Armidale Ride 2-5th June 2026

 Armidale 4 day ride report

Day 1 – Tuesday 2 June

11 riders registered for this four day tour but one unfortunately had to drop out on the morning of the trip due to mechanical issues. That makes 10! [Three Peters, Two Frasers and a couple of other ‘unique’ individuals on the usual assortment of BMWs, a couple of Hondas and a lonely Kawasaki representative.]

Nine riders set off from Berowra with a plan to pick up the remaining rider on the way.

It was the usual route out of town (OPH to Calga, Peats Ridge Rd, George Downes Dr and then onto The Great North Rd).

Morning Tea was at the Trading Post at Laguna and then it was off to Singleton to pick up Rider #10. 

This Singleton detour had us discover a couple of really lovely back roads that I hadn’t ridden before (Stony Creek Rd, Middle Falbrook Rd, Glennies Creek Rd) before hopping back onto The New England Highway. Well worth the diversion!

We copped a little bit of rain as we headed into Scone for lunch. We blamed this on Rider #10 who had forced the Singleton diversion and delayed us by 30 mins.

For such a small place, Scone presented some less than obvious navigational issues for the group as we mysteriously lost 7 of our 10 riders – which is quite a feat in a main street of one block!  But, thankfully, the stars (or GPSs) aligned and they found their way to lunch at The Asser House Bakery which presented a welcome, warm and dry break. And their food was terrific!

After refuelling we decided to high-tail it to Armidale.  The weather was setting in and being such gentile characters, none of us wanted to get (more) cold and wet.

That plan didn’t work! The run into Tamworth up the New England Highway had us battle some heavy rain, strong winds, lightning – and even a little mini-tornado. Oh the joys of motorcycle touring!

We made it into Armidale right on 5pmand after checking in we headed into the Servies Club for drinks and dinner with a very civilised 9pm finish!

At dinner, the plan was to welcome our only ‘virgin’ newcomer, David Fraser, to the group. But when he told us he “was up to anything that gave him a chance to take his clothes off”,, we all backed off and simply ‘welcomed’ him to the group with a polite clap.

So, Day 1 – 487 Kms (from Berowra), about 8 HWP cars, 2 roadside cameras; 0 speeding fines – that we know of! And David kept his clothes on -that we know of!

 

Day 2 – Wednesday 3 June

It was a chilly start to the day, but not too bad. 9 deg (feels like 2) but it was clear with no rain! Personally, with the grips on 3 and the seat on 5, I was luxuriously happy.  But I do understand the concern of those others without such accoutrements. ‘Let them eat cake’, I thought smugly to myself as I led the group out of town.

We headed to Guyra and then down the Gwydir Hwy to Sth. Grafton. 9 deg at the top of the hill. 26 at the bottom. Most of us were decidedly overdressed! And the Gwydir Hwy! What a seriously under-rated road.  It was most enjoyable.

After a high calorific lunch (following the verbal altercation with the Servo staff about their requirement to remove our helmets before entering to pay for our fuel) we then headed off to Ebor Falls. With all of the previous day’s rain, they were spectacular and well worth the visit.

It was after we left the Falls carpark that things started to go awry! Clearly, the combative attitude of the Servo staff had ignited some insurrectionist thoughts amongst the ‘non-ride leaders’ of the group.

I’d first notice it as we headed up the Oxley Hwy. First, one of the group passed the Ride Leader.  And then another. And then another. Before long, the Ride Leader was the TEC! “Such impudence”, I thought to myself!

And then, as we left Ebor Falls, 8 of the 10 decided to turn off and take their own alternative route back to Armidale.  Bugger the Ride Leader!  Bugger the Google Maps and GPX files that had so studiously been provided to the group by the aforementioned Ride Leader! Let’s just do our own thing!

And so it was, that two of the group – the Ride Leader and Austin (thank you, Austin!) completed the fully planned ride circuit whilst the others navigated their ‘Revolutionist’ way back to Armidale. Those others (you know who you are!) can not now claim to have completed the full four day ‘Armidale Ride’ pilgrimage. Their loss!

We covered 492 kms today (well at least Austin and I did!  The others, 30Kms less by my reckoning!). We saw (well, at least Austin and I did!) one HWP car and one Roadside camera. [And to be clear . . . The Ride Leader accepts no responsibility to those who may or may not receive an envelope in the mail in coming weeks].

