Fifth Report

Friday 27th March - Byron Bay to Peak Crossing
Through the tropical mountains again in the Gold Coast Hinterland, heading for my Unlce's farm at Peak Crossing. Another stunning ride and the trip just keeps getting better. Crossed the border into QLD and set our clocks back 20 years. The roads were small backroads winding through rainforest. We stopped for a walk and an explore at Natural Bridge where a waterfall spills into a glowworm infested cave. It was quite beautiful. We arrived at Peak Crossing at about 12.30. It was a trip down memory lane for me being at the farm again. Steve and his son Michael called in and I haven't seen Steve for about 40 years. We spent the night at the farm and took Colin to the Peak Pub for tea, cut his lawns and fixed his Smoke alarm. It was a great night and he is a great character. I saw a side of him that I have never seen before. He is really an 81 year old rascal, and is still working the farm. All continues to go well for us, and best wishes to all who are following our adventure.

Thursday 26th March - Casino to Byron Bay










This was a real short run to Byron Bay, and we arived just before lunch. The lighthouse marks the most easterly point of the mainland, and we took a number of photos there. The town is very trendy, and we had to walk around for half an hour just to find someone fully dressed or over fifty! We camped in among a bunch of young revellers, and the cops turned up at about 1.00 am top sort out those who were climbibng trees and making a racket. I'm clearly too old for all that stuff, as we were in bed by 9.30. We heard that Marcelo arrived safely home today, after two long days.

Wednesday 25th March - Armidale to Casino
We left Armidale in fog, but it soon cleared, and the temperature quickly rose. Once again great roads and magnificent scenery. We stopped at the huge and spectacular Wollombi Falls and again at Ebor Falls, which are bioth on what is known as Waterfall Way. After Gafton we knew that we were in the tropics. Vegatation became lush and the humidity picked up. It fanttastic to see so much greenery again. At Casino we stopped overnight in a park established on an old airfield, where they run speed trials on the old runway. There's a bike meeting there next weekend. I'm sorry to report that Teddy who is accompanying us played up on the night that we were at Casino and got quite smashed. We have pictorial evidence of this shamefull episode, and I've had stern word with him. Steve has has some drama at home, but as I type this on Saturday, all has been resolved. He hasn't been in the spirit of the trip over the last couple of days, but is back with us now.

Fourth Report

Some Personal Achievements

Marcelo
Longest showers, most wee stops, and never to be allowed to lead again. He shot up to well above the speed limit and could not be caught. Good luck on your long solo ride home mate. We will miss you and our muttimeter (read on!)

Fish
Fish is our shield against all that goes wrrong, because it all happpens to him.. Dropped his bike in a car park on the way to Omeo, had his CB fall onn the road at 110 km/h, broke his tent pole, n got chased by the cops at Woolongong.. He has spilled a glass of red on Marcelo, and today set fire to his bike.. While he is around, we are safe. Fish has excelled himself even further. while sitting around having breakfast at Rockhampton, a Noisy Miner (bird) flew out of a tree, circled over Fish, crapped on his head, and flew back into the tree. We tried to explain that it means good luck, but he's not convinced!

Steve
Our own "Captain Slow". Dropped his bike in a car park at Keith, and has had two goes at gettingit to run well. All is OK now. Steve also got attacked by a Kookaburra near Sale. It came out of a tree when were doing 100km/h, hit his helmet, and went back to his tree. Who knows what it would have done to him it it had got him into the tree!!

Pete
Snores like you would not believe, and keeps forgetting to lock his top box, threatening to spread his most valuables all along the highway. I needed to stop to change a battery in my com-set and having unloaded every piece of luggage on teh side of the road, couldn't find one. I knew I had them. After 10 frustrating minutes, I gave up, and Fish found the spare in my first bag that he looked in. (He insisted that I inlcude that piece of trivia)

Tuesday 24th March - Singleton to Armidale (Mild Disaster Day)
After a early night and an early morning we headed off. As we were stopping for breakfast, Fish got a bit excited as smoke poured from his left side switch block, as the headlight circut burned out. Steve got him going again and we decided to head for Armidale, the biggest town likely to have the necessary parts to make permenant repairs.. A good look during a long lunch sttoop failed tto find the problem. We have arrived at Armiidale at about 6.00 after a most beautiful ride for 180 km along a vallley stretching from Maitland to Armidale and known at Buckets Way and Thunderbolts Way. Steve and Fish are trying to fix the bike as I update the blogg, do the shopping and get tea going. Despite the problems, its been a fantastiic day and we remain in high spirits.. Fish's bike is mobile, but the headlight doesn'tt work, and there is a deep and well concealed electriical problem.

Monday 23rd March - Woolongong to Singleton
All we wanted to do was bypass Sydney, but the road around was utterly stunnng. Found a beautiful lookout in the Blue Mounttains National Park overlooking the Nepan River, and then set off on the Putty Road, one of the best M/Cycle roads in NSW. It lived up to its reputation and was a great 180 km ride. Half way we stopped at a beaut little Tea Room where we had carrot cake and tea.. Very civilliize. Pizza for tea at Singleton, an the weather continues to be good to us,, with clear skies and 30 degrees.

Third Report

Sunday 22nd March - Batemans Bay to Woolongong
We woke to a fine day and rode the highway straight o Woolongong, arriving at around 1200 midday. The traffic started to get heavy despite being Sunday and 150km from Sydney. Marcelo left us today to head on to Sydney and home. We were sad to see him go and wish him well for his solo return trip home. Our Caravan Park is overpriced and pretty basic. Caught up on some laundry and then went to a local pub fro a couple of drinks before heading to my friends place for a beautiful evening meal and good conversation. The everning is threatningn rain, with thunder and lightning. We hope the night passes without a storm.

Saturday 21st March - Jindabyne to Batemans Bay
We left Jindabyne at around 0900 and headed across the plateau to Cooma and then down the mