Apr 6, 2021 - That's Tour de Cowra for another year

With 11 of us left at the house and no cycling today, it was a gentle start to the day with a cooked breakfast for a few then some of the guys went to the camp ground to help the Bike North organisers pull down a marquee, as agreed the previous afternoon. When the guys got there at the agreed time they had already taken it down with some help from other club members. The guys had a bit of a chat and then turned around and drove back to the house Meanwhile at the house we were packing up and cleaning before we left. Mandy (house owner)...

Apr 5, 2021 - Day 4 The traditional house ride - The Chiverton Loop

As has become the tradition for the group staying the Blue Gum Farm Lodge, we all stick together on the last day and ride at the pace of the slowest person. It is a social ride more than anything and the only day we have a chance to ride with everyone in the house. Of course we have some fun too. Leanne B and Helen did not ride out from the house but took the car to the official start point of the ride. Leanne has been gradually increasing her distance ridden since her operation last year so the drive to the start each day was a safety...

Apr 4, 2021 - Day 3 Wyangala Dam for some.. and not for others

Wyangala Dam is traditionally the difficult ride of the weekend. Tom and Roman had not done it before and so they were keen to attack the climbs to the dam followed by the 7km climb out of the dam, on the 90km loop back to the house. Brian and Goran had done that ride before and nothing was stopping them doing it again. The rest of the riders in the house did the only other ride (56km) on offer today, known as Pine Mount. Not sure if there is a place called Pine Mount but there is certainly a Pine Mount Rd that we followed for quite a bit...

Apr 3, 2021 - Day 2 Billimari / Goolagong Rides

Another beautiful day in Cowra. Mid to high 20s with clear blue skies. The house group members chose different rides. Goran, Gaylene, Roman, geoff and Leanne M did Goolagong / Billimari loop fir 104km Gerry, Tom did Billimari loop for 71km and Gerry had a flat tyre on the ride back to the house after lunch. Leanne B and I did Billimari there and back for 62km Helen had a rest day Ronnie and Carol enjoyed the local area going their separate ways After light lunch at the Rose Cafe we returned to the house for a rest and a game of Finska...

Apr 2, 2021 - Day 1 The Woodstock rides

Ride to Woodstock today. Anticlockwise. Some did the shorter route , I did the middle distance as I was testing out how my broken elbow would handle a ride, and others did the longer ride. We all split after the Woodstock Pub. Leanne M, Tom and I rode back together on the middle distance. Lunch at the Rose Garden cafe then a quiet afternoon back at the house. BBQ dinner of lamb chops , sausages, chicken with plum and tomato salad, potato salad and Greek salad. Fresh fruit salad and icecream for dessert!

Apr 1, 2021 - The clan gets back together again

The good old group get back together again with some newbies to the house and the event, and many ‘oldies’. There are 13 of us in the house this year, and we all arrived at different times and via different routes. Some coming via the blue mountains and Bathurst and the others via Goulburn and Boorawa. With Goran leaving after work and not arriving until 23:00. Tom and I stopped in Blayney for coffee only to find Brian there ,just finishing coffee and an apparently excellent beef and vege pie. Unfortunately no GF snack to be found there...

Jul 22, 2020 - Gulgong to Moree's Artesian Spa

Our hotel room was very chilly so getting out of bed the next morning required some real willpower. Once outside however it was much more pleasant as the sun was shining and there was not a breath of wind. We walked around town and in one of the shops the charming shopkeeper played us a tune on his fiddle. You don't get that every day. We found a cafe for breakfast before hitting the road, we have almost five hours of driving to get to Moree. We stopped at Coonabarabran for a very quick bite before continuing. There sure were a lot of road...

Jul 21, 2020 - Sydney to Gulgong - heading for Queensland (Take 2)

Well today is the day we headed off again. We have printed off our border passes for the Qld border checkpoint and fingers crossed this time we make it. We left Sydney mid morning and crossed over the Blue Mountains, stopping at both Echo Point in Katoomba and Govetts Leap at Blackheath for wonderful views over the valleys. Both viewpoints were quiet which is a first for the popular Echo Point viewpoint, no tourist coaches and great parking spots available. We stopped at the bakery at Blackheath for comfort food Grae had a pie and I had a...

Jun 30, 2020 - Forster and Seal Rocks

We spent our last night in Forster. We followed the Visitor Information Officer's recommendation and did the coast walk to Bennetts Head Lookout with breathtaking views up and down the coast. For dinner we ate at Hogs Breath, we both ordered rare steaks and I treated myself and ordered a Moscow Mule (Vodka, ginger beer and lime juice). Our accommodation at the Golden Sands Motel on Head St was very good value (only $81) and conveniently located one street back from the beach. It's winter but because the weather is nice and sunny there are...

Mar 21, 2020 - North of Eden, Aslings Beach

Yesterday before we left on an arduous 1 hour journey to Eden we thought we would visit Gypsy Point for some lunch. Needn't have bothered nothing there, except it is the departure point for "wilderness river cruises". The only thing of interest was that there were bell birds calling... This morning we rose early and packed up to get to Eden where we arrived around 1100. Nice van park, last time we stayed here we had Gracie with us. I left her moored outside the $2 shop and went inside for something. On egress Gracie had found the tennis...

Mar 15, 2020 - at Kingscliff - drive to Murwillumbah

SUN Mar 15 - Day 21 Dawn has brought a cold wind from the south, fully overcast with occasional very light showers. Good morning to stay inside and attend church back home via the web LiveStream. Dan Paterson speaking again. “Has Science Buried God?” Great service. Finished about midday and Jan had thought she would like to do a load of washing before going home - there is a huge amount of blue sky and sunshine but still windy. She decided not to. After lunch we did a bit of reading and decided to go for a drive at 3:00pm. It’s still a nice...

Mar 14, 2020 - at Kingscliff

Sat Mar 14 - Day 20 The day has dawned with blue sky and no wind but we don’t expect that to last. Minute by minute the clouds are building up over the sea and moving in. The weather almost echos the current state of the nation with the Corona Virus. Uncertain, gloomy prospects, plans being reconsidered or cancelled. Yesterday the news was all about the declared Pandemic and last night’s address to the nation by the PM stated the measures being taken by the Fed Govt to deal with the expected rapid increase in the number of identified cases...