Chapter 2 — Boorowa to Cobains
Day 4: Boorowa to Cooma
23 January 2026
Click on the image for a scrollable map
The evening before, AussieFlyer and I had been in the bar discussing where we might ride lwith the aid of a convenient large-scale map on the wall. We mentioned Batemans Bay and, like the Spanish Inquisition in the Monty Python Sketch, a woman turned up to tell us all about Batemans Bay. Funny (to me) at the time.
Not as the tale unfolded, though. She and her partner were [i]en route[/i] to see her sister at a place called Lake Cargelligo. I ran into her as we were leaving and wished her a pleasant journey. She told me they now couldn't go as the town was in lock down following a triple shooting the night before. As I write, police are still trying to find the alleged perpetrator who allegedly shot and killed his pregnant ex-partner, another man and then later her aunt. He also shot and wounded a 19-year old man. These events are no so common in this country and they leave a mark; particularly in a small town.
Getting ready to roll at the Boorowa pub
I feel a great responsibility on these rides as it often falls to me to plan the ride for each day, although AussieFlyer once hosted me on a marvellous ride around his home territory. I decided we'd take the route we took on our first day last year — up through Frogmore to the Reg Hailstone Way and the Mid Western Highway (briefly) before trying a new road to get us back to Trunkey Creek. It was no hardship for me to ride this lovely road again, although part of it was slightly marred by one of those drivers who refused to pull over and let quicker vehicles pass. He was being hounded by another one of those drivers who think tailgating is fun, so maybe he was returning the favour by being frustrating.
The road to Wyangala via Frogmore
AussieFlyer on the Reg Hailstone Way. I don't know why I didn't take any more photos this day
We stopped at Tuena for coffee, or at least I thought that's what we were doing, but I picked the wrong place so we had lots of water instead. It was hot again and we were trying to stay ahead of a heatwave making its way east. We also wanted fuel, but a punter heading into the shop warned us that the tank hadn't been cleaned out for a generation or two, so we took a mere sip; enough to get us to Gunning where, after another pleasant ride, we stopped for fuel, coffee and water. It was warm again.
The final leg of the day took us past Canberra to Cooma. It's all good road, but strait and not very interesting. Being the Friday afternoon of a long weekend, there was plenty of traffic. As it was travelling at around the speed limit and the reward for being caught speeding in New South Wales on a long weekend is double demerit points, I allowed myself to enter that trance-like reflective state one can attain when riding in traffic out of town on a good road.
This was not for AussieFlyer at all. At some moment he took off past me and rapidly made his way to the front of the convoy of cars. What could I do but follow him? He was right, of course: even though we didn't go much faster, it was much more agreeable being in clear air. Happily, the policeman was packing up his speed camera as we rode by, although we wouldn't have troubled it.
As an aside, double demerit points is a big deal. Over a three-year period, if one is awarded more than 9 of them, it results in immediate loss of licence. Being caught in NSW exceeding the speed limit by more than 10 kph results in a fine of $345 and 3 points. On a double demerits weekend, that's two thirds of your points in one hit. If you pass through a school zone at more than 10 kph above the limit, it's $443 and 4 points, or nearly 90% of your points in one go.
When in Cooma, I've nearly always stayed at the Alpine Hotel. It's popular with, and friendly towards, motorcyclists and has a good, locked garage at the rear. I pulled up in the angle parking spaces out the front and stupidly tried to park the bike with the slope running from my left to my right. I got the bike settled, but wasn't quite sure it would stay put and so made an adjustment. All I achieved was to make matters worse and the next thing I knew I was in the gutter with the bike resting gently on my foot.
AussieFlyer helped me lift it up — it's bloody heavy and I couldn't have done it on my own — and we discovered the front brake lever was broken as was the rider's right footpeg, or step as the parts fiche has it. We got rooms, a beer for AussieFlyer and moved the bikes to the lock up which has a delightfully flat floor. We discovered the Cooma bike shop wouldn't open on Saturday, so a rescue mission would be required if we could locate a brake lever. The peg could be sorted, if necessary, by moving the passenger peg forward, although it would require some grinding to get it to sit level.
There being nothing else we could do that evening, we ate, had a drink or two and put the world to rights.
