Page 6 - JUG Times March 2022

SUNDAY RIDE REPORTS

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Ken’s Dam Long Ride 13 February

Well the call had gone out that it would be good to do an old fashion Long Ride. The weekend temperature
forecast indicated a 33 degree day so I decided to ask the question if anybody would like to join me on a ride
to check out the Wellington Dam Mural Painting. I did get a response from Alistair stating that the temperature
for the Sunday had been amended to 35, and whether or not to plan a shorter ride for the day. The other
responses were however, dead keen to go, noting that we are tough and it’s all in the mind.

So, on a relatively cool morning, ten hardy riders were ready to join me at Beldon. New branch member
Gordon Bell keen to go and find out what we were all about. He even showed up the next week, so we can’t
be all the bad.

So as not to retrace any roads we did the Albany Highway to Boddington with Pieter as TEC, stopping at
South Banister (Riverside Roadhouse) for a coffee and bit to eat for those in need of a late breakfast. North
Banister has now only become a fuel stop on the way to Albany. It was lucky that we stopped at Banister as
passing through Boddington revealed nothing to be open. There is one 24hour Gull fuel station to put in your
memory bank. One of the group left us to head home after Boddington.

Banister to Collie followed the Banister to Dwellingup Road, Pinjarra Williams Road down to Quindanning, a
short trip on the Harvey Quindanning Road and then Quindanning Darkan Road. That’s when the boys
passed me for a bit of a fang while I stayed at the stated speed limit. I was not to see them again until Collie,
apart from the corner marker Adrian at the Collie Williams Road. The Collie stop was planned to only be a
fuel stop, but the time was close enough to twelve that a decision was made to have lunch at the Federal,
one of the local hotels. While fuelling, Brian passed us by and a subsequent search of the Collie streets failed
to find him. He did find his way home however. Bruce and I even had the opportunity to catch up with family
members who live in the Collie Township.

After a pleasant meal and mounting up to the ride home via the Wellington Dam, the Collie Gods once again
they DO NOT LIKE Diesel Pete. A wayward combination lock on his helmet locking strap just would not
release. Giving Pieter some moral support we all then buggered off and left him to his own resources. Within
ten minutes someone showed up that had bolt cutters and problem was solved.

The group, now reduced by three, continued on to Wellington Dam down the Coalfields and Welling Dam
Roads. A bit of dirt bike riding was required to negotiate some roadworks taking place on the road down to
the viewing at the bottom of the dam. We spent a bit of time looking and taking photos of the Mural. All agreed
it was well worth the ride down.

The roads home were Lennard Drive and River Ride out of the National Park area to Pile Road and a meander
to Ferguson and Waterloo Roads and onto the Southwest Hwy and the long ride home. Thankfully the
temperature stayed cool in the southern area but warmed up as we approached the metropolitan area. Home
around 4.30pm

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