Kyogle to Esk & Return Banamarama meet 2015

The following ride report pays deepest respect and condolences to the Banamarama team..

The route to Esk from Kyogle.

https://www.google.com.au/maps/dir/...09ae604b7!2m2!1d152.3615044!2d-27.3733193!3e0

North of Kyogle on route to Wiangaree, with the Border Ranges moutains in view, the Border Ranges are part of the Caldera from Mount Warning, so named by a certain Captain Cook..



A bit further on ,this is the sign to the "Lions Road" - how good is it to have this in my back yard...


Along the way this massive box section railway bridge deserves a picture, it is still in use. It is at a locality callled "Gradys Creek"



Welcome to "The Scenic Rim" means I am in QLD



A typical creek or brook on the Lions Road



An interesting side road took my fancy,



Taking the low level heavy vehicle detour, I found this


(on my return trip next day following local storms the water was 60cm deep OVER the causeway...It had risen at least 1 Metre!)

"Bully" was'nt too impressed!



At Rathdowney I met some new friends..The Vagaonds MC.



I was made "Leader of the Pack...)
I was to bump into these chaps and Gals, later at Boonah and Aratula - en route...



Rathdowney Pub.



Just West of Rathdowney I took a fav. road through to Boonah,



Rolling Hills towards "Barney View"


Mt Barney



Further along an inviting sign for yummy Merlo coffee..



The Shed Cafe inside and out,, and yes- the coffee was good






Further along a slight detour to Maroon Dam








The magnificent "Falls Drive" not today...



Into Boonah township now, This Glorious town clock was constructed form debris fcollected following the horrendous floods of several years ago. I was very lucky to be at the clock for the stroke of 12 Midday and hear it whistle

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-06-...steam-punk-clock-blumbergville-boonah/5512382



Main ST Boonah


I,m Heading this way!



I must be Dam crazy!
Lake Moggerah (Though it is dammed)











Cunninghams Gap beckons and is amazing...luckily no cops this day...



This old machinery caught my eye near Maryvale.



The Resort behind the machinery



MMM German Beer...(this ones for you Pete..)



Various shots of the pub/resort









Just down the road, this took my fancy



What have we here?.. Looks bloody inviting, but I,ve a way to go to get to Esk..



"Motorcycle only" lane on the Cunningham HWY



Right onto the New England Hwy.



I.m Goin this way!!



Clifton, Gatton road is



Maa Maa Creek store cafe is good for R&R but not today-its getting late..



Entering Gatton



Riding on towards Esk the weather deteriorates...intermittant showers have me stuffing my leather gloves in my pockets and "pressing on"



Esk at last



Upon reaching Esk I rode up to the Servo to happen upon the Banamarama crew!

No time to waste as the weather was turning shit house..:thun
Chateau de PnD was stubbornly erected in pissing rain and became my indoor wading pool for the night..
To further delay my erection...I had unknowingly chosen a site constructed on road base The tent pegs only went in several centimetres and I had to lash on guy rope to the bike due to the gusting winds!





This image was taken the next morning..when I was to find that all the tiny ants around the tent door had moved their nest from underground into one of my boots! The side flap of my boot and velcro were packed full of little white ant eggs! later Not only had I chosen a road base tent site, I had set up with an ant nest at my door .
Briefly I had thoughts of a camper trailer..
I will note the generous crew did invite me to share digs in a cabin but one must earn stripes .. so I enjoyed my "water bed" for the night lol.
Day two to follow..

Paul n Dixie said:

Into Boonah township now, This Glorious town clock was constructed form debris fcollected following the horrendous floods of several years ago. I was very lucky to be at the clock for the stroke of 12 Midday and hear it whistle
.

Click to expand...

GREAT stuff!! What a piece of work, noice! Never knew it was there.

Huge write-up, mate...but then, you seemed to have had mainly dry roads despite the leaden skies and took an entertaining route.

Thanks for posting it up...

Good pics, nice route....

Waiting on Day 2.

:watch:

Paul n Dixie said:

....


..... Day two to follow ....

Click to expand...

A day or two earlier you would have seen this:




Here's a stitched panoramic view:



:watch:

I wish I had seen that mate!. the Lions road in the wet is- shall we say "requiring of attention"

5:30am on day 2 .a wet dawn.



An hour or 2 later, better light and the crews bikes at the cabins,



Brians bike- 7:30am



Within the hour the crew were at Enigma's cafe enjoying a generous feed with a 10% riders discount




(rip Haysey)

Suitably refuelled we shuffled back to the Caravan Park..



A few pics of entering the Caravan Park and the Excellent facilities...
This is the place



Heated pool!



Three Pizza ovens!!


Massive open fireplace- where's the port?




After making new life friends and catching up with an old one - not entirely literally (Brian),
All too soon it was time to exchange farewells..

T.B.C.

I must have a run out to this place one day, anywhere that sells Merlo coffee is tops in my book.



Bestbrook is right next door the the ride park where i broke my ankle not that long ago.




The good old Maryvale pub...spent a night here a couple of years back when I was headed south to ride the Bonang Hwy, but the road got cut off before Warwick with the floods. From memory was very cheap room with only 3 available upstairs. Had a wonderfull steak and many many rums were drank that evening.



Good to see you found a motortcycle lane too.



I told you this road was a pearler.





Cheers brian

Cheers, Brian. The Shed Cafe is worth a look only the driveway is steep dirt and pretty shithouse (just right for a Vstrom!)
I.m planning on taking Dixie and some others out there asap
I.ll let you know when, maybe a meet n greet can be arranged
Talking to the owners I mentioned I only stopped because of the Merlo Coffee - they stock it because Dean Merlo lives "just up the road" so to speak, hence the Merlo coffee