A unique country ride

[ea81slush]

<span style="font-family: Calibri"><font size="3"><font color="#000000">It’s time. Finally the sun is shining and the wind hasdropped. Warm enough for a 30 mile ride to our favourite café called the RuffyGeneral Store. Ruffy is a town….well no it cant be as it only has thisrestaurant (that used to be a shop), a fire station and a primary school. That’s all. Nothing else.<o<img src="images/smilies/tongue2.gif" border="0" alt="" title="blowing a raspberry" class="inlineimg" />></o<img src="images/smilies/tongue2.gif" border="0" alt="" title="blowing a raspberry" class="inlineimg" />></font></font></span><br /><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri"><font size="3"><font color="#000000">I detach the trickle battery charger, start the Subaruengine easy as pie (no choke fitted so pump the throttle 6 times) and allow itto idle high with my throttle lock. Check the airbag pressure on the rear swing arms. Open the garagedoor, reverse it out and wait for my wife and Rosy out small dog….yep she comestoo.<o<img src="images/smilies/tongue2.gif" border="0" alt="" title="blowing a raspberry" class="inlineimg" />></o<img src="images/smilies/tongue2.gif" border="0" alt="" title="blowing a raspberry" class="inlineimg" />></font></font></span><br /><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri"><font size="3"><font color="#000000">Allow the engine to idle we secure Rosy in her home madecapsule. Deb takes up the passenger seat. It is a little harder getting intothe seat due to the roof but once there it is quite comfortable. I sit in theriders seat and the Subaru engine is rumbling away perfectly…and so it shouldafter the money thrown at it to recondition all of the driveline.<br /><br />
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<a href="http://s804.photobucket.com/user/eaglefree/media/IMAG0253.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i804.photobucket.com/albums/yy330/eaglefree/IMAG0253.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a></font></font></span><br /><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri"><font size="3"><font color="#000000">We hit the country roads.<br />
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There is a winding narrow road notfar from our town of Strathbogie, 200 population, and there are always animalscrossing in front of us…today was no exception as a mid size grey kangaroohopped in front about 10 yards away – our mini Foxy went crazy barking madly.But we are experienced and when ever you sight one kangaroo there usually areothers as they travel in groups.

Yep- there is a second roo but as we haveslowed to around 10mph we are safe. A mile further a wombat crosses and thissparks Rosy up again. Both roos and wombats make a mess off most cars if you colide with them. Rosy however is loving this action.<o<img src="images/smilies/tongue2.gif" border="0" alt="" title="blowing a raspberry" class="inlineimg" />></o<img src="images/smilies/tongue2.gif" border="0" alt="" title="blowing a raspberry" class="inlineimg" />></font></font></span><br /><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri"><font color="#000000"><font size="3">Then we enjoy the curves, the big wide 295/50R15 tires onthe rear grip like no tomorrow and the 600-16 Hot rod tire up front does thesame. I’m enjoying the run. I’d recently adjusted the auto trans to kickdownjust when you need it to. The VW auto trans is ancient but reliable and basic….lessstress, less cost. So one corner in particular, one I always look forward toapproaching comes up quickly…brake…brake more, full throttle…kicksdown to 2</font>^{<font size="2">nd</font>}<font size="3">gear and out goes the rear tires ever so slightly for a predictable mini slide.A whack on the helmet from my wife is just as expected haha.<br /><br />
<br /><br />
<a href="http://s804.photobucket.com/user/eaglefree/media/IMAG0303.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i804.photobucket.com/albums/yy330/eaglefree/IMAG0303.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a></font></font></span><br /><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri"><font size="3"><font color="#000000">We order a “ploughmans plate” a serving full of variousslices of meat, antichokes, olives and pickled onions. Freshly baked bread witha small bowl of olive oil to dip the bread into…yum. Rosy enjoys the salami.She also likes the froth from our cappuccino coffee.<br />
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Diners leave their seatsto browse around the trike and the hundreds of questions come. I like answeringmany sensible questions but the ones like “how does it go” or “is it a VW” or “howmuch does it cost” can become draining.

I don’t think they should know thecost- that’s private. One guy asked and I noticed he smoked cigarettes so myanswer was- “7 years of cigars” lol<o<img src="images/smilies/tongue2.gif" border="0" alt="" title="blowing a raspberry" class="inlineimg" />></o<img src="images/smilies/tongue2.gif" border="0" alt="" title="blowing a raspberry" class="inlineimg" />></font></font></span><br /><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri"><font size="3"><font color="#000000">Returning, we ride through our larger local town Euroa. Rain begins to fall. On goes the singlewindscreen wiper meant for a boat. Over the years it has cause scratches toappear on the ackrylic screen. Eventually polycarbonate material will replaceit. We approach a hill just outside town on our way home. We slow down toobserve an Echidna a small anteater very common in our part of the world.<br />
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Rosyloves them and wont stop barking. The Echidna isn’t worried, it doesn’t haveany predators, even the Wedgetailed eagle stands clear of this little fella.<br /><br />
<br /><br />
<a href="http://s804.photobucket.com/user/eaglefree/media/IMG_0032-1.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i804.photobucket.com/albums/yy330/eaglefree/IMG_0032-1.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a></font></font></span><br /><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri"><font size="3"><font color="#000000">We arrive home. Park the trike in the shed, connect thetrickle charger and the trike is put to sleep.<o<img src="images/smilies/tongue2.gif" border="0" alt="" title="blowing a raspberry" class="inlineimg" />></o<img src="images/smilies/tongue2.gif" border="0" alt="" title="blowing a raspberry" class="inlineimg" />></font></font></span><br /><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri"><font size="3"><font color="#000000">I’ve had my fix for a while.

Love it. Then my wife chastises me....forgot to allow her to ride it...next time haha<br /><br />
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[jaxbobg]

Thanks for the ride along and the pictures. Only wish you had some pics of the Roos.

Sadly, I'm too old and too tired to make the journey to Australia, so I'll just have to live vicariously through fellow riders like you.

Oh, yes, and that's one great looking trike you have.

[desertclassic]

That trike sure is a looker. I do like all the chrome and yellow. Jim