat – Young – Grenfell

375 Km

Day 2

A lovely breakfast at Under The Elms café got me ready for the day.

I had planned a trip to Tumut, Tumbarumba and possibly Jingellic for this day, but all the weather reports looked nasty, more so for the Wednesday and I didn't want to get caught in the Snowy in bad weather. Bad weather in the mountains always seems worse than bad weather any where else and there are a lot less escape routes if you get caught. So I decided I would go up to Tumut and keep going north. Young seemed like a good proposition. I had stayed there a few times  before and enjoyed it. I rang 4 motels which were all booked out before I gave up. Looking at the map, Grenfell was only another 50 km and I had not been there before. Grenfell Motel took the booking no problem.

I left Cooma about 9am and had a stunning run up the Snowy mountains highway under beautiful blue sky. This is one of the iconic Australian Motorcycling roads and today was just perfect for it. Ironically the weekend just passed had been the annual Snowy ride and the weather had been horrendous. I had passed a lot of bikes on there way back to Sydney the day before. I got the weather they were dreaming of.

There were a few road work setups to navigate, and unfortunately at Kiandra I was stopped at a road block where police and emergency workers were attending to helicopter that had crashed there the previous night killing 2 people.

I was into Tumut by midday and stopped for lunch. I had to remove some of the warm gear I had needed to get through the mountains, but now it was warming up.

Off to Gundagai, a short stint on the Hume highway and then through Muttama and Wallendbeen, then to Wombat and Young and straight on to Grenfell. Very typical mid western farming country out here. Rolling hills, some crops and some livestock. Regular farmhouse and sheds in the distance. There were several burning crops in the distance and a bit of smoke in the air. All in all, very pleasant traveling.

Got to Grenfell and checked in to the Motel before taking a wander downtown. The town has done well to preserve most of the old shopfronts down the main street and it is very impressive. Old shops repurposed to offer all the modern necessities.

There is no way you can be in Grenfell and not learn that is was the birthplace of Henry Lawson. He is celebrated every where you look. And why not.

Found a nice country style Chinese restaurant, The Happy Inn, for dinner. After studying the weather forecast and the map, I decided I would head to Mudgee the next day and back home on the Thursday. One day shorter than planned, but bound to hit lots of wet weather. I was able to secure the last room in the second Motel I called in Mudgee. Country motels seem to be doing well.

Snowy Mountains

Snowy Mountains

Burning off near Grenfell

Snowy

Grenfell Silo art

Grenfell shops

Grenfell sunset through smoke

Dinner

Henry

Wednesday 6th April 2022

Grenfell – Gooloogong – Eugowra – Molong – Wellington – Goolma – Mudgee

296 Km

Day 3

Another beautiful morning on the Wednesday, and after a suitably hardy breakfast at a the Unwind Café, I was on the road. This was all new country to me and I was on relatively small back roads. My favorite kind. Through Warraderry and then Gooloogong and on to Eugowra. Very pleasant country. Then Murga, Toogong, Cudal, Boree and then Molong for a coffee stop. I have stopped in Molong before, but coming from a different direction. Nice town.

Then it was on to Wellington. I stopped here for a while just to sit in the park and soak up the sun. I was making very good time and it was not a big trip today.

Then it was off to Goolma and on to Mudgee. A few clouds had gathered by this time, but it was still a lovely day for the whole trip. I read later that Sydney and the coast had had some very heavy rain this day and the next was predicted to be worse. 

The Paragon Hotel was across the road from the Soldiers Motel where I was staying, and I ventured over for dinner. I was not disappointed. Very nice pub and a very good dinner. Don't know how I have missed this one before.

Things did not look good for the next day, But I decided to just get on with it and get home as soon as I could.

Mudgee

Thursday 7th April 2022

Mudgee – Lithgow – Penrith – Liverpool – Oyster Bay

283 Km

Day 4

It was very overcast in the morning and looked like rain was imminent. I walked down to the Dancing Goat for a lovely breakfast and back to the motel to dress for the trip. I left town about 8.30am and it had started to sprinkle by the time I was on the outskirts of Mudgee.