We all arrived back safe and sound, so that’s a win!

If it wasn’t for the six (or seven or eight!) Roadworks delays – and the 30 mins or more of cumulative wasted time waiting – today would have been perfect.  Insurrection aside!

Dinner was at the New England Hotel.  Well worth the visit.

Day 3 – Thursday 4 June

It was a subdued start to the day.  Another chilly one! But clear!

We headed out to Walcha on the Waterfall Way – a new leg for Austin and I.  A retrace of yesterday’s route for the insurrectionists! Just after Ebor, we then headed down the hill on Waterfall Way to morning tea in Bellingen at the delightful Old Butter Factory.

Overnight, the revolutionists gained a new member! Even my trusted compatriot, Austin, had got in the game, brazenly replacing my extra hot latte with his, now cold, flat white. When I was a Lad, Ride Leaders were revered. But clearly that is not now the case with this current generation of young people!

After morning tea, we then continued down the hill toward the coast. Being Ride Leader finally brought some benefit with two of us getting an early jump on some traffic at a Roadworks stop and giving us an 11km run down the hill with just two vehicles to overtake on the way. It was wonderful.

We then had the ‘pleasure’ of just over an hour of Motorway commute as we sought to shave off some time so as to try to get back to Armidale before a forecast snow storm.

We had a very good lunch in Wauchope at Watermans Cafe and then headed up the Oxley Hwy. Another fantastic twisty road.

A couple of our group had an unplanned diversion to Port Macquarie with a BMW that had broken down. Thanks to Alan for assisting Rod with getting that all sorted.

As we headed into Walcha, the grey clouds became a tempest! Gale force winds and driving rain. So we hightailed it back to Armidale in probably the worst conditions I have ridden in for quite a while.

Dinner was at Servies again where the Insurrection was finally quashed with beer and wine over dinner – and the punishment (or benefit!) of being sent to bed early - at 8 30pm!

Day 4  - Friday 5 June

A 5deg morning with light rain met the group as we left Armidale and headed to breakfast at Graze Cafe in Walcha.  Weather aside, it was a great way to start the day.

5 degs became 4 as we left Walcha towards Gloucester.  Thankfully the rain stopped and as we headed down the hill towards Nowendoc, the temperature climbed to 17 deg with dry roads and sunshine. And with double demerits in force, it was a really pleasant slower ride into Gloucester with the opportunity to admire the scenery.

We decided at morning tea to forgo the opportunity to traverse via Dungog and instead simply  headed to Stroud and then onto the Pacific Mwy.  With a holiday weekend imminent, the build up of traffic – especially carqvans and boats was abundantly obvious.

With a quick refuel at Heatherbrae (bikes with petrol and riders with pies and milkshakes!), it was time for the trip to be called to a close. ‘Officially’, the trip was to finish at PITS at Cowan but I chose to call an early close to the trip at Heatherbrae. Having developed a nose for the early detection of discontent and insurrection, I could sense another uprise in the making so left them to their own devices to head to ‘the Pie’ unsupervised. [The truth is . . . I was heading to Nelson Bay for the long weekend and it suited me to desert them at this juncture.

Summary

-            1900 Kms over four days with some fantastic twisty roads.

-            Some less than fantastic weather (in part) but some other delightful weather (mostly).

-            8 out of 10 of the group completed the full tour (mechanical issues and insurrection-led shortcuts aside). And apart from Scone, the group largely had no navigational issues.

-            87 pies, 23 Bacon & Egg rolls, 17 sausage rolls, 12 Chicken Parmis – and one yogurt, granola and berry breakfast (there’s always got to be one puritan in the group!). Thankfully, only one coffee-heist!

-            And . . . Zero speeding fines – that we know of!

Thanks go, again, to the Ride Committee who pull the calendar together and who also support the rides through their attendance and advice. Good job!

And, as Ride Leader, I have to admit that I enjoyed the experience over the four days.  Our ‘Thursday Riders’ group are a good bunch.

The bike has been washed, polished and put to bed. The trip report has been written. So my job is done.

See you all soon. Safe riding.

‘Blue RT’ Steve