NSW HOG 04

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N.S.W. HOG 2004

Thunderstorms over a fair portion of the state could not deter about 350 to 400 like-minded HOG members from making the trip to the University of Western Sydney, Richmond in Sydney for the 2004 NSW State H.O.G. Rally. The host chapter, Blacktown, had made a good choice with the venue because with all the students away on their holidays, they had left more than enough rooms vacant in the grounds to cater for the accommodation of all the Rally-goers.

Friday afternoon saw Kaz and myself settled into a room, and after rummaging through a very full freebie show bag of bike care goodies and various useful items donated by Meguiars and other sponsors, we orientated the supplied map of the grounds and upon finding that the University bar was only a short stroll around the corner, we naturally headed off in that direction. Walking into the bar area the sight and smell of a well-loaded barbeque told our stomachs that a feed with our drinks sounded like a bloody good idea. So it was a bit later with full bellies and a drink in the hand that we had kicked back, relaxed and were chatting with other arrivals as evening approached and the entertainment in the form of a solo act by a guitarist called Fallon kicked in. Fallon really knew what the crowd wanted and kept the place hopping until the early hours of Saturday morning when we finally dragged ourselves back to the room and crashed.

Saturday morning saw a lot of the crowd at breakfast trying to get their bodies into some sort of order for the scenic tour to the Three Sisters in the Blue Mountains and the Poker Run. Being a great fan of Poker Runs I opted for that choice, so with about a 100 bikes mustered we got our first card and left the Rally site at 9 o’clock. The Poker Run had a large contingent of Marshals stopping the traffic so getting out of Sydney and over to Sackville for the second card was a breeze. Sackville was the scene of a first for me on a Poker Run as I rode the bike onto the Sackville Ferry for a river crossing, I was in the second of the two trips it took to get us all over to the other side so we then had a good fast run to get to Wiseman Ferry Bowling Club, where we caught up with the first boatload and picked up our third card.

There was a few minutes delay at this stop whilst we waited for one of the riders who had broken down with a bit of an electrical problem to catch up. I personally thought it was a bloody good gesture that no one seemed to be pissed off when he finally arrived with half a dozen of the Marshals who had stopped to help him, I think though most of us knew it could happen to us just as easily. That interlude over it was off through some more scenic bits and winding roads to a short stop at Ettamogah Pub for the fourth card and then a short leg to Blacktown Harley Davidson for a free feed, a drink and the last card, once again par for the course I had a hand like a foot.

Later in the afternoon, back at the site it was off to the HOG Bingo to compete for a chance at a heap of prizes and relax a bit before lobbing in for dinner. Again as in the previous night, it was full belly and drink in hand when the evening’s entertainment started. A cartoonist had been hired for the night and was doing the rounds sketching anyone who sat still long enough, whilst a conjurer/ juggler who had been busy entertaining the kids thought we looked in need of his services and lobbed over to give an adult version of his act. Music for the evening was provided by “The Chisel Barnes Duo”; these two blokes really got stuck into it and were in a lather of sweat for most of the night as they entertained the crowd.

The early hours of Sunday saw us back in the room and just dozing off when the fire alarms went off, followed by a loudspeaker in each room and all round the building continuously blaring out with a siren and a garbled recorded voice saying, “EVACUATE THE BUILDING AS DIRECTED”. I thought at first it was saying, “Evacuate the building fart detected”, bear in mind that I think that mistake was perfectly understandable because I know I shit myself when the siren in our room went off about ten foot above my head. The siren and voice went on for about ten minutes whilst everybody hung around outside trying to get away from the noise until the fire brigade turned up to check that it was only a false alarm and switch it off.

Sunday morning at breakfast saw more than a few bleary eyed rally-goers including Kaz blaming the alarm rather than the grog for their appearance, however having seen most of them partying the previous night I took that excuse with a grain of salt.

With a hearty breakfast over it was time to muster for the Rolling Thunder. About 170 bikes then wended their way towards Windsor with a very helpful police escort and the marshals keeping an eye on us so we could concentrate on the ride and the slightly wet roads without having to worry about idiots in cars trying to cut into the group. Windsor Markets and the mall saw a bit of a spending spree by the rally-goers plus a huge deluge from a storm before a break in the weather allowed most of us to get back to the site fairly dry and in time for the Gymkhana, Show and Shine and more Bingo. Rain during the Gymkhana did not deter a good number from entering and an appreciative crowd put up with getting a bit wet to cheer them on.

Sunday evening kicked off with a few words of thanks for the sponsors, NFI, Meguiars, Nossiter Pump Services and all the Blacktown Chapter members who put in a huge effort to give us a really good weekend. This was followed by the trophy presentations and a few personal thanks for various individuals who had put in the extra yards. Then, as in line with the previous nights, it was kick back and enjoy the band. Sunday night’s entertainment was a band called “Rough Stock” who pounded out some very agreeable country rock to round the night off. So, then it was off to bed for some well earned shut-eye. But bugger me if the bloody fire alarms didn’t go off again about an hour later, not quite as funny as it was the previous night. Still though, if like Kaz and myself, the other rally-goers reckon that this was the only crook thing about the rally then I think that Blacktown HOG deserve a huge well earned pat on the back for giving us all a bloody good time.

Thanks for a great weekend.

- Crusty.