Day 5: Cooma
24 January 2026
The previous evening we identified a large dealer in Canberra and another in Bega that might be able to help. Both were an easy ride, although AussieFlyer was hoping for Bega because it was going to be hot and the road down Brown Mountain is a lot more fun than the flat plain to Canberra. As soon as they opened, I rang. The Canberra dealer opened first and had an aftermarket lever that would work on the CB1100, but they'd have to order the footpeg. The Bega shop had nothing. Of course.
So AussieFlyer set out to collect the lever. My job was to try to find somewhere that might help me grind the passenger peg down so it would fit. AussieFlyer had hardly left when he rang. He'd been talking to the bloke who ran the service station who it turned out once ran the Cooma bike shop. He told the Flyer that just around the corner from the bike shop he was heading for was Joe's Motorcycle Wreckers. He was pretty sure we'd get a footpeg there that would fit. My job was now to research what other Hondas the peg/step fitted then ring Joe's and see what they had.
I remember Joe's Motorcycles. In early 2024 AussieFlyer joined Ptrerodactyl and me for a ride. His shock absorber reservoir developed a leak and he went home. But not before putting a curse on my rear tyre — see here and here. I suddenly needed a new one and Joe's Motorcycles in Canberra helped me out. I remember them being a large enterprise and very efficient.
So, having done some research to find out what other Hondas the step had been used on, I rang. I can't be sure, but I think I talked to the bloke who was running things when I was there in 2024. He was again doing a hundred things at once — issuing directions to a staff member while pretending to talk to me. Eventually he apologised and said he'd had to sort something out. We got down to tin tacks. He said he'd quite like the part number I'd offered to give him earlier and he'd said he wouldn't need. The good news for me was the part fits a few Hondas and when we went through the list he said, 'Yeah we've got one of them'. I said my mate would call to get it. He said no worries and was issuing orders even before hanging up.
AussieFlyer told me later that he'd arrived at Joe's and encountered what we assume was the same bloke. I'll call him Joe.He'd packed a young fellow off to get the peg and a few minutes later sent an older bloke to check up on him. He was also engaged in a phone conversation with a bloke who wanted his valve clearances checked like now. Joe was explaining patiently that such a job was not a high priority and they couldn't do it for a week or so. Sort of triage for motorcycle work. Anyway, they produced the step. Footpeg. From a CB300RR or something.
Obviously, having located a spare part, I'd done no grinding and had put my feet up and read a book. Might even have dozed a bit. I felt a bit guilty when AussieFlyer appeared looking hot, so I bought him a glass of cooling neck oil which he dispensed with even before I'd attached the new lever or lowered myself to the floor to replace the footpeg.
The summary is that we quickly put on the new parts and replaced the rear footpeg, although without the ball bearing it needs to click into place up and down. I took the bike for a ride around the block. All was well. It did look a bit unbalanced without the starboard RLET. AussieFlyer went for a shower and, frustrated by the loss of the bearing, I swept the floor. Would you believe I found it? Well, I did. Quite a long way away. So I pulled the peg off and put it back. Felt strangely pleased with myself.
Thanks AussieFlyer for being a great mate and undertaking a less than interesting ride to collect parts for me so we could keep riding. I really appreciate it.
Day 6: Cooma to Lakes Entrance
25 January 2026
Click on the image for a scrollable map
My plan to spend the day riding over the Alpine Way through the Kosciuszko National Park was not a goer. Bushfires meant a lengthy detour would make it too long a day if we were to get AussieFlyer to a place from which he could easily get home the following day. We decided to make our way along a couple of scenic roads and get into the state of Victoria where we could meet up with noroomtomove and position AussieFlyer for a home run.
Restored to working order and ready to go
The first leg involved a quick ride across the high plains to Brown Mountain Road, along which we would descend into Bega. It's a great ride.
The high plains are less fun than the mountain …
On the way down
We had a quick look at Bega, before stopping for water and coffee at Macdonalds — one of the things I wish America had been selfish about and kept all to itself.
There's a joke about spaniels that says when they look at you appealingly and indicate they want to go outside they're saying something like, "Let me out, I want to come in again." So it is riding with Cormanus: you ride down the hill so you can ride up again. Or the other way around; that's the beauty of it: it doesn't matter.
This time we were to take the Mt Darragh Road and, to save a little time, we'd take a shortcut past the pretty town of Candelo. All of which went well until the GPS took us on to Tantawangalo Mountain Road.
Let us pause here, just for a moment, so I can share, mostly for the Ferret's benefit, some wonderfully Australian names. I mean, how about Tantawangalo? Or Bulbugeroo Creek? Or Mookalimterria Creek? That was the one that stuck with me as I rode past. We didn't get there, and it's not particularly Australian, but near Tantawangalo, there's apparently a place called Wattle Happen.
