Honeysuckle Creek BBQ
Sunday, 23 September 2007

This is the best time of year for riding.

Around 30 bikes turned up at the services club on this perfect spring morning ready to burn up some more of that environmentally unfriendly fuel that had been sitting in their tanks since the last run.
The carpark had been taken over by the footy crowd, but no-one seemed to mind. The bikes gathered in a tight group on the nature strip instead.

Craig & Lisa Mill were there on their bikes, but had only come to say hello, as they had a full day ahead of them and did not have time for the ride out to Honeysuckle Creek. Peter and Ann Toet also came by in a large-ish old car (Packard?) just to drop off the Attendance Book as they were off to snap up some bargains at the Queanbeyan Swap Meet.

After everyone had signed the book, we were ready to go, but the Backup Trailer was nowhere in sight, so we decided to wait a little longer..........

The Veteran and Vintage sections of the club were having the day off for this run. More than half the bikes were modern (post 1977) and the rest were post-war classics. There were no pre-war bikes in the last two runs except for Peter Davey's 1939 Brough Superior last week. Peter was another person who opted for the Queanbeyan Swap Meet this weekend.

...... Eventually, after realising that the Backup Trailer could not be contacted, our Vice President, Steve Davey, announced the start of the ride at about 10.45am.
Bill Lewis, on his 1959 BSA Super Rocket, was not there at the start, as he had gone directly to the BBQ site to help Dick Holland with the setting up.

So the oldest bikes on the ride were a pair of the original British superbikes from 1968: Paul Madden’s immaculate (no oil leaks!) Triumph T150 Trident, and Peter Dunster’s rare 68 Norton Commando Fastback.
The route went down Canberra Avenue, Adelaide Avenue, Cotter Road, Paddy's River Road, Tidbinbilla Road, past Tharwa, Naas Road, and right at Apollo Road, to the BBQ area at Honeysuckle Campground, near the former Space Tracking Station.

The group all started out in a fairly orderly fashion, but was soon split up into sections by the traffic light stops. After the Mt Stromlo turnoff, there was the usual jostling for position by the frontrunners, and catching up by those who were earlier caught in traffic. Peter Houghton must have had a late start off the grid, as he came past me in quite a hurry.
Missing in action: Adrian Whittaker on a very nice red Triumph Thruxton did not make it to the BBQ site. I was right behind him in a group going along Paddy's River Road, and we were being bunched up by slow traffic in front. I saw Dick Stubbs make a break to overtake, so I decided to go as well. I didn't see Adrian again after that, as I was concentrating on keeping up with that Burgman!
On Apollo Road, Mark Cumberland on the SR500 was right on my tail, pushing me all the way up the hill.

At approx 11:45, the first rider past the gate was Paul "Mags" Madden on the T150, followed closely by the Commandos of Steve Davey, Peter Houghton, and Peter Dunster.
On arrival at the Honeysuckle Campground we were all surprised and pleased to finally see the "NEW CLUB BBQ TRAILER"!
This supertrailer, which was only a rumour until now, has been designed and fitted out by Dick Holland and his team of specialists at secret locations around Canberra, and is tailored specially to cater for large groups of hungry motorcyclists (see Dick's write-up for more details).

Simon Whittaker's very nicely detailed and customised Honda cafe racer GB400 was another popular topic of conversation on the day.
There were a few new faces at the BBQ, one of which was new member David Malloch, riding a 1974 ex-police BMW R75/6 which he is planning to restore during the coming months.
Speaking of new members, our Membership Secretary, Steve Butcher was there with the membership forms, and managed to sign up another recruit before he left.

The MotoGP was being televised early that afternoon, as it was being held in Japan, which is in the same time zone as us, and most people didn't want to miss it.
When the BBQ Trailer pulled out of the carpark at 1:15pm, the few remaining riders were putting on their helmets, and there was still no sign of the Backup Trailer.

Many thanks to Geoff "Nicho" Nicholas and wife Lyn for handling the BBQ duties and to Dick Holland, Bill Lewis, and Gerry Hampson for the organising.

A very special thanks to Dick Holland from everyone in the club for the blood, sweat and tears he put into the creation of the new BBQ trailer. Thanks Dick!

I clocked 84 miles (135km) in total from Fyshwick and return via Point Hut Crossing and the Monaro Highway, and was back in plenty of time to watch Casey Stoner become World Champion.
The next Run, to the Gundaroo Wine Bar, on Sunday, 7 October, is a shorter distance on flatter ground, so should attract a few pre-war machines. See you then.

- Steve Keough

Col's Comment:
"... By the way, don't forget to mention the irate brown snake that was sunning itself on the Cotter Road between Tidbinbilla and Tharwa. I don't think it liked the procession of bikes as it stuck its head in the air and poked its forked tongue at me when I rode by it."

- Col Hill

THE NEW BBQ TRAILER
After much deliberation and lots of wasted paper I had finally come up with a design for the new club BBQ trailer, so with this in hand I visited Specialty Trailers in Hume and spoke to Brett, the owner.
He checked my plan and made a few small changes, gave a quote and, with the approval of the club committee, started on the project.
Within a month or so and many visits (and interruptions) from me, the job was ready to be picked up. Then it was off to my place for the fit out. I called on the expertise of Ray Scott to handle the installation of the gas plumbing etc.
There still remained many hours of cutting, welding, joining (and swearing), before the Trailer was ready for it's maiden outing.
Finally, after a few more finishing touches, it was ready to roll.
So after picking up Gerry Hampson (to help control the hoardes), it was off to to the Annual Club BBQ at Honeysuckle Creek.
Geoff Nicholas had the honour of cooking the first sausage on it and of course another 90 odd more. The many club members who attended the ride gave the tick of approval. So after a clean up it was back to Gerry's place, where the trailer will be stored.
At the next meeting we will be looking for some volunteers to tow the trailer. It only weighs about 650Kg with a full load of sausages, so most vehicles with a tow bar should be able to handle it easily.

Special thanks to:
Brett from Specialty Trailers in Hume
Ray Scott, Gas Plumbing
Clive from C&G Signs, in Hume, Signwriting

- Dick Holland