DOD GING THE RAI N

By Tony Gray, Member #3905

The ‘Sunrise to Sunset’ July Club ride was unfortunately aborted after Esk when we ran headlong into a very wet (and cold) weather front. We had to cancel our lunch booking at Leyburn’s Royal Hotel but like Douglas Macarthur and Arnie Schwarzenegger before us, we promised – we’ll be back. The September Club ride was to be our day of reckoning.

During a very dry couple of weeks leading up to the Sunday ride day the weather reports read – high chance of rain, heavy in places. Oh no, were we going to be jinxed a second time? Acceptances for the day were strong given that it was also Father’s Day. We had 18 booked for lunch and a 19th coming along for the ride only. Among the acceptances were some new members and some who had not been on a club ride for a long time so the pressure was on ride leader Paul Hughes to come up with a cracker of a ride. Meeting place was Angie’s Country Café in Esk where the ‘Grey Ghost’ coincidentally ticked over to 200,000km – OK it did require a bit of planning and a last trip around the block to bring up the magic number.

Paul had published a GPX route map and had adopted a ‘corner look’ rather than ‘corner marker’ system. Under this scenario each participant was to check that the following rider was in sight at any change of direction. Jane and I on the Grey Ghost bought up the rear so if anyone got dropped we were to pick them up and lead back up to the pack.

Being overtaken by Tail End Tony? It just couldn’t get any better!

The ride up the Ravensborne Range under darkening skies did not auger well but fortunately for us the heavy grey clouds held

onto their watery burden as we diverted onto the loop road around Perseverance Dam before crossing the New England Hwy outside of Crows Nest. As we headed west the rain clouds dissipated and the winds picked up – better windswept than wetswept! We passed through the major metropolis of Goombungee on way to Oakey and a glimpse of the Army Aviation Centre airstrip and hangar buildings. We kept to the backroads enroute to our lunch appointment and arrived pretty much bang on our nominated time of 12.30pm. The ‘’corner look’ system had worked well on these sparse country roads. Unfortunately our promptness did not equate to a timely delivery of our lunch. The Hotel had clearly under estimated their capacity to cater for a very large (pre booked) Father’s Day crowd. The final meals for our group were delivered one and a half hours after order. Notwithstanding the delay everyone seemed to enjoy the company and chatter while those pessimists in the group looked to their

41 BOM app and weather radar showing Clifton

copping a belting some 20km to our east.

The Gatton Clifton Road through Ma Ma Creek was the preferred option home for many but that led us very close to a saturated Clifton. Our weather luck held strong with no more than a few heavy drops and very wet roads encountered. The run down the twisties was dry and exuded the usual level of ‘laughing in my helmet’ moments that these roads always supply. This was another excellent club ride and especially so with many new faces. Thanks to

Paul for planning and leading the ride.

Two x half plastic Jerries for panniers, milk crate top box, drink bottle protecting the sump. All available from the Touratech catalogue according to the owner.