What a great day for a ride. A little warm by the time this afternoon rolled around but the morning was near perfect riding weather.
As is my usual choice when I want a decent ride I headed off this morning to the border ranges area with no firm route in mind.
Lovely quick run down the M1, not much traffic at all. People still tell me they cannot stand to ride down the M1 but to put it quite frankly if your sports bike or café racer is so uncomfortable you cannot ride a freeway for 40 minutes then your bike is too impractical.
After refueling I walked into Hungry Jacks at Robina (adjacent to Shell) then after being ignored by service staff got thinking what am I doing – the coffee here will no doubt be rubbish so turned and walked out and decided to route the first part of my ride around going somewhere to have a good coffee.
I had an idea to ride to the Tweed Valley Art Gallery for a coffee but somehow forgot this as I got into a nice riding rhythm and rode past Baker Road on to Uki then via Stokers siding to the base of Burringbah range (below) having so much fun before realising. Anyway it was still only early so I decided to ride on to Clunes for a brunch stop instead.
Hmm seems to be a S bend road photo theme happening today.
Riding over Currumbin valley (above) I was flashed by oncoming car driving locals yet again. Pretty much have been flashed every ride there of late. Seems they have the idea to flash motorcycle riders to make us think there is a radar trap or something. Alas folks it has really got boring so I’m not paying any attention to you anymore.
A lot of oncoming traffic on Coolamon Scenic drive, sometimes half on my side of road mid corner but I am so used to it that I no longer bat an eyelid. I have a laugh when recalling I not far back overtook lumbering 4 wheel drive , hehe the same idiots are going to be white knuckle as they meet that big bullbar mid corner. Still not sure how people find it so difficult to stay on their side of road – it’s kinda driving 101 in my mind.
Rather than ride straight on via Federal I took the Goonengerry road and this has had some road resurfacing and the bridge has been replaced as well. I had forgotten how good this road was to ride, do go down there some time, just be aware of two or three tight decreasing radius bends as you exit the forested part of road. After this I then took Repentance Creek road, another one I often forget and despite it flowing better in the reverse it was also a lot of fun today.
Well Clunes Café was closed and possibly for good by looks. I am sad but not surprised as last two times I tried to be a customer there they were either not serving food or not serving coffee so proof even when you have no competition you can drive a business into the ground. I guess I need to find a new turnaround point on that route for future.
It was still only 10.30 so I decided to supersize todays ride. I rode over to Nimbin via Dunoon and The Channon and then back to Uki. The road out of Nimbin has mostly been resurfaced and is much better than the poor state it had been in last few years. Alas Turntable creek road to Nimbin is rather poor still in parts despite some resurfacing closer to Nimbin.
I eventually got that coffee, 3 hours after I left Hungry Jacks at the Uki Café. I often stop at the Uki Pub in summer but today was not in the mood so went to the nearby Uki Café just a bit north in the village proper, on your right if coming from the south, slightly elevated. What a great move this was, the food was really fresh and tasty, the coffee was the best I have had in the whole region as was service from the friendly people. I’ll be back for more!
I think these (below) were rented somewhere? – much cooler than a scooter IMO.
A lot of 4 wheel drives loaded up for Easter camping about on the roads around Nimbin and later in Numinbah valley. As usual someone in a off roader always wants to play the ‘race game’ with me the motorcycle rider.
I am trying to use my Shark RSR2 Carbon yet again. Besides the slightly oversized cheek cushions it is otherwise a good helmet, very light and quiet. The lightly tinted visor I have for it works very well on much of todays forest covered roads from Autumn through to Spring when the angle of the sun seems to not penetrate the tree canopy leaving you riding in shadows. It is not possible to see the road surface clearly with a regular dark tinted visor or sunglasses and many corners on the back roads in northern NSW have loose material thus not much fun if you cannot see the clean line through every corner. I have had a towel stuffed inside it to compress the pads to try reduce the cheek pad pressure when worn, seems to have softened it a bit so will keep doing and tell you how it works out.
Nice run. We did Mt Lindesay and Summerland to Kyogle for brekky, then back up Lions Rd – not as much easter traffic on Lions Rd as I thought there would be. Couple in our group asked me how to make it back via Channon (markets) and then Uki. Chances are you were passed by them while you were having coffee.
So Goonengerry road has been fixed and new bridge all set to go now? Cool, might need to pay it another visit. Do a Channon and/or Eltham run.
That coffee looks amazing. Going to try it out if I ever get out there.