When your Battery needs recharging go for a Sunday Ride

[Bozo]

The cool weather arrives and the batteries are not very cranky and reluctant to turn over the high compression BMWs.

On the way to Catalano's I came across BJ making an attempt at push starting his HP2 Motard at a petrol station.

No problem I called out, I have jumper leads.

My 1200 RT was pushed alongside and the prepared for the energy transfusion when my bike only part turned over and would not start. It just caught on the fourth attempt and hooking up the leads BJ was on his way.

Arriving at Catalano's I bumped into Anthony whose two bikes had failed to start this morning. Plenty of time for Brian/5 to gloat about his continuous battery monitoring system.

Good to see Swampy at the breakfast but I think he had to buy his own coffee. Wes was waxing lyrical about his plans for a new bike...hope its not an Africa Twin. Sleepy Paul was using technology to recreate the Goldfields Saga and giving us an insight into the characters of Kookynie. Snaga had a dog that would give a dingo palpitations. His Royal Griceness had trouble getting his café racer to start to join JP on a short ride to Bakers Hill and Drew headed off to Gin Gin to the British Car Day.

Wightman, GS Bill + Trish and Bozo took the long way round to get to Gin Gin. Orrong road was packed with traffic heading to the Perth Airport to see the Antonov land. As we travelled along the back of the airport some of the 15,000 people who turned out to see the plane land were taking up positions with their expensive camera equipment.

Clearing the Antonov crowd we hit the British Car Day crowd in the Swan Valley. Even in the Chittering Valley we came across an overheating Rolls Royce with the driver formally dressed in tails. Wightman had a fairing malfunction that was resolved by storing the offending appendage in his pannier. The section of gravel road in the Chittering Valley had just been sealed but still had speed restrictions and loose stones.

The Bindoon Bakehaus was packed with many choosing the scenic route to Gin Gin. Two very impressive Bentleys were parked up whilst their owners caffeinated themselves and a swag of exotic sports cars. Wightman gave us some insight into the Goldfields Saga whilst he tackled the largest snail bun I have seen.

Heading north to Mogumber we passed through very attractive countryside and brilliant riding conditions. Great to get away from the traffic. Turning towards Regan's Ford we moved into sand plain country with Banksias just starting to bloom. A quick blast down the Brand Highway got us to the Gin Gin Roadhouse where Wightman refuelled without touching a fuel pump hose.

Gin Gin had thousands of people...by far the biggest crowd I have seen at this event. Hundreds of rare, historic and exotic cars with similar numbers of friendly but idiosyncratic owners.

A brief sprinkle of rain when we set off then mainly blue skies with the bonus of a fully charged battery....a great day out.

Bozo

[Bozo]

The small turnout for the ride may have been the result of a large plane landing at Perth Airport

No hard feelings on my part...here is a picture of the so and so landing today.

[Swampy]

Bozo, So happy to hear you didn't get too cranky cranking BJ's beast and had enough charge left for you to lead another ride. Who was Tail End Charlie out all of you that went today??

Sorry I missed you guys and Tom and Gill at Gin Gin today. I left Cat's went home and picked up Mary ( Thankful that she doesn't weigh much) and headed North for Gin Gin myself.

Had a good run and reached town by midday in time for a Hot Dog for lunch..................... Tom I hope your dog is still alive and well and with you at home? I mean that sincerely mate however the Hot Dog tasted pretty good anyway

I donned my bib and we strolled around the beautiful collection of British Cars on Display wishing I could have taken most of them home. Looking out for a familier faces however here I must agree with Bozo in that it appeared to be the biggest and best show that Gin Gin had put on with hundreds of people enjoying the day and the cars.

On my way home I was pulled over just after returning to Brand Hwy by the flashing Blue and Red lights of the local Highway Patrol

Was very surprised and startled by this as I had set my Cruise Control on 110, 'Never the less I was quite worried over being stopped'

To my relief it was a random stop and inspection by a Nice Mr. Policeman who informed me a Charity Cyclist collecting rubbish on the side of the highway had left his bike for 2 minutes to pick up some rubbish and some "Dirt Bag Low Life" had stolen all the gentleman's belongings and knicked off with them

The description of the vehicle given to the police was very similar to mine thus the Stop and Search by the lovely Mr. Policeman. Did I mention how nice Mr. Policeman was???

However all was well and I was soon on my way again so thankful that I had permitted my wife to sit up front with me for the journey home!!!! ( For those that don't know, I drive a ute)

Onward to home Now Very much Alert and Awake ........................................ What a nice Mr. Policeman!!

Now that I have your erstwhile attention I would like to wish a very Happy Birthday to the Ever loving and Long Suffering Mrs Gillian Snaga who kept her birthday very quiet this morning at Cat's. Hope you had a good day Gill.

Swampy

[wightman]

Wow, a straight 6 engine configuration with a slight "V" I'd hate all four nose wheels to burst, on take off, with a load!

[Bozo]

Wightman

Thanks for the photos and for sharing Tail End Charlie duties.

The Antonov is primarily an Luftkopf (air cooled)

The Bentley at Bindoon (and later at Gin Gin) that took part in the re-enactment of the Peking to Paris Rally

Photo Courtesy Wightman

Swampy, I am not surprised that a person with as honest a face as you was pulled over.

Bozo

[Bozo]

The other Bentley at Bindoon



Courtesy Wightman

[Bozo]

For those of you wodering why there are pictures of Planes and Automobiles but no bikes here is Wightman's bike at Bindoon with modified fairing


Photo Courtesy Wightman

Bozo

[brian/5]

No wonder Swampy missed you as Gin Gin is in QLD 4671 ( -24.989650, 151.954192 )
Hope he didn't type it in his GPS and blindly followed the directions
The WA location is Gingin

[Bozo]

Brian

My apologies to George Fletcher Moore who named the area Jinjin on his charts in 1836.

We did a long loop to get to Gingin but note quite to the 1200 RT's home state of Queensland and Gin Gin.

Bozo

[Swampy]

No wonder Swampy missed you as Gin Gin is in QLD 4671 ( -24.989650, 151.954192 )
Hope he didn't type it in his GPS and blindly followed the directions
The WA location is Gingin

I was waiting to see who would pick up on my deliberate mistake Brian

I knew I should have packed some sangers

Swampy