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Next Boys and Girls Day Out - Sat 19 August

10K views 29 replies 10 participants last post by  david1300 
#1 ·
OK, here we go again - heading for the Bunya mountains.

Days will be a bit longer, and warmer, so a ride up to the Bunya mountains is looking good. Here is the original route outline:

Destination: Bunya Mountains
Meet: Fernvale to leave there at 9am (This is 100+k's from home for us, hence the late 9am start)
Route: Esk, Crows Nest, Cooyar, Rangemore, Bunya Mtns; then return

Put that date in your diary now!!
 
#4 ·
Hi David>
I am not going to the GP this year. Instead I am going to Bunderberg to visit some friends. I have an open scedual and would like to meet up with you guys maybe ride part of the way North with you and leave you when you decide to head back home.
Iwould ride up the Newengland highway Could meet you Ferndale, Ipswitch or something at the start of your ride.
Just a thought however when you have confirmed your start date and meeting point I will see if I can work around that.
Best Wishes
Wayne
 
#5 ·
Belly, great to hear from you. You're welcome top stay over at our place (Nerang) - warm bed, even get a feed and a clean towel :D If you come up the New England, I might ride out to meet you at Tenterfield (it's only 300 k's away), say on the Friday, then Saturday we head out and meet all the other guys. We can then point you northwards at a convenient point and you head to Bundaberg. I'll think about the practicalities, and we'll work something out.
 
#8 ·
atlas said:
In the calendar !

Belly, real men ride in winter.... Well up here anyways !! ;)
Up here, winter is like a southern heatwave :mrgreen: :mrgreen:
 
#9 ·
Reminder - we are still doing this Bunya Mtns ride, in addition to the 'I have a Dream' ride.

FJR owners AND friends welcome along. We will be stopping for coffee/breakfast at Fernvale, and leaving there at 9am with whoever else is there.

So come along, and bring a friend (if you have one :mrgreen: )
 
#11 ·
Here are some details to help with planning:

Leave Fernvale at 9am. We should get there in time to have coffee and a croissant, so look for our bike outside a coffee shop.
Fernvale to Crows Nest: approx 100k's
Crows Nest to Cooyar: approx 47k's
Cooyar to top of Bunya Mountains: approx 60k's (including a short section of unsealed road - approx 6k's I am checking this unsealed section, as if it is in doutful condition we will go a slightly longer way, but without the unsealed section)

There are some great roads along this route, and we will NOT be riding in formation. Everyone will know the regrouping points and ride their own ride (in company, if they like).

On the way back we may take another route, or go via Lake Perseverance (near Crows Nest - just a very scenic detour that adds a few k's and maybe 30 minutes to the ride)

I don't know what the lunch facilities 'up the mountain' are like, but the website says: " A public telephone, kiosk, restaurant, general store with basic supplies, galleries and craft can all be found at Dandabah. Fuel is not available on the mountain" so that is where we will have lunch, unless someone knows the area better and has another suggestion.
 
#12 ·
BDO

Hi Guys,

Just to add to David's comments....

Fernvale - There is the fernvale bakery, opposite park (with toilets). Suggest we fill up here, that will last us rest of day.

I went for a ride Sunday to Esk then to Toowoomba.... There is bridgework on the Esk-Toowomba rd, if you get caught behind traffic (as I did) there is little opportunity to overtake until right at the end... Road is in good nick.

I have not been to Bunya, but as David said, lots of roads around that way.

Interesting to note, 2 of the fancy red& blue hyway patrol cars were in Esk, obviously on the hunt on the Bris valley Hyway, so as I said in ealrier posts be careful along there.
 
#13 ·
Thanks for that, Atlas. We will be at the Bakery opposite the park, leaving at 9 for Crows Nest. In Crows Nest there is a park/square in the centre of town, and we'll stop and stretch legs (and check the public loo's there), before heading to Cooyar, Maidenwell & up the mountain.

For info, here are the reports I have received on the last bit of road:

The Maidenwell stretch is okay with just a few kays of reasonable dirt. Fraser Coast crew travelled through there about a month ago. Maybe different if wet. The road down the Southern side to Quinalow is all bitumen and very scenic. However it is a bit narrow in places and you would have to watch for tin tops hogging the middle. The views are superb, you can look West/South West and see forever. Beautiful.

and:

Rode from Maidenwell two weeks ago, just a couple of short bits of gravel not really corrigated but was just after rain and a bit slippery, take it easy and all is well. Beautiful ride up the twisties into fog up the top. No real problems give it a go its a good ride.

And thanks for the warning about the patrol cars, Atlas. I once had a long chat to one of them on that road :twisted: Fortunately, that time talk was cheap, but I'm not keen on giving them a second chance :mrgreen:
 
#15 ·
See you at the Fernvale Bakery on Saturday.
Looking forward to it guys.....I have not seen a "Non-Colour" FJR a for a while :crylarf:

Keith, PetePan, Andrew are you guys going? We can meet up at the BP in Goodna if you like around 0815ish ?

32882842 or 0411260990

Moose :ale:
 
#16 ·
moose said:
See you at the Fernvale Bakery on Saturday.
Looking forward to it guys.....I have not seen a "Non-Colour" FJR a for a while :crylarf:
Moose :ale:
Why is that? Can't you keep up? :crylarf: :crylarf:

See you Saturday - I've worked out an interesting route back too, and will have maps for those who can't keep up (or just can't see stealth black in the shadows :shock: ) :mrgreen: .