It rained pretty much all the way to Sydney. Some of it was reasonably heavy, but the vast majority was drizzle. I had already decided I wouldn't be stopping anywhere on the way. I had all my outrageously expensive riding gear on and it all worked exactly as it should. So all in all, It was not such a bad trip and I was home by midday. The rain got heavier and continued for the rest of the day.

Complete trip

April 2021 - Hay - Broken Hill - Orange

 Friday 23 April

Oyster Bay - Goulburn - Wagga Wagga - Narrandera - Hay

720 km

Day 1

I was off to Hay for a family catch up. Got away from Sydney about 8.30 and had a good, uneventful run through Goulburn and on to Yass and Gundagai.

I usually take the Burley Griffin Way through Temora, but the road is still closed near Wallendbeen since the recent flooding.

A last stop at Narrandera before braving the Hay plains. Arrived about 4pm. That is the boring part of the trip out of the way.

Leaving Sydney

Hay Plains

Motel In Hay

Newly painted water towers in Hay

Monday 26 April

Hay - Balranald - Euston – Wentworth

323 km

Day 2

Left Hay about 8.30am on a cool, crisp morning. Not a cloud in the sky. I dressed with all the electric gear but found I didn’t need to turn it on. A lovely run across the flat, treeless country to Balranald where I stopped for coffee. The relatively new Information centre at Balranald is great. Parking, clean toilets and good coffee at the café make a great one place stop.

After Balranald, I did one run through to Wentworth. The country changes from treeless plains to scrubby bush to large grain farms with glimpses of the Murray and assorted lakes to the South. As this was only 323km trip, I didn’t stop again. Although I did ride down into Euston and had a quick tour around Wentworth before checking into the Motel.

Having not had lunch, I went for a walk about 5pm looking for a burger. Nothing available in town that I could find. I had to wait til 6pm for one of the pubs to start serving dinner. I was starving by then so needless to say I enjoyed my dinner.

Hay to Balranald

Scrub after Balranald

Lake Benanee near Euston

Euston

Near Wentworth

Darling river at Wentworth

Old Wentworth Gaol

Murray Darling junction

Tuesday 27 April 

Wentworth- Coombah - Broken Hill

290 km

Day 3

Another beautiful morning. A continental breakfast was included with my room at the Wentworth Grand Resort, so I tucked in and hit the road about 9.30. It was a short trip and I didn’t want to be there too early.

Lovely travelling. About 17c and very little traffic. Perfect conditions.

Leaving Wentworth

Mind the trucks

Siver City Highway

I stopped at Coombah which is about half way and has a cafe and petrol. Unfortunately a bus load of older passengers arrived just before me and there was a long queue for coffee. I had a seat and  waited patiently until they were all through. By the time ordered I had changed my mind many times and I finished up with a Coke No Sugar and a Chiko Roll. The taste of my childhood. Always love a Chiko Roll.

Coombah roadhouse

Coombah

Towards Broken Hill

After listening to 2 couples in caravans discussing whether or not they will open the Tim Tams for 10 minutes, I decided it was time to go.

Had a great run from there to Broken Hill and I was entering town about midday. The first roundabout I came to, I pulled the clutch to stop and the clutch did not budge. I was braking to stop so the bike just stalled at the edge of the roundabout. I could not engage the clutch. After a minute of trying and with cars backing up behind me I found neutral and pushed the bike to the side of the road. At this point I was very doubtful I could get it repaired in Broken Hill and had thoughts of having to get the bike shipped to SYDNEY and me flying. 

As it turned out I was stopped right in front of a service station, so I went in and asked if they knew anyone who could fix a KTM. The manager, Errol, came out had look and said “my mate Rob can fix anything”. He called Rob who said he would come and get me and while we waited Errol told me tales of his motorcycle adventures. He has a KTM 450 and recently sold his Ducati Monster. He said he and Rob used to race dirt bikes.

Rob turned up towing a professional motorbike trailer. He tried the clutch and said “probably a nut come loose”. We then loaded the bike on the trailer and set of for his workshop.

This turned out to be a very large yard with a number of sheds and many, many, bikes and quads, or parts thereof, scattered about the place. He even had the junk yard dog. A large, serious looking stumpy tailed blue healer who completely ignored me while I was there and I didn’t push my luck. 

