Wollombi Tavern

02 March 2026 / Story Jonathan Wood, Photos Mark Godfrey

Hard as it is to break up a party, the time had come for us to leave Pie in the Sky for our 91k drive to lunch. With overcast skies and ominously looming rainclouds, six intrepid MX5’s set off in convoy.

 

Once more enjoying the winding Old Pacific Highway, we headed north along the same route as last week's run to the Waterfall Cafe at Mt Penang. With rain still in abeyance, we diverted from that route onto Peats Ridge Road and headed towards the clouds. The arrival of rain caused only a temporary stop to put up roofs. We then resumed our drive on the fabulous winding George Downes Road and Great North Road to our lunch stop at Wollombi Tavern. The rain may have kept the cyclists at home, but there were many potholes, some even resembling plunge pools, to keep us alert. 

 

We met up with Trevan Johns and Linda Teo (from the Hunter Chapter), who were already at the Tavern, and we proceeded to our reserved (outdoor) table for lunch. Luckily the rain stayed away. After lunch, Dennis was presented with his members cap before we all set off home.

 

Hope that everyone enjoyed the ran as much as I enjoyed leading it. Certainly these were roads we should use again in the future.