Friends (non-FJR riders) are welcome too :D
 
#18 ·
#19 ·
Well hopefully everyone got home safely (even the guy with the GPS who kept taking wrong turns :crylarf: :crylarf: )

Great day, but I did learn some things:

1 - not always good to ride to a destination no-one has been to before. Unsure of times/distances and facilities. It would have been nice to have a coffee together to end the day, but that would have made it too late all round.
2 - a bit long for a 'boys and girls' day out - 650k's for us, with not enough time to stop and have coffees and chat. (OK for a 'Boys day out' because we chat fast)
3 - good thing I made copies of maps :mrgreen: :mrgreen: Maybe we should have 'David's mystical navigation tour' next time :mrgreen: Atlas did a great job when I went right (instead of left - what was the GPS thinking saying right :mrgreen: )
4 - and a very good thing - you don't meet many/any LEO's on the roads I chose (probably because they can't find them on any map they have :crylarf: )

Thanks again guys and girls - a lot of (quick) fun. Piccies will follow.
 
#21 ·
@David1300

Don't be too hard on yourself, it was a great ride on some different roads, which made it interesting rather than going over the same old territory.

However, I do know one brand of GPS that I probably won't buy :roll:

There were a couple of really fun sections during the day and I know of at least one road that someone had to ride twice just to make sure that they fully appreciated it :lol:

Looking forward to the next one.
 
#22 ·
Everyone,
Looks like a good time was had by all on your ride. I read with envy about the ride and get together! I happen to know some of the roads you traversed as I was in Oz last year in Oct./Nov. Got married to an Ozzie gal in Toowoomba and managed to scout some prospective riding roads in the Qld. area around Toowoomba and the Gold Coast as we are moving to Oz in December and I am shipping my '05 FJR over! I look forward to meeting some of you folks when we get there as I am sure you can show me some great rides. We will be in Toowoomba initially and then most probably moving to Brisbane. I look forward to meeting you all and having some new riding mates! Must get some rest now as my mate and I are leaving at 6:00am on a 400 mile ride tomorrow in the local mountains(yea, I know, life in Southern California sucks :D ).
Greetings to all and keep the shiny side up! Have a Tooheys New for me. :ale:
 
#23 ·
The day:

How many places are there is Australia that make the best pies?


The meeting place was easy to find, and everyone gathered in the sunshine across the road to warm up (and eat scrambled eggs on toast with a plastic spoon - it works).

Ready to head out:


Great sized group - 4 FJR's (one just made it in time) and a 'wing - but he used to ride a red FJR so Rod was always welcome. Had 4 pillions along too - great.

Signs like this are GOOD. Down a gear or two, feel Zea's body position change ever so slightly, and away we go:


And the road on top of the Bunya Mountians is narrow:


The Bunya Pine grows a 'cone' approx the size of a human head, and weighing up to 10kg. You do not want one to fall on you. (I waas right on this bit of trivia). They do NOT only grow in the Bunya Mountains (I was wrong on this bit of trivia. So far 50/50)

So where did you guys go?


Well, we scooted down and back up the mountain while others stretched their legs, and Rod went on ahead to get a table for lucnh. All very civilised.

Man-talk at the lunch stop


After lunch the navigating fun started. I had prepareed a GPS route along roads that none of us had travelled, and had no idea as to what they were like. Went fairly well, except:
1 - overshot one turn as my roadspeed exceeded the GPS ability to show the turn. Well, having a silent GPS, I ride on the basis that I watch the road, and glance at the GPS to get the next direction 'fixed'. I was riding so 'fun' that I just mis-estimated the turn point, and when I next glanced at the GPS it said 'off route' - so I knew I had to go back and find the turn. First time I thought a talking GPS might be a good idea.
2 - I could swear the GPS said 'Turn Right', so I did, but we had to turn left :mrgreen: Jeez, a female moment :crylarf:
3 - Zea and GPS both said the turn is here (Zea had started reading the GPS by this stage), and even though I acknowledged her call I overshot the turn. That was pure, unadulterated, brain fade :crylarf:

By this time Atlas was following the map, and more people were believing the map than me. The fun part (for those who have done time trials) was riding the 'make up' - you have to go faster to make up the time you have lost. I enjoyed that part. Maybe the little boy in me was having too much fun to worry about directions :crylarf:

Atlas, sorry we didn't get say a proper 'see ya later' when we split up. It sort of became a bit disorganised towards the end.

This bit of road should be in my backyard:


We rode it twice, just because it is so much fun, and I would have done it twice more except my reputation was taking a pounding already.

And when we had to stop at roadworks Gavin got a big hug - was it relief at knowing where you were at last:


And the (shrinking) group just before we waved our goodbyes:


No, you can't see the stealth black in the picture, 'cause it was out front :mrgreen:

Moose, a while ago you asked to be shown the roads and rides around Brisbane. Is this working :crylarf:

Thanks again for a fun day. You've seen my earlier comments, so next Boys and Girls Day Out will have a few changes.

Swannie - that is a very South African nickname - do you have an African heritage? And just as well you are bringing the Aussie girl back :mrgreen: Look forward to meeting up with you when you get here.
 
#25 ·
OK - here are some Google Earth/Mapsource blends. Rather than show them looking straight down from the top, I thought I'd show them in a part-profile:

Firstly, heading up the Great Dividing Range. In the morning we headed up (from east to west - right to left). At Esk, just out of piccie on the right, the elevation is approx 400ft above sea level, and at the left of the piccie we have climbed to 2,200ft


And the Bunya Mtns, climbing from approx 1,600ft to 3,500ft:


And here is the track profile (to mid afternoon only, when I saved this track and cleared it):


The 'twin peaks' at the 300k mark are where Zea and I just did a hoon up and down the Bunya Mtns while the others rested at a picnic spot.
 
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