We had a little pre Ragged Fringe Rally rally.
The trip up to Bretti was a ripper. It was a cold start at 0645 on Tuesday. Foggy and 4 degrees meant the heated gear was turned up high. I didn't stop at Bathurst to fuel up, because muggins here reckoned there'd be fuel along the way. I was at 150km since the last refill when I got to Wattle Flat. The sign on the general store with a single bowser said "last fuel for 90 km". I stopped. 91 RON only. Oh well. 60km later I passed a fully loaded service station. Humph. However, the trip through the Bylong Way was awsome. 25km/h corners emphasised the GRiSO's under steer, and following a knob in an Amarok at $1.50 across the flat bits was fun.
Around 1430 I stopped at Jerry's Plains for fuel and food. I had to remove another layer, because on the other side of the mountains it was cold and miserable, but here it was warm and sunny. Next stop, Gloucester.
I got to Gloucester a bit after 1700. Plonked in some fuel and headed to Bretti. With Tony's directions repeating in my head I noted the turn off to the reserve as I whipped straight past it. Oops.
Route.
Camp.
At the Nabiac pub.
There was enough butter in the mash to kill a Frenchman. It was magnificent!
I headed back home Friday, mid morning. I decided to turn right instead of left and head to Tamworth. Charlie did his best to install a map in my ECU (head). I thought I might take some pics on the trip, as I was going to stop for the night somewhere. Yes, says Charlie, and added a lookout to my map. I zoomed past the lookout, just I like I did on Tuesday when I went past the reserve. 'There's the lookout' I said to myself as I raced past. There were BMW riders there. Eew!
Charlie's instructions were: 'Take the Tamworth/Nundle road. Turn right at the t-intersection. Do not go through Nundle'. I get to the t-intersection, left says 'Tamworth', right is a dirt road? WTF? Did he say the
second t-intersection? Brain confused. A 'My wife will be here soon' moment. So I turns left. He did say it's a narrow, winding road. He wasn't wrong. When I got to the next t-intersection, I turned right. :D
Lunch at Tamworth, and fat for the rocket. I punch 'Wellington' into Apple Maps. A mistake, as it turns out. A blue route line appears on the map, and off I sets. 150m through the roundabout. No problems. Straight on for 13km. Two blocks later I come to a t-intersection. WTF? I pull over. The little arrow representing me is hovering in nothing. No map, just a grid. Curious. I turn around and head back the way I came. Little blue line reappears, but map does not. Still just a grid. It now wants me to turn right onto the New England Highway. I does.
I pootle along until it tells me to turn right, on the Merriwa road. Oh my God! All is good for several kilometres. Nice sweepers and some tight stuff. Then a sign announces 'Gravel Road'. Gravel road my narrow white arse! 20km of foul rocks the size of golf balls. Short sealed sections with a cattle grid right up 'twixt them. More wet gravel sludge on a winding narrow goat track. I need big knobby tyres. If I go down, they won't find me until my corpse is a dessicated husk!
Not a road for GRiSO. When I finally get to Merriwa I get off and kiss the Tarmac.
I then relegate Apple Maps to the nether regions of my phone and download google maps.
I fuel up and choof off. Down through Gulgong and on to Wellington, where I spend the night.
Next day it pissing down. I set off at 0630. I stop at Cowra for some hot cocoa moo and vittles. And petroleum. By the time I get to Cootamundra I've got some leaks in my wet weather gear and my heated gloves can't compete with the rain. My hands and lips are cold (but my heart isn't black). Points if you get the reference. Water over the road in many places, and some roads are cut when I get close to home, requiring a few u-turns and detours. I rolled into the garage about 1130. My wife greeted me with a 'you smell'.
Route.
Ready to do it again next year.
Thanks to Mal (Malik) for the excellent cooking and help when my swag bag failed. The Tardis V7 is a wonder!
Thanks to Tony, Ron, Mal and Charlie for the great company and good fun.
