Day 3: Bingara to Wauchope via Inverell
5 August 2020
Master Map
The plan was to get breakfast and then spend the day mooching around ending with a night in Walcha. That was derailed when we saw the forecast overnight temperature in Walcha was to be -5ºC. That may not be cold to those of a North American persuasion, but it sure is to me. It also carries a risk of early morning frost which, with a long ride ahead needing an early start, is not attractive. Pterodactyl and I displayed our usual commitment to the plan and decided it was back to Wauchope for the night. I rang David, mine host at the Wauchope Motor Hotel, and booked a room.
Pterodactyl rode along the street and checked his tyres as he was complaining of a slight leak in the front.
I stared wistfully up the frantically busy main street of Bingara.
We took coffee and a snack at the local bakery, reflecting, as we sat in the sun outside watching the activity, that country folk deal much better with constraints than their city counterparts.
Retracing the previous evening's delightful ride we came to Copeton Dam. It's pretty spectacular, although there wasn't nearly as much water in it as I'd hoped. The authority that manages it reported it was at 15.7% capacity.
We stopped only to take photos and then pressed on to Inverell where we stopped for fuel before heading again for Bundarra, after which we retraced our steps from the previous day. There was a reasonably stiff westerly again, but it was largely behind us. Even so, once we left Uralla for the 40-kilometre ride to Walcha the temperature dropped appreciably.
Fuel and coffee and food (an excellent home-made pie) in Walcha.
Outside the Walcha Royal Café again
After lunch there was nothing for it but to retrace our route to Wauchope. I can report that it was much more agreeable crossing the plateau with the wind at our tail. I can also report that the Gingers Creek Café was open and sold us a cup of tea and an enormous Anzac biscuit. There were other bikes there, including an early model 4-cylinder 250cc Kawasaki. The young bloke didn't have much money and had lovingly restored it, including an excellent paint job all done with rattle cans. Did I take a photo? Nah.
We then had a good run down the wonderful Oxley Highway, passing our man on his Kawasaki who had reported to Pterodactyl that he was having a problem with it. His mate on a new-ish Honda CB500F was pulled over waiting for the Kwaka, but he found it necessary to give chase and show a couple of old men he was quicker. Then he stopped again.
While we enjoyed a couple of beers in our room, news arrived that the Queensland border would close to New South Wales at midnight on Friday, confirming the wisdom of starting for home a day early. I'd have a day up my sleeve if something went wrong. Then it was out for good pizzas at an Italian restaurant, The Terracotta Trattoria. A nightcap at the Hastings Hotel capped off yet another excellent day.
