Looks good, Gaz!
I'll give them a call just to make sure about Seamus, ( Bella will stay home to look after Kerry), and then work from there. 
Apparently Thursday night is $7.50 Schnitzel night..........   Just sayin'

https://www.facebook.com/events/121858971695455/

Sean

camp oven cook off the following weekend Sean ,

Saxon7 wrote:Looks good, Gaz!
I'll give them a call just to make sure about Seamus, ( Bella will stay home to look after Kerry), and then work from there. 
Apparently Thursday night is $7.50 Schnitzel night..........   Just sayin'

https://www.facebook.com/events/121858971695455/

Sean

yumm ...!!!

I like the idea of a good camp oven dinner, Ed!
Gaz, any rough idea of the distance between Gilly and Coonamble via the Warrumbungles? ( Just wondering if I need to take some extra fuel as the Triumph is known to like a bit of a drink, especially at speeds over 120)

Sean, going by what my map assistant Mr Google advises, it will be around 230km.

I've attached a "Road Book" of the waypoints below but it is not a real sharp graphic as I'm a cheap bastard and have to use screen shot to make up the graphic that I could download if I paid the subscription. Works for me.

Obviously the times on it are for a non-stop trip but the point to point intervals can be useful along with the accumulated kilometres and distance intervals. I've noted the waypoints where I think the group should fuel up to avoid surprises.


Hope this helps.
Cheers

Ok Gaz,
It looks like we pass back through Coonabarabran so I can always sneak in and top up there.
Just trying to decide whether it's worth bolting the fuel can holder to the sidecar. Last time I went on a longer ride I ran out between Hillston and Cobar. I had as a precaution bought a little 5 litre container and filled it up at Hillston so I wasn't stuck, but I didn't enjoy the smell of fuel through everything for the next few days, having just thrown the container into the sidecar boot...
Sean

charlie99 wrote:will be leaving from south west Brisbane ( Goodna service road right next to the highway Caltex ) about 12.00 pm Friday 18th

see you all there

Charlie,

I suggest you leave by 10am to avoid the skippies.
Sean hit one coming from Boomi and I hit one about 20kms (near Thallon) from the pub last time.
They will be bad from Goondiwindi onwards.

Andrew

good point. as we discussed at ricks Andrew

yes will revise my leave time to 10.00 am (just by coincidence , I looked up the map really early today to explore travel times and location and came to the same conclusion ...)

thanks again for the heads up mate

cheers

Just spoke to a woman at the pb in Gilgandra who assures me Seamus will be well looked after there.  
Gaz, will  it be ok if my brother Tim and I commandeer one of those double rooms?
The weather forecast is looking excellent for the next week, though a little fresh in the mornings for the swag and tent evenings. Oh well, could be worse... we might be camping in Guyra!

Sean, anyone can grab any room, just be aware that a double room has one double bed - you and your bro can sort that out.

Also I just spoke to the guy at the shop in North Talwood and they have unleaded 91 (not the green stuff) and are open until 6:00pm on Saturday. Which means you can leave the fuel can at home as the distance from Dirranbandi to North Talwood via Nindigully is 165km. Its about another 90-100km across to Goondiwindi.

Cheers

I love my brother Tim dearly....but there are limits I reckon.

any pointers to which road might have less dirt sections .or better surface ?

was thinking of going over to the nsw side and heading up from mungidi (sp?) through thallon
rather than the road from Goondiwindi ???
ill be heading down from Toowoomba  as I haven't been that way before ...hey its all an adventure after all
just thinking aloud

???

Charlie, the last time we went we went up through Mungindi. All sealed surface and as far as I remember all pretty good. Be careful of skippies though.

cheers seani ...will wait for other reports of the qld side as well .....if there are any ?

Charlie, have a look at this map in the link below. I have used the Cartoscope Tourist Maps for many years when browsing for riding routes as they are generally pretty good in showing the sealed sections. The one I've linked to shows the region you're interested in but if you navigate to their home page you will be able to access their entire range for the future.

