Accommodation was still available in nearby Forbes, so Alan snapped up 5 rooms in the Vandenberg Hotel.
La Nina had other plans and heavy rainfall over much of NSW filled rivers and dams everywhere, including Wyangala dam. Flood waters released from the dam into the Lachlan River closed roads to Forbes and it was predicted that the streets of Forbes may flood.
Deciding to allow the residents of Forbes to get on with their sand-bagging, we changed plans again, this time deciding to park in Parkes.
As the weekend of the 20th and 21st November 2021 approached, GPS routes were amended, Live traffic consulted to determine flood-free routes and packing began.
Nic's gear for a wet day on the bike - probably 20-30Kgs when dry and maybe 50% heavier when wet. Photo: Nic
But, as they say in the classics, the best laid plans - a combination of weather conditions looked set to bring more heavy rain for our ride home on Sunday 21st. It became likely that we would be riding home in heavy rain, getting very wet and very cold and very miserable. Our plans changed for the 3rd time and the weekend ride became the Wyangala Dam day ride scheduled for Saturday 20th November 2021.
Alan took his beautiful and spotlessly clean Kawasaki Z900 - at least it was spotless when this photo was taken. Photo: Martin
The O'Connell Avenue Café and store is a favourite, as is the road between Lake Lyell, through Tarana to O'Connell. Even falling down railway bridge parapets and a causeway covered with water that tested my emergency braking skills couldn't shift this road from my top10 roads list. Top Photo: O'Connell Avenue Cafe and Store FB page
Paul and Martin at Elliot's lookout with the waters of Wyangala Dam in the background and, I found out later, a whole nest of ants crawling up Paul's trouser leg. They were on the perfect (NOT!) adventure bikes to take us to Elliot's Lookout over a short, but very wet and muddy road. Martin was on a Honda VFR800 and Paul rides a Triumph Daytona 675. Later that day Paul and I chatted as we walked over the Wyangala dam wall - he told me that he had recently sold a Triumph Tiger 800 that was much better suited to the day's road and weather conditions. What confused me was that Paul had sold the Triumph even though he has large shed in which to store any number of bikes - one to suit each day's riding conditions.
Nic pulls in to Elliot's lookout testing out his wet weather gear and his BMW F850GS's wet dirt road mode - the BM does have that mode, doesn't it Nic?
Paul and Ian at Elliot's Lookout - I was wearing a hat to keep my glasses dry. You'd do the same if you've ever tried riding with raindrops all over your glasses!
More rain falls on Lake Wyangala adding to the flooding of the Lachlan River downstream from the dam's wall.
L-R Nic (BMW F850GS), Jim (Can Am Spyder), Steve (Honda CX650) and Alan (Kawasaki Z900) in the rain at Elliot's Lookout.
Gathered at the Wyangala Dam visitors' parking lot before walking across the dam wall. Normally you can drive across the wall, but not when the dam is full - no, I don't understand that either!
Apparently Nic is pointing to the dam and saying it's empty. Looks like Ian doesen't believe him! Photo: Steve
Steve suggests the caption "Three wise men" for this photo. Who am I to argue? Photo: Steve
Somehow Steve's classic Honda CX650E managed to stay clean looking. Maybe that's why Steve buys white bikes? Photo: Steve
This shot shows the normal path taken by water discharged from the dam. It looks placid enough in this photo, but it was a powerful torrent whose roar was audible from our vantage point on the dam's wall (see the video towards the end of this post).
Nic, Steve, Alan and Paul.
Jim and Martin
Steve snaps the water discharging over the spillway. This deluge will flood the Lachlan River's valley, destroying bumper wheat crops planted on river flats and deprive COVID affected, cash starved locals, of our tourist dollars. Black summer fires, heatwaves, COVID and now floods - what's next?
The resilience of those cyprus pine saplings was impressive.
Our previous visits to Wyangala have been during droughts - some photos from March 2007
A photo taken on the Wyangala Dam wall in 2007 during a drought. That's Ian in the photo and the bikes from L-R 1. partially obscured Japanses bike - rider unknown, 2. Greg Boyd's beautifully restored Honda 750, 3. Steve Prideaux's BMW R90/6, 4. Alan Menton's R90S, 5. Steve Prideaux's (Bavarian Cream) R75/5. Ian was riding Steve's R90/6 as he was between bikes, having sold his Suzuki GT750 and his BMW K1100RS was being repaired after a lie-down. Photo: Greg Boyd
In the lower image you can see that the dam's water level had been about 1m highter in the days before we were there. In the upper image, the 2m high live trees seen on the floor of the dam suggest that the drought of 2007 had been a long one. Photos: Martin and Ian
Unanticipated consequences
Bell's Line of Road is one of my favourites. It twists and turns over the Blue Mountains at an average elevation close to 1000m. When it's stinking hot on the river flats around Richmond, it's always delightful to feel the temperature drop a few degrees as you climb Kurrajong Hill, sometimes literally, into the clouds. Not even the speed camera at the top of Kurrajong hill, where everyone dutifully slows to 60Km/h, can detract from the sense of release from Sydney's cloying traffic and humdity. This enjoyment of Bell's, though, is not always reciprocated on the return journey.
We often find ourselves riding Bell's on our way home on a Sunday afternoon along with hundreds of day trippers doing the same thing. Getting stuck in slow moving traffic with hardly any opportunities to overtake legally or safely, when you're tired and have a sore arse is not much fun even if the road and scenery are superb.
On this adventure we joined Bell's, just out of Lithgow, at around 7pm - with still enough daylight left so that we didn't have to rely on our headlights. The unanticpated consequence of our later than usual start was that there was hardly any traffic. The ride was exhilartaing even sticking more-or-less to the speed limit. The dry road, good light from the sun setting behind us and cool dry air all contributed to one of the best rides home over the moutains that I can remember. Even the Jeep Wrangler we caught near Bilpin was driving with enough spirit to keep a smile on our faces.
Enjoying a ride back into Sydney after a day on the bike is usually a chore, but not on this day - it was a cracker!
Our track downloaded from my GPS. The ride was 680km taking 9hrs and 12mins of riding time. This was a test for my recently replaced right knee which, I'm pleased to say, was passed with few complaints - due, at least partly, to the comfort and capabilities of my BMW F800GSA.
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Comments
22nd November 2021. From Martin Whelan.
You may not know this but Paul is quite clever. A gifted soul who can multitask. Not only was he able to pose for Ian while also taking a selfie. He also gathered a large number of meat ants to stave off the boredom of the ride home. He recalled to me how happy he was to be wearing ear plugs as they made their way one by one up through his clothing to crawl around his neck up around his ears and transverse across the inside of his visor.
Martin
23rd November 2021. From Greg Boyd.
Wowsers - Nic has become old and fat (his words some years ago) and is now riding a BMW :)
Greg
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