2010 AHOC BRASS MONKEY- MX5 RETURN RUN - SUNDAY 18 JULY 2010

[Midori]

I received a heads up earlier this week from Terry Bancroft the President of the Austin Healey Owners Club advising that the Brass Monkey will run this year on Sunday 18 July.

Make a note in your diary if you have any interest in participating in this annual event.

The breakfast destination is the Goulburn Soldiers Club situated opposite the big park in the town's centre. The Brass Monkey run will start at 6.00 am sharp from the Bunnings car park behind the Crossroads Hotel at Casuala and take the main highway south to Goulburn. I will post information about registration etc., as they are circulated by the AHOC for those who might be interested in this must go at least once in a lifetime event.

The MX5 BreakFast Club will organise a Return Run for all (club members and non members) as in the past back towards Sydney with a stop for coffee or lunch on the way. More information about the Brass Monkey and the Return Run will be posted in the MX5 Club Events Calendar and on the Forum from May 2010.

[CoffeeBoss]

If I've got that day free, I'm a shoe-in for this.

[RawSouth]

Count me in!

[greenMachine]

[color=#FF0000][b]
... The MX5 BreakFast Club will organise a Return Run for all (club members and non members) as in the past back towards Sydney with a stop for coffee or lunch on the way. ... .

Easy.

Head north from Goulburn via Taralga.

Turn right at GWH, head east.

Stop before you get to the surf.

Permutations on the foregoing are permitted.

[Keith]

This is always a top event. For all you who have not tried it, you will have a blast. Also watch out for Jimmy's MX5Cartalk Iceberg run- that was great the last 2 years.

[Midori]

If I've got that day free, I'm a shoe-in for this.

As you live in the Southern Highlands, are you adverse to leading the run back from Goulburn as far as a venue for a coffee and refreshment break in the Highland's area

Can you suggest an interesting route bearing in mind that greenMachine has suggested going through Taralga on the way back to Sydney then heading for the coast

Do you know of an interesting place to stop for coffee where parking would not be a problem other than Berrima

Cheers
Midori

[Midori]

[color=#FF0000][b]
... The MX5 BreakFast Club will organise a Return Run for all (club members and non members) as in the past back towards Sydney with a stop for coffee or lunch on the way. ... .

Easy.

Head north from Goulburn via Taralga.

Turn right at GWH, head east.

Stop before you get to the surf.

Permutations on the foregoing are permitted.

I have not been to Taralga for about 10 years and then it way by 4x4 down the Wombeyan Caves Road. My recollection is that there is not many places to get a good coffee etc., in either Taralga or Crookwell which I last visited about 4 years ago.

How do you get to the coast from Taralga over sealed roads without going back on the same route out from Goulburn. Is the road to Crookwell sealed from Tarlaga

How do you suggest we get from Goulburn to the surf

Any route would have to allow everybody the option to get back to the city before the build up of returning traffic becomes a major concern.

[Guran]

I've been through Taralga a few times in recent years. The road from Goulburn to Oberon via Taralga is an excellent sealed road. Very nice driving road with little traffic. There's nothing in the way of coffee stops between Taralga and Oberon. From Oberon, you could head out to Jenolan Caves, then north to Lithgow and Bells Line of Road. There's a reasonable roadhouse / coffee shop near Little Hartley with a fair bit of parking that might make a decent coffee stop. I'd recommend avoiding the Goulburn - Crookwell - Trunkey - Bathurst route. It has a couple of aweful unsealed sections near Tuena.

The alternative would be to head straight for the coast from Goulburn, but there's not much in the way of enjoyable roads until you get to the mountains. If you turn off the freeway at Marulan, a nice route is as follows: Tallong, Wingello, Penrose, Bundanoon, Exeter, Yarrunga, Fitzroy Falls, Myra Vale, Robertson, Macquarie Pass, home to Sydney via the freeway or the Royal NP. The "Ye Olde Bike Shoppe" at Bundanoon does excellent coffee and cakes, although it's a bit small for such a potentially large group (lots of back street parking). The Bundanoon Pub is another option. Or you coudl stop in the main street of Robertson - I'm told there's a good coffee shop there somewhere (Matt???). I've not dríven any of the roads on the northern side of the Hume Freeway (eg Towrang Rd, Canyonleigh Rd, etc), so I cannot comment on whether or not they'd be suitable. Checking Google Maps seems to indicate they're unsealed. Matt???