Might have to zoom in and out a bit and the roads legend is in the top left corner.

Cartoscope Tourist Map Southern Queensland

Cheers

cheers Gaz

some better detail in that map

seems that the road on the qld side is ok

thanks for taking the time to link me

map saved for future reference

Oops, better keep this in mind as well.

https://www.inverelltimes.com.au/story/5398723/no-fuel-at-ashford-service-station/?cs=1901

Just checked Metro Servo in Texas and they are open all day Saturday. Sean, looks like a brief stop in Talwood, Goondiwindi and Texas on Saturday and then onto Inverell on Sunday should keep that Triumph happy and no fuel smells in the sidecar.

Cheers

Looking Good Gaz, keen to meet a few more members,
Schnitzels sound good!
See you at 7.30 Gaz
Cheers and thanks for the invite
Stuart

The Triumph is more or less packed and ready and Seamus has his cooler weather coat ready for the morning start tomorrow. Hopefully for the next one I'll have the K project finished. Time is the major problem at the moment.
See you on the road!

new front tyre fitted up just now , wont have time to "scrub" it in .but ready to go almost  just to pack the panniers and stuff



vastly different from what was on before....lol

looks to be a fine weekend , and great conditions for the Nindigully run . enjoy folks .

i guess I should post some pictures that I collected on the Nindigully ride  ( from my perspective at least  )

for the main NSW Krew  , they had travelled fairly widely  on one of the expressions formed in ere , "the long cut " through many country towns as you do .

so forewarned about "skippies"  the intention to leave around 10 am , was almost achieved , didn't actually leave the local service station till about 11.10
oh well, sometimes we can make up time on the google maps predictions I guess

about to be off ..loaded up as usual for camping expeditions on a super crisp and clear day .  woohoo !!



you know what , it had been soo long since I had a new tyre up front , as i hit the highways , the amazing feeling of being well planted to the road was overwhelming , especially with the plus one over size front just on , and a recent rear change for also a plus one size (about 2000 klm ago by now )

through the regular places on the way to Toowoomba , up on the escarpment over looking the coastal strip

however, this time through new places I had forgotten I had visited , many many years ago now , down the "Gore" highway that links the north south highways (the Newell )of nsw and a major Transport route for anything away from the coast , in fact many interstate drivers prefer the newell - gore to the coastal highways , absolutely tons of trucks passing the opposite direction (thankfully ) I guess trying to make it home for the weekend .

Millmerran achieved after a fuel stop at toowoomba (bit hard to predict distances off an unfamiliar map )





just after the road opened up across the massive plantations of cleared ground now free of cattle and livestock to cotton growing  on a massive scale take note im 400 ks away from nindygully and it just seems as if that is all there is in the countryside .all the way there .

road speed limits increased to 110 k so did I, and a bit ,,ahem !!

along the road southbound came across a b double in a roadside rest point  with a busted rear axle , such is the weights that the carry and the road surface is not ideal , a catch 22 situation , the trucks create the holes and then bugger them selves ...oh well !!



 2 x 40 foot containers , about 60 tonnes  and cant move for fear of breaking something else  whilst there I saw something pretty interesting travelling north
a truck pulling a 40 foot tray with 2 x other 40 foot trailers on back , hmm they do it big out here eh ?  road trains for sure .



Goondiwindi achieved (on the state borders of nsw and qld )
a quick resupply of beverages and food stuffs and off we head west north west  right into the sinking sun ...delightful  knowing that skippies are about to descend onto the roadsides ... 

found a little township of Talwood along the way , just a delightful little place  a fuel top up  and further west (as I didn't know when next fuel would be available, more a just in case, kinda thing  ) thanks to Gaz's maps . we will visit Talwood tomorrow again .

onto Ninja gulley ...yippee !!  some 100 k up the road in blinding light from the sinking sun ..skippies watch out …

achieved in not bad time , but no one here from the krew ...wtf ?

a survey of the grounds of the pub and camping areas followed  but no, no one there that I recognized , even no bikes



soon after Sean rolled in from a different route  with brother Tim on a big twin thumper

we setup camp by the billabong (part of the MOONEY creek )






some while  later I saw some bikes breaking and slowing  on the nearby road and in pulled Stuart  , Waz and Tom ,
Gaz had ben delayed back a bit with RickG who had rear tyre troubles .

