Tahmoor - Ulysses

A glorious sunny spring day awaited our presence. It had been two weeks since I've had my last Thursday ride fix and nothing was going to stand in my way this time!

I live a little farther down the coast than most. Rather than riding up that boring 'F whatever it is' to meet the boys (and all too rarely girls) at the Heathcote servo, I arrange pick up points along the way South, which today happened to be at the top of Bulli Pass. Gary is so used to my morning phone call that he no longer awaits my question...which way are you going today?...and by now the group has got used to me appearing somewhere along the way and taking off again at the end of the day.

Well, the turnout was impressive and Gary's route as usual most enjoyable. The group stayed together very well along the Freeway and when we took the Haywards Bay turnoff. I lost count at about twenty bikes making their way through the picturesque Albion Park hinterland (complete with a knee deep creek-crossing) as we approached the foot of the pass.

Now, that is my backyard road and I hope you forgive my eagerness to get to the front of the pack, but what a girl's got to do is what a girl has got to do (the Ninjalista makes me do it!)! Those twisties are second to none and were meant to be taken at reasonable lean-angles...

...dream on! We share the road with sluggish, diesel dripping trucks and then there is the speed limit and those double lines mean 'no-go'! Bugger!

There was still a tiny crispness in the air when we got to the top of Macquarie Pass, turning off via the Tourist Road on the scenic route that is bypassing Mittagong. My brandnew Ulysses sloppy joe did the trick and made me feel snug as... How nice is it to smell all those spring blossoms appearing almost over night along our roads?! (ohhh I feel for those of you who suffer from pollen allergies!)

I have come to truly enjoy my Thursday rides, as they have taken me on beautiful roads and into country side I have not seen before. This trip took us through some interesting back roads via Yerrinbool and Yanderra through Bargo.

Who would have thought Tahmoor had such a fine Bakery? Here we encountered quick and friendly service, a great cuppacchino and good variety of food to choose from. Nobody went hungry and I certainly did not hear any complaints. Everybody had a smile on their face and a good day was had by all...doing exactely what we wanted to be doing. To ride is to live!

After brunch Gary took us via a spectacular scenic ride beneath some amazing rock and alongside a mighty high freeway bridge, followed by a couple of nice serpentines to Picton for a quick fuelstop. From here we headed toward Appin and of cause that meant negotiating more lovely twisties along Broughton Pass...and this time without any traffic!

Then it was the Appin Road towards the coast and that's were I left the group, hoping all got home ok and enjoyed this day of fine weather and top notch riding as much as I did!