Rudge Rally
• 21-22 March, 2021 – Cootamundra, NSW
Based at the Cootamundra Caravan Park, 25 beautiful Rudge motorcycles gathered on the Friday afternoon for a meet and greet and were checked in by Peter and Gayle Scott for registration. Saturday morning we departed under cloudy skies and travelled to the pleasant little outlying village of Stockinbingal for a morning tea stop where we were greeted by many locals. We then travelled to Temora where we visited the Rural Museum which abounds with a fantastic collection of machinery, stationary engines, an historic Fire Brigade shed, tractors, a blacksmith’s shop, printing works and many other items of interest from the past that have been given homes for future generations to appreciate. It’s a great initiative by the Temora Council and manned by local volunteers. Lunch was enjoyed by our group and wet weather gear donned for the journey home on some lovely picturesque back country roads which I am sure were enjoyed by our city visitors. The Saturday evening dinner and presentations and trivia night rounded off the day’s events in style.
The Sunday run went to Jugiong and return, in some pretty second hand weather which wiped away the predeparture smiles. A warm up cuppa saw us head back to Cootamundra when the smiles returned as we were greeted by locals Graham and Robyn
Snape at their premises that has a huge shed/workshop which houses some unique and interesting vintage race cars. Graham and Robyn are members of the Cootamundra Antique Motor Club and generously provided lunch, helped by other members of the Car Club who also acted as back-up drivers and rescue crew for the rally.
The organisers Graham, Matt and
Peter Goodwin and family members did a wonderful job of putting together the Rally to celebrate the 111th year of the Rudge Motorcycle. Rudges were manufactured in Coventry England and various models in differing capacities were produced up until the breakout of WW2 in 1939 when production ceased so the factory could manufacture radar equipment for the war effort. The Rudge marque had a colourful racing pedigree along with engineering feats such as 4-valve radial cylinder heads. It was a fabulous nostalgic weekend with friends old and new. A big thank-you to Graham Goodwin for once again loaning me his 1930 350cc TT Replica that was once owned by Ken Watson from Cootamundra.
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