I’m overdue for a longer ride and this Sunday was clear in the diary so time to get planning. I haven’t been up north for a while so a decision on a route was easy. A route with The Oxley Highway was worked up in Basecamp, then uploaded to the GPS.
Leaving Canberra at 1:45am it was overcast and dark, really dark with no moonlight or stars overhead. Traffic on the Federal Highway to Goulburn was almost nothing, a couple of early morning semi’s heading into Canberra, but otherwise I had Highway to myself and the occassional fox and Roo. There’s the occasional rain shower to enjoy through the Southern Highlands, but these cleared on the approaches to Sydney.
Start Docket
Pennant Hills Road had the usual roadworks, as our roading infrastructure gets dragged into the 20th Century. I’m comfortably ahead of schedule so I stop for my 5:00am coffee at McDonald's on Pennant Hills.
5:00am Coffee Stop
From here I make way up to the M1 and then on towards Newcastle. Motoring north, I watch the sun rise as it tries to break through the heavy cloud. Newcastle is quiet, well it is Sunday morning at 7:00am and I ride across the river and through Raymond Terrance quickly and without fuss.
Near Taree between showers
Heading north past Bucketts Way I ponder a slight detour to my route but discard that and stay on the motorway northwards. I’m happy to just leave the bike on cruise control and let the miles roll under the wheels as the radio keeps me entertained. The showers return and they gradually increase in frequency the further north I go, until just past Taree the heavens open and down it comes. Rolling into the service station at Thrumster to collect my corner docket it’s still pouring with rain and there’s a fair collection of motorcycles sheltering under cover.
I don’t linger, the tanks are topped up, receipt collected and I’m back out on the Oxley heading for Wauchope. It’s wet, but the K1600 makes this easy as I ride through the river flats into Wauchope, reflecting on the last trip here during the TAR24 Rally when I was trying to collect a daylight only bonus at 1:00am in the morning.
Wauchope - looks different in daylight (my last visit was at 1:00am)
Winding my way uphill through the misty hills there’s the occasional respite from the rain. The countryside looks great, lush and green with the views improving as I climb up towards Gingers Creek.
The Oxley Highway - Westbound
It was a wet ride up The Oxley...but it was good!
All too quickly the climb up the Oxley is done and I’m out on the grassy plains near Walcha. The rain has stopped and the temps start to warm up noticeably as I ride further away from the coast. Riding into Walcha there’s a RBT check where I get flagged in to join the queue of waiting motorists. I have time to take my gloves off and use them to cover my ride plan on the tank bag. Formalities complete I’m back out on the road and on my way to Tamworth. The sun is starting to make an appearance now. I love this section of the Oxley between Walcha and Tamworth, open roads with enough corners to keep one interested. Through Tamworth I ride and onto Gunnedah where I stop at the local servo for a pie and choc bar. It’s now very warm so I take the opportunity to shed a few layers.
Time to turn off the Highway and head south for Canberra. Mullaley, NSW
Not too far past Gunnedah I take the turn off for the Black Stump Way and head south for home. I like riding these type of roads, very quiet and little traffic with only the odd farmer grazing his cattle on the side of the road to wave to as I pass by.
Sunday in Coolah, NSW
Coolah looks very quiet on a Sunday afternoon, lots of utes parked at the pub and that’s about it. Next up is Gulgong and I duck off the highway to check out the Jacaranda tree in the main street which is in full bloom.
Jacaranda Tree - Gulgong Main Street, NSW
From here I turn west towards Wellington (bypassing Dubbo). By now there’s lots of Sunday afternoon traffic. The sun is out and the NSW countryside looks glorious in its late spring bloom. It’s warm, or at least it feels warm. It’s only showing 29 degrees on the dash but it feels warmer and I’m starting to feel sluggish. Time to have a rest stop! At Wellington I take 15 minutes off the bike to cool off with a milkshake & rest before the last few hours to home.
Milkshake time! Wellington, NSW.
Refreshed I continue the ride in bright sunshine, to Molong, then Cowra followed by Canowindra then into Boorowa.
The Court house, Boorowa, NSW
Not long after that I pop back out onto the Hume Highway near Yass before taking the Barton Highway for Canberra, where I roll into my local just before 8:00pm to collect my finishing receipt, then ride the 500m to home. Home in time for dinner!
Finish Docket
Hettie enjoys the new smells!
A good Sunday ride of 1645 kms, perfect for clearing the head and to knock the rust off my riding routine, very scenic with a nice combination of motorways, Highways and country roads to enjoy. Job done.
