Christmas in July, 2011
Day 1
(Friday 22/7/11)
After getting away from work at mid-day, headed home to find Morag packing
the classic trailer (alias “The Chuck wagon” for the weekend) with all the
food and supplies for every-ones Christmas-in-July dinner and clothes etc
and dragged the trailer to the front of the house and hooking it up to the
Wing on the centre stand and placing the electric esky on the draw bar,
all ready to go. OMG! It’s too heavy to get off the centre stand! C’mon
Morag give us a shove and the back wheel is back on Tera-Firma. Ride onto
the street, so Morag can mount-up and discover the handlebars wish to vibrate
up to 30kph because of the weight on the draw-bar, easily fixed, go faster!
So we head off to BP Aratula and there fuelling up is Annette and Larry,
so we park and Join them for a cuppa and some cold disgusting food. Joined
shortly by David and Carolyn on their Silver1800. Fuel-chat, doesn’t look
like anyone else is coming at this time, Larry had heard Eric and Deb chatting
on the C.B. further ahead down the track, so we will catch up to them at
Stanthorpe.
Moving on to the obligatory 10min stop on the top of the Gap (as there is
only one lane open as they try to repair all flood wash ways that caused
landslide during the floods) then travel on through Warwick and on we travel
to Stanthorpe without incident although with all the weight we were down
to about 90kph going up some of the long hills. On entering the “Top of
Town” we bottomed out on the ridiculous way the Council have left their
entry to the park. I was neither the first nor the last to do this.
Caught up with Eric and Deb who was doing her first big ride on “Buddah”,
her new red 1500 trike they bought in N.S.W. and it looks really impressive,
the kit being a Motor- Trike conversion kit.
Unpacking took a little while but finally we were done and Morag had the
key for our venue rooms, so we showed the others whom seemed as impressed
as we were the first time we laid eyes on it.
Val and Tommo arrived a bit later; having missed us at Aratula, they had
meandered down at a leisurely pace, stopping at Warwick to have a look around.
Eric and Deb changed rooms as they were down the road a bit and we were
all together now.
It was decide that the R.S.L. was the go for dinner so spoke to charming
host, Goodana who rang and arranged the RSL courtesy bus to pick us up at
6.00pm It finally arrived at 6.30pm as it was a very busy night at the R.S.L.
with a 2 day classic bike race week-end also on in Stanthorpe. We had been
trying to contact Gwenda and John as that had been the arrangement – but
with no success. Just sat down for tea and in came John and Gwenda and after
saying our hello’s they wandered off to feed the pokies while we had tea,
and we left with Gwenda (now $50 richer) to go back to the park to unload
a bain-marie that they had borrowed for the dinner and Gwenda had kindly
offered to cook the Ham and Pork at her house. So with things unloaded and
the rest coming back from the R.S.L., we were joined by Hans and Georgie
and Colin and Annie and we turned on the really butane gas heater and drank
and chatted to almost mid-night and had a very enjoyable evening.
Day 2
While the majority decided to have a nice breakfast in town, we opted
for a quick plate of cereal as much had to be done and John was leading
a ride of the area this morning. Deb was feeling a bit crook, so decided
to stay at the park and Morag thought it only fair to stay and keep her
company to allow Eric to go on the ride. Leaving about 10.15am, John (minus
Gwenda- slaving over a hot stove). Took us on a great ride of the area on
back roads most of us hadn’t seen before and accompanied by Paul and Sharlene,
Colin and Annie (car bound) we toured the area, stopped at the Ballandean
Winery and finished up at “Old Caves” winery (owned by John’s brother, David).Also
wish to thank David for donating a great bottle of wine which was one of
the prize’s for the Raffle. A really great ride and thanks John. (Also thank
you for the donation to you and Gwenda for the donation of the Pear in a
bottle in wine – another great prize for the Raffle.) While there, Rob and
Jane joined us and it was decided to go to Vincenzo’s Restaurant, Deb, Morag
and Gwenda joined in for lunch. The homemade pies were really fantastic
and if you’re ever passing Vincenzo’s stop and have a feed, you won’t be
disappointed.
On a request from Gwenda, Vincenzo’s donated a prize for our raffle also.
While away the Sat. crowd started to arrive, Winston and Jan, David and
Rosemary, Clint and Charleen, who had had dramas, with a deflating front
tyre after the valve stem had been damaged, causing a leak. Charleen was
in a lot pain after having an operation and the stiches in her back didn’t
like the vibration on the back seat of the “Wing”.
