The Purvis Eureka Forum

Ok people of the New South Welsh type, it's about time we did a drive day. Myself and Ron talked about this some time last year, and I even had a look around these here parts for what he wanted. Basically a drive somewhere on or around the Central Coast, then finishing somewhere scenic for a meal before heading off home. He was thinking something with a water front view, where we can keep an eye on the 'reeks in the car park.

Now, I haven't got my reek back on the road yet, but I've been thinking of places to hit when I get it back. Often is the time when I'm pouring over the local street directory while at work, usually when I'm treating and my offsider is driving. Often to the query 'I know where we're going'. But I'm not looking up something for their benefit.   lol

One area that I kept look at is St Albans. I've never been there, despite the fact it's only some 80 minutes away. One of those 'close to home, never been there places'.

So now, while I'm waiting for some mates to arrive, I've been looking at a round trip, from Gosford back to Gosford, via St Albans.

So, I found a half decent trip planner on the net. And after looking up a few maps on line, I plugged in Gosford as both starting point and the destination, I put in St Albans for a 'via' route. This is the result I got. (http://www.nowwhere.com.au/Caltex/AustLocator/caltextripplanner.aspx) In case that doesn't work, from Main St Gosford and back via St Albans is about 175 km round trip, or about 2.5 hours.

Not a bad run.

Then I thought, hmm, what would happen if I plugged in St Albans into Google Maps. And this is that result. (http://maps.google.com.au/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&ie=UTF8&layer=x&g=Wallambine+Street+St+Albans&ll=-33.262805,151.003647&spn=0.129757,0.2211&z=12) 

Someone has taken a few photos of St Albans and put them up on Google Maps. Including the local pub, which looks like a great old Aussie pub.  Thanks Cheryl Parkes (http://www.panoramio.com/user/1019646/tags/St.%20Albans) (whoever you are).

(http://mw2.google.com/mw-panoramio/photos/medium/11047430.jpg)

Ok, so I don't have my reek at the moment, but I thought I'd stir the pot a bit, and get us talking. The reason Ron suggested the Central Coast was that the majority of reek owners are either in Sydney or Newcastle, so with the Central Coast in the middle, it's a natural meeting place.

Hey CyCo....

Looks like a great road trip ....i thought cheryl parks was the licencee of the pub in the photo above but after looking at your links she sounds likes more of an established photographer !!!!! shame i live so far south to attend cause this day sounds like it could be a hoot 8) 8) 8)

It does looks to be a nice area Dave. I found out today I have been to St Albans, back when I was a wee tyke, we used to go out that way for picnics and camping. Not that I remember that though.

If you look at those photos, there's one that's labled 'the main road', showing a dirt road. I was going to go out that way in the camry anyway to check out the roads and the pub, to see if they have a bristro type 'o thing. Probably do, but still need to check out the grub. Will probably do it in my next lot of days off.

As for too far south, you went to Canberra, this wouldn't be as far.   :P

going to canberra was like 3hrs away it would be like going home to sydney so going to gosford is an extra 3 hrs im looking at 6hrs not including traffic an a break.... :P

Where abouts you from again? Canberra was only about 4 hours from here... 

The Shoalhaven area...to get to the canberra meet from the central coast in 4hrs you guys must have been using warp speed !!!!  O0

but then again i coud be wrong your map link says i can do it in 3hrs 47min.....but they aren't always accurate!!!

It probably did take a bit longer, we did stop for lunch from memory, and at least one refueling stop. Seriously, with the road upgrades between here and there it's not a bad trip. Hell, me and a few mates went to Katoomba for a mates wedding a couple of years ago, that only took about 4 hours as well.

well i hope you get this trip organised for everyone cause we need some drive days to remember in 2009 from a nsw point of view.... 8)

That we do Dave.

 8)

ive yet to see the other states do it first... ;D

Road trips? SA has them bi monthly.

i'm up for a run,i dought ron will come.ron and myself did talk about it on the way home from canberra,but i have had that much going on latley i have'nt had the time to scratch myself let alone try and organize a outing so thank you cyco for at least getting the ball rolling.
...Darren

No probs Darren. As I said, I thought I'd just stir the pot and start something here. We need to get some drives happening. They'll be fun, and we may just happen to find more 'reeks/owners out there.

Good stuff cyco, keep it going

Thats right, we in SA have a run virtually every month, but one is just a casual dinner as you know, but some bring Reeks too. We chat, network, & help each other out.
Every second month its more of a fun run and even those with reeks still in the build stage come along in their "brand X".

