Saturday morning saw me with a plan:-
Firstly drop off some parts for my old GL1500 to its new owner.
Then to BikersGear to check out some new cargo pants
As both of these had me heading north of Perth (I live south) I planned on continuing further north to head to Toodyay via Lower Chittering and Julimar Rd.
Time permitting at Toodyay I would quickly catch up with an old workmate (Graham) before heading to Goomalling.
But to mix things up the radar was showing some rain north of the city and moving south.
Oh well it certainly wouldn't be the first time I got wet on a bike and probably not the last.
Dropped the GL1500 parts off and headed for BikersGear through some light sprinkles of rain and past the eastern side of Whiteman's Park (scene of the 2016 OzSTOC Rally Olympic Games), a quick glance sideways saw that the roos were still up even though it was now almost 9.30.
Unfortunately the BikersGear pants were not what I wanted and I walked outside to find sprinkles had turned into a light drizzle.
Looking north the sky was now black but looking east, towards Toodyay via Toodyay Rd, the sky was fairly clear.
New plan,forget Lower Chittering anf Julimar Rd and head direct to Toodyay.
Arriving at Toodyay my back was wet due to the low pressure zone created by riding with the screen up sucking in road spray and what rain I did pass through. In Toodyay it was raining enough to seek some shelter when chatting to Graham.
By then I had a message from Sirchilly to say it was raining heavily in the north of Perth where he lives so he had cancelled. But a message from medicbiker (who lives south of the city) said he was leaving home soon. So as I spoke Graham I was wondering who would and who wouldn't be coming. To partly answer this I watched Dugite and then Pezzz ride into Toodyay and turn off to Goomalling. By the time I said goodbye to Graham and headed for Goomalling the GPS said it would be 12:05 before I arrived. Wanting to be on time I loosened the rains on the 1300 and headed for Goomalling passing a white SUV on the way.
Arriving Goomalling Tavern I found Dugite and Pezzz where just saying hello. Soon after I joined them a gentleman walked over and introduced himself as Fossil (Dave). He had only recently become a member after Yorkie saw him and his ST1300 in York a couple of weeks before and gave him an OzSTOC card.
As I looked around I realised Fossil was driving the white SUV I had passed earlier, gee hope I hadn't done anything silly passing him.
Shortly our gathering had grown with the arrival of Wombat and Pitcrew, Gavo and Yorkie.
We moved off the street and headed inside only to discover that the Goomalling Tavern doesn't serve lunch on a Saturday, Yorkie had rung the day before and left a message but had had no reply.
So new plan, have a drink and then head down the street to the Go Cafe for lunch.
Shortly after we ordered drinks medicbiker and is wife arrived.
2.0 pm found all ten of us well fed and leaving the Go Cafe as they closed the doors behind us.
Everybody headed off in their own direction except Gavo and I who headed to Jennacubbine just to check out the location of the original plan for the RTE. After Jennacubbine we rode past Northam and Gavo turned for home at Clackline.
I stopped for afternoon tea and picked up something for Theresa at the The Bakers Hill Pie Shop.
Weatherwise the rain had cleared and we all had great weather to ride home in.
All up about 330 kms for me and a great days riding.
