February Rains ...and a long breakfast

Well the weather forecasts were bleak..... predicting rain and lots of it but we had planned a short ,local ride starting with breakfast down at Springwood Suzuki. Peaking through the blinds early suggested that we might get away with a dry ride..... looks are deceiving aren't they ,what a difference a few km's make

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Well we had 5 hardy souls turn up at Gateway for our short ride to Springwood Suzuki for breakfast then on to Jacobs Well and Calypso Bay. We waited until the rain eased up then headed off , navifating the dreaded u-turn bck down Mt Gravatt-capalaba rd.

Kathy on Guzzi with Aura

So on arriving at Suzuki we were surprised to be met by a few more motorcyclists and the about six who ditched their bikes ( and the wet weather ) and drove down for a litle mototcycling community.

Chris taking a pic of me taking a pic og her

Dave happy with his new addition,
a valid rego and number plate

Debbie brings some bling

how good is this good food,good mates and bikes

...and yes , they did have some bikes as well

..in fact a lovey Moto Guzzi Tourer

Brenton checking out a A kitted out Vstrom

Brenton carrying Kevin Swanz

Leigh assured me there was
no shrinkage when wet

So us hardy souls kitted up for our ride down the road to Jacobs Well and Calyspso Bay ,hoping the weather would behave

Des and Cathie on the mighty red Guzzi

a magpie centre stage

an Irish pub at Calypso Bay...nice

Kathy's purse has the right stuff

Des enjoying a pillion riders company

praying the weather holds for run home

Different strokes for different folks - bike around the world

a classy lady on a classic bike

During June & July 2012 my wife and I enjoyed a fantastic 46 day romp around the world, firstly to the UK to see our daughter marry a POM ( a good one) , then to France,Paris,New York, Chicago, training across USA, San Francisco and the famous highway 101 down the west coast to LA.
It was an amazing trip and along the way I snapped a few motorbike of various persuasions....and yes it is a case of different strokes for different folks....and obvious Paris is all about Scooter and BMW's (its Europe of course) and the New York....has to be the Harley and Orange County Choppers...but San Francisco ,well there were all sorts...that's San Francisco.
Loves a couple of the following Pics

Donald Trump & OCC

here to protect

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.

A 2012 Christmas ride - Waffles & icecream

Well Christmas is here and gone for another year....where did 2012 go....for me with 5 week off recovering from a double hip replacement and 7 weeks overseas ticking off the bucket list ( and getting youngest daughter married) that was a quarter gone.What about your year?.... I know that whatever it was for you that God wastes nothing....as St Paul said...."In [Christ] who is the source of my strength I have strength for everything” (Phil 4:13)."

A huge thanks to all who made our Band of biker ride so enjoyable in 2013 and those wonderful support vehicle, we certainly had some fantastic rides in Gods own country, as you can see by our blogs....crowned by our amazing "Hot way round" road trip in early December.

This short ,150 km run, took us down through Yatala, the back of Beenleigh, through Canungra , up the goat track to Mt Tamborine and around to Eagle Heights for a nice Christmas brunch....with waffles and cream of course.

Johns adds some Christmas bling to MG

As normal we welcomed some new riders and a new bike or two..brett even bought his singing teddy bear .

Brett bought his Kwaka 900 from Gateway Sth

Paul introduces his new Harley softail retro

and we had some real Christmas bling from Debbie's painted nails


It was a good turn out for our last ride with 13 or so riders.... though we lost a few around the Yatala turnoff but our trusty ride shepherd BMW Dave was able to get up the mountain safely from the Coomera end.

The quick ride video ....apologise for the tilted aspect, forgot to check before I left.





Jason enjoying a chat with a great backdrop

 Check the following pics from the MG support vehicle....thanks to Andrew K







A special video at Mt Tamborine lookout..... called "Leigh's a Naughty Boy"

...and a Christmas brunch....

"Hot Way Round" - Day 4 the road home

We geared up on a cool morning in Glen Innes for our final day on the road-trip. It promises to be a stark contrast to our first 2 days with some beautiful bike riding through the Gibraltar national park to Grafton, then up the Summerland way to Casino, onto Kyogle and over our final range to Beaudesert then home.....but first some breakfast at Macca's of course and a fill for the bikes.

It was with a little trepidation that we headed off... we just had to remember what it was like leaning around corners, using our brakes and watching for wet slippery roads....and travelling at outback speeds...but everyone was looking for this last day.

So off we went , in low temp, the road looking new having been clean by the large storm that had swept through and limited traffic....just like the Gwidar Highway, which we had ridden from the hot, flat west , was now saying.."come on, I am all yours"

Magnificent Gibraltar  National Park

a break to enjoy the scenery

Mike looking for a snap

some fellow travelers on the road

Am sure you would agree that it there was some great riding was had by all as we made our way over the Gibralta national park then tracked the Mann river towards Grafton. Truly spectacular

 Now can you guess what Mike , our resident paparzzi, was up to in the picture below as Andrew parked near the Maan river.



Mike doing some close up photgraphy

worth the stop?






So after stopping for the obligatory Macca's stop at Grafton it was then off on our well travlled road ...the summerland way...through Casino. Continued to be amazed as to how many people mow the grass on the side of the road...it all looks most sureal to ride through. We stopped brefly in Casino for Des to stretch his Hamstrings ....and I had to find my keys.

sure keys are here somewhere



It was then onto our well driven path through Kyogle then over one last mountain range, through Rathdowney to Beaudesert. What away to fininsh .....as usual at what seems to be our most frequented food stop...Macca's...again.



So after freshing up we retrieved our luggage from the support vehicle, tied them on the bike and headed home with so many great memories , hugely contrasting landscapes, interesting people, places and things.....and great mates. We will remember the "Hot Way Round" for a long, long way....or at least untill next year for the "Bushrangers" trip.

 

just one more photo

Some last reflection from the trip..... our wonderful Paparazzi who never left us alone and captured lots of great memories...too many to put in one blog......and of course the "PRAYING MEN"

burn....burn

 Please one more phoe, please help this BBQ fire up.
Then of course there was always the food, that we would be invited to the Banqueting table (chinese that is)
Then, the most famouse prayer of all from the very patient and ultimately triumphant Des.... "Lord can you please take this Moto Guzzi from me...but your will, not mine be done

the awesome Guzzi

the Faces of roadtrip 2012 - The Hot way round.