Ninja Days

Camp Quality Ride - Stanwell Tops

When I first came to Australia, I planned to save up for a Katana and ride it around Australia. Yeah well...we all have dreams that did not make it into the reality realm. Life happened and I never actually made it around Australia and I never even rode a Katana other than as a pillion with a CRAZY guy, doing 220 in traffic on the backstreets of Surfers Paradise.

Yes, that was it. After that, I purchased a Yamaha XT 500 Enduro...which is almost on the other side of the bike world...isn't it?!

Today I was reminded and surrounded by about a half a dozen of these bikes. Coincidentally, really...as we just happened to park next to each other and started chatting. I had a quiet laugh to myself when a couple of sweet, middle aged blokes...no offence!!...were reminiscing about first laying eyes on these bikes. One said it was in 1981, at the tender age of 16 and the other was 17 years old. I decided to keep my mouth shut. There was no way I'd blurt out that I was some five years past that ... However, they were all very nice at first glance and I felt safe riding with these guys.

To kick it off, we all met at the Golf Range near Helensburgh at 1pm. It was hot and dusty at that time of the day and I had to even stand under a tree to catch a bit of shade. A quick briefing, reminding us that most of these kids have never been on a bike before and to ensure that they keep their feet on the pegs...someone yelled out: "Gaffa tape anyone???!!!!"... hahaha!!!!! ...and off we went to Stanwell Tops Conference Centre, where about 250 bikes of all sorts and sizes got ready for their precious cargo. Unfortunately I did not get anybody this time. Maybe next year!

The ride went along very nicely. ( See map!) As always, people behaved in a civilised manner and the marshals did a fabulous job keeping us all together. We rode along the old highway and then down Bulli Pass, turned left at Thirroul and along the coast to Stanwell Tops again.

Upon our return to the Centre, we got some free food and drink and had a chat about the things we love.

Darren, from Narellen, invited me to join the KatanaAustralia MSN webforum, where their future rides will be advertised. They are off to an o/nighter to Forster next weekend. "Can't do o/nighters!"... "Bring hubby along!" Good guys.

I also met a few Ulysses riders. One rider pulled up next to me on a 1300 Kawasaki. A lovely man at 72 years of age. I hope I'll still be able to ride at that time of my life.

My helmet hair has been very unsettling today, as I finally had my locks chopped off this morning and the style is very unusual for me. The regular five finger streak through my hair is no longer just a an automatic action. Whilst it is VERY short, it needs imagination to keep it standing on edge. The 10-Finger-Shuffle-and-Twist still needs a mirror to practise with. Now I need to use PRODUCT!
...and there I was wanting to save time on doing my hair...yeah, dream on!

The irony is that some of these kids today had no hair at all (the chemo!), so I guess in future I will be greatful for what I've got and stop complaining. Yeah, in the bigger scheme of things...
Next time I'll just take my hat.

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Now!

Labels: Ride Report

posted by The '95 Ninja ZX6R @ 17.2.07