Once a year, the Victorian and New South Wales Moto Guzzi clubs meet on the border at Jingellic on the Murray River. I took the quick way up, on the freeway to Glenrowan, then cut across through Beechworth – which was packed, so no coffee stop – Yackandandah – ditto – Tamgambalanga, Huon, along the shore of Lake Hume to Tallangatta for fuel and lunch.
Then over the range via Granya. This road, all the way to Jingellic, seems to have been upgraded since I last attended “the Run” and gave me a very pleasant fast run. I past two cars and two bikes in 100km. With the sun shining, it was if someone had laid down a multi-million dollar billiard-table smooth road just for me.
Some stay in the cabins at the Bridge Hotel, while others camped on the adjacent flat overlooking the river. A lot of country pubs welcome bike groups. Where else would they get 50 customers turn up, drink all afternoon, eat tea, drink some more, eat breakfast and book out the accommodation?
Some of the bods had arrived on Friday, and bikes continued to arrive during the afternoon. About forty or fifty rolled up from afar afield as Merimbular and Sydney. After a meal at the pub we loaded up the fire and sat around drinking and yacking. Kev and Karen from Guzzi Overland were there. They had risen that morning and rode all the way to Dead Horse Gap, in the Kosciusko National Park, and back! Soon they’ll be on their way to South America.
As is typical of NSW, we woke up to light drizzle. My grandfather’s family came from up there. “New South Wales,” they said, “was either drought or flood. It’s a terrible place!” It still is!.
The publican put on brekky for us and I shot through soon after – some were staying for an extended weekend. I took it easy in the wet – my visor fogged up and there was a bit of fog and drizzle around. Eventually the cloud lifted, the drizzle stopped and blue patches could be seen towards Wodonga. For the entire 88km trip, I didn’t pass any car or motorbike. I had the road to myself!
I wanted to take a pic of Bellbridge. The last time I was here, for the 2009 “All the Guzzis Run”, the Hume was nearly empty. A few months ago, it temporarily reached 103% full and was lapping under the bridge.
I retraced my route home with one stop for fuel. Near Seymour I was overtaken by a Le Mans from “the Run”. He must have been moving!
Motoguzzimackers' Moto Guzzi Diaries 