[Midori]

I've been through Taralga a few times in recent years. The road from Goulburn to Oberon via Taralga is an excellent sealed road. Very nice driving road with little traffic. There's nothing in the way of coffee stops between Taralga and Oberon. From Oberon, you could head out to Jenolan Caves, then north to Lithgow and Bells Line of Road. There's a reasonable roadhouse / coffee shop near Little Hartley with a fair bit of parking that might make a decent coffee stop. I'd recommend avoiding the Goulburn - Crookwell - Trunkey - Bathurst route. It has a couple of aweful unsealed sections near Tuena.

The alternative would be to head straight for the coast from Goulburn, but there's not much in the way of enjoyable roads until you get to the mountains. If you turn off the freeway at Marulan, a nice route is as follows: Tallong, Wingello, Penrose, Bundanoon, Exeter, Yarrunga, Fitzroy Falls, Myra Vale, Robertson, Macquarie Pass, home to Sydney via the freeway or the Royal NP. The "Ye Olde Bike Shoppe" at Bundanoon does excellent coffee and cakes, although it's a bit small for such a potentially large group (lots of back street parking). The Bundanoon Pub is another option. Or you coudl stop in the main street of Robertson - I'm told there's a good coffee shop there somewhere (Matt???). I've not dríven any of the roads on the northern side of the Hume Freeway (eg Towrang Rd, Canyonleigh Rd, etc), so I cannot comment on whether or not they'd be suitable. Checking Google Maps seems to indicate they're unsealed. Matt???

Hi Guran,

I like the idea of going up the road to Oberon and was planning it for some time this year with a couple of friends. As you have gone over the road then you are best placed to lead such a run.

Let me know if you are willing to lead a run like that I will organise it with the MX5 Club as a BreakFast Club Run with a CAMS certificate for the organisers either after the Brass Monkey or in the late autumn to avoid the risk of hitting black ice which regetably happens through winter months in the forest and mountains around Oberon.

Going home through Oberon might be a bit much for many on the cars planning on doing the Return Run after getting out to Casula before 6.00 am to be ready for the start of the Brass Monkey. If we get enough interest and the confirmed numbers then we can give it go and make it a great day out on some quiet and challenging roads. I guess it wound take a least four hours to get back to the city limits from Goldburn via Blue Mountains.

Subject to what greenMachine has to say, an alternative run to going up to Oberon could be an early out and back run from Goulburn to Taralga and Crookwell as part of the run back to Sydney. There are also some good roads south of Goulburn to Bungonia that I did with Garry on his Alpine Tour that come back to the highway at Marulan before the turn off to Tallong and Wingello that can be part of the route.

Like you I have not been out on the roads to Canyon Leigh but a friend has bought a farm out their somewhere and would know the roads if Matt can't help. Hopefully Matt can get us up to speed about some interesting roads in the Southern Highlands (as it is in his backyard) to incorporate into the route with a shop that sells boss coffee .

The route in progress must be finalised by June.

[Guran]

I like the idea of going up the road to Oberon and was planning it for some time this year with a couple of friends. As you have gone over the road then you are best placed to lead such a run.

Sure, happy to do that. I've organised and led dozens of drive days so I've a bit of experience with keeping large groups together. Please contact me via email to discuss the details (link at bottom of this message).

Let me know if you are willing to lead a run like that I will organise it with the MX5 Club as a BreakFast Club Run with a CAMS certificate for the organisers either after the Brass Monkey or in the late autumn to avoid the risk of hitting black ice which regetably happens through winter months in the forest and mountains around Oberon.

Agree that black ice is a bit of a worry on parts of this route. Let's aim for late spring. My autumn calendar is all but booked out already! BTW, I'm a club member (#1958).

Going home through Oberon might be a bit much for many on the cars planning on doing the Return Run after getting out to Casula before 6.00 am to be ready for the start of the Brass Monkey. If we get enough interest and the confirmed numbers then we can give it go and make it a great day out on some quiet and challenging roads. I guess it wound take a least four hours to get back to the city limits from Goldburn via Blue Mountains.

