Orange and Around, April 28-May 1, 2011
THURSDAY
Under
two hours riding but nice warm up for Graham only back on the bike for the first
time after the achilles injury. Well worth the effort and earning of much
deserved pasta dinner (courtesy of Paul) - oh - plus the traditional Bundy
beverage and a few signature wines like Grant Burge Holy Trinity.
Well done - the full crew was on time and fully equipped at the designated time and place - Pauls house in Beecroft. Eleven in the congregation this year with three transports - The Territory (Flying Fortress), The Audi (Panzerwagen) and The BMW X5 (Tiger Tank). Worshippers for the four day annual pilgrimage were Graham (back after injury), Ashley (also back from injury), Greg (uninjured), Rohan, Peter, Yarro (recovering well from hand operation), John O, John D (with Frank and Albert), Paul, Richard and Phil.
Rain in Sydney didn't mean rain on the other side of the mountains so we gunned it along M2 / M7 then onto Richmond over the Bells Line of Road to Lithgow for 1st coffee of the day.
Back into the transports and a few kilometres down the Great Western we pulled off at Lisdale Forest. A little drizzle wasn't going to deter the church from a ride. Admittedly a little moist, particularly the south side, with some mud on the single track before the drier firetrails. Consensus was the north side was better with more single tracks in a drier state with some neat interconnecting loops. "The hill is your friend".
No - I haven't forgot - yes, a small drama with the racks on the Tiger Tank. "Dis swedish engineering ist nich gut". Yes, we nearly lost JDs bike off the top of the tank on the way to Orange. We did stop in Bathurst at a Bike shop to order some new racks (and have a coffee) knowing that the rack was suspect but the combination of ockie straps and loose bolts wasn't enough. It was just by chance somewhere between Bathurst and Orange JD looked up through the sunroof to see the forks about the jump the rack and pierce the roof. Nice save JD.
Accommodation in Orange was outstanding (thanks Yarro). Both sides of a semi-detached meant two showers, two toilets and plenty of beds - and hot water too. Also, enough space in two fridges to store beverages and for us all to sit down after dinner and catch the first half of "Inglorious Basterds".
FRIDAY
Eggs for morning service with Rohan making some home brew coffee. Nice ride around a very tidy country town with visits to the golf course and a ride along Byng Street before stopping of an average coffee at Scottys. Back to the house to pack a cut lunch and into the transports for a short drive to Kinross Forest off Bulgas Road. Amazing, Awesome and to quote one of the pilgrims "best tracks in 12 years (of worship)". It was all new to the crew so we had a little discovery to do. Some climbing on single track, some down on single track, some more up, some more down and plenty of big smiles. A short break for eating the packed lunches and then back on the bikes for more up and down.
Incredibly we only covered about 12 k in the hours we were there but climbed (and descended again) over 600 metres. Again Graham kicked in and completed the whole adventure.
It was GPS, 3G and App frenzy on the track as all sorts of comparisons and conversations and discussions were held over where we are and where to go (and will we know when we get there). "Bring back the map" :-).
End of ride and it was time for JD to venture back to Bathurst for his new racks, others to drive back to base camp in Orange and a few of us to ride back.
Royal Wedding night so it was party time. After shampoo, shower and shaves we were all frocked up for the Union Wine Shop Restaurant to taste the local pressings, sample the local produce and entertain the locals with some inspired commentary on the wedding being broadcast live into the dining hall - a fine array of regal women and one pilgrim was even heard to say "hey - the mums not bad either". Maybe too much Temparnillo, or was it Roussane, or Cabernet Sauvignon, no, no - it was the Mothers Milk Shiraz.
Good to be able to walk back to the bungalow. I think only Greg refrained from the holy wine.
SATURDAY
Bacon and Eggs - a necessary item on the morning after such a royal performance. And the wedding was pretty good too.
Into the transports for a hour or so drive to Back Yamma State Forest between Parkes and Forbes. Beautiful day out that way - blue skies and a little warmer - stunning. Much flatter country out this way and the undergrowth was more dangerous to the tyres with a puncture on a thorn in the first 3 k's. Chance to have 1st lunch under a tree by a dried creek bed. Back on the bikes and it was spin, spin, spin across flat lands and through scrub lands again with the odd stop to debate GPS / 3G positioning on an array of devices and applications. Second lunch was taken in scrub land and then more spin, spin, spin with red dust flying and Pete flying over the handle bars. Lucky he's an aeronautical engineer because he not only flew he landed without injury. Not long after Paul managed to fly too and land safely after hitting a rut. Must have picked it up from all those international flights.
Back into the transports and time to head back to Orange with a short stop for a drink (just soft drink - nothing more) at Cudal "Home of the Platypus".
It was getting dark so after a quick clean up Ashley and Phil headed to the shops to score some stores for dinner - pre-marinated Lamb, fresh beans, sweet and white potatoes (steamed with a lemon) and served with olive oil and fetta cheese smashed together and topped with coriander. JO was made a tasty tuna nicoise salad by Graham. And for dessert Phil made Portuguese tarts - not entirely traditional since no creme fraiche at Coles so used custard for the first batch and then pears with a little custard for the second.
Second half of "Inglorious Basterds", some football and bed. Another great day and our last evening of this years adventure.
SUNDAY
Eggs and beans for breakfast, pack up, clean up and sort the cutlery and crockery before loading the transports and heading back to Kinross Forest for a "short" ride. Too much to resist though. After several more hours than planned and many more tracks then known it was time to go. Rohan did manage to split a tyre at the sidewall but other than that no injuries, no accidents, no major malfunctions - touch wood this is a sign of times to come.
Back to Orange and the Hotel Canobalos for a hot lunch - rump on the cook your own BBQ for some, burgers for others and salads or curry for a couple. What a way to finish.
On the way home we had a hot lap of Mount Panorama in the Tiger Tank (glad we had the new racks) and stopped at a cafe in Bilpin for a break as we reached the end of another adventure for the Church of the Holy Spoke.
And for route maps, profiles, altitudes, speeds, satellite overlaps, GPS, 3G, application mapping, coordinate tracking, inverse parabolic conversions with photovoltaic, blah, blah - click here J