I was impressed with the detail and enjoyed reading TacKler's most recent writing of the RossKKo ride to Rylstone.
I had to keep zooming in on Google maps to locate most of the small communities mentioned in the article.
I wouldn't mind asking a few questions as certain things puzzled me and obviously show my lack of knowledge or naivete of Australia.
I know the cold season is opposite to here in Canada but your comments  "Guyra where it was reputed to be warming up at 2 deg C; Charlie and I both parked outside and awoke to frost on the bikes." surprise me as I always think of cold in Australia as being 10 C not 2 C.
Your Hotel/Motel comments "more than adequate with a heated room"; wouldn't most rooms be heated?
Also "An outside toilet and shower upstairs", you don't mean an outhouse do you?
The comments regarding Mexico, south of the border -- what Border?
Finally please explain "the NRMA guy and his Mintie"
Thank you you for a small mental trip, as we are still under a number of travel restrictions here in British Columbia.
Shep

Shep,

 I'm glad you asked the questions that I was thinking but didn't have the stones to ask. I just wish I had the chance to be there in the flesh. The group over there seem to have something special when it comes to having a bit of free time and true friends.

yep think about the vics not many down here,  Coldstream up the road was almost negative on the oC  the other day 
plus restrictions and fucking rain,  shit if your homeless

Translation service is restored and ready to go.
Mexico, south of the border......Australia is made up of a number of states as well as territories. Each state started as a separate colony of Britain and all federated in 1901. Borders were introduced between states as each state has variations of taxes, laws and restrictions. Some borders are fences,or lines on a map, whilst others have natural markers such as rivers. If you look at the states of New South Wales (NSW) and Victoria (Vic) the river system divides the two, with one state requiring you to have a licence to fish in the the river and the other charging nothing. If you travel to a state south of your own, you are going to Mexico. It is our way of showing pride in your home state. During covid some states closed their borders to stop the spread of the disease.
NRMA stands for National Road Motorist Association which is the road assist company that helps you with roadside issues, batteries, flat tyres etc.
Mintie is a wrapped candy which, when chewed, is a white sticky, thick substance.....will not stop fuel leaks, but probably discussed as the only humorous option when you are on the side of the road, fuel escaping and some one wants to have a cigarette.
Outside toilets.....Old country pubs did not have integrated bathrooms and the toilet was away from the main building as the "cans" had to be emptied and taken away.
Upstairs shower...shared shower facilities , upstairs.
Heated rooms...some old pubs were and still are basic.....adds to the charm'''. I believe that TacKler was doing a little bit of stirring. I have known him for long enough.
Australia is huge and on any given day/season variations of temperature are massive. It is winter here (4 kms from Pacific Ocean) and at the moment it is 19 degrees C at 11.30 in the morning, yet further south in the state of Tasmania it could be snowing. Guyra is regarded as a cold hole in the earth by some as the altitude is higher than surrounding areas. Charlie 99 lives in Glen Innes, just up the road and overnight temps do go to -8/10 at times during winter.
We do try and get together as a group and the last big event we had was in November 2018 when over 20 of us got together with a forum member from the UK flying over to join us for a few days riding. Since then we have had drought, bushfires and covid and just recently floods. Life gets in the way.
Hope this has been of some use.

It has been known to get chilly at times in Guyra and for winter riding, a nice "cardie" and a jolly good pair of gloves are  in order.

Yes indeed. So cold, even the bikes turn to a white colour.

Well enlightened I am.
I will bring a heated vest if I visit Australia during winter season.
Thanks
Shep

Well Shep, it does get a little cold here in winter but nowhere near as cold as BC where some of the best ski fields are located.  I did use my heated handlebars during the trip.  

As Stan states, some of the story was tongue in cheek and the "Mexican south of the border" reference is a subtle dig at all the New South Welshmen who turned out for the trip.  When I saw the Mexican restaurant opposite the Rylstone Hotel, I just couldn't let that pass.  When it comes to sport, provincial rivalries can be quite viscous.  

The NRMA man was actually chewing a Mintie and did use it as he had nothing else to hand.  True dit.  Usually I have some time expired aircraft grade fuel sealant on hand but must have neglected to pack it.  

As for our country pubs, some of them are quite historic and showing their age.  That is part of their charm and the more solid structures are usually there because the previous one probably burnt down.  And not always accidentally either!  I am sure that these old hotels have a bit of history attached to them in the same way as in northern America but ours are quite iconic as to me they have a special charm about them.  Some of the shenanigans I have seen in these places over the years are legendary.  A beer, a feed and a bed is all I ask for.

Hi Shep, nice to see your interest in our great south land, the home of a terrific bunch of forum members. Just to put a picture onto what Stan and Saxon 7 have mentioned about the odd spot of cold weather down here.

This photo was taken at the end of November 2018, so virtually at the start of summer, on a ride with some friends in mountains in southern New South Wales near a village called Cabramurra.


This one was camping out on a frosty morning of -5 degC at a rally south of Oberon in New South Wales in June 2019.


