BMU wednesday ride 2/6/2010 Kokoda track

[BMBEN]

A WEDNESDAY RIDE
with Blue Mountains Ulysses
Everyone is welcome to join us for the ride

Meet: Blaxland McDonalds, GWH, BLAXLAND, NSW for a 9.00am Start
Ride Leader: Franz G (BMBEN)
Ride Report/Videos: Franz G

2nd June, 2010

Destination:
Visit and guided tour
KOKODA TRACK Memorial Walk @ Concord West - Rhodes Park
33°50'3.44"S 151° 5'27.00"E www.kokodawalkway.com.au

Map Link http://maps.google.com.au/maps?f=d&s...7&ie=UTF8&z=10

The weather forecast for the day was 9-19°C, mostly cloudy with a slight chance of a shower in the afternoon. We were lucky sunny all day.

I arrived at McDonald's at 8.30am to find most of the group there already. There were 8 riders for the day, myself, Richard M, Rob B (newbee), Tom L, Alan S, Peter M drove his car, Alan M (with his wife) meet use at Mcllwaine Park and sweeper Noel H

At 9.00am we headed off down the Great Western Highway and Motorway to Homebush Bay Drive, Concord Rd and to morning tea at McIlwaine Park. The traffic on the way was calm, easy going and we were able to stay reasonable close together. The park area was really good with lots of shade, covered tables, rubbish bins and a small puttputt golf course and clean toilets.





After morning tea we headed around the Rhodes Park to have our tour of the walkway and listen to a veteran talk about the history of the Kokoda track. So, this is where it got interesting. We arrived at 10.45am and I went into the café and introduced the group and myself. They did no know anything about a group booked in for the day. So we waited until 11.00am, but no one had turned up to take our group. Back to the café and they were on the phone to the booking director (away on leave) and they found that there was only a pencilled in note of TOUR, so we did not get a veteran to guide our tour.



So off we go on our own. Starting at the Concord Hospital end. It is an easy walk of 800m on a concrete walkway wide enough for wheelchairs and no steps. Along the way there are 22 stations about places of significance in the New Guinea Campaign where important battles were fought or events occurred. These stations are a concrete block with a plaque providing historical accounts, images and an intercom system for an oral presentation. Not working all that well as some would come on after we were walking away. A very easy walk and the gardens are fantastic and well looked after. The walk ends at McIlwaine Park and is very easy to do even if you come buy train.





After the walk we had our lunch. There is a large covered table and chairs area with BBQ or a café with good food and drinks, also the toilets are clean. We then said our goodbyes and headed home for the day. Back onto Concord Road and along the M4 to the mountains. On the way I turned off and went to the motorcycle supermarket to spend money on a CARGOL turn & go, small basic repair & inflating kit (www.gryyp.com) and a hand pump. At least one rider should carry a kit. They are a screw type plug for quick and easy fix for punches on a ride.

The trip back along the M4 was nice and quiet and I had travelled 115km for the day and was home around 2.30pm. This was handy as it gave me time to give the bike an oil change.

Regards Franz G