Overnight Ride - Oxley 19-20th March 2011

First topic message reminder :

I've been looking into the next overnight ride, North! this time.

I've looked at Gingers Creek as an overnight destination, it's a bit limited, a town with pubs etc. would probably be better, but Gingers Creek would balance the distance over the 2 days better and if there was time the keen ones could do an extra lap of the Oxley bends. Just a thought. Check out Gingers Creek and let me know what you think. Does anyone know of other options that I may not have considered.

I'm thinking that the Newcastle guy/guys could meet you at Singleton Maccas.

Here are 2 routes, one could be the way back so we include thunderbolts, it is a bit rough in places as is the road from East Gresford to Dungog.


Route 1 Oxley Highway


Route 2 Thunderbolts

This is tentative at the moment, early planning stage, so please give us your input so we can plan another great ride.

Yep. Im still interested. Need dates though. Getting too late for me to book time off work in March if necessary. 5,6 is best for me. Dont need anual leave. Or 12,13 is still good. Other weekends I need to book time off. Still keen to do, will just need notice.

Get a ride going sounds easy doesnt it. Pity its not,so many things get in the way everyone lives a different life.Clashing dates (sounds nasty)(good
name for a rock band "THE CLASHING DATES " i like it )and weather being the worst.You sound keen Androo 12 , i'm keen may be we should say
we are going to ----- on --- join us is you like. If no one else turns up that's fine . May i ask what area you live in ?
This was a NSW idea and i'm a canetoad but i'm keen for a ride so ignore me if I've butted in .Kept an eye on the run but it seemed to fade a bit ?
Any suggestions ? Like picking a place and time 6 months ahead and keep it for next year ? Yes ,No , Maybe ?

Still keen for a NSW ride over the next couple months. Im from Taralga NSW, near Goulburn, but work near Sydney and live there part time. Think QLD is a bit of a stretch for me a this stage. Got a busy year, cant afford the extra time off needed for that. The overnight ride discussed so far still sounds a possibility. Anyone else still keen. I can help with organisation if anyone wants to give me contact no's. Thanks for the offer though, Gus. Maybe we can hook up if you get down this way though. Cheers.

QLD ,one day there one day home.

Ha ha. Im not a fan of monkey butt. Thats about 12 hours from me. I'm keen, but not quite that keen.

i cant go the weekend of 12/13 march - will be in Melbun on the Saturday

is there still any interest in an overnighter before winter ? before daylight saving finishes ?
if we are still going to do Oxley, I reckon 3 day weekend is the go for up there.
what do people think of 26-27 March ?

Baz wrote:is there still any interest in an overnighter before winter ? before daylight saving finishes ?
if we are still going to do Oxley, I reckon 3 day weekend is the go for up there.
what do people think of 26-27 March ?

I was thinking about that weekend, then realised "she who must be obeyed" has her birthday on the 26th.

Of course you guys are free to go then.

Im up for whenever...lets just go...even just for one night.
if we go north, tamworth is good for a 2 day ride...
lets just fit one more in...because the cold, short days will be uppon us before we know it.

happy with Tamworth. I can go whenever .. but am going south coast next week for maybe a week or more.

What about the last weekend of march?

Sorry...i forgot pete cant make that one...
how about the weekend before...or the one after?

Yep, the weekend before suits me better also. Whats that? 19-20/3. Can you guys all do that weekend?

Androo120 wrote:Yep, the weekend before suits me better also. Whats that? 19-20/3. Can you guys all do that weekend?

suits me ... AYE

AYE!!!
i reckon that weekend is a go-er.
destination...is everybody happy with Tamworth...or any other suggestions?

Tamworth Sounds good to me. As long as we get in The Oxley, Im happy.

Aye +1 for Oxley highway

Do we have a route plan? I was thinking of that weekend and staying somewhere where the "keen" could do extra Oxley highway.

Need a proposed route, my suggestions are at the beginning of the thread. Cameron to action.

Well ill need some help. Each time ive done an overnighter to tamworth...i go up the putty, and back roads to tamworth...the way we go is a full days ride. So no time for Oxley.
So if we want to do Oxley as well, then we will need a different route. Pete into action

EDIT: i just had a look at the route pete posted in the original thread. I like it. looks like a good route to me.

I'm not fussed which route we take. The Thunderbolts is a little bumpy but with little traffic and that takes you into Walcha and having gone that far you may as well go and stay at Long Flat pub which is over the good part of the Oxley or stay in Walcha.

If you only want to go to Tamworth the only route is the Putty then New England Hwy that I know off thats not dirt.

are we staying at Tamworth, Bendemeer or Long Flat?

I have never been up that way, so I'll trust you guys to make a route decision, if thats ok? I like the look of both routes. Maybe 1 route up, the other back. I'm assuming we leave Sat morn, and return Sun arvo. I may stop in at Port Mac for a night on Sun night, to visit a mate I havnt seen in a while. So if anyone else has Mon off, they are welcome to join me. Not arranged yet, will make the decision on that weekend. I'm happy to stay anywhere also, sorry I'm not helping you out much. It probably depends on which route is decided on though.

yeah i dont mind either way...
im just hanging to do some more kays on the bike.
Looking at my last couple of services....between service 3 and 4...6 weeks. Between service 4 and 5....10 MONTHS
I need to ride more.

Yes. I can see you haven't got in as much as you would like. This will put a dent in your next service interval. Im due now, so is good timing. Will do it this weekend and she should be fresh for the trip. Have we worked out a time and place for leaving yet? Early Sat morn I suppose?

Ok...lets get cracking..
1. do we all agree on the 19 and 20 March?
2. What is the route? A) Putty to Tamworth ......B) Oxley?

Please make your vote

Yes, 19 and 20th. Ive booked my anual leave already. I vote route 1 on the way up. Route 2 on the way back.

19 and 20 March I'm in. I think Peter would like to go bucketts & thunderbolts and being the less traffic kinda way I sort of agree we him.

Ok this is serious, I'm going to do the Oxley 19-20th March, regardless. I have to I told the boss I couldn't work that weekend because I'm going on a motorbike trip.

Now all the distances are OK for me, the Sydney guys need to work out what the can reasonably do in the day, I'm looking at a revised Day 1 route that ends at Walcha, which I make 610km from McGraths Hill but it means and easier day on Sunday. I'd like to stay in a bigger town like Walcha or Wauchope.

There is another option to stay in Wauchope, which makes Saturday an easy day, with a possible out and back on the Oxley for those who haven't had enough by the time we get there. It means Sunday will be longer 618km back to McGraths Hill if we go via Walcha and Thunderbolts (to get the full experience)

Looks like we have some definite starters, which is good, at this stage Dave and I are definites. We need someone to muster the Sydney contingent and meet us at Singleton. It's only about an hour to Singleton for us so you guys will need an early start.
Possibly 2 Sydney start points? I'll let you guys work it out.

Anyone else want to join in? We'll do our best to accommodate.

I'm trying to please as many as possible, so come on work with me here.