Pterodactyl on the road

[Houtman_imp]

Oh. I thought you needed help peeing on the seat.

Can he pee that high ?

[Pterodactyl_imp]

Thanks Cormanus for starting the thread. I'll try to build on it.

Armidale? Cold but kind of picturesque. Sits on the New England tablelands. Rich grazing country in the days when Australia rode on the sheep's back. In drought now. "As dry as a dead dingo's donga" - as some might say. I'm there because I like to take good roads on the way to visit my son who lives at Minnie Water on the NSW North Coast. I took this route to Armidale:

[url=http://goo.gl/maps/V4Tdi]Sydney to Armidale

But that's history now. I proceeded, fingers freezing but with a mind over matter attitude. That is if you don't mind it doesn't matter (sorry, my humour, such as it is, can be a little corn fed at times). Anyway a minor diversion to Dorrigo for fuel and fodder then on to Minnie Water.

[url=http://goo.gl/maps/vVBSn]Armidale to Minnie

Waterfall Way, east of Dorrigo
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Fodder was had at Juan's Café del Fuego. Self-styled Smallest Motorcycle Museum in the World. Be that as it may, it is certainly motorcycle friendly and they do great bacon and eggs. No photos of the food; by then I was so hungry I could have snapped the crotch from a low flying duck. And, believe me, that is hungry!

[url=http://s847.photobucket.com/user/tonys_mail/media/Minnie%20Water%20ride/imagejpg1_zps93961b1a.jpg.html]

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After Dorrigo over to the Armidale Grafton Rd.  That road has it all. Twisties, sweepers, rough and smooth, farmland and forest.  As the sun bought the feeling back to my fingers my heart was full of the joy of motorcycling.  And the Staintune howled with glee.  After around three hours of totally responsible riding (Elipten, please note ), I arrived in Minnie Water.

Minnie is a lovely, if somewhat isolated place. Population about 150 to 200, no traffic lights, no parking signs, no supermarket just a general store with basics, fishing tackle and two fuel bowsers, one premium and the other diesel. It's surrounded by National Park and State Forest and therefore has defied development. The nearest town of any size is Grafton, about 50kms away. For a look at Minnie standby for a further post.

Cheers

[enzo_imp]

On ya Tony.

[emptysea]

Nice report. I want to eat at that cafe'

[Cormanus]

Good one Pterodactyl. The Armidale-Grafton Road is indeed a gem.

[Pterodactyl_imp]

Minnie Water and then on to Kyogle

Minnie Water, as described above is a place where:

There are no parking problems.
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(Minnie sits on the headland in the distance.)

It's crowded if there is more than three in the line up.
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(That's my boy. Doesn't mind a bit of toothy water.)

The boat ramp is kinda natural, but well protected.
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Where a man can lift his leg.
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Or just look at the scenery and make big decisions, like fish or surf?.
[url=http://s847.photobucket.com/user/tonys_mail/media/Minnie%20Water%20ride/IMG_0432_zps9dc5412e.jpg.html]
(Don't take a mobile, no network here.)

After two days at Minnie it's on to the serious business. I have to be in Kyogle to meet Cormanus. I will go via Nimbin.

[url=https://www.google.com.au/maps/ms?msid=215339883160694610014.0004ffc7ec178c2be5324&msa=0&ll=-28.845576,153.174477&spn=0.288996,0.323753]Minnie to Kyogle

Good riding road all the way to Nimbin. Nimbin hosted the "Aquarius Festival" in '73 and really hasn't moved on. The original flower children look a little wilted these days but new buds (excuse the pun) have appeared to keep the search for "personal development", and an alternative lifestyle, alive. The town has developed a distinctly tourist feel but thats salvaged by the natural beauty of the surroundings.

Nimbin Rocks, on the road to the south of Nimbin.
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(The cows look content. Must be the grass.)

Nimbin Hotel.
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(Certain motorcycle clubs have business interests in the area. Thats their transport next to Last Blast.)

The Aquarius Café at top centre. It burnt down last Wednesday. The coffee was ordinary but not that bad. Or maybe someone dropped a smoke.
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The Nimbin Kyogle road is a typical secondary road in this area. No advisory signs or centre lines. A "Drive (Ride) to Suit Conditions" is all the signed advice given, apart from the rather chilling "Timber Trucks use this Road" that is. The surface is reasonable but it can get a little narrow in places. It's twisty. The corner pictured below is typical. Note that milk pails make good letter boxes.

[url=http://s847.photobucket.com/user/tonys_mail/media/Minnie%20Water%20ride/IMG_1790_zpsd69300e0.jpg.html]

This is a corner with good visibility. Lovely, chance to work on the chicken strips. The blind corners need to be taken with some caution. Start wide enough to give oncoming a chance to see you as early as possible and make sure you can increase or decrease the turn radius quickly. Nothing like the thought of an oncoming timber truck to maintain the focus. If that doesn't work then let your imagination turn to caravans, or to utilities driven by farm boys thirsting for a beer.

Anyway, after 45mins of good riding I was in the Commercial Hotel, Kyogle, having a beer, or two, with Cormanus. Can it get any better? Well let's see.

Cheers

[the Ferret]

Loving it! Keep it coming. That Minnie Water is a beautiful place .

[Rick Froscheiser_imp]

Very nice pictures and write up on your trip. Thanks for sharing with us.