The Queensland/New South Wales Chapter of the CB1100 Forum

[Cormanus]

Part 2—Monday 11 August 2014

I can’t remember whether it was before or after Enzo left us that a couple of bikes turned up at the petrol station we had parked outside. One of them was a Triumph Rocket.


The owner was a giant of a man; a knockabout sort of bloke who told us the standard 2.3L engine wasn’t big enough for him so he’d had to bore it out to 2.8L. It made a mighty racket and I was pleased not to have to ride in its company. Yes, I know loud pipes are alleged to save lives, but they can be very wearing too.

Pterodactyl and I refuelled and set off along what looked like it would be an interesting road. It has a variety of names, depending where you are on it; but, at the southern end it is called the Woodenbong Road. It runs south from Woodenbong to the Bruxner Highway. It’s a very pretty drive with the first part winding through old eucalypt forest. It could be a great road but isn’t. It’s narrow, poorly marked and was the roughest road I’ve ridden on for quite some time. Image a child flipping a finger backwards and forwards across its lips to make a sort of b-b-b-b-b-b-b-b-b-b-b sound and you’ll have some idea of the bone rattling we got.

We endured this for just over 70 km before we reached the Bruxner Highway and turned westward to make an ascent of the Great Dividing Range. After about 30 kms we came to the town of Drake. Pterodactyl was in the lead when we drove past the local motel and café which promised a bike display and coffee. He took one look at the name of the place and stopped. I suppose he must have decided it could be my spiritual home.


Inside we found not one, but two of these Honda CB1100Rs


There were also a couple of Harleys, and an interesting and eclectic display of memorabilia and photographs. We took coffee and had a bit of a chat with the proprietors. They have varying sorts of accommodation ranging from motel rooms through cabins to camping sites. Pterodactyl noted it as a place for a summer stop when he’s packing a tent.

We then took to the road again for the 50 km ride to Tenterfield. The early part of the Bruxner from Drake was a great ride: a good surface with excellent corners on an upward trajectory to the top of Australia’s Great Dividing Range. Once you reach the top, the run into Tenterfield is flatter, but with enough up and down and corner to keep you awake and interested.

Some of you may recall the Australian musician Peter Allen who lived and worked in the US for much of his life. He was brought up in Tenterfield by his grandfather and wrote a lovely song called the Tenterfield Saddler about him. It also sells itself as the birthplace of the Australian federation on the basis that Sir Henry Parkes, one of our founding fathers, delivered a speech there in 1889 which, it is said, reignited the debate that eventually led to federation.

We stopped briefly in Tenterfield to fill the tanks, noting that we were now just under 2,800 ft above sea level and it was getting decidedly cool. By the time we reached Guyra, 150 kms south, it was getting dark and I was frozen to the pips. My wife, who grew up not too far south of Guyra, said in a text “That’s the coldest spot on the New England highway!!” The bar of the Guyra Hotel was agreeably warm as we checked in.

After a couple of ales and a shower, the Pterodactyl and I found our way downstairs and searched an uninspiring menu for something to eat. Going for comfort food, we both ordered that Australian pub-grub standard the Chicken Parmigiana.


As you can see, it came with chips (fries?). The more I look at the photograph, the more I wonder how I ate it.

Sometime during the course of the evening, Pterodactyl and I were discussing our earlier adventure. Amidst great hilarity it became clear that, as we left our respective homes to meet for the first time, there was a degree of spousal concern. It transpired they both asked the same question, “What if this bloke’s an axe murderer?”

So far so good; although I still wonder why Pterodactyl packs a whet stone.

End of Part 2.