A call from Ronnie earlier this year "When's the Nannup Airhead run?"
Give Bruce a call I say's, then get back to me with a date...and so 30th April was the day to be.
This being the second annual Airhead Nannup Catchup, last year being a great success, though I have been an Albany VCMCC member for over ten years (not sure what year I joined) this event is actually hosted by the BMWMCCWA.
It’s certainly not difficult to put together, the main ingredient, "people attending upon an Airhead" and the Albany folks once again certainly ensured that, "a very good showing."
Great to see Bob Boyes and John Mckinnon, both who I had a great club trip to South Australia with in 2016.
Last year's winner of the highly prized Airhead Nannup Catch-up 'Most Auspicious Prodigious Bike' trophy was awarded to Andrew Haydock with his bits'n pieces R90/6. Over the years I always seem to get drawn to it upon occasional occasions. It has a big history, certainly not a museum piece, though to me it looks workhorse, I especially like that blue tank.
An 11.00 departure this year from North Dandalup, with John Wightman leading the way, a quick Gnomesville stop, then off to the Kirup pub. Being a Perth lad like myself, Bruce was with us, he didn’t have a problem with that plan, and a lovely beer or two was had out the front of the pub in perfect weather, taking a few pics and catching up with some unfamiliar faces.
About a K out from Kirup, Heath's badly misfiring R75/6 spat its left baffle right in front of me, metal bouncing around, then a few K's further on it conked out, thankfully only through lack of fuel.
The local passing farmer's wife stopped by, phoned her hubby who arrived five minutes later with fuel... too easy.
So off we headed again, though soon to pull up beside Ross Currie who was parked up. We plugged a broken fuel line with a stick and away again we headed, arriving at Nannup about 4pm.
Beer and story time at the bar: Mike (the bike) Henderson whilst in transit upon his pristine R90/6 slammed into an emu. Bruce showed us the pics at the bar, blood everywhere (emu blood that is) thankfully Mike managed to stay upright, also it would be a crime for that machine to get skittled.<
Understandably Mike then headed back home.
Off to the dining room, where Andrew Haydock was presented with his winning trophy from last year (no doubt a very proud man).
This years winner is Dave Lampard with his amazing looking old R50/5 complete with pristine period panniers adorned with ancient stickers.

Dave Lampard's original R50/5 (Photo: Copyright Guy Davies)
I must admit that the 'Tobruk Special' R65 certainly caught my eye (clever work).

The Tobruk Special outside the Nannup Pub (Photo: Copyright Guy Davies)
Then back to the bar we headed, and not long after I headed to my tent (softcock).
Next morning, Bruce was a bit under the weather, he had ended up soldiering on late with a few hardy souls around the fire out back - who would have thought?
Trouble with Heath's R75/6 points next morning, wasn’t looking (or sounding!) good, then John Wightman did a static points timing adjustment, then away she went. All up we counted 24 Airheads... got to be happy with that.
A Blackwood Café brekky then everyone headed off their own way home... think we’re going to have to do this again next year.
More from the AVCMC Airhead Ride 2022 (BMWMCCWA ride): http://avcmc.asn.au/202206/airheads/airhead.html