Easy Like Sunday Morning - Spotwalla Track
Leaving Canberra at 1:45am it was overcast and dark, really dark with no moonlight or stars overhead. Traffic on the Federal Highway to Goulburn was almost nothing, a couple of early morning semi’s heading into Canberra, but otherwise I had Highway to myself and the occassional fox and Roo. There’s the occasional rain shower to enjoy through the Southern Highlands, but these cleared on the approaches to Sydney.
Start Docket
Pennant Hills Road had the usual roadworks, as our roading infrastructure gets dragged into the 20th Century. I’m comfortably ahead of schedule so I stop for my 5:00am coffee at McDonald's on Pennant Hills.
5:00am Coffee Stop
From here I make way up to the M1 and then on towards Newcastle. Motoring north, I watch the sun rise as it tries to break through the heavy cloud. Newcastle is quiet, well it is Sunday morning at 7:00am and I ride across the river and through Raymond Terrance quickly and without fuss.
Near Taree between showers
Heading north past Bucketts Way I ponder a slight detour to my route but discard that and stay on the motorway northwards. I’m happy to just leave the bike on cruise control and let the miles roll under the wheels as the radio keeps me entertained. The showers return and they gradually increase in frequency the further north I go, until just past Taree the heavens open and down it comes. Rolling into the service station at Thrumster to collect my corner docket it’s still pouring with rain and there’s a fair collection of motorcycles sheltering under cover.
I don’t linger, the tanks are topped up, receipt collected and I’m back out on the Oxley heading for Wauchope. It’s wet, but the K1600 makes this easy as I ride through the river flats into Wauchope, reflecting on the last trip here during the TAR24 Rally when I was trying to collect a daylight only bonus at 1:00am in the morning.
Wauchope - looks different in daylight (my last visit was at 1:00am)
Winding my way uphill through the misty hills there’s the occasional respite from the rain. The countryside looks great, lush and green with the views improving as I climb up towards Gingers Creek.
The Oxley Highway - Westbound
It was a wet ride up The Oxley...but it was good!
All too quickly the climb up the Oxley is done and I’m out on the grassy plains near Walcha. The rain has stopped and the temps start to warm up noticeably as I ride further away from the coast. Riding into Walcha there’s a RBT check where I get flagged in to join the queue of waiting motorists. I have time to take my gloves off and use them to cover my ride plan on the tank bag. Formalities complete I’m back out on the road and on my way to Tamworth. The sun is starting to make an appearance now. I love this section of the Oxley between Walcha and Tamworth, open roads with enough corners to keep one interested. Through Tamworth I ride and onto Gunnedah where I stop at the local servo for a pie and choc bar. It’s now very warm so I take the opportunity to shed a few layers.
Time to turn off the Highway and head south for Canberra. Mullaley, NSW
Not too far past Gunnedah I take the turn off for the Black Stump Way and head south for home. I like riding these type of roads, very quiet and little traffic with only the odd farmer grazing his cattle on the side of the road to wave to as I pass by.
Sunday in Coolah, NSW
Coolah looks very quiet on a Sunday afternoon, lots of utes parked at the pub and that’s about it. Next up is Gulgong and I duck off the highway to check out the Jacaranda tree in the main street which is in full bloom.
Jacaranda Tree - Gulgong Main Street, NSW
From here I turn west towards Wellington (bypassing Dubbo). By now there’s lots of Sunday afternoon traffic. The sun is out and the NSW countryside looks glorious in its late spring bloom. It’s warm, or at least it feels warm. It’s only showing 29 degrees on the dash but it feels warmer and I’m starting to feel sluggish. Time to have a rest stop! At Wellington I take 15 minutes off the bike to cool off with a milkshake & rest before the last few hours to home.
Milkshake time! Wellington, NSW.
Refreshed I continue the ride in bright sunshine, to Molong, then Cowra followed by Canowindra then into Boorowa.
The Court house, Boorowa, NSW
Not long after that I pop back out onto the Hume Highway near Yass before taking the Barton Highway for Canberra, where I roll into my local just before 8:00pm to collect my finishing receipt, then ride the 500m to home. Home in time for dinner!
Finish Docket
Hettie enjoys the new smells!
A good Sunday ride of 1645 kms, perfect for clearing the head and to knock the rust off my riding routine, very scenic with a nice combination of motorways, Highways and country roads to enjoy. Job done.
Easy Like Sunday Morning - Spotwalla Track
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