G'Day STriders,
Johnny & I went on a ride yesterday that for me ended up a circuit from Wollongong to Jenolan Caves and back. Started at 7am, met Johnny at the Australian Botanic Gardens on Narrellan Rd, Campbelltown and arrived home at 7pm. A solid ride (4 me anyway) on a beautiful day that heated up as we went.
Thru Penrith and on to Richmond and Bilpin on the Bells Line Road - saw this logging truck from yore. From a distance we tried to work out the make - probably English, maybe a Kenworth? I thought it might b a yankee Mack truck but not sure at all.

This zoom should resolve the issue:

On the way to Oberon here's a hot, hazy view of the Blue Mountains:

On to Oberon and after lunch Johnny just couldn't stay away from the big trout and I said to him "You've even got your picture on the wall behind the trout!" - C'mon Johnny get out of the pool and let's go to the caves.

On the way we stopped at Edith (so Johnny could record a photo for Fartriders or HotButt or whatever he called it) at the old schoolhouse now converted to a holiday cottage.

Then I got a shock on the way to the caves. I had never been on the road to the north of Jenolan b4 and the first hairpin took me by surprise and I was on the wrong line and had 2 stop. So I crept up the crest of the curve and pointed the ST up and backwards. Then I backed slowly down the slope (gravel on the road caused the ST to slide while doing this) to the other side of the hairpin until I was half pointing the right way again and finally continued 2wards the caves. Johnny had turned around and come back 2 see what was wrong and I waved OK and the next six or seven hairpins were sweet.
Thru the caves and headed home past Lowther where a well kept old segregated cemetary was a place 2 stop and refresh.

Finally we headed home with one more refreshment stop at the big truck 4 fotos. A big day 4 me with mild cramps all over the place but I'm getting better at hydrating and stretching and with LDComfort gear, water, tea and enough stops everything was sweet. Johnny had done a similar ride only a week b4 and he lead the way expertly with shortcuts my GPS didn't know about. Thanks m8 - a great day!