NSW Hunter Valley Weekend

[Guest cul08r]

HUNTER VALLEY OBSERVATION RALLY/WINETASTING/MEGA CRUISE

MAY 29 - 30, 2004

Saturday’s Plan:

The official meeting point for the start on Saturday will be the Old Toll Booths at Berowra, the same meeting point as the last Obs Rally that I organised, last year. The Gregory’s street directory reference is MAP 133, J9. It’s a 9am arrival, group hug at 9.20am, first cars leave just after that. There will be indemnity sheets to sign at the driver briefing, and you will then be sent off on a relaxing drive up the Old Pacific Highway. This is just to get you into the mood.

We are then meeting at the Caltex Northbound just past the Wyong exit on the F3 at about 10.15 and leaving there as soon as you get instructions from me. You will receive a document that must be completed to the best of your ability while following a precise route. It’s all about looking for things on and around the road. Then planning to arrive at Highway Ford about 11.40 for a 20 min break and group photo at about 12 midday. Then it's a short trip to Cessnock through stage 2 of the rally. You will be getting your own lunch at this time, and the route will eventually (depending on map reading skills and any remaining relationship communication) lead you to the Potters Brewery for check-in at about 1pm. After a short rest we will be leaving the Brewery for our wine tasting afternoon at McGuigans starting at 2.30pm.

When we arrive at McGuigans, we will be treated to private wine tasting in their cellars. There will be approximately 6 – 8 wines tasted. Cost $2.20 per person. At about 3.30 pm we will indulge in Cheese Tasting at the Hunter Valley Chese Co next door, then it’s on to Fudge Tasting at Bella.

Man, what an afternoon! Then we head slowly (via the back roads) (TIC) back to the Potters Brewery for a fantastic selection of food in their Bistro.

Sunday’s Plan:

Well I will be fresh, ‘cos I don’t drink! But some of you may be nursing sore heads as we plan to leave the accommodation at about 9.30am. I have planned for a tour of the brewery facilities at 9am. We will then be driving north west for a while, hopefully eventually planning to get onto the Putty Road and head south. Depending on more precise plans, there will be a lunch stop and the plan is to end the cruise somewhere around Windsor. I would estimate depending on stops that this will be about 3pm.

Accommodation:

The accomodation has been confirmed. Please read below for options and book the

location yourself.

Location: POTTERS BREWERY

Allandale Road, Nulkaba (02) 4991 7922

Quote: 'Fordxr6turbo' for the special rates

The Potters Brewery has 3 levels of accomodation. The first is a twin room, with

2 single beds. The next is the Queen room with a queen size bed, and the last is

a King room with a king size bed. There are 9, 8 and 11 of each available

respectively, and the prices are $130 for the twin and $145 for either Queen or

King suites. BOOK NOW, DON'T DELAY. All units have DVD players and A/C. Tea will

be in the dining room similar to the Snowys cruise, and Breakfast will be of a

similar arrangement. Prices for tea are from $11 to the mid $20s, and it's about

$11 ea for a full breakfast. I will post the menu shortly. There's a relaxing

lounge bar with a fireplace too, if it's chilly.

Who is coming?

Trumpy + Christine

DucatiJB +1

WhiteTee +1

BCL + Joyce

Twinxrs +1

XR6ikness +1

XR6IKNESS’s friends

Crisso (single)

Krash (possible +2)

Ken24T +1

Lord Cyric

Dankman +1

Phantomxr6 + Karen

Scruffman +1

XR64T + Melissa

NYOPA +1

Honest Gaza + Mariella

XRSex + 1

XRSEX’s friends

Turbo6man + Therese

CITRIC + Georgie

GEESEMAN + Kath

VOY74656

ZATHRIS + 1

SATURDAY: Keith G (sat only)

Keith’s friend in XR6T(?)

SUNDAY: Scootre family (Sunday)

Edited 18/05/04 11:15 PM by Trumpy

[DBOSS]

G'day andrew

my suggestion would be to cruise up on the sat do a bit (or a lot) of wine tasting stay the night and rally or cruise on the sunday rather the wine taste on the sunday as it doesnt take to me samples to be over the limit just a suggestion :banghead:

[Geeseman]

What xr6ikness says sounds pretty good to me. Getting there will take up most of saturday, so we might as well spend the rest of it tasting as we will be done with driving, and then we can cruise around on sunday.

Looking forward to it!

[saleen]

Um. I think I voted for the right one. I heard one of you Central Coast boys mention this on the cruise, sounds like fun. I think something similar to the snowy trip would be good. Meet up day before, Bourbon Tasting that night, then cruise on the Sunday. For the likes of where I'm located, I'd probably need the Monday for my travel back day given the distance.

Don't let this idea fade, I think it would be a great cruise.

BTW - What kind of roads are we looking at??? Windy as the snowies?

Cheers,

Rob

[NYOPA]

OK.. this is something I know a lot about.... wine.

So my suggestion is, an early morning sat start, maybe 8 am and up to the hunter where we do a few wine tastings probably 4 vineyards and then a stop for the evening, dinner drinks etc.

Sunday would be a late start around 10, so that those people from syd could drive up and join us for a long day cruising around the Putty rd etc.

Let me know if you want to taste as I am a member at a few vineyards and can get us private tastings, also some discounts on accom as a friend of mine owns a resort up there.

my 2 cents worth

[Cro]

Obs rally before wine tasting.

Do obs rally Saturday, go wine tasting sat night, cruise home via putty on Sunday.

The last obs rally was awesome, and so will putty road.

Drinking with every one was awesome too. This way you can fit everything into one weekend.

[Antisocial]

Classic 5 choices all with one vote each....good luck Andrew. :lol:

I would like to bring the wife and kiddies next time so vote for a day trip, but can just come for the day again like the snowy trip...

[ms700]

Exactly the same as Jindy would be cool. Kirsty will definately enjoy the winery bit...... She could probably make some calls to some wineries if needed, as she is a liquor rep!

Lets get another cruise happening pronto!

[Trumpy]

I reckon we cruise up via the old road, then through wollombi to the hunter. Do some wine tasting in the afternoon, have dinner and drinks, then cruise home via the putty. An observation rally on the sunday cruise home would also be cool, although some may be a bit dusty the morning after the night before.

Observation rally on the Saturday through wollombi may be the go.

But yes, lets get on to it. I'll even bring the minister for wine tasting this time.

[NYOPA]

I reckon we cruise up via the old road, then through wollombi to the hunter. Do some wine tasting in the afternoon, have dinner and drinks, then cruise home via the putty. An observation rally on the sunday cruise home would also be cool, although some may be a bit dusty the morning after the night before.

Observation rally on the Saturday through wollombi may be the go.

But yes, lets get on to it. I'll even bring the minister for wine tasting this time.

Yep.. what Trumpy said!