Author Topic: 2019-09-21 Smythedale Ride To Eat  (Read 1386 times)

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2019-09-21 Smythedale Ride To Eat
« on: September 22, 2019, 07:08:59 PM »
Despite the weather there was quite a good turn out for this.  I think I was the only person who came from interstate.





The food was good, they had Guinness and I can't complain about the great company either.  It turned out to be a thoroughly enjoyable weekend, with the only disappointment being Collingwood's loss to GWS in the post season mickey mouse tournament.

To the ride itself.  My original plan was to go to Rawnsley station but the prohibitive cost of a room ruled that out and with Victorian venue on the same day in a venue I thought was doable my attention turned to Smythesdale.  Second plan was to leave really early on saturday morning but after the roster dealt me an early finish on friday I decided to go to Bordertown after work and stay there for the night.

I was in Murray Bridge when the kwaka's odometre clocked up six figures.  I'm half way to seeing if will reset to zero on 200'000 like ST1300's do.



Rain had been forecast for all three days I'd be on the road but I beat it to Bordertown.  Within half an hour it was bucketing down but I did get to unload and lock up a dry bike, albeit in the dark.  I saw one roo in Keith.



Eighty dollars for a room was a bargain, and as per our conversation Rex it was quite clean and big.  If need be I'd stay there again.  Actually, had I known I'd been spending friday there from the start I may have booked it for two nights and returned there after lunch.



Unfortunately the dining room was closed for a private function, and I couldn't be bothered getting back on the bike to go into town so I settled for Special K for dinner and watched the Richmond v Geelong match on the box.

The following morning I left on first light.  It rained a lot overnight and was coming down when I departed.  It hadn't stopped when I stopped at Pink Lake in Dimboola, but these tourists dug out some ponchos and walked out to the lake.  I'd done it in 2015 so I only stopped for the public convenience.





The rain stopped by the time I rode into the Dimboola township.  It was my first time to do that.  One place I would like to check out is Little Desert.  I rode through that after the Harrow RTE on the way to Mildura the following day.  The scenery suddenly changed to something I didn't expect to see in Victoria and again on the other side heading to Nhill.  It was somewhat surreal and I would like to take a better look one day.



I refuelled at the Caltex behind this Confucious statue in Ararat.  The womane behind the register told me it was a nice 16°C when she woke up but when the rain came it dropped to 10°C and was quite cold.  I left in the rain and it was 8°C and it hovered between that and 11°C for the whole day.  Someone at the RTE said it was me who brought rain with me from over the border.



I'm not sure if this grafitti in Hillcrest is Richmond related but I did want the Tigers to meet the Pies in next weekend's finale.



The ride from Beaufort to Carngham was very enjoyable.  Snake Valley was nice too.  I was the first to arrive in Smythesdale.



I went for a walk around 'town' and took a few photos.  Just as I got back to my bike Rex and Debbie rode in.



We went inside where it was warm so I didn't snap anyone else arriving.  I did get a couple of shots of the bikes as we were leaving.



Had I known I'd be staying at Bordertown when I booked it I probably would have gone back there after lunch instead of lugging all my gear around, but I didn't, so I had already booked accommodation in Alfredton.  This monument was pretty cool.  Actually, the whole Avenue of Honour was pretty cool.



My accommodation was pretty poor compared to Bordertown.  It was smaller and the furniture looked like fall apart if I tried to open a drawer.  The heater didn't work, but the bed did have electric blankets and I did crank that up.  This was in the shower.



Day three (this morning) I stepped out to a full sky of stars and that usually means a cold morning.  The bike's outside temperature showed -1°C in Luca, -2°C in Cardigan and -3°C in Beaufort.  I am still spewing that I didn't take a photo of that -6°C in Yalata last month.







The previous day I noticed many places in Great Western displaying the Romanian/Chad flag so I stopped to take photos of them on the way back this morning.  One coffee shop was open so I asked them what the story was.  She said that Great Western had been in their own post season mickey mouse tournament grand final two weeks earlier and their colors are blue, yellow and red.  Apparently they won too.



But someone didn't get the memo, opting for a Belgian flag instead.



I found a Thomas The Tank Engine letterbox in Laharum's Mount Zero.



After a few attempts I finally found the Landrover on a pole in Keith.  Sheesh, it was on the main highway.  I'd often seen the sign and turned down the side road near it and found nothing.



Just short of 1400 kilometres for the trip.



I forgot to add overnight and meal icons in spot.  This is probably one of the straightest road trips I have done.

 
The following users thanked this post: Shiney, ppopeye, Kev Murphy, Jdbiker, John g, ruSTynutz

Offline aussiexs

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Re: 2019-09-21 Smythedale Ride To Eat
« Reply #1 on: September 25, 2019, 07:11:02 PM »
Thanks or a terrific ride report
Cheers Rex
 

Offline richo

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Re: 2019-09-21 Smythedale Ride To Eat
« Reply #2 on: September 25, 2019, 07:32:03 PM »
 ++. Good report Bodo.   Always interesting reading with great pictures
Richo
 

Online Williamson

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Re: 2019-09-21 Smythedale Ride To Eat
« Reply #3 on: September 25, 2019, 07:42:40 PM »
Thanks for the pics and words BG.
Cheers,  Williamson (AKA Michael)

Motorcycling, the best time you can have with your pants on.
eBiking, the second best time you can have with your pants on
Afterlife, up there for the climate, down there for the company.
If I'd known I was gunna live this long, I woulda looked after myself better
 

Offline denis gibson

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Re: 2019-09-21 Smythedale Ride To Eat
« Reply #4 on: September 25, 2019, 09:42:58 PM »
Great report and pic mate. It peed down all way home but at least got home dry thanks to good wet weather gear. Thanks for coming over. Denis Diane.
 

Bodø

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Re: 2019-09-21 Smythedale Ride To Eat
« Reply #5 on: September 26, 2019, 07:25:20 AM »
Great report and pic mate. It peed down all way home but at least got home dry thanks to good wet weather gear. Thanks for coming over. Denis Diane.

I was quite lucky with regards to rain.  I beat it to Bordertown on friday, had it the follwoing morning from there to Dimboola and that was about it.  I don't think I experienced much (if any) to Ballarat after lunch and none for the ride home.