Ride Report - Tuncurry/Nabiac - Wednesday and Thursday 8th/9th August
After one late withdrawal because of sickness at home, there were only eighteen men starters to leave McGrath's Hill promptly at 9.00am and Lyn the lone women
Pete Nagiel volunteered to ride tail gunner.
We headed up Putty Road with the intention of taking morning tea at Singleton where we usually refuel.
Without as much as a 'by your leave', they've started building a high-rise on our usual picnic spot so we had to find a bit of grass further along the street.
Two messages were then read - both from Tail End Pete - the first to say he'd broken down on Putty Road but had been helped to get going by a couple of good Samaritans and had made it back to Windsor where they were preparing a new battery for him, which would take another three hours. The second to be read, but probably the first to have been sent, asked ''what happens when Tail End Charlie breaks down? Who does he turn to for help?''
Being satisfied that Pete was safely on his way home, and in any case, not having any helpful answers to Pete's question, we continued onwards to Dungog where we enjoyed our lunch and a bit more of a chat.
All set again, it was now on towards Gloucester, Nabiac and Tuncurry.
The Sunset Motel always give us a friendly welcome and this time it was just the same if not more so.
We'd reserved a table at the Bowling Club - no more than 50 metres away - for dinner at 6.30 so from about 5.00, we began to regroup in the lounge.
Dinner was inexpensive and the servings generous, so after a good meal and several soothing reds, a great deal more chat and a few more soothing reds, I presume we must all have got back to the motel safely because next morning we were all there ready and raring to go at 8.27am.
Ronnie left us then to go up to Port Macquarie to visit an ancient relative ... and the rest of the day was amazingly quiet.
The Museum folks were waiting for us at nine o'clock and had put on a very pleasant selection of tea, coffee and homemade cakes and stuff (that's a Masterchef technical term) which we tucked into with relish having viewed the 700 plus bikes on display.
Every motorcyclist should visit the National Motorcycle Museum at least once but not a lot changes, so twice is probably more than adequate.
However, we had the mandatory photographs, thanked them for their hospitality and set off on a heading for Gloucester, then all the way down Bucketts Way to The Pacific Highway and the Pie Shop ay Heatherbrae.
Well, those who do not have shares in Hungry Jacks and are not convinced that the burgers are better there, enjoyed the pies, before hitting the freeway for a final bit of chatting at Pie In the Sky where we met up with the day riders.
According to feedback, a good time was enjoyed by all, and if there was ever any doubt, let me put it to rest ... we do know how to enjoy ourselves on these ''overnighters''.
Looking forward to our next one and seeing yerzall next week ...
Phil
