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

I do really need a date ASAP as only two people are allowed off at a time where I work and if it's during a popular holiday period it can take years to get your turn  . Sorry to be pushy on a date but the more notice I have the better chance of being able to book leave before it becomes unavailable. 

Not sure about any good bike roads around Coonabarrabran. When and I passed through it seemed pretty flat.  The observatory out of town is very interesting. Twisty hill climb. Short though.  I think that the SA members should have some input into where we meet. Seeing as we want to get as many along as we can.

Hammy wrote:Not sure about any good bike roads around Coonabarrabran. When and I passed through it seemed pretty flat.  The observatory out of town is very interesting. Twisty hill climb. Short though.  I think that the SA members should have some input into where we meet. Seeing as we want to get as many along as we can.

I was thinking the same, however the national park just west of town has some terrain too it.

madmax wrote:

Hammy wrote:Not sure about any good bike roads around Coonabarrabran. When and I passed through it seemed pretty flat.  The observatory out of town is very interesting. Twisty hill climb. Short though.  I think that the SA members should have some input into where we meet. Seeing as we want to get as many along as we can.

I was thinking the same, however the national park just west of town has some terrain too it.

Yep, my thoughts exactly MM.
Just looking at the maps, it looks pretty good out west of the town. I've never been out that way from Coona, so don't really know how long a ride we'd get in on the day.
Looks like I can now do any time in March if my other half comes along, she can celebrate her birthday there.
My next question is, weekend, or mid week?   I'm pretty sure I asked that in the very first post, but nobody has given me any feedback on that.
Let me know, & as always, majority rules.
I have put 2 weekends dates up in the first post. They should, & will read, 20-22 March, & 27-29 March. That gives us 2 nights accom in Coona, & we can go for a shortish ride on the inbetween day.
Cheers, Stevo

It hasn't been announced yet, but I think the Black Dog Run will be Sun 22 Mar 2015.

I was hoping to go on the Tassie run again, however thinking outside the box, is there a Black Dog Run being held out west near were we plan to be, maybe Dubbo or one of the other bigger towns ?

Otherwise my preference is the weekend after - 27-29 Mar.

I'd prefer a weekend and if the motels etc are anything like they are down here it's usually easier to get a booking for Fri, Sat and Sunday than Mon-Thursday, they are often booked out with people travelling for buisiness, either way though and I'll be doing my best to get there.

At this stage, I'm good for any dates except:
(a) last weekend in February (WSBK, Philip Is)
(b) last weekend in September (AFL Footy Final).

All others are good!  

27-29th first weekend of the school holidays and the weekend before Easter. Probably not going to be able to swing the holidays to do it being as I already have leave in place for the Easter weekend.

20-22nd is better for me

Bugger, school hols are a week after Easter here in NSW!

Would the weekend of the 6-8 or 13-15 be better? For the superstitious out there, 13-15 may not work too well   

6-8 works best for me

Any weekend in March is good for me but the 1st or 2nd weekend would probably be better, either way I'm thinking of extending my leave until easter

Howdy All,

Just thinking outside of the square

Baradine NSW is a town 45Km NW of Coonabarabran which has Baradine Hotel, Tattersall's Hotel and Camp Cypress Accommodation Centre. Accommodation seems a lot cheaper than Coonabarabran and the town has a population 50% greater than Drake.

Just browsing on Google maps I found a route travelling counter-clockwise from Baradine.

Gulargambone Baradine Rd
Coonamble Tooraweenah Rd
past Siding Springs Observatory
thru Warrumbungle National Park
Coonabarabran
back to Baradine.

The route is 151Km in length and Google maps suggests 3h 18m which I thing would mean some challenging terrain.
I'm guessing it is bitumen but I have no way of confirming this

Maybe a suitable day trip stopping off at Siding Springs, Warrumbungle National Park and Coonabarabran

BTW I used the OzeHols website to find the accommodation listings http://www.ozehols.com.au/holiday-accommodation/new-south-wales/warrumbungle-area/Baradine

Coonabarabran is about the limit for a comfortable 2 day ride from Adelaide, closer would be better, not further North again

If it's not too late for suggestions.   How about  Parkes  ?

You can do a day trip from Coona to Nundle for lunch and back.

Not much in Parkes unless your there during Elvis week.

The road through the Warrumbungles NP turns to corrugated dirt somewhere inside the park, doesn't take long to get through the park itself.

Hammy wrote:If it's not too late for suggestions.   How about  Parkes  ?

I don't think Parkes would be too bad either.
We have a possible ride from Parkes, out the Orange rd to Manildra, then on to Cudal. Cudal to Forbes, & back to Parkes. Looks ok on google maps. I'll check the distances.
182 kms all up.

Kiwisteve wrote:

Hammy wrote:If it's not too late for suggestions.   How about  Parkes  ?

I don't think Parkes would be too bad either.
We have a possible ride from Parkes, out the Orange rd to Manildra, then on to Cudal. Cudal to Forbes, & back to Parkes. Looks ok on google maps. I'll check the distances.

I just thought it might be a little closer for the SA's and some Vic's.

Hammy wrote:

Kiwisteve wrote:

Hammy wrote:If it's not too late for suggestions.   How about  Parkes  ?

I don't think Parkes would be too bad either.
We have a possible ride from Parkes, out the Orange rd to Manildra, then on to Cudal. Cudal to Forbes, & back to Parkes. Looks ok on google maps. I'll check the distances.

I just thought it might be a little closer for the SA's and some Vic's.

Yep, I'm happy with that. Everyone else happy with this idea?
Still mucking with dates, but I think we could make it the weekend of 6-8 March 2015

Location and timing both suits me.

Parkes, Coonabarabran whatever, I'm ok with either.

As before the 6-8 suits me but I need to confirm it asap because holiday book is filling fast

Parks would be great as far as distance for us goes, leave Thursday, stay at Hay and be in Parkes before lunch on Friday, just under 1100km all up

Still only 970km from Brisbane, 730 from Melbourne and a easy 350 from Sydney. 

I hope it doesn't scare off anyone from further North in QLD, 1600 km from MacKay is still only a couple of 800km days or a very easy 2 1/2 days.

I'm sure we could find somewhere large enough in Parkes that will accommodate us all at a reasonable price.  Seems large enough to have some sort of entertainment at night. I'm not trying to take over . I'm happy to go anywhere. But it does seem to be in a good location.    Thoughts ?

I'm happy with Parkes as well, just need a date to organise the ferry bookings.

It's going to be a while until the toll road opens between Melbourne and us   

barry_mcki wrote:I'm happy with Parkes as well, just need a date to organise the ferry bookings.

It's going to be a while until the toll road opens between Melbourne and us   

Just get a small outboard and a sail Barry.  You could sail across in your setup.  "Top Gear" style.