Pomona / Mooloolaba Lunch
Before we get to ride day, let’s just venture back to Thursday, 18th May, and check the 7 day weather forecast – all doom and gloom - it did not look good. Rain on Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday. Not much chance of this ride going ahead … but wait, Mother Nature was so happy with the Broncs beating the Tigers, she says “Up Yours BOM” and on Saturday, beautiful weather – we are a chance. Sunday was just as good.
On Sunday 21st May 2017, our ride was split into two sections. We gathered at the usual spot in front of RT Edwards and we had planned to head to up the highway to BP Caboolture to meet Thunder who would lead us to Pomona for morning tea. The day started with fog. There is just something so eerie about a foggy day. It cleared up by the time we headed off. At the meet point, we briefly met Zippy’s friend from work, when we made him run to the photo shoot. Here’s who came - Zippy, Loz, Sexy Beast (aka Giblets), Blush, Jethro, Coco, Popeye, Chilli, Kimberlee (The Learner), High Beam, Chuckles, Pony, Mr Doo Bee, Cackles, Brian, David, Spike and Bella (Zippy’s friend from work). Stan , Loo, Jaffa, Horney, Brent (The Newcomer) and
Kimberlee (Popeye & Chilli’s daughter) was coming for the ride on her Hyosung Aquila for her second ride ever. Nothing like a small 350 km jaunt to hone your motorcycling skills.
Our route took us straight down the Logan Motorway, the Gateway Motorway and then onto the Bruce Highway. We lost Zippy’s friend from work at the roadworks just past Brackenridge. Looks like he had a complete electrical failure – his only option was to call a towie to come get him. We all stopped in an emergency parking zone just before Murrumba Downs. While we were there, we were passed by massive group of HOGs – maybe 75 bikes. Once Jethro checked in with Stoney (TEC), we headed off to BP Caboolture to meet Thunder and Staples
Remember Kimberlee, we tested her all day. How about merging into highway traffic from a standing start?
At the BP, we picked up Stan & Loo as well as Thunder & Staples. We also met Brent who was looking for a ride for the day. He jumped on Facebook and asked a riding social group if there were any rides on today and someone linked our ride. He was from Dakabin so he headed over to BP to meet us. He was riding a Ducati Monster. As usual, we welcomed him into our group. The more the merrier.
About 100 kms up the road was Pomona where we stopped at the Coffee Shop Café. Pomona was named in 1900 after the Roman Goddess of fruit and orchards. It is also only 11,877 kms from Pomona, California USA.
A nice spot to stop for coffee and cake. This is where we caught up with Jaffa & Horny who are branch members who have moved up to Caloundra and they joined us for our trip to Mooloolaba.
From Pomona, we backtracked onto the Bruce Highway, this time heading south to the Mooloolaba turnoff. Once in the heart of Mooloolaba, Thunder lead us to the Brisbane Road Carpark. Not many spots left here. The front bikes got to park in some of the leftover spots, 4 to a bay, but as we were back in the pack, by the time we got in there, nothing left, so we did what most motorcyclist do, we parked on the grass. David did warn us that we might get fined because it has happened to him in the past but we ignored his warnings and locked helmets up and headed up the street to GoodBar for some yummy lunch.
Goodbar does Burgers, Dawgs and PO’Boys (which is a traditional sandwich from Louisana). Great food although the service, this day, was a bit slow. Once we rested and ate and rested again, we headed back to the bikes. The parking inspector got every one of us on the grass. I blame David for this, he should have used his “serious voice” when he told us that we could cop a fine. Cackles is going to try to write to the Council to voice our displeasure.
I don’t know if it made us feel better but we did hear a rumour that some HOGs went to Byron Bay and parked illegally and were all fined. They say they got about 100 of them and the fine was about $150 each.
After we had a little spit at the council, we formed up again for the ride home. You know, it is great to ride in a group but that stretch of highway between Caboolture and Caloundra is soooo boring. It just seems to be the same landscape, all the way. Well, our final stop, for ice-cream was at the BP at Caboolture (the one on the other side of the highway). This is where we enjoyed a Golden Gaytime (well some of us did) and when it was time to go, we said our goodbyes.
Many thanks to all that came, you made it a great day. Thanks to Thunder & Staples for Ride Leader duties. Thanks to Jethro for Ride Leader from Browns Plains to Caboolture. Thanks to Stoney & Happy Feet for their role as Tail End Charlie (car) and Popeye & Chilli as Tail End Charlie (bike).