Berowra PADPAL 4th May 2023

Morpeth PADPAL

This is the tale of many dramas with some attendant queens, it has many twists and turns (a bit like today’s ride)  so keep up or you’ll get lost!

So it all started with a message from a serial latecomer saying he was going to be late and where was morning tea. The answer went back Cooranbong Park.

Meanwhile another drama was unfolding at the air hose with another rider attempting to top up his front tyre but only succeeded in letting more out so he gave up.

The briefing for the other 5 riders who had turned up on spec was brief and to the point. We going to Morpeth via Yarramalong, Mandelong, Cooranbong , Mulbring, East Maitland and Metford. With such a small group there was no mention of corner marking and Peter of the Braces volunteered for TEC.

So, sans the latecomer, we rolled out at 10am and headed up the old road, all seemed to be progressing smoothly until just after the Road Warriors we came upon a plain clothed bluebottle grey BMW with lights flashing. A poor rider was getting a serious dose of GBH of the ear hole from the uniformed bluebottle with lots of pointing and gesticulating so we carefully pootled past looking very innocent. 

I stopped at Calga for a regather. Three riders waited patiently … and waited… and waited!

Eventually I got a call from Peter of the Braces but it was so garbled I could barely make any sense of it. I gathered that he had lost a rider but another rider in the pack had gone back to find him and as TEC he was going back to see where they both had gone.

So as everybody knew where morning tea was and it was already 10:40am I took the executive decision to push on and let them catch up at Cooranbong. At that point rider #3 baled out citing the need to go and get vaccinated - how riding a bike provokes that reaction is beyond me but anyway 😜 so we were down to two!

Just as we were about to leave Calga the latecomer rolled in to view with another garbled tale of the TEC not knowing where he was going and someone had a flat tyre and… and… and!

We were now 3 again so set off anyway since the TEC did know where he was going because I had specifically told him in the briefing.

We had a good run up to Bumble, for once the hill itself was clear and so was the valley so the pace was brisk. We joined Hue Hue and then Dicksons down to Mandelong rd and over the hill to Mandelong, road conditions were beautiful and everyone was making the most of it. OR SO I THOUGHT!

I arrived at the Deaves rd turn off for Cooranbong and found myself alone - “fine bloody Ride Leader you are” I thought, “you’ve lost the lot!” I waited but no-one appeared so I doubled back to eventually meet the two riders half way with their tale of woe. A rider had apparently had a incident with a plastic guide stake and now felt like he had broken ribs and was going home. After confirming he and his bike were ok to do this we led him towards the nearest M1 on ramp at the end of Mandelong rd before the remaining 2 riders headed off for Cooranbong park wondering what the hell the rest of the ride had in store.

Arriving at Cooranbong park we met with the two missing riders from the first tyre drama who had apparently had his bike pull a complete hissy fit about under pressure tyres and refused to allow him to proceed until it was resolved. A trip back to the servo resolved said drama and he was now fully operational. They had come up the M1 to Freemans Waterhole and had been waiting some time. Where was the TEC I asked, “he was with you” was the answer 😧 We were back to 4!

So after only a brief stop over, with time marching on, we decided to push on - only for, at that very moment, Pete of the Braces to roll into the park. So we waited whilst he was brought up to date and he explained that he didn’t realise the rider who had waved to him going the other way at the start of the ride was “one of ours”! He then had to have a comfort break and a coffee whilst we all twiddled our thumbs 😂 We were back to 5!

Eventually we set off from the park headed for Mulbring but would you believe it by the time we arrived at the turn off we were back to 2. So we paused at the turn off whilst the other 3 caught up and set off for East Maitland via Richmond Vale rd and Buchanan. 

Despite everything all 5 managed to arrive at Ray Lawler Reserve TOGETHER 🌟

A call to our latecomer confirmed his safe arrival at home. 

After lunch it was decided to use the same route back to Freemans Waterhole, refuel there and then shoot down the M1 to Calga and thence to the Pie. However by the time we got to Freemans we were down to 3 again. So we pushed on anyway, exited at Calga, and were enjoying the old road when we were given a start by meeting a jam sandwich bluebottle in a tight bend. We were all looking over our shoulders for the next few klicks 😇

Back at the pie we met Frosty on his way home from the Snowy ride and we’re regaling him with our drama’s when lo and behold the TEC arrived so 4 made it back to the Pie and we were 5 at the table 👍🏻

 Anyway, despite all, it was a great day for riding, if a little chilly at the outset. Thanks for all that came along.

Thanks to Pete of the Braces for TEC duties, until the next time!

Andy

Sent from my iPhone