Ride To Melrose 23rd August 2014

We gave the bike a quick polish (doesn't happen often) and checked all the fluids and air pressures on Friday. Coolant hadn't been checked for at least 6 months and it was still ok so no loss since last time. Air pressures were ok as well after not being checked for the last month.



On Saturday morning like Friday we awoke to a nice bright sunny day unlike the last week or two when we'd be lucky to see a patch of blue and a glimpse of the sun.

Being only just over 100 km from home to Melrose we left home about 10:40am for a casual ride over arriving at the car park at about 11:45 with the North Star Hotel in the background.

I bought a new Samsung mount for my Galaxy Note 8 Tab and the ride was it's first use. An 8 inch tab might seem large for a GPS but it also contains the fuel log etc. for the bike.



Looking towards Mount Remarkable which is right next to Melrose from the car park. A history lesson http://www.southaustralianhistory.com.au/melrose.htm



While waiting for the others to arrive we went for a walk down what would be the main street of the town. Heather was a little hungry so we went into a café and bought a pie for her and then crossed the road and sat down so she could eat.

From the seat I took these few.

The Mount Remarkable Hotel



A push bike shop which was mainly a hire a bike business.



I'm sure every kid in Melrose that I saw was riding a bike, here's one of the girls



And looking back up the road towards the Hotel we would have lunch at.



When Heather finished eating we walked back up to our bike and as we got the first of the 1300's arrived, so good timing. After a little while we all walked inside and ordered lunch. I didn't worry to much about photos inside but some where taken by others so they might get posted on the Ozstoc site

I did take this one from inside of my bike, plus a BMW (GS ???) (their version of the Honda X tourer comes close) and a Harley in the middle



and this one of inside the hotel



After lunch we all walked down the main street.

Heather spotted this.....a fitting end to one of our older cars: an FJ Holden (about 1952-58) ute complete with tree growing through the LH headlight http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holden_FJ .



A little further down the street is the court house museum



and the local law enforcer



And then back up to the car park and getting ready to leave. Just as well the local servo was open as some need fuel for the trip back home.



Two red, two black 1300's and my blue 1100.


Rather than return home the way I came http://goo.gl/maps/v1qKL

I went this way http://goo.gl/maps/hO7ju

And we got back home about 4:10pm. I only used the GPS on the way there but it recorded a max speed of 115kph and an average of 82kph for a 105kms and a total of 211kms for the day.