Thursday, January 24, 2013

A Hot ride to all the "M's"- January 2013

The forecast was for 35deg C as 13 bikers and 2 cars headed off from Gateway for our monthly ride, this time up to the wonderful roads and landscape of the Sunshine coast hinterland...Mt Mee, Maleny, Kenilworth and Mapleton.


We welcomed Barry with his great sounding Harley and another support vehicle Jamie & Sam and their sweet Mustang convertible. We are getting so many "support vehicle" I think we will start a separate car club...hmmm. 

Jamie with hisMustang Convertible

Barry and his awesome sounding Harley

And...great riding buddies....
So off we meandered through the suburbs , onto the M1 and over the river to Brisbane ,looking over South Bank then up past the iconic Suncorp Stadium, home of the great Maroons. It was then off to Samford village to pick up another biker,Brenton and yes, another support vehicle and paparazzi, Andrew and Gordon.
we love the road

It was a stop at Dayboro bakery for morning tea and to pick up two more bikers, Ken &Tim...so that made 16 bikes and 3 support vehicles.... a great group...now for the run up Mt Mee

Hi Mum....we all made it
It was good to be re-introduce to the curves and climbs of the mountain but we were reminded about the dangers of pushing it when we passed an ambulance coming down with yet another biker...and the bike (and girlfriend) standing beside the road. So we stopped for a quick break at the Mt Mee lookout with great vista's across the sunshine coast.  .The it was off down the mountain, the sports bike looking for some great twisties but were frustrated by a big, slow , milk tanker...this was the start of our frustration with slow trucks and trailers in our road. We said goodbye to a few bikers at the Bottom of Mt Mee,they heading to Caboolture and home, and we through Woodford and a great run up the range to Maleny...then down to Kenilworth for lunch at Bellbird Creek Cafe.
After a good fill of food and with the temp hitting the promised 35deg C we hit the road for a ride up the very steep and picturesque to Mapleton and Dave took us to the Mapleton Falls (alas no water but great views. Yes, the photo below is not a frabrication...bikers pushing a mustang.
too much power got the Mustang stranded

So after filling up some headed left down through Nambour for a quick ride home, the rest of us enjoyed the more exciting  road back down through Montville and the shopping throngs, to Maleney and a left with an uninterrupted run down the Mountain to Peachester. A great biker run...number 4 ride in QLD of best rides.... onto the boring freeway to home.
So ends another thouroughly enjoyable band of bikers ride, a long day...great roads and most importantly fantastic mates...it doesn't get any better than this......check out the video for the full experience.