Good run up to O'Reilly's

[Phalynx]

Had a good run up to O'Reilly's yesterday. Left Mt Tamborine and headed down the 'Goat Track' to Canungra - along the way I had verbal altercation with a motorcyclist who thought it OK to pass around a hairpin corner, on a single white line, then proceed to go slow once in front of me just to show he could. He wasn't too impressed with the distance I left between him and me and said so when we stopped at the T intersection above Canungra. Even the wife got into him as he was well in the wrong but displayed the usual arrogance that weekend motorcyclists love to show. To top it off he had some ridiculous English accent (eeh by gum, that be a lovely bargin') - reminded me of the Goodies.

The run up the winding road to O'Reilly's was great as I passed slower cars down the bottom where there is ample opportunity to pass, leaving the rest of the run 'slow car free'. I left the gearbox in D and it did a great job of holding the right gear for the corners, leaving just enough revs for the boost to come on with a squirt of the accelerator once around the very tight corners. I caught up to a few other cars once up in the rain forest section - one pulled over in the small passing bays that dot the road up, but the other thought he'd just amble along and I was stuck behind him until the top.

One piece of advice having done many trips along this road - go up in the morning and come down in the afternoon. Most traffic goes up in the morning so the chances of coming up against oncoming traffic is slim. This road is very narrow in some places - so narrow you have to pull off to pass (watch out for the vines hanging on the side of the roads!). Most people have lunch then head home so the flow of traffic is reversed from about 2pm onwards. Avoid the coaches at all costs - they normally just sit and wait for the cars to reverse out of the way.

Saw a few other Tigs up there - one from Vic (gold 125TSI) and a black TDI with QLD plates. Anyone from here? I also saw a blue Tig on Mt Tamborine on Friday which looked very familiar...

Highly recommend this as a future VW weekend drive - great road that offers plenty of cruising and tight twisting hairpins with short straights in between - all within a 32km stretch. Good food and great views at the end.

[roscoe1974]

Hi Phalynx,

I was in a Black 103TDI Tig (QLD rego) and was at O'Reillys yesterday also. I parked next to a Gold Tig with VIC plates in the Carpark at the Guesthouse/Cafe, so it may well have been us that you saw!

We left Brissy at 7am and were up there by just on 9am. Totally agree with going up in the morning and back in the arvo - we had hardly any traffic other than doing a lot of pulling over on the way down to let cars coming up get through, in addition to a large Britz Campervan that pulled over trying to do 'the right thing' but did so on a very narrow section - blocked the road pretty much both ways until I pointed it out to him and he moved on.

One problem we DID encounter on the way up the hill was a herd of rather stubborn Cows & Bulls that stood their ground for quite some time and refused to budge - I thought about edging through them slowly, then looked at the horns on some of them and imagined them getting p*&sed off and ramming the Tig - I don't know how I'd explain 'horn damage' to the insurance company!

Totally agree that it was a great drive - first time our Tig has done anything other than highway cruising or commuting (just over 3000kms on the clock), and it handled it brilliantly.

Maybe we'll see you up there again some time!

Happy trails )

[Phalynx]

Hey Roscoe

Good to see it was a fellow VWWC member up there. Agreed it was a good drive and will definitely do it again - we ran into the cows as well (not literally) but they were off to one side giving the grass a scare.

I actually worked up there as a ranger many years ago and used to drive that road twice per week. Back then it was dirt most of the way so you can imagine the fun. Never was that much traffic though as it's become quite popular lately. I used to drive it mostly at night which was better as you could see the lights coming a fair way away.

Let me know if you're interested in going up again - I was going to organise an 'official' VW weekend drive soon but probably an informal one would be just as good.

[team_v]

Hi Phalynx,

I was in a Black 103TDI Tig (QLD rego) and was at O'Reillys yesterday also. I parked next to a Gold Tig with VIC plates in the Carpark at the Guesthouse/Cafe, so it may well have been us that you saw!

We left Brissy at 7am and were up there by just on 9am. Totally agree with going up in the morning and back in the arvo - we had hardly any traffic other than doing a lot of pulling over on the way down to let cars coming up get through, in addition to a large Britz Campervan that pulled over trying to do 'the right thing' but did so on a very narrow section - blocked the road pretty much both ways until I pointed it out to him and he moved on.