Yes, it would be a pretty long day. Something like four hours for the return run:
Goulburn-Oberon 145km, ~1.75hr
Oberon - Jenolan 29km, 25min
Jenolan - Lithgow 53km, 45min
Lithgow - Richmond 78km, 1.25hr
Total 305km, ~4 hours (that's Google Maps conservative), plus regrouping time and rest stops

Subject to what greenMachine has to say, an alternative run to going up to Oberon could be an early out and back run from Goulburn to Taralga and Crookwell as part of the run back to Sydney. There are also some good roads south of Goulburn to Bungonia that I did with Garry on his Alpine Tour that come back to the highway at Marulan before the turn off to Tallong and Wingello that can be part of the route.

I'm happy to do any/all of that. Haven't dríven those roads around Bungonia for quite a while, but that'd make the drive to Marulan much more interesting.

Like you I have not been out on the roads to Canyon Leigh but a friend has bought a farm out their somewhere and would know the roads if Matt can't help. Hopefully Matt can get us up to speed about some interesting roads in the Southern Highlands (as it is in his backyard) to incorporate into the route with a shop that sells boss coffee .

Come on Matt, where are ya?

[Midori]

Hi Guran,

I will email you in the next week or so about a big day out in the Spring.

In relation to the Return Run, I will wait and see what Matt has to say and anybody else with any ideas about a run back from Marulan. At this point in time, I can confirm a route to Marulan via Bungonia. Hopefully greenMachine can let us know if the Tarlga/Crookwell loop is also suitable to start the run off after breakfast.

[Stu King]

Hi Guys, this sounds like an epic amount of driving in a single day......so count me in!.

The road via Jenolan is probably one of the best in winter, however if the numbers are big, then parking at Jenolan Caves would be a hassle (presuming we would arrive around lunchtime). Maybe we could call ahead and use it a co marketing activity? Loads of 5's parked out front of the iconic Cave's House, a quick lunch stop then cruise through the arch, Little Hartley, Mt Victoria, then use the causeway to hook up back to Bell, this will save us around an hour rather than going all the way back to Lithgow... Thoughts?

Anyway happy to help out with any organisation required, and my rebuilt engine should be loosening up by July...

Looking forward to it.

Stu

[CoffeeBoss]

Come on Matt, where are ya?

oh, hai! *waves*

(PM or email me a heads up next time, eh?!)

I've been through Taralga a few times in recent years. The road from Goulburn to Oberon via Taralga is an excellent sealed road.

2nded. I covered this road a in both directions last year, there was one part being resealed in the later half of the year just south of Oberon, but that was only 2kms. North of Oberon you could go via Tarana, again a piece of that road is being resealed (was through there in Easter) but otherwise it's smooth sailing.

I'd recommend avoiding the Goulburn - Crookwell - Trunkey - Bathurst route. It has a couple of aweful unsealed sections near Tuena.

2nded. There's 3 or 4 unsealed sections from memory, with some appalling corrugations in parts, and some nice thick bulldust. My NC (with coilovers) didn't like it very much. The sealed sections though are better than the best parts of Porters Retreat.. once they seal this road all the way, if it ever happens, it will be a fantastic driving road.

The alternative would be to head straight for the coast from Goulburn, but there's not much in the way of enjoyable roads until you get to the mountains. If you turn off the freeway at Marulan, a nice route is as follows: Tallong, Wingello, Penrose, Bundanoon, Exeter, Yarrunga, Fitzroy Falls, Myra Vale, Robertson, Macquarie Pass, home to Sydney via the freeway or the Royal NP.

Yep, was going to suggest same. You can also take backroads (Bungonia rd) from Goulburn to Marulan also, it's actually not a bad piece of road, and has a nice little hilly section. Also very quiet. If you take the road to the left just before you pass Mikes Manor on the way to Wakefield, that takes you the back to Marulan (past MDTC).

As far as coffee stops in Robertson... hmmm... I'd suggest the Cheese Factory, they should be reasonably equipped to handle a group. That being said, neither they nor Three Creeks Cafe can handle 15+ people at once, but it's a worthwhile stop, there's plenty of good food options there also. Perhaps even a combination of Three Creeks and The Cheese Factory. I could also talk to Three Creeks about a group booking.

Alternatively, park out the main street of Burrawang, and divide the group between the Burrawang Cafe and the pub across the road. Plenty of seating for large groups at both of those places.

[mr2 spyder]

love to join you guys for this this year.had a hillclimb on same day last year so had to pull out. im up for as many good roads as we can fit in.

[Cappuccino]

I think I might attend in my Cappuccino.

Do you guys mind if I invite other Cappuccino owners? Mind you there isn't alot of us