But Gaz appeared some long while into the dark hours

unfortunately Waz had a tangle with slow moving farm machinery and wasn't a very happy lad with suspect rib , shoulder and bike damage and the pain that accompanies ...blast !!

pain killing drugs appeared from a few of us , hmm wasn't that convenient  ...lol  who would have guessed ??

and settled into a few beers with mates , meals and all the rest of the banter that comes with meets and greets and long distance riding .

my poor old phone had a damaged lens (from the drop event , to the phone only a couple of weeks ago heading up to ricks place )  so night time pics were a washout event.

far latter in the evening, suitably recharged , sleep was achieved . 
what a day !!!

Pity I had to give this run a miss. I did my back in a few days before and was creeping (creaking?) around like an old bugger for a few days and couldnt get on a bike, let alone ride it to Ninjagully.

Charlie thanks for the photos. It was a great weekend, I thought. Good to catch up and also put a few miles in. Will oput a few pics up later when I get the chance. Just got home from a day in Tamworth.

Hi All! Despite some unexpected events along the way a number of the Krew have completed the "Return to Nindigully" run. Thanks to Saxon7 for putting it out there.

The Hunter Valley contingent of the Krew numbered 3 as we launched from the Branxton rest area just before the allotted time of 7:30am on Thursday morning. This prompt getaway was achieved due to my fellow travellers, Tom & Stuart, mistakenly arriving at 7:00am.

The morning was clear and cool, perfect for riding. We tracked down to Bathurst via the well worn but oh so scenic route through Bylong where we enjoyed a warming coffee and arrived in Bathurst on time to find Waz in the carpark with a smile on his face enjoying the sunshine. He had decided on an early start from the 'Gong (Wollongong for non-locals) to avoid the traffic.

Once fed the four of us rode west towards Orange then north towards Wellington via Stuart Town (StuartG was happy about this, not because of the namesake town but because we were finally heading in the general direction of our destination. You see as a new Krew member he is not familiar with the road less travelled long cut approach that some of us take in planning rides).

The first of the unexpected events occurred just as we were leaving Stuart Town when I felt a momentary strong vibration from the rear of my K75 so I pulled over to look for a cause. Nothing obvious but I was concerned so rode a short distance very slowly and even though there was no more noise or vibration I pulled up again on the first available patch of level ground for further investigation. Turning the rear wheel while on the centre stand showed a tight spot so fearing a final drive disaster I removed the rear section of guard and wheel which revealed the cause - one of the cover bolts on the final drive had unscrewed and contacted the disc mounting rivets. Tom & I looked at each other knowingly - there was no way I was going to get those two countersunk disk retaining bolts out on the side of the road. Despite the brain doing cartwheels regarding getting the bike home I grabbed the allen key from the tool kit to have a token go at getting them out. With a crack the first one moved - surely I couldn't be that lucky twice - yes you can!

Disk off, unscrew damaged bolt with pliers, whack the disk, wheel and guard back on and we're away. Stuart had been on the phone while I was messing with tools and located a bolt merchant in Dubbo about an hour north so getting there before the shop shut was the go (some of the long cut had to be sacrificed). Bolt and blue loctite purchased we made a beeline for our overnight stop at Gilgandra.

We knew we had arrived at the right pub as Sean, Tim and Rick G were already settled at a table on the footpath in front, beer in hand. Once check in was sorted I immediately pulled the K75 up onto the concrete beside the Krew at the table and started removing parts etc. as fitting the new bolt shouldn't take long - should it? New bolt in and bolt on the disk, hand spin of final drive - no turn. The head of the new bolt is too high. Stuart charged into the bar looking for the patron with the dirtiest work clothes to borrow a grinder to modify the bolt head and comes out with said patron who has a lathe at home and will turn it down. How good are country people!