We both thought we'd died and gone to heaven. It was a lovely road and we were sailing happily along until we met my old friend, the dirt. So, we stopped, turned around and rode back again which was not, if I'm honest, a hardship.
Somewhere up Tantawangalo Mountain Road
We then took to the Myrtle Mountain Road, which was also enjoyable and took us to Wyndham where we joined the Mount Darragh Road. That was also good fun. I've a recollection we rode it in 2017 on the Tour Down Under. It may well have rained.
Mt Darragh Road
At Bombala, where it was very hot, we stopped for fuel, water and coffee. I wanted to ride the Bonang Road, but, while I thought I'd heard the dirt patch in the middle had been sealed, I wasn't sure. Instead we took the Cann River Road, about which there was nothing to complain.
At Cann River we turned right and met a head wind which was warm but offered some respite from the heat of the high plain. A strange reversal. We stopped briefly in Orbost for water and chatted with a bloke on a Versys (I think) who was making a quick return to Queensland.
At Lakes Entrance, a very pretty seaside town, we found rooms at a motel and were soon joined by noroomtomove who dined with us.
We dined at the RSL Club, to which the motel was attached. The RSL is the Returned and Services League — a club ostensibly for service men and women and veterans, although they welcome anyone prepared to spend money in the bar and the slot machines. It's an organisation with strong views on a range of topics and loves to enter the fray to express them. We were talking about Australia Day, which was the following day, 26 January, and pondering the argument that rages every year about whether it should be celebrated on a different day. This is one of the topics on which the RSL has a strong view, and was, perhaps a foolhardy topic of conversation. I'll take the blame; I'm pretty sure I started it. Anyway, we were quickly joined by a member who "couldn't help hearing you're discussing Australia Day". He had a range of views so fascinating that noroomtomove made good his escape even before he'd finished sharing them.
Luckily we'd hatched a plan to meet up with him the next day.
Day 7: Lakes Entrance to Cobains
26 January 2026
Click on the image for a scrollable map
There's not much to say about the ride from Lakes Entrance to Cobains. Victoria has some spectacular riding roads, but many of the ones that aren't are tedious. The Princes Highway from Lakes Entrance to where we turned off at Bairnsdale is one of the latter. I'm not sure why, but it is. It was made worse by feeling my years and being a bit weary.
Mrs noroomtomove laid on tea, coffee and snacks and we had a most agreeable catch up, before leaping aboard our bikes — well, they lept.
Three of them
Somewhere in Cobains
The Gippsland Vehicle Collection is full of cars and some bikes that have been lent by people for display purposes. It's an eclectic collection and changes from time to time. Nearly all of the vehicles run and the donors are welcome to remove them from the display any time they want or need to use them. I've no idea why, but I didn't take a single photograph. Not even of the Aston Martin. I'll just have to go back. Did I mention it has amazing collection of model cars?
AussieFlyer had figured out an interesting route home and left us to take it. He had an appointment that he had to be back for, and Melbourne, where he lives, was promising to be 44ºC the following day which is no weather to ride in. A pity we lost a day's ride due to my ineptitude.
Meanwhile, noroomtomove took me to the Port of Sale where we had coffee, enjoyed the view and I remembered to take a photo.
Then we went to inspect an old swing bridge downstream from the port.
I can tell you it opened in 1883, is the oldest swing bridge in Australia and was designed by the architect John Grainger whose other claim to fame is that he was the father of the Australian pianist and composer, Percy Grainger. It is said to be remarkable for an exceptionally wide moveable span and the way it transfers deadweight to the end fixed spans. You can read this and more in the Wikipedia article.
Near Sale is a Royal Australian Air Force base and noroomtomove took me to see a display outside the front gate where I again forgot I had a camera. Wikipedia has let me down this time, but there is a picture of one of the planes on display in Google Maps. That will let enthusiasts have a bit of a look around on street view. Some technology is wonderful.
We then returned to noroomtomove's place where his wife and I watched him move a large pile of dirt with a borrowed tractor. We got to wave our arms enthusiastically and shout occasionally when we wanted to save him from crashing into something. We also got our steps up walking from pick up to dump and back to make sure everything went smoothly. We then had a lovely dinner and turned in. It was cool and dark and quiet and I had a most excellent sleep.
