Looks like the usual Easter escape to Wombarra won't be on - Damned owners want to stay in their own place. So an earlier escape and our first to Wombarra in Summer was planned for the Long Weekend. As I am bit prone to cabin fever, it was decided for me to take the bike down so I could go for blasts up and down the coast.
Good plan but South East Australia has been having one of its hottest summers and sometimes, that can mean being on the back of a bike isn't the most pleasant place to be. But on the other hand, The Illawarra region down the coast has much more pleasant temperatures than inland. I thought I would make it a bit of an aviation themed weekend so I pushed off earlier on Friday morning, via Macquarie Pass to visit the Historical Aircraft Restoration Society (HARS) Museum at Albion Park.
For Aviation enthusiasts, HARS is brilliant - In this day and age, $20 admission is extremely reasonable and that includes a guided tour by a keen volunteer. Many aircraft can be explored including the insides. The tour takes over 90 minutes , I did lose track of time. I had managed a park under the shaded tail section of the B747-400 and was parked next to the first other BMW C650GT I have spotted in the wild. 38 km ride to our usual accommodation and it was good to get out the biking gear. Fish and Chips for dinner after the rest of the family arrived and it was great to go to sleep to the sound of crashing waves, not before thrashing the extended family at a variety of board games.
The local forecast for Saturday was high 20's and a bit warmer for nearby Sydney. 55 km to Sydney Airport so I thought I would continue my aviation themed weekend. By the time I got to Engadine, the 6 lane highway was clagged with traffic and was at a standstill. The Temperature according to bike was 38 C and I could feel my socks getting soggy with sweat. Regretfully, I turned around and headed back to base.
Similar forecast for Sunday, so I took my chances and headed south to one of my favourite spots - Kiama. Again, I was dismayed by the highway temperatures of mid 30's but Kiama itself was an oasis with a lovely refreshing sea breeze. However, every man and his dog had similar plans and the place was jam-packed with people. By the time I got back to Wombarra, I was over-heating again. Fish and chips from a new place tonight (delightful) and a huge storm hit whilst we played a number of different games.
Forecast for Monday included heat and rain - I decided on an early departure 7:00 and I had a misty and foggy ride along the Picton Road. Once on the Freeway, I had a bit of misty rain and drizzle and when I fueled up at Marulan, I put on the Gortex liner underneath my Summer jacket which was a surprisingly smart move as I was hit by heavier rain around Goulburn. Have to say the bike is brilliant at keeping most of the weather off. I adjust the fairing so as to keep my visor clear of water and ok, there was a bit where I turned the heated hand-grips on. Trip back via Mittagong, fueling and a wee stop was 3 hours 15 minutes - a great long weekend.
Good plan but South East Australia has been having one of its hottest summers and sometimes, that can mean being on the back of a bike isn't the most pleasant place to be. But on the other hand, The Illawarra region down the coast has much more pleasant temperatures than inland. I thought I would make it a bit of an aviation themed weekend so I pushed off earlier on Friday morning, via Macquarie Pass to visit the Historical Aircraft Restoration Society (HARS) Museum at Albion Park.
For Aviation enthusiasts, HARS is brilliant - In this day and age, $20 admission is extremely reasonable and that includes a guided tour by a keen volunteer. Many aircraft can be explored including the insides. The tour takes over 90 minutes , I did lose track of time. I had managed a park under the shaded tail section of the B747-400 and was parked next to the first other BMW C650GT I have spotted in the wild. 38 km ride to our usual accommodation and it was good to get out the biking gear. Fish and Chips for dinner after the rest of the family arrived and it was great to go to sleep to the sound of crashing waves, not before thrashing the extended family at a variety of board games.
The local forecast for Saturday was high 20's and a bit warmer for nearby Sydney. 55 km to Sydney Airport so I thought I would continue my aviation themed weekend. By the time I got to Engadine, the 6 lane highway was clagged with traffic and was at a standstill. The Temperature according to bike was 38 C and I could feel my socks getting soggy with sweat. Regretfully, I turned around and headed back to base.
Similar forecast for Sunday, so I took my chances and headed south to one of my favourite spots - Kiama. Again, I was dismayed by the highway temperatures of mid 30's but Kiama itself was an oasis with a lovely refreshing sea breeze. However, every man and his dog had similar plans and the place was jam-packed with people. By the time I got back to Wombarra, I was over-heating again. Fish and chips from a new place tonight (delightful) and a huge storm hit whilst we played a number of different games.
Forecast for Monday included heat and rain - I decided on an early departure 7:00 and I had a misty and foggy ride along the Picton Road. Once on the Freeway, I had a bit of misty rain and drizzle and when I fueled up at Marulan, I put on the Gortex liner underneath my Summer jacket which was a surprisingly smart move as I was hit by heavier rain around Goulburn. Have to say the bike is brilliant at keeping most of the weather off. I adjust the fairing so as to keep my visor clear of water and ok, there was a bit where I turned the heated hand-grips on. Trip back via Mittagong, fueling and a wee stop was 3 hours 15 minutes - a great long weekend.
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