The latest have been
The VDUB Show
An All Car Clubs Drive-in night
Motor Museum BBQ and morning tea at a Cafe in the hills and finished off the day at a country pub
A Local country town Fair
Another VDub show
Plus the social dinners inbetween
and that's in the last 6 months


Plus a few of us try to kick the tyres of the newcomers to SA

Keep up the good work Cyco

Thanks Phil.

I plan to head out St Albans way this weekend to scope out the roads and maybe check out the food at the pub.

 ;D

So Richard
are you coming over to S.A. for our May outing we have a room for you its not padded but it will keep you safe from the outside world
james :o

Hell, that's arrived quick. If someone can put me up for a couple days, I can get down there. Better go get some plane tickets!!

lol

Let me know when sunshine

I'm thinking of coming down a day or two earlier. I'm waiting to hear back from the girl I met back in '06. I'll let you know as soon as I know.  ;)

Forgot to add earlier, I didn't go for that drive yet. Was going to do it today, but then I had a call late yesterday arvo from the real estate about my inspection. It was meant to be done in Feb, but it didn't suit my roster. I called back to rearrange it, and they only got back to me yesterday. Late next week wasn't good for them, so I made it today to get it out of the way.

Will have to go check it out next week.

hey Cyco...

will a wine'o remember you after 3 years or what sort of impression did you make.... :P

You're not jealous are you Dave? lol   :P

Not the wino, the blues singer I met on the day everyone left to go home. I stayed for a couple days longer. And I'm still in contact with the blues singer. If she'll just answer her email and phone.  lol

 

yes because a blues singer has never wrote a song about me leaving ..... :'( :'( :'(

Well, she never wrote a song about me leaving either.  lol

that you know of.... ;D

Well, that's true. 

so what's her name does she do music festivals...???? :P

Kylena Vargus (I think that's how she spells her last name). I don't know about music festivals, but I do know she performs in blues clubs.

(http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y105/cycoholic/St%20Albans%20Scounting%20Trip/StAlbanRoadScoutingTrip008.jpg)

Well, I finally took the drive out to St Albans today (http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y105/cycoholic/St%20Albans%20Scounting%20Trip/). It turned out to be a very nice day for a drive, with blue sky and some fluffy white clouds, not to hot or cold.  :)

(http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y105/cycoholic/St%20Albans%20Scounting%20Trip/StAlbanRoadScoutingTrip009.jpg)

I stopped a couple of time to check out the scenery and had lunch at the St Albans Pub. Steak sandwich and ships with a schooner of Old set me back just over $21 and wasn't a bad nosh.

The round trip from my place back to Gosford was just over 191 km, and roughly 4 hours. The road is good, better than most of Central Coast in places and even sections of the Pacific Highway (though both clames aren't that hard to prove...). There are two section of dirt road, about 10 klm before St Albans and 35 klm after St Albans heading up to Bucketty. Not a very dusty dirt road for most of it, and firmly packed and solid for most of it as well. There's a roughish section between St Albans & Bucketty, but I feel that the 'reeks should cope. Most of the dirt sections I took at 50 - 60 kph in the Camry, even faster in some sections.  :o

(http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y105/cycoholic/St%20Albans%20Scounting%20Trip/StAlbanRoadScoutingTrip001.jpg)

Apparently they had quite a large group of bikes up that way in the last week or so, I'm told a couple hundred, and saw a couple at the pub today having lunch, as well as maybe a dozen as I headed into the area from Mangrove Mountain. Always a good sign when looking for a good ride to drive. 

(http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y105/cycoholic/St%20Albans%20Scounting%20Trip/StAlbanRoadScoutingTrip022.jpg)

I had a few... issues with the GPS. To be expected when going bush, I know, but even allowing for that. Then again, I only plugged in the general area, say, St Albans, rather than giving it a proper address, so that could be part of it. Still, I had to tell it to go via Spencer to avoid going via Blacktown(!!), and Mogo Creek to Bucketty, or it would have then sent me back to Gosford to go to Bucketty only to go back to Gosford for my final destination.   ::)  lol

There are a couple of concrete dips in the first section of the sealed road, but I don't see them being a problem if taken cautiously, at speed some 'reeks may bottom out.

Should mention, this doesn't involve the Wisemans Ferry crossing. I've crossed this only a year or two ago during work, and the long nose on the 'reeks won't handle the ramps on the ferry. So this is totally from the 'Gosford' side of the river.

So there is is. What do you scurvy lot think? Worth a drive? I don't have the 'reek back yet, but I can always ride shotgun if I don't get it back before then.