I get a beer while work is in progress and get back into reassembly as soon as the modified bolt is returned. So, bolt in, small amount of hammer work on the bruised disk rivets, disk, wheel and guard on, wheel turns freely - time for a beer. Stuart then chimes in with "Gaz, did you put the loctite on"? Gee, I really needed the practise - so off everything came, loctite and reassemble, then beer and schnitzel. All agreed that the Railway Hotel was a top pub if overnighting in Gilgandra.

Friday morning saw Sean and Tim decide to take a direct route to Nindigully via Lightning Ridge while I led the other Krew members on the road less travelled over the Warrumbungle Ranges then to Lightning Ridge for lunch via Coonabarabran, Baradine and Coonamble. The countryside out there is flat to the horizon and in the grip of drought - parched. Very sad for the farmers.

Fuelled up again and fed our group headed north along the dead straight roads for Dirranbandi over the border into Queensland. I happened to be last away and just about 8 kilometres up the road I find Rick G parked on the side of the road looking none too happy with his flat rear tyre. I figured I would stay to cheer him on while he plugged the hole. Since he is an old (meant in the nicest possible way) hand at this we were away again soon after chasing the others who were unaware of Rick's puncture. All went well - for 20 kilometres or so. Rick pulled over again but the rear was only flat on the bottom. So out with the plug kit again and insert Rick's last plug. This time it lasted maybe 30 kilometres. Now into my repair kit and we decide to lower the speed to hopefully get us into Dirranbandi. A passing ute with a compressor on board stopped to help with a quick inflation and also gave Rick the name of the local tyre guy to chase up. We arrived in Dirranbandi around 5:30pm, no sign of the other Krew, so Rick decided to pub it there overnight and get the tyre fixed in the morning.
I tried ringing the Krew ahead and found out they had been delayed as well and were still on the road in the dark dodging kangaroos about 60 kilometres ahead of me. Out in this country at night the wild life hazard is very high so I headed out at a steady 60 km/hr bound for Nindigully, finally arriving just before 8:00pm. Thanks to the Krew for organising some food for me at the pub and a bunk room for us rather than putting up tents in the dark.

A merry evening ensued with the usual lively banter about the woes of the world in general and motorcycling in particular. Saturday was another delightful day and after packing and some minor repairs we were pleased to see Rick G appear just as we were about to depart. He had rustled up the tyre repair guy at an early hour and made good time to catch us up.



A planned fuel stop at Talwood for Sean and Tim allowed a stretch of the legs.




Lunch and fuel in Goondiwindi saw us heading east along the Queensland side of the border to Texas where we had a brief rest stop and cool drink at the local pub before riding back over the border into New South Wales and stopping for supplies at Ashford, just a few kilometres from our overnight camp spot at Wells Crossing. Rick G parted company with us along the section to Texas, heading for home.

With tents set up and firewood gathered before dark we could settle back to enjoy the company around a campfire, yarning well into the evening fortified against the chill by some German liquor provided by Sean. Thanks to Stuart for the photo of us celebrating the success of the KFest in the UK attended by our European forum colleagues.


The Hunter Valley Krew had pressing engagements at home on Sunday evening so Tom, Stuart and I made an early start on the 500 kilometre run home. We parted company at Uralla with Tom and Stuart taking the Thunderbolts Way route and me heading down the New England Highway. Round trip for me was just over 2,000km.

Thanks to all for the company and assistance over the 4 day run with another page added to the history of this great forum.

Cheers

Good job, gents. Pity about the dramas on the road, but that's riding. I'm dreaming of home and that parked red RS. It might be September into October, rather than October itself that I get back. Save a good ride for me.

G'day All, Thank you for the great write up and photos Charlie and Gaz. Sean, many thanks for the edited video. Great footage. Thoroughly enjoyed the run, about 2100 Km in all and surprisdingly it has been one of the few trips where it has not pissed down rain... Hope Rick got home OK and that Waz is feeling better. Sorry Smithy missed this get together.

