You know how some days you’re not sure what to do, and some days you know you’re not even going to have time to do all the things you have to do? And then there are days when the day before you brings many choices and you can’t decide which one will be best? Well, yesterday was one of the latter.
To start with, the weather was promising, but I had three choices (ride-wise) of things to do with the morning, What would I choose? My local classic bike club had a club ride on and I haven’t been on a ride with them for ages but then my brother rang up and said he wanted to go for a run down to Ulladulla and he hasn’t ridden for a month or so (perhaps more). And, finally, one of the Facebook groups to which I belong also had a ride on, so, decisions, decisions.
The CEMCC one was the first to go, mainly because, technically, my membership has lapsed (falls due on the 31st December each year.) Because of this, again, technically, my bike is unregistered as its registration is dependent upon me being a member of a registered historic bike club. And, before you accuse me of being a cheapskate, membership of CEMCC is nearly $50 a year, something which I find hard to justify but do so each year because of the benefits it brings.
Then the FB group ride, with quite a lot of people I know and with whom I enjoy riding, was the next to go since it was going to be almost to Batemans Bay and back, a total of around 400kms. I didn’t want to take all day.
So, at around 0800 Paul and I set out from his place, planning to ride to Ulladulla and back.
It became clear almost immediately, that traffic was going to be an issue, it is, after all, still the Christmas Holidays. But, having set out, we decided that we’d persevere. Up the Pass and down through Kangaroo Valley to Nowra rather than slabbing it down the highway was a good way to begin. The rest stop at the Fire Station at KV is a given but it was the first time that anybody had pointed out to me the local brigade’s telephone number.
The rest of the run into Nowra was dreadful. Road works on Cambewarra Mountain are ongoing as the road surface on the low side of the road is actually falling away into the valley below and contra-flow is in place controlled by red lights and long queues. If the time taken to remediate it is anything like what it is taking to do similar work on the Putty Road (ie, nothing) then that road is going to be “out” for some time.
We back-tracked just a little at South Nowra to have a coffee at the Java Life takeaway van and then it was on the road again. While drinking our coffees, (pausing for just a moment to enjoy the beauty when the opportunity was presented) the FB guys headed past in search of the cafe at East Lynne.
The traffic was heavy but moving and it didn’t present the difficulty that I thought it would. We made good time to Ulladulla and had a nice lunch at Cafe 86 in the main street, pausing to take the obligatory shot of the local harbour.
Now heading north, the direction of the bulk of the traffic, I was sure we’d experience a slow run but we made great time to Milton where Paul was obliged to stop for petrol (small gas tank). Just as we finished, this rolled in, isn’t it amazing what you see?
The pipe is a Japanese-made copy of the Kerker, like the one on the Shardowfax.
Rather than just re-do the ride down, we cut east at North Nowra and followed the coast road past the vineyards at Coolangatta and the town of Shoalhaven Heads and re-emerged on the highway at Gerringong. Again, an easy run till we got to the Jamberoo turnoff where we zipped off and did the back-road to Albion Park. Precious few overtaking opportunities on this road and a quarry truck in front settled the issue.
I arrived home mid-afternoon having done nearly 300kms of thoroughly enjoyable riding. In the end, a good choice.
Here’s how Relive saw the trip.
