Gloucester to Ebor
7 February 2018
Master Map
After a late breakfast, Pterodactyl headed south. I’d decided to take a new route east (rather than north) from Gloucester which would take me back to the coast, up the slab and give me another go at the 44 kms of bends on the Oxley.
From Gloucester to Taree was a pretty ride through the hills along The Buckett’s Way. I contemplated going via Nabiac where lurks the National Motorcycle Museum of Australia, but abandoned the plan on the basis that I wanted to make a reasonable distance that day and it would involve a detour not to mention time in the museum.
From Taree to just after Herons Creek was freeway. Not unattractive but not interesting riding. At Herons Creek I turned off onto a much more interesting back road that took me to Wauchope and back on to the Oxley Highway. In places it’s beauty and motorcycling appeal were slightly offset by the poor road surface. But then, I suspect all road repair money in this shire is probably spent on the Oxley.
Another wonderful ride up the Oxley to Gingers Creek.
Stopped for lunch at Ginger's Creek
Then I pushed on to Armidale where I stopped at the local Honda dealer to consult a mechanic about what appeared to be a slight leak in the master cylinder for the front brakes. He looked, tightened something, said that I should keep an eye on it, and if the level dropped further I should replace the diaphram.
I’d planned to stop at Armidale, but it was early and a pleasant evening, so I decided to head for Dorrigo. I had a great ride across the plateau on a road made for fast cruising. As I rode into the tiny town of Ebor I noticed a motel I must have seen a dozen times before but never noted. I realised I was tired and decided to see whether there was a room. There was and I had a pleasant enough evening doing my bit for climate change.