Cheers Tom

Just watched the video Sean - I'm sure there are people elsewhere in the world who would be jealous of our recent 4 day adventure.

Clear skies and wide open spaces with friends - can't get much better than that!

Thanks mate.

Gaz, I don't think I saw a cloud for the whole trip? As you say though, it's extremely dry.
Tom, it's always good to catch up. Next time I'll try and get my brother to behave a little better...  

TWB, are you back for good this time?

Here are a few photos from
















the ride:
Er.... there's a few of them...

great pics guys ...was awesome  to catch up yet again

some more pics to come from the Day 2  and Day 3  for me

just wondering about Waz , has anybody heard from him in the last few days ???

I just hope that he made it home safe and with no complications … I have a feeling he put on a very brave face ...and just hope that his recovery is coming along .last seen as he took off from Guyra heading towards Tamworth

cheers Waz ...fantastic effort old mate

G'day All, I've been in touch with Waz and he is safe and sound but has a few sore bruises and ribs. Cheers Tom

sigh …  thank heavens he made it home

cheers tom   thanks for the update

Thanks Charlie
I'm good, after leaving Guyra I changed the Tamworth plan and headed for the coast, had a nice ride down the mountain into Port Macquarie for the night. Left Port Macquarie early and got home last night.
Was a great trip.

omg waz that trip down the hill is awesome , you must have been feeling  erm  better ?!

we must go up it one day soon eh ?

hmm me thinks a plan is forming ….port Macquarie meet ..then up the hill to the northern tablelands annual event ...perhaps just Guyra  then onto something new ...barraba , tamworth , and further ?'

Saxon7: TWB, are you back for good this time?

Back for no good, maybe. I'll have six-plus weeks starting mid-September. That time could elongate. Depends on how many bikes I am able to part with this Summer.

hmm me thinks a plan is forming ….port Macquarie meet ..then up the hill to the northern tablelands annual event ...perhaps just Guyra  then onto something new ...barraba , tamworth , and further.

Sounds good, the mountain road was the best I have ever been on, very smooth bends and lots of them.

Waz, I guess you mean the Oxley from Walcha through Gingers Ck down to Long Flat and Wauchope etc?
It's probably the best of all the roads leading down the escarpment... best surfaced...most corners etc.
Unfortunately...everyone knows it now and the cops are thick there ( pun fully intended)
There have been protest rides over the last couple of years against the plan to make it 80kph all the way through...

just some more pics of the trip
for me day 2 and 3

as Gaz described the trip from nindy to ashford



















day 3 and the hunter crew early departure in quite cool conditions





for us lot heading off to Inverell , fuel stop , visit to the transport museum

then hit the road diagonally to Guyra , with at last a bit of speed increase after Tinga all the way across the hills to Guyra

for Sean Tim and Shamus , home and some morning tea

Waz headed southbound
and I headed North , with a slight increase in temps at last, around Glenn Innes







which promptly dropped again over the high spots  and mostly about 13 c as a max  till hitting the  drop off into the coastal strip over Cunninghams gap  and into Brisbane

finally home a couple of hours after dusk  and thankfully a safe trip completed
and some slightly familiar temperatures (the 27 c being the heat soak off the radiator  to the under fairing sensor )



a good weekend to be enjoyed with friends on bikes

Thanks for the write-ups guys - I've really enjoyed reading this. The only trip I've got planned this year is across the puddle to Scotland and up to the Orkney Islands. I might clock 1000 miles (1600 kms) in total over the week, but nothing like the mileages you guys hit on that weekend.

Heck - I was so wrapped up in doing my KFest account (it takes quite a few hours to fabricate recount details and insert pics and vids) I nearly missed this gem of a ride report!