And the thermometer which had been left out all night on the coldest motorcycle camp out that I have experienced with the red needle showing an overnight low of -12 degC. The top needle showing the previous day's balmy +16 degC. This was at the Alpine Rally 2015 which is held in the Snowy Mountains in New South Wales every year in June - a true winter rally.


So Shep, when you come down to Oz even in summer it is wise to have some warm gear if riding in the mountains and in winter in the southern states - well you've got the idea.

Cheers

The last time I rode in Tassie was xmas-time, 2008. Up the side of Ben Lomond (a mountain near to NW Tasmania) looking for a lean-to or soft spot to camp, it began to snow and stick and was blowin' a gale. I retreated downhill about 65 kilometres to Longford to a camping ground, riding near dusk past dozens of squashed wombats and wallabies, to set up tent along the sunny South Esk riverbanks where it reached a mighty 17c next day. This was Summertime, mind. 

Temperatures may vary.

The term 'Mexican' can often refer to a person from Victoria (that would be me, born in Melbourne) who moves north (for the geographically challenged) to sunny Queensland for work and a more relaxed lifestyle. We do have to cross a river (the mighty, muddy Murray) to get there, at least.

Seriously (if I can be that for a mo'), the term is used without guile by most Australians (in my reckoning) and is often not meant to be a derogatory term, tho' it can be misconstrued by those with the actual terrible history of persecution, misunderstanding and having been subject to xenophobia since well before Davey Crockett pulled out his bowie knife in gallant desperation on the approaching troops of General Santa Anna at the Alamo.

Hi Shep,
Just to add to the confusion we in the West of Australia are called Sandgropers!

td5 wrote:. . . we in the West of Australia are called Sandgropers!

It should be stipulated that term is certainly is not meant to take lightly the sometimes horrific and demeaning consequences of groping, excluding, of course, the consequences of those who like to be groped whether in sand or elsewhere.

Here's a few more,  Queenslanders can be either Cane Toads or Banana Benders, New South Welshmen are Cockroaches, Victorians are Mexicans,  Tasmanians are Taswegians or Apple Munchers or Two Headed. South Australians are Crow Eaters. West Australians are Sand Gropers. North Territorians are Top Enders or Croc Bait and Australian Capital Territorians are Roundabouters. There are other names that other Ozinians might contribute.
Regards Martin.

In Queensland, Victorians are referred to as "Bloody Victorians". We do enjoy selling them our flood plains and swampland however....and their coffee is good.

I love it when at the Far Cairn Rally in NSW in September (Spring, but it can still be cool); I'll be standing around in a T shirt and shorts at night when someone will comment how bloody cold it is, rugged up with every bit bit of gear they have.

My response is that "You must be a f*ing QLDer, its not cold"

And I'm usually right.

I absolutely hate the summer heat though.

Biggest weather surprise I ever got was riding through snow in Vic in January! (Falls Creek) I was not prepared for that at all.

Al

Christmas before last (middle of summer in Oz) when I was touring Tassie I'd been poking around south of Hobart for a few days. The week after there were reports of snow so I was kinda glad I missed that as I'm a bit of a frog. New Years eve I took a run up to the top of Mount Wellington which overlooks the city of Hobart. It was trying to snow but mostly a lot of sleet.
I've seen a bit of snow up through the New England Highlands (Guyra ect) over the years. Got stuck at Deepwater many years ago on my little ducati. Highway was blocked with snow.

AL-58 wrote:I love it when at the Far Cairn Rally in NSW in September (Spring, but it can still be cool);  I'll be standing around in a T shirt and shorts at night when someone will comment how bloody cold it is, rugged up with every bit bit of gear they have.  

My response is that "You must be a f*ing QLDer, its not cold"  

And I'm usually right.

I absolutely hate the summer heat though.

Biggest weather surprise I ever got was riding through snow in Vic in January! (Falls Creek)  I was not prepared for that at all.

Al

Oi, I resemble that remark.
I also found it bloody cold at Tamworth earlier this year.
At least we aren't in lock down up here in God's own country!

Pegasus wrote:

AL-58 wrote:I love it when at the Far Cairn Rally in NSW in September (Spring, but it can still be cool);  I'll be standing around in a T shirt and shorts at night when someone will comment how bloody cold it is, rugged up with every bit bit of gear they have.  

My response is that "You must be a f*ing QLDer, its not cold"  

And I'm usually right.

I absolutely hate the summer heat though.

Biggest weather surprise I ever got was riding through snow in Vic in January! (Falls Creek)  I was not prepared for that at all.

Al

Oi, I resemble that remark.
I also found it bloody cold at Tamworth earlier this year.
At least we aren't in lock down up here in God's own country!

Yeah not like those disease riddled bunch from Sidknee

Saw snow for the first time about 3 years ago. Decided to go and have a look. Drove South for a day and a half to Tumut; up the mountain and there it was beautiful like a Christmas card. Had a play in the snow with the missus for an hour or so, camped out overnight on the mountain including a midnight dip in a mountain stream and drove home the next morning.

Haven't felt the urge for another look. Pretty, but cold and wet. The most I like to rug up is a flanno over my Jackie Howe and maybe some socks with my dress thongs. If more than that is required, its too cold.