We unloaded the bike and a younger fellow (I think Rob’s son) eventually came over and removed the clutch cover. He very carefully removed all the clutch plates until he got to the back of the mechanism. “The nus come loose” he said and with that tightened it up and slowly cleaned and replaced all the plates and the cover. Good as new. 

It sounds quick when you read that, but actually it took about 2 hours. People would wander in and ask this young genius about a loom for a 2007 CRF, or heat shield for a DRZ. He had an answer for them all, and was in no hurry whatsoever. I was in no position to complain.

Eventually all was done and I was ready to depart when I mentioned that I hadn’t paid him. “Right oh” he said as he did some sums in his head. “$50 bucks will do it”. I couldn’t believe it. I gave him a hundred and said “buy the guys a drink” and left with a big smile on my face.

Outskirts of Broken Hill

Broken down in Broken Hill

At Rob's, clutch exposed.

Got into my motel about 4pm and crashed to mull over the events of the day. Finally showered and headed to the Demo club (Barrier Social Democratic Club). Which I had been to before. One of the specials was house crumbed wagyu steak for $21. I thought, at that price it will be small. Wrong. It was thin but hung off both ends of the plate. Nice dinner and an early night.

Broken Hill by night

"Small" crumbed Wagyu

Wednesday 28th April

Broken Hill – Wilcannia – Cobar

457 Km

Day 4

Found breakfast at a café in the main street. Not the one I wanted. It was too busy. Never mind. A full belly just the same.

Beautiful riding weather again. Clear blue sky, no wind and about 18c. Perfect. I know there is not much in the way of scenery on the run from Broken Hill to Wilcannia to Cobar, but I do enjoy this country. The sense of wide open space is overwhelming and I really enjoy being in it.

No Kangaroos today. A couple of emus in the paddocks and the usual crop of goats along the road. I think the goats are becoming more relaxed. Once upon a time they would run away from every vehicle. Now, many of them just stand there chewing grass and watching you go by. But, unlike kangaroos and sheep, they never run in front of you. Goats are the motorcyclist’s friend.

Broken Hill to Wilcannia

I stopped for petrol at Wilcannia and then for coffee and carrot cake at Emmdale roadhouse, which is a bit of a favourite.

Darling River at Wilcannia

Wilcannia

Final run to Cobar for a quite night. The Town and Country Motel has a restaurant attached and is as good a place to eat in Cobar as any. Breakfast as well.

Roadworks - Wilcannia to Cobar

Emmdale Roadhouse

Motel in Cobar

Thursday 29th April

Cobar – Nyngan – Narromine – Dubbo – Yeoval – Cumnock – Molong – Orange

450 km

Day 5

Another beautiful day and I was off to Nyngan. No stopping there but it was probably the longest run between towns. I stopped at Narromine for coffee, muffin and petrol.  The café in the old Imperial hotel is a beauty and recommended. Two shots of coffee is standard in their flat white. The way it should be everywhere.

Leaving Cobar

Coffee and Muffin, Narromine

On to Dubbo and then a road new to me, but one I really enjoyed. South of Dubbo, past the entrance to Western Plains Zoo and then along Obley Road which later became Banjo Patterson Road. A great ride through Yeoval, Cumnock and Molong. Three lovely, little towns. Lots of quirky art installations along the way and a beautiful winding road through gently undulating country with very little traffic. A nice change from the last couple of days of long straight roads of nothing.

I had a pit stop in Molong before the final run into Orange.

I had not stayed in Orange overnight before, and I was there early enough to have a good wander around the CBD and check it out. I quickly identified Mr Lim Korean for dinner and Good Eddy café for breakfast. They were both very good.

Mr Lim's Drunken Duck

Mr Lim's prawn wontons

Mr Lims

Orange by night

Friday 30th April

Orange – Bathurst – Lithgow – Katoomba – Penrith – Oyster Bay

273 Km

Day 6

I couldn’t believe the traffic from Orange to Bathurst to Lithgow and then all the way over the blue Mountains. Make me appreciate the space of Broken Hill all the more.

An uneventful run in good weather getting me back home around 1pm. 2,500 km in all.

Whole Trip