BMBEN’s Adventure Rides 1st May 2010 Howes Valley and St Albans NSW

[BMBEN]

BMBEN’s Adventure Rides
All welcome to join in

Ride Report/Photo’s :- Franz (BMBEN) Garde 0427 830 712
Destination :-
Howes Valley and St Albans NSW
1st May 2010
with the Ulysses Adventure Riders Group
www.ulysses.org.au/branches/adventureriders

The weather conditions for the day were overcast with patches of rain but cleared after mid day. It was the sort of rain that was not enough to put wets on or go without.

I left home at 8.15am and rode over to the BP Service Station at North Richmond to meet up the Ulysses Adventure Riders Group for a 9.30am start. In total 12 riders for the days ride.



Off we go, up Bells Line of Road, onto Comleroy Rd through Wheeny Creek, Colo Heights Rd to Colo Heights where we had a break and a wait for the group to catch up due to a miss understanding on directions with some of the rides at the rear, then up the Putty Rd to the Halfway House for a regroup.



Carrying on up the PuttyRd to Howes Valley (32°50'39.42"S 150°50'8.72"E) where we turned right on to the Howes Trail Rd (two wheel track, public access through private property with gates). Not long after starting on the track one rider had a flat and we had another break while they repaired it.





We then continued on, up, down, left, right, rough, smooth, creek crossings and through gates until we exited the private property and entered the Yengo National Park. We had travelled about 30km on a rough track to the junction with the Finchley Track at Big Yengo. A regroup and break with a visit to a lookout (32°57'12.86"S 150°59'59.50"E). The photo, I think is in the direction of Sydney.



It was a quick look as we got caught there with a four wheel drive group and wanted to get away from them. Funny thing, they were a Nissan group and one chap was wearing Nissan t shirts, so one of our guy asked if they are a Toyota club, not much of a response just like Eric (from Wednesday rides) asking the MG club for a BBQ sausage.

Back on the Finchley Track (pretty good one) and Upper Yango Creek Rd to Laguna and Great North Rd (tar for a while) to Bucketty where we turned onto the Wisemans Ferry Rd / Mogo Creek Rd (good dirt road) / Wallambine St to St Albans (33°17'27.36"S 150°58'12.95"E). Stoped for a quick regroup only because there was something on with mountain bikes and they were all over the place, then the St Albans Rd to Wisemans Ferry. We said our good byes at the ferry. The que on the other side waiting to get onto the ferry was up the hill nearly 1km from the ferry).

Some stoped for fuel at Wisemans Ferry and the rest headed for home. On the way up Old Northern Rd, I remembered that the Sackville ferry had delays because of the bridge to bridge boat races. Not concentrating to much, I should have take the first turn off to Windsor, but NO stupid kept going and ended up having to go through to Glenorie Park and take Cattai Ridge Rd, Scheyville Rd and Pitt Town Rd to McGraths Hill, just to get back to Windsor then to Penrith and finally back home.

All in all a fantastic day of riding. Got home at 5.30pm after doing 350km and at east 125km of that was on dirt. Bike not to dirty as the rain the day before had settled the dust. The big, heavy 1200gs’s are perfect on the open roads but can become a bit of a hand full on the tricky tight, rough stuff. Still I had a load of fun and that is what is all about

Franz