Mudgee 3 Day Ride 14-16th May 2024

 On a cool may morning, 13 eager riders gathered at Maccas McGraths Hill hoping for a 'good run'. All went well until we reached Grey Gums, who had promised to open for us but cancelled as all staff went to a funeral! The email requesting everyone to bring morning tea appears to be still hiding in my computer, I am sure it was not 'operator error', but then again??

Lunch was taken at Denman before we progressed to the Bylong Valley via the short cut. The correct road was selected but the road name was different  in Google and Garmin Sat. Nav. 6! After checking  that we were on the correct road with  the incorrect road name, we continued! The outbound run from Denman took in the Bylong Valley up to the Lui turnoff, where we were all treated to a dazzling display of solar power, with the sun low in the sky, then straight ahead until Mudgee with riding speed only a guess!! Dinner was at the Club Mudgee which appears to have dispensed with the old name.

Day two had an 8.30 start to Gulgong via The Henry Lawson Drive, through wine country, then through Beryl via Laheys Creek Rd, which had more than a few lumpy patches unfortunately resulting in a neck problem for one rider. We then progressed a few kilometres to Cobbora and on to Mendooran The back road from Cobbora was a bit muddy during an earlier trip so the majority   decided to follow the highway. Pete W and  Al Scott gave the backroad a run and beat us to Mendooran, saying the road had dried out and was no problem. Crackerz Bakery at Mendooran was good for morning tea, regardless of the personal habits of 'the barista! After backtracking for a few kilometres we followed a one lane road to the cosmopolitan city of Neilrex. Anyone who blinked at that stage would have missed that experience.

Lunch and fuel were found at Coolah and then via, Gulgong to Mudgee.

Day 3 took us on the short cut to the Bylong Valley, an interesting run with some roadworks. At one stage a longish section of road had been stripped of bitumen, on the steepest part, for several hundred metres. The hard packed clay was ok. but the considerate roadworkers, fearing the possibility of dust inhalation, when none was present, had watered the complete section and about halfway down the decline, had temporary traffic lights, which, naturally enough, were on red. With smooth wet clay not being my favourite surface, I tried to stop slowly, but gracefully slid metres past the stop light! With no further incidents we had morning tea and fuelled up at Denman, then via Broke and Wollombi to Laguna for lunch, with about half the crew evaporating on the last section to the PITS!

 

Cheers

Paul