Horizons Unlimited - The HUBB - NSW Australia... Go West Young Man.

Ride report from Sun 16 Dec, 2007

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They call it cabin fever. When you are locked up inside for too long. Sydney has had some really good rain the last few weeks. I have had the flu for the last few weeks. That’s why there have been no updates to the blog. I have not been out on a decent ride for weeks. I was getting cabin fever. I had to get out onto the open road. I knew it was forecast for heavy rain and thunderstorms. I didn’t care. I have new wet weather pants and a new set of gloves. So last night I went to bed early. I was going for a ride today no matter what.

I had seen that there were going to be several different rides today advertised on different forums. I wanted my own space. I knew where I wanted to go to and I wanted to leave way earlier than most rides start.

6:30am. I am wide wake. Out of bed and quick look out the window confirms the weatherman got it right. The sky is covered in iron coloured clouds. No rain yet but it will come. Breakfast is quickly consumed. Wendy is woken up so I can tell her where I am heading for. I say Lithgow. In fact I am going further west to Bathurst. But let’s see how bad the weather gets.

By 7:30am I am on the road. Full wet weather gear on. Sheep skin seat cover on the bike. Ear plugs screwed into my ears. Bike is all fuelled up. Out the drive way and off I go.

It is once again a boring trip out to Windsor. My route will take me up the Bells Line of Road to Lithgow and then onto Bathurst. I want to do a circuit of Mt Panorama and take some photos of the bike up there. That’s the plan.

The rain held off till just past Bilpin. I got caught in a few showers. Nothing heavy yet. It was really cold too. My visor was fogging up. Some of the scenery is stunning along this road. Deep valleys with shear cliff face’s dropping down into the lush green valleys. Trouble is just as I see a spot that would be great to take a photo from I have shot past. Ok next one I will stop at. Again I have shot past a beautiful vantage place. Next one not so good but I stop. Having the tank bag fitted makes it so much quicker and easier to take photos. Camera out of the tank bag real quick. Snap. Put it away and off you go again.

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Back onto the lovely Bells Line Rd. There is very little traffic and no cops around. I give the bike its head and let it fly. Well as much as you can with a single cylinder bike. ;-)

I see a turn off to the Blue Mountains Picnic Area. So I take it. It’s a small bit of dirt road. The picnic area will just be around the corner…. And down the step dirt road and still further down. I am committed as it is too steep to stop and try to turn around. I get to the bottom and find there is no view. Just two picnic tables, and his and hers loo. At least I can turn around. Sure this is no ‘great Adventure’ ride and it is only about a kilometre long bit with the small front wheel that the MuZ has it is skidding all over the place. I get to the top and back onto the main road. Hey that was fun.

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I see a sign for the Zig Zag Railway. I don’t have time to ride the train to the bottom and back again. But I stop to take some photos of the trains.

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Photos taken and heading for Lithgow. Off to the left the valley drops away and there is Lithgow. On with the brakes and off onto more dirt to take some photos. See this is one reason I like to ride alone. I can stop when I like and not have people double back for me worried that I may have binned the bike.

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What a view too. Now to get back to the main road. Oh there is sand. Oh it is wet too. Oh the rear wheel wants to dig in. So easy on the clutch in first gear and get all my weight off the bike. Out of the sand she comes.

The road down onto Lithgow from here on is hair pins and posted at 60km/h. The car in front is making sure he is doing this too.

I would have loved to have stopped and seen the Small Arms Museum. Lithgow is where our Army’s rifles are made. They also made weapons during World War Two there. But Bathurst is calling. It is only 60kms to go. I am now down on the open plains. The Great Dividing Range is behind me. The sun has come out and it is hot and humid. I know this means there will be a storm brewing. Closer I get to Bathurst the warmer it is getting. Way off to the right I can see a sheet of dark stretching from heavy clouds to the ground. Rain. Heavy rain. The wind is blowing from that way too. Now it is a race to see who gets to Bathurst first. Me of the rain.

HAHAHA Mr. Rain. I bet ya. I drive up to My Panorama and am greeted by a security guard. “Are you here for the blah blah race meeting?” He asks me. “Nah mate. Just come to ride the track.” Says I. “Sorry you can’t ride the track as there is a closed circuit race meet on.” “Ok I will go back to Sydney then.” So I did. As I am going back into Bathurst I see a wall of rain. And it is right in front of me. I have to go through it. Well that’s what I wanted. Some wet wether riding. I haven’t done any decent riding in the rain on 2 wheels in 13 years.

The rain stung through my wet weather pants it was coming down that hard. Only had one close call in the rain. There was a semi and then a 4WD with a trailer in front on me. The road went to 2 lanes. I pulled out to the right lane. Blinker on. Head lamp blazing and the stupid 4WD decide he is going to over take the semi too. On the horn and he hears me and pulls back. That’s what mirrors are for you fool.

After about 30kms the rain has stopped. The sun is now out again. There are turn offs beckoning me to go to Oberon and Jenolan Caves but I can see that way they are getting a right bucketing from the rain. So I keep heading fro Lithgow.

For some reason I have caught up to a line of traffic. I shan’t say why but in this traffic is a Ferrari. Red of course. Even through the helmet and ear plugs I can hear his exhaust. He is dodging in and out of the traffic overtaking. Using his raw power to propel past truck and cars and then jump back into his lane. Sounds so nice. But hey my MuZ is red and sounds nice too ya know.

So do I go home the way I came down the Bells Line or through to Katoomba? I take the road to Katoomba. Stupid me. At least Mt Victoria pass was ok. The rest was boring with heaps of traffic and lots of cops out hunting for speeding vehicles. Not this little black duck thank you.

About he only thing that impressed me coming back this way was the Leura Markets. Must take Wendy there for a Sunday outing.

Soon I am on the motorway heading east. Time to play traffic roulette with the Sunday drivers. Some have no idea how to travel at 100km/h. Tagged along with a CBR600 for most of the motorway. He cleared the traffic in the right hand lane for me. ;-)

12:45pm and I am in my garage. Wendy said she missed me while I was gone. But she knew I needed to go for a ride today. I told her about the rain, the dirt road, nearly getting bogged in the sand and the fool in the 4WD and she said.. “You had a fun didn’t you..” You bet I did.

All up it costs me a tank of fuel, bottle of water and a nut/fruit bar in Bathurst. Shame about the track. But hey now I have an excuse to go back again.

From Bathurst to home I didn't stop to take photos. I didn't want the camera to get wet and the homing beckon was on.