One problem we DID encounter on the way up the hill was a herd of rather stubborn Cows & Bulls that stood their ground for quite some time and refused to budge - I thought about edging through them slowly, then looked at the horns on some of them and imagined them getting p*&sed off and ramming the Tig - I don't know how I'd explain 'horn damage' to the insurance company!

Totally agree that it was a great drive - first time our Tig has done anything other than highway cruising or commuting (just over 3000kms on the clock), and it handled it brilliantly.

Maybe we'll see you up there again some time!

Happy trails )

Haven't taken mine up there yet.
But i did do the Nerang-Murwillumbah loop and the Tig ate it up with ease.

You should have run it in sports mode.

[Phalynx]

Haven't taken mine up there yet.
But i did do the Nerang-Murwillumbah loop and the Tig ate it up with ease.

You should have run it in sports mode.

I put it in S for a few corners but it held the gear too long for the type of corner - D did a better job but I think that was more to do with the corner dynamics than the gear box. The corners are tight (some 130 degrees) with the next corner not far away - S was revving hard holding the gear and I found all I was doing was stamping hard on the brakes to counteract it. Not a comfortable ride for the passengers...

[roscoe1974]

Hey Roscoe

Good to see it was a fellow VWWC member up there. Agreed it was a good drive and will definitely do it again - we ran into the cows as well (not literally) but they were off to one side giving the grass a scare.

I actually worked up there as a ranger many years ago and used to drive that road twice per week. Back then it was dirt most of the way so you can imagine the fun. Never was that much traffic though as it's become quite popular lately. I used to drive it mostly at night which was better as you could see the lights coming a fair way away.

Let me know if you're interested in going up again - I was going to organise an 'official' VW weekend drive soon but probably an informal one would be just as good.

Will do Phalynx! Must say that, even though it was daylight, I wish more people would drive with their lights on on roads like those - gives that extra bit of visibility that helps with the reaction time. Have a nice week!

[MGV]

... displayed the usual arrogance that weekend motorcyclists love to show.

Careful, phalynx, a few bikers on here that, like me, dislike being tailgated by a car immensely... Hope you aren't stereotyping... I will slow down, change back a gear or two & slow even more if another motorist tailgates me unnecessarily. On the bike or in Tiggy.

Nevertheless, sounded like a good run!...

[Phalynx]

Careful, phalynx, a few bikers on here that, like me, dislike being tailgated by a car immensely... Hope you aren't stereotyping... I will slow down, change back a gear or two & slow even more if another motorist tailgates me unnecessarily. On the bike or in Tiggy.

Nevertheless, sounded like a good run!...

No not stereotyping but if you sit on my ass for a few km's then overtake me on a corner, on a single white line, then proceed to go slow, I'll tailgate you and you deserve it. He did it simply because he could and knew I couldn't get round him - showing off to his mates behind (who sat back and rode normally). Most weekend motorcyclists are good - out for a relaxing ride or catch up with friends - but there are a few who over do it. You only have to come up to Mt Tamborine or Canungra for a weekend to see what I mean (for both examples of riders).

[Captain Bungers]

I'm with you Phalynx. I live on a tourist route and my town is a favourite weekend destination - I see this sort of thing all weekend. I just have to add that it isn't just motorcycles but people in cars with their heads up their bums as well

[MGV]

No not stereotyping but if you sit on my ass for a few km's then overtake me on a corner, on a single white line, then proceed to go slow, I'll tailgate you and you deserve it. He did it simply because he could and knew I couldn't get round him - showing off to his mates behind (who sat back and rode normally). Most weekend motorcyclists are good - out for a relaxing ride or catch up with friends - but there are a few who over do it. You only have to come up to Mt Tamborine or Canungra for a weekend to see what I mean (for both examples of riders).

Fair call, & though i do see a bit of that behaviour, i wouldn't call it 'typical', & that's what prompted me to reply... Usually one or two out there to spoil it & give us a bad rep...
Cheers.