Missed Mountain View, Gone to Gerringong
21 August 2020 / Story by Bill Short and Bob Downing, Photos Anne Zattera and Anda Clayton
Gone to Gerringong; The Magical mystery tour to Cooke Park (aka Mountain Ridge Winery)
Firstly, tell us trip leader, what was the planning like?
Well this day out turned out to be a mystery before a wheel had even turned. Originally the drive was planned for a week previous but was changed 1 week prior. The original plan was that I would have 2 drives mapped out to our destination; the first being a relaxed cruisey drive of 70k to our destination, the second being a more demanding drive of some 120k. The final route would be determined on the day of the run.
After a storm some 2 weeks prior the second option was ruled out as a large section of Jamberoo Mountain Road fell away and the road is expected to be closed for some time. (I can still hear the cries of anguish from the Illawarra Chapter members) That left us with the first option which was adjusted to suit the new circumstances.
Then, one week prior, the new club Covid regulations were published, so, no visit to the winery, back to the drawing board. Brian and Anda quickly suggested a picnic at Cooke park in Gerringong, luckily it was already along our planned route, so no more poring over Google maps looking for suitable alternatives with a simple amendment courtesy of Mr Google.
Bob Downing
And now a word from a follower …
Da de daaar, da de da de daarrr…..
It was a cool and very windy Thursday morning. It was 10 am and four bears disguised as MX5’s met in a lay-by in a South Nowra back street. Earlier, two bears had set off from Milton and gathered two more bears on their way north to the rendezvous and were lying in wait for Goldilocks (a yellow MX5) to pass by. And, so the story goes, Goldilocks did pass by.
Will you go down to the woods with us today and we will give you a big surprise?
H’mm, it was not a good outcome last time when Goldilocks met three bears and sampled their hospitality, particularly the cold porridge.
Whatderyerwant?
Well, we understand that you like rock cakes, really like rock cakes and we would like to take you on a rock cake hunt.
Where to?
Can’t tell. Hey didn’t you read the title of the story!
Goldilocks agreed to go with the bears who surrounded Goldilocks as they set off on a pleasant drive around the back streets of Nowra, making sure that she was in the middle to the pack and could not escape. They drove past historical Meroogal House and on to the back end of Nowra Show Ground where they stopped to look at the flowing muddy Shoalhaven River. Nice view and very strong winds.
What are you bears up to? There are no rock cakes here. No toilets either as someone had locked them. Poor bears!
So, with Goldilocks still in the middle of the mob, the bears set of again, north across the Shoalhaven River and then left along Illaroo Road to a turn off that took us on a very scenic drive at a very leisurely pace along roads worthy of a rally track (narrow roads, chicanes and a causeway with water flowing over it) past Cambewarra Village and on, over Cambewarra Mountain to Kangaroo Valley where we stopped for a take-away morning tea.
Goldilocks split with the bears and bought up all the rock cakes from the local bake shop. Seems that some bears tried to also buy rock cakes only to be told that they had all been sold. Heh Heh Heh! Goldilocks
During the stop, some of the lady bears took the opportunity to look through shops. Missing in action, so a runner had to be sent to find them when it was time to set off on the next stage of the tour. Goldilocks was hungry and needed lunch. Might have rock cakes but was not producing them as some of the bears had mean and hungry looks. Goldilocks can’t trust bears as their porridge would probably be cold.
Bears, still surrounding Goldilocks, who was very pleased with the pace taken, set of over Berry Mountain Road towards Gerringong Harbour.
Lunch at Gerringong Harbour was very relaxed. The bears proved very resourceful and Goldilocks was very surprised at the amount of food that each bear produced for their individual consumption, and how did they manage to get it into the boots of their MX5’s?
But no rock cakes were seen!!! Perhaps next month when they go to the Valley for another run.
Good relaxing drive, good outdoor venue which was sheltered from the wind and good friends, Brian & Anda, Bob & Linda, Rosemary & Geoff, Anne & Graeme and Jan.
The kind of lazy life I love!
Bill Short
