I left home at a little after 9 a.m., and it was a clear sky and 19 °C.
I rode south with the navman set for the Farmer's Arms at Carbarlah. As I was setting it, it asked if I wanted to avoid tolls. I said yes, thinking this will be interesting.
It took me down the Gateway, onto Southern Cross Drive, then the East-West Arterial. On mental autopilot, I took the Airport Link Tunnel instead of Sandgate Rd, so it asked me to exit onto Gympie Rd. Then, as I left the tunnel, it became obvious it meant Stafford Rd. From there, it was back streets until I got to Lutwyche Rd. Then it was down the Inner-city Bypass and onto Milton Rd to the Centenary. Down Centenary Mwy, to Ipswich Mwy, and onto the Warrego to Toowoomba, then onto Carbarlah.
Temperatures remained between 18 to 21 °C, so I had the handlebar warmers on most of the way. Turning them off periodically because they'd get too hot.
I arrived right on 11:30 to an almost empty carpark with no bikes. I quickly checked that today was the day, and I was in the right place. Just after I'd confirmed I was in the correct place, on the right day, Dale turned up on his 1100.
After a while PC and NavGirl popped out from the pub where they'd been warming themselves by the fire place. (They'd had -2 °C before they departed home this morning)
Shuney and Carrol soon turned up on the new toy, and not long after, DaveP and Lane arrived.
There was a look of ogling of the new toy before everyone ventured in out of the cold blasting wind to a pleasantly warm charming old pub.
After a bit more chat, we ordered lunch, and kept catching up.
A we waited for our orders, one of the staff came and checked that e had 8 people but only 7 orders, and they didn't want to have anyone miss out. DaveP and Lane were sharing a Pizza. Not long after the meals started to be served, and they were wonderful.
After a great catchup, it was time to head home. My original plan was Esk then Mt Glorious to home, but as I got close to Esk, the fuel gauge was looking low, so Idecided to stay on main roads where I knew I had fuel choices, so down Brisbane Valley way back to the Wparrego. I eventually stopped at BP on Bowen Bridge Rd with the fuel light on for the lay 15 km, and I still had 1 bar on the fuel gauge. I probably could have made it home with plenty spare, but I'm planning on riding into work a few days this week, so I figured it may as well be full.
I arrived home just after 4:30 pm feeling like I'd had a great day.
Thanks to everyone who attended and those who wanted to attend.
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