Sydney Multi-Branch Ride to Grey Gums 29th October 2022
What a glorious day! Nine UNB starters assembled at St Ives then departed at a leisurely pace via Telegraph Rd, Kissing Point Road, Round Corner and Annangrove Road.
A 30 minute stop and chat at World Burger on Windsor Road and then we continued over Windsor Bridge to Macquarie Park to join the assembled throng.
Today we were joining an organised gathering of Sydney Basin Ulysses Branches Members – the first of a series of proposed Joint Rides.
Tim Shelton from Eastern Creek Branch gave us a welcome and ride briefing. Then at 11am we started up, and over 70 bikes headed north up the Putty Road.
I was trying to recall when last I’d travelled in such a convoy, and was thinking of the occasion when Number 1 left on his round-Australia ride. How many years ago was that?
Or maybe the 100km mass ride down to Portland at the conclusion of the Mount Gambier AGM: wow, that was a great one!
Of course it’s not obvious you’re in such a large group when you’re riding, just that bikes extend as far as you can see, both in front and behind.
The pace was steady, just under the limit, no cowboys, with the occasional pothole to dodge and one fallen tree to negotiate at Colo Heights.
And the day was just magic. Sunny and cool with a gentle north-westerly breeze.
So around 12.10pm we arrived at Grey Gums and it seemed we filled the place to overflowing. The café queue went back down the path, and all the picnic tables were taken.
No formalities here, just meet, chat, eat, enjoy the occasion. Smiles all round, no-one in a hurry to leave.
We stayed just over an hour, then our group made preparations to head for home. Three went north to complete a loop via Broke and Wollombi and the six went variously south via Windsor and Sackville.
I took a leg stretch on the way at the servo along Annangrove Road then continued on my ownsome via Galston Gorge to arrive home just before 4pm. 320kms door-to-door.
Thanks to Tim Shelton for organising today, Thanks to John W for going TEC, Thanks to you old and new UNB Members for coming along. See you next time. Geoff W.
Comments