Fantastic outing, great pictures from all and a great read too. Reading Gaz's account of his and Rick's troubles, the assistance received and the way Gaz and Charlies stories entwine just chimes with everything I just said about 88's report:

"...it is great how the [two] stories inter-twine. It is also great to hear how the forum members and wider biking community rally round to help out with tools, parts, advice, opinions and a spare pair of hands when needed."

I also had a tyre plugging need just before setting off to KFest - when giving Heidi the once over and checking the pressures, I found that the rear was down to 25psi. A quick spin of the wheel revealed a shiny metal circle right in the centre of the tread. Bugger - the rear tyre was less than a month old! I extracted a 2cm long M4 bolt - how the heck does a blunt bolt get itself right through the thickest part of the tread? Bolt removed, mushroom plug inserted and, I have been lucky, tyre pressure now holds perfectly. I always carry a small tyre compressor with me though, just in case.

Waz - tough break! Hope you and the bike are recovering well (I sense another untold story). 

I can feel myself working up to gatecrash another party down under...maybe next year? Perhaps I should start looking on gumtree.au for a suitable steed?

Paul, I have 2 Ks, but only one bum. You are more then welcome to have one of mine for the duration of your stay. Accommodation is provided with the bike.

Waz - tough break! Hope you and the bike are recovering well (I sense another untold story). 


I am a bit embarrassed to say I tried to overtake a tractor, unfortunately for me the tractor turned right while I was beside him. I avoided the tractor by going onto grass then I parted company with the bike. Only minor damage to bike and me. I still bounce well. It didn't spoil a great trip.

Waz - tough break! Hope you and the bike are recovering well (I sense another untold story). 


I am a bit embarrassed to say I tried to overtake a tractor, unfortunately for me the tractor turned right while I was beside him. I avoided the tractor by going onto grass then I parted company with the bike. Only minor damage to bike and me. I still bounce well. It didn't spoil a great trip.

Stan wrote:Paul, I have 2 Ks, but only one bum. You are more then welcome to have one of mine for the duration of your stay. Accommodation is provided with the bike.

Wow - great offer Stan, thank you...just need to get both those daughters of mine safely off to University first and then, while they are having a wild time (away from home and thinking "Dad doesn't know..." - forgetting that Dad was a student himself many moons ago and does know), I will be able to have a wild time of my own (away form home and knowing that "Daughters don't know..."). 

Waz wrote:Waz - tough break! Hope you and the bike are recovering well (I sense another untold story). 


I am a bit embarrassed to say I tried to overtake a tractor, unfortunately for me the tractor turned right while I was beside him. I avoided the tractor by going onto grass then I parted company with the bike. Only minor damage to bike and me. I still bounce well. It didn't spoil a great trip.

Phew - glad to hear that Waz. I guess we've all been in similar near-miss situations with tractors etc. Good that the grass bank was there to break your fall and avoid worse damage.

Unfortunately, in the UK, there are too many biker fatalities following tractors encounters - with all those sticky out agricultural add ons and the tractor drivers not always being the most responsible road users (or the most intelligent), they are not a good thing to come in contact with at any speed.

Sometimes farmers have unavoidable issues with tractors. When we had a farm I bought a road registered tractor ( ex local council) and then proceeded to drive it home...quite legal. Part of the road...highway, is 110 kph zone and the top speed of said tractor was 33 kph. Needless to say I had a long line in my mirrors behind me and nowhere to get off the road. Double centre lines and traffic coming the other way complicated matters. Thankfully I had ear muffs so that I could not hear comments yelled at me as I turned off.

BAE, +1 on what Stan has said about a bike being available to ride should you find your way back to these shores (eastern seaboard at least, other negotiations would be required for West Oz).

I'm sure the rest of the east coast Krew would agree with Stan and I that having a bike to ride would be the least of your worries.

Cheers

Dai, that sounds like a great trip you have in the planning. We'll need you to put those writing skills to work along with your camera trigger finger so that we can enjoy your trip along with you.

Hopefully I'll get back to the UK/Ireland before I have to hang up my riding boots and a visit to the northern part of your island will definitely be on the agenda.

Cheers