Back at the park¸ nibblies and drinks were the order and John and Gwenda
arrived with the cooked meat and everyone was amazed at the setup Morag
and Deb had made while we were out riding and with help from Goodana from
the park management, lending some Xmas decorations (the park had also donated
raffle prizes of accommodation also). A trip to Red Rooster to get some
chicken and all the ingredients were ready for our Christmas dinner. There
was no shortage of helpers to get dinner ready and I thank all of those
who volunteered their help as many hands made light work of getting everything
served hot and on time. The dinner was announced and the food soon was disappearing
from the tables. A great first course just about gone, dessert was next,
Annie had supplied 2 Christmas Puddings and Morag had made a huge dish of
Trifle and with a bit of custard, it all went down very well with many hands
helping, the washing-up and cleaning up was performed and next on the bill
was secret-Santa, raffles and lucky door prizes to be drawn. Lo and behold
Santa had arrived! It took probably about 40 minutes for Santa to distribute
the gifts, but this must be the most hilarious 40 minutes any of us have
experienced in a long, long time. All I can say is Gwenda, you are a super-star!
Everybody loved you and appreciated your stellar performance and you really
had to be there to see how brilliant Gwenda (oop’s-Santa) really was.
While on the subject of super-stars! – Morag is in the same class – to pull
off the meal, the raffle, find prizes and by very thrifty shopping, finding
enough money to not only supply a top rate Xmas meal but also cater for
a brekkie next morning for the megre cost of $20 per head! Everybody chilled
out, rank talked and finally drifted off to bed to complete a really full
and enjoyable day.
Day 3
Morag and I had a bad night trying to sleep so we gave it away about
5.00am, had a cuppa and went and did the final clean up details for our
lounge and kitchen rooms from the previous evening.We had just finished
and just about to make another cuppa when “Gricey” turned up.
Ian had just ridden from Redcliffe, leaving at 4.15am and ridden through
temperatures of minus 2.8 degrees just up the road at Applethorpe and saying
he was just starting to get a bit cold, I wonder why? He wasn’t adverse
to a cup of hot coffee and by this time Larry and Annette were up, also
David and Rosemary also joined us to watch the guys across the road trying
to get the ice off their windscreen. We all retired to the lounge with our
cuppas and as 8.00am approached it was time to think about breakfast. With
some willing help, we carried the Esky and the rest up to the camp kitchen,
turned on the BBQ’s on and while they heated up, noticed some weren’t showing
their faces with the help of a couple of pots and walk up and down, soon
resolved that problem.
We suppled a breakfast of orange juice, bacon eggs and hash browns, and
everyone was fed including Hans and Georgie who had returned for breakfast.
Hans was coming on our Sunday ride, while Georgie was going off to help
her Daughter with a new house. Breakfast done and cleaned up, it was time
to pack the “chuck wagon” and go on the ride. Many had other things to do
or had to get home, so finally we departed with John and Gwenda, Hans, David
and Carolyn, Thommo and Val, Larry and Annette, “Gricey” and ourselves of
course.
Headed off and first stop was the Heritage Winery, which is a charming building
and has magnificent furniture and a big fire inside. Gwenda found the Pianola
and with top hat on played some perfect music without a single wrong note!
Larry had a try, and Hey Presto!, the same flawless result. Others tried
and bought some really nice booze, (lucky we had the trailer) Val wanted
some but, Tommo wouldn’t let her. Shame; shame Thommo (that’s pay back for
keeping us awake Saturday Night with your not-so-quiet laughing) Moving
on, we headed for Warwick, and then just short, cut across at Morgan Park
to the road to Killarney. Beautiful scenery a perfect winter day, made you
glad to be alive and on a Goldwing (despite only 4 hours sleep and heavy
trailer on the back). About 2klm’s short of Killarney, we took the “Cedar
Route” through Yangan and onto Freestone, again totally picturesque scenery.
Reaching Brisbane Road (Cunningham Hwy) we turned right and travelled about
5klm’s to Maryvale turnoff and on to the Crown Hotel. It is a very old historic
Hotel and while it could do with some work inside, it is still quite charming.
The publican informed us that the hotel does have numerous Ghosts! We spent
an enjoyable hour there while lunch was cooked and served and passed the
time with laughs and banter which made the time fly. Finally, it was time
to say good-bye to our Stanthorpe cousins and Hans is planning a ride for
all of us to get together in mid-October and will pass the info on as soon
as it has been fully planned.
The plan was to stop at Aratula. To say goodbye if the parking was available,
there wasn’t, so we said our goodbyes’s via the C.B. and a final wave as
we peeled off to go into Ipswich.
That was a really full week-end and full of fun, commiserations to those
who couldn’t make it, you missed a good-one.
Kevin and Morag