Bandit meet 6-8 March 2015 Parkes NSW

First topic message reminder :

Ok, here's my thoughts on a Bandit meet up for 2015.

As per the topic title, Parkes is the meeting place. The time is March 6-8 2015. The Coachman Hotel/Motel is where we have booked in to stay.
I'm thinking of a 180 odd km ride on the Saturday that encompasses Manildra, Cudal, Eugowra, Forbes & back to Parkes.
JTB has also suggested a ride out to Temora as there is a aviation show on at the Temora airfield. (I hope I got that right)   

Anyone interested in this?
Cheers, Kiwisteve

For anyone that hasn't seen this post before, I've done a heap of editing to simplify things.
C'mon folks, let's get a few more people along to this.    
There will be Commemorative T shirts available to order in limited numbers.


People booked into the Coachman

Kiwisteve & wife Helen, & daughter Zoe                 Fri & Sat
Jimcolman, Tag                                                       Fri & Sat        
Ewok                                                                        Sat                 
Baz                                                                          Fri & Sat
Chook & daugter Kaylah                                         Fri & Sat
Hammy & Jimmy the Boy                                        Fri & Sat
Madmax                                                                  Fri & Sat
Spanna                                                                    Fri & Sat
Bosco                                                                      Fri & Sat
Suzy Suzuki                                                             Fri & Sat
Rayman06                                                               Fri & Sat
Barry-Mcki with guide dog                                  Sat, at alternate accomodation
GSFBlue                                                                  Fri & Sat
Dekenai                                                                   Fri & Sat
Boatz.                                                                      Fri
Re-Cycled                                                                Fri & Sat
Potatomasher & BMW mate                                    Fri, staying with Henry Parkes
Mattyc  ringin from SV forum                                   Sat
Craig67                                                                    Sat

jeeringjason72 wrote:Or maybe a track day somewhere like Phillip island followed by riding to SA via GOR or Canberra via the Snowy's, or Sydney Motorsports Park (new Easton Creek) followed by the infamous Putty road, or even Queensland Raceway followed by a ride in the Mountains Nebo, Glorious. 
Dorrigo is a really nice quite little place inland from Coffs Habour that I stayed at on my way to the 2012 Motogp it also had fantastic riding all around the area I really wished I had time to explore the area a bit more.
I do think we need to come up with a solid date and location though, so that we all have plenty of time to get involved (put in leave requests convince the misses etc.), you can see how nailing something down becomes like herding cats  , someones always gonna feel left out, which can be disapointing for all  Hope It's not me, I really wanna go  Ive always loved big rides, touring, even planning them is fun sometimes 

I'm definitely keen to head down south. We can probably meet up if and when the time comes.

Ill be there. Ill find a bike to ride, one way or another.

Dorrigo has a bike friendly pub and is a base for doing the Oxley Hwy on a day trip

I'm thinking of the chaps from SA as well, thats the reason I have suggested the areas in the first post. If the SA chaps are up for travelling a bit further, I'm up for other suggestions. Coolah would probably be the best for a ride during the lay day that we're there. Yeoval would probably be next as we could do a run down to Bathurst for the blokes that haven't been there.
Chook, my daughter will be 16 in July this year.

If the trip was in the areas you first suggested it would be 2 easy days ride from Adelaide and I'd only have to take a weeks leave to make it happen, any where up to about Coonabarabran would still make it a good 2 day ride, any thing further than that and I'll have to start tacking a another day each side of the weekend. I was thinking a night in Hay would be a good stop over on the way there, we did that in 2012 on the way to Moranbah, alternatively, if no one else from SA was going to do the trip I could ride to Melbourne the first day and ride up with any Melbounites heading up there but that would also add another day to the trip up.
Kaylah will be 16 in September so they are very close in age.

I'm interested but I need a firm date and place then I'll decide if I can make it.
The original Mildura-ish appealed to me. I'm not interested in a 3 day trip each way but that's me

Could always do the Great Southern Ride which is still in planning, in 2015.

Mansfield as a base, plenty of pubs. plenty of accommodation and more importantly lots of great roads in the area

A 1½ day ride from Adelaide

Hey MM before winter I'm toying with a ride to Wangatatta via Warnambool and back home via Whitfield & Healesville.
My own Great Southern Ride. It will depend on work for it to happen.

Chook wrote:If the trip was in the areas you first suggested it would be 2 easy days ride from Adelaide and I'd only have to take a weeks leave to make it happen, any where up to about Coonabarabran would still make it a good 2 day ride, any thing further than that and I'll have to start tacking a another day each side of the weekend. I was thinking a night in Hay would be a good stop over on the way there, we did that in 2012 on the way to Moranbah, alternatively, if no one else from SA was going to do the trip I could ride to Melbourne the first day and ride up with any Melbounites heading up there but that would also add another day to the trip up.
Kaylah will be 16 in September so they are very close in age.

Coonabarabran would make a top spot. It's a good place to have a day ride out of, as the town is in the Warrumbungle Ranges. It's not a big town by any means. The population is approx 3100 there. That makes it about a third of the size of Cowra, for those of us that went there last year. I'll do a bit of homework on accomodation there & let you know what is available.
> Chook, I've shown this trip to my daughter, & it has sparked her interest.

Kiwisteve wrote:

Chook wrote:If the trip was in the areas you first suggested it would be 2 easy days ride from Adelaide and I'd only have to take a weeks leave to make it happen, any where up to about Coonabarabran would still make it a good 2 day ride, any thing further than that and I'll have to start tacking a another day each side of the weekend. I was thinking a night in Hay would be a good stop over on the way there, we did that in 2012 on the way to Moranbah, alternatively, if no one else from SA was going to do the trip I could ride to Melbourne the first day and ride up with any Melbounites heading up there but that would also add another day to the trip up.
Kaylah will be 16 in September so they are very close in age.

Coonabarabran would make a top spot. It's a good place to have a day ride out of, as the town is in the Warrumbungle Ranges. It's not a big town by any means. The population is approx 3100 there. That makes it about a third of the size of Cowra, for those of us that went there last year. I'll do a bit of homework on accommodation there & let you know what is available.
> Chook, I've shown this trip to my daughter, & it has sparked her interest.

...and the pub has Bundy and Cola on tap

Kiwisteve wrote:
Coonabarabran would make a top spot. It's a good place to have a day ride out of, as the town is in the Warrumbungle Ranges. It's not a big town by any means. The population is approx 3100 there. That makes it about a third of the size of Cowra, for those of us that went there last year. I'll do a bit of homework on accomodation there & let you know what is available.
> Chook, I've shown this trip to my daughter, & it has sparked her interest.

http://publocation.com.au/pubs/nsw/coonabarabran/imperial-hotel

"The Imperial Hotel features clean comfortable rooms and offers single, double and twin rooms with shared bathrooms as well as backpacker style accommodation and family sized rooms with en suites.
All rooms have air conditioning and televisions. Sky television and Austar is also available. There is also a guest kitchen and lounge that overnight guests to the hotel are welcome to use."

http://publocation.com.au/pubs/nsw/coonabarabran/royal-hotel
"Country style hotel with shared facilities, features include guest lounge with open fires in winter.Breakfast in dining room"

http://publocation.com.au/pubs/nsw/coonabarabran/coonabarabran-hotel
"Pub style accommodation with shared facilities, right in the centre of town."

Chook wrote:
http://publocation.com.au/pubs/nsw/coonabarabran/imperial-hotel

"The Imperial Hotel features clean comfortable rooms and offers single, double and twin rooms with shared bathrooms as well as backpacker style accommodation and family sized rooms with en suites.
All rooms have air conditioning and televisions. Sky television and Austar is also available. There is also a guest kitchen and lounge that overnight guests to the hotel are welcome to use."

http://publocation.com.au/pubs/nsw/coonabarabran/royal-hotel
"Country style hotel with shared facilities, features include guest lounge with open fires in winter.Breakfast in dining room"

http://publocation.com.au/pubs/nsw/coonabarabran/coonabarabran-hotel
"Pub style accommodation with shared facilities, right in the centre of town."

For some reason we stayed at the Clock Tower Motor Inn in 2010 it was good and only a short stroll to the Hotels,

Would have to compare prices but there looks like plenty of options.

Main thing I remember was how boring and flat the last stretch was to get there.

Last time I stayed there was in 2002 with the Mrs and both kids, we stayed out a few KM in a bunk house at a camping ground. I had planned staying there 2 years ago on my way back from Moranbah with my daughter but then I heard about the Bylong Valley Way and redirected the trip and stayed at Scone the night after we left Brisbane. IIRC I was going to stay at the Coonabarabran, that was for no particular reason though. 
The Imperial seems to have a good selection of accommodation as well as having a guest kitchen to use, best thing about staying in a pub, the beds are real close to the bar and meals

Well that was easier than I thought it might be, I'd had the "OK" from she who believes she should be obeyed for this trip, just mentioned taking our daughter as well, so long as she's not the only female Kaylah has been given a leave pass for the trip.

If and when we get definite dates, I'm happy to arrange accommodation for the stop over night on the way if anyone else wants to join us. Last trip that way we stayed at the Riverina Hotel in Hay, 2 years ago it was $35 for a twin room and they locked the bike up undercover just down from the rooms.

From where I live in Adelaide it's a 660 km ride via the Malley Hwy or a 691 km ride via the Sturt Hwy, it's a nice 1/2 way stop over for that trip. 

For anyone travelling from Melbourne it's a even easier 450 km ride

The only other option for anyone from SA would be through Broken Hill and stay at Wilkannia, that would push day 1 up to a bit over 700 km and I'm not sure if I'd want to do that trip without 1 or more other bikes. I've heard not so great things about Wilkannia, is it really that bad that you wouldn't want to stay there?

Spewing!
I had a big reply showing motels, rates etc, then bumped the wrong thing on my iPad, & lost the f@&$ing lot!   

Ok, I'll try again
4 motels also nearby,
Clock Tower motor inn, no prices.
Country Gardens motel, $99-$145, accom up to 5.
Acacia motor lodge, $140-$210, accom up to 5.
All Travellers motor inn, $110-200, accom up to 6.
3 have breakky available, not sure about the Clock Tower.
Country,
Acacia, &
All Travellers, are all near a Chinese restaurant.
All have parking available.
I'll have to contact the pubs about overnight parking for a large number of bikes.
Chook, my other half has suggested that she may drive down as well.

Clock Tower Inn
Single Room
AUD$85 to AUD$95
Price Range. Subject to change and availability.
The Clocktower Motor Inn features clean single rooms located in the Coonabarabran central business district.
Facilities: Air Conditioning, Clock Radio, Electric Blanket, En suite, Refrigerator, Telephone, Tea/Coffee making facilities, Television, Hairdryer.
Family Room
AUD$140 to AUD$150
Price Range. Subject to change and availability.
The Clocktower Motor Inn features clean ground floor family rooms located in the Coonabarabran central business district.
Facilities: Air Conditioning, Clock Radio, Electric Blanket, En suite, Refrigerator, Telephone, Hairdryer, Heating, Non Smoking Room.
Double Room
AUD$95 to AUD$110
Price Range. Subject to change and availability.
Comfortable, clean and tidy double rooms available at the Clock Tower Motor Inn.
Facilities: Air Conditioning, Refrigerator, Hairdryer, Heating, Non Smoking Room, Telephone, Clock Radio, En suite.
Twin Room
AUD$110 to AUD$110
Price Range. Subject to change and availability.
Twin rooms are clean and comfortable with all facilities in a close location to Coonabarabran town centre.
Facilities: Air Conditioning, Clock Radio, Electric Blanket, En suite, Refrigerator, Telephone, Hairdryer, Non Smoking Room.

So I take it Coonabarabran it is?? what time of the year are we thinking fellas?

When your looking at accommodation don't forget the #1 thing, must be within staggering distance of a good watering hole

madmax wrote:

When your looking at accommodation don't forget the #1 thing, must be within staggering distance of a good watering hole

That makes the Imperial look a good option

Also the Imperial had a guest kitchen available, could be handy as well

Coonabarabran sounds okay by me, might see how current my visa and shots are for the north island     

I just had a quick look on Google Maps, it doesn't appear that the Imperial has any off street parking, The Coonabarabran seems the same, the Clock Tower Motor Inn is pretty much across the roundabout from both of those and looks to have heaps of off street parking

*Edit:

I just rang the Clock Tower, 02 6842 2444, their parking is all off street and there's a spot for every room (bikes would fit more than 1 per room)

Single Room: $90
Double: $100
Twin: $110
3 people (1x Double, 1 Single): $130
3 people (3 x singles): $140
4 people family room : $140
5 people family room: $150

they would want at least 2 months notice for a large group booking

John and I stayed at the Imperial on the way down to Cowra. They let you park your bikes around the back, in the beer garden.

Hammy wrote:John and I stayed at the Imperial on the way down to Cowra. They let you park your bikes around the back, in the beer garden.

How many would they fit in the Beer Garden? 

The Royal at Coonamble did the same for me 2 years ago, I found all the pubs we stayed at very obliging on my last big trip, makes we want to keep using them where possible.

Looks like Coonabarabran is the destination but what's the date?
I'll be making a two day ride out of it from Glady, day one ends in Casino NSW, day two over the Bruxnor hwy to Coonabarabran anyone else in the Glady rocky area is welcome to tag along I get free bed in casino 

jeeringjason72 wrote:Looks like Coonabarabran is the destination but what's the date?
I'll be making a two day ride out of it from Glady, day one ends in Casino NSW, day two over the Bruxnor hwy to Coonabarabran anyone else in the Glady rocky area is welcome to tag along I get free bed in casino 

I will meet up with you somewhere. When the time gets closer, just let me know where you will pass through near Brissy and I will be there. I would go through to Drake ( Lunatic Hotel ) for the night though. I have a man crush on Bob.