prelude to the day? We all hope so, it’s a great ride in great
country. It’s a spectacular sight, so many bikes on such a
tight track.
A main road follows be-
fore we take to a smaller
bituminised lane. It’s great
riding, a good mix of con-
ditions, every rider has a
grin like a Cheshire Cat.
The bitumen continues
until we reach the town of
Oberon, where we’ll wait
for the more ‘hardcore’
riders to come in. The rid-
ing has opened everyone
up, there’s no longer whis-
pered conversations, ev-
eryone looks on at the bike
admiring each and all.
It’s a friendly bunch and
the comradery is coming
through. It’s a good day for
a ride.
Back on the dirt, noth-
ing serious, just country
roads. The riding could be fast, it’s corrugated yet com-
fortable, the many riders producing enough dust for a
TRAVERSE
challenge, in fact it’s like London fog. This is winter, why
is there dust so thick?
A great mix of for-
est lined roads and
farmland tracks lead
us to the O’Connell Ho-
tel, a great place for
lunch and more ban-
ter. Someone suggests
that there’s too many
young people riding
BMW’s, there’s laugh-
ter as someone replies,
“you’re too old to ride a
Suzuki”. It’s the nature
of the day, of this ride.
Amongst merriment
we get back on the
bikes and head back
to the dirt. A great
short road that leads
back to the bitumen at
the town of Rockley,
perhaps an ominous
name, for not too far
back on the blacktop our Suzuki Australia donated bike
begins to wiggle at the rear end, a puncture. The ride is
27