36
JULY 2021
RATS RIDE TO NABIAC
staying over night at Tenterfield. Paul Skerman (BMWMCQ club member) and his wife Viki were riding around the wineries of the Hunter Valley Like most good rides it starts with someone and would meet us in Taree. That left Phil saying “Lets go to ???”. Gresham, myself and old mate Greg who rides a Can Am Spyder to leave Friday morning, rain, his ride started with Roger Bylett saying “I hail or shine and find as many twisty roads as we think the Rats should go to the motorbike could. museum at Nabiac”. Who’s Roger, well he was a test rider and writer for the Australian Friday 30/4. I met Phil at Yamanto Maccas at Motorcycle News back in the 80’s. 7.30am. It was a lovely 14°C and fine so Phil took a photo of our bikes, the golden arches and sent it to Roger with the words “You should be here cream puff”. We headed to Boonah and onto Rathdowney to pick up Greg at 9am. Another photo to Roger then headed down the Mt Lindesay Hwy to Kyogle and on to Casino where we stopped for fuel. So far the day had been perfect, a pleasant 19°C, sunny and great twisty roads. The Summerland way (B91) through the forest is another enjoyable ride. In the distance we could see the storm clouds building so a quick stop to put on the wet weather gear which was Phil Gresham’s R1250RT a good move as the heavens opened up as we The Rats are a group of guys who go entered Grafton. Lunch was at the Crown Hotel riding once a month, from various backgrounds, on the back deck and watching the rain. some of which are BMW club members also. The rain stopped as we rode down The date was set, the long weekend in May. Armidale road to Nymboida. The pub that Russell Roger started with emails showing a route Crowe once owned is now privately owned and down the Pacific Hwy to Taree and back along now closed. Near Clouds Creek we had to stop the Oxley and up the New England to home. for roadworks. We found out that this section is This was to cater for those who still worked. being straightened and they only open it for 7 Six weeks from departure the east coast was minutes each way at 11am and 2pm. Fully open hit with heavy rain, flooding and Taree was hit from 4pm to 8am. No mention of this on the hard. Land slides cut off Dorrigo from Bellingen NSW roads site. and the Oxley Hwy was also cut as a massive We timed it well with only a short landslide took out half of the road. One week wait before travelling through. A left turn up from departure and our group of 11 had split Tyringham road as we climbed up the range into 4 groups. and into Dorrigo. The traffic was steady due to Roger, head organiser, and 2 others the light showers and a few more vehicles than decided that the long weekend was going to normal as the road from Bellingen was still closed be wet and they didn’t like riding in rain. Who from the landslide. believes the BOM. The 3 younger guys who were Our accomodation was the Railway hotel/ still working would leave late Friday and go west
By Merv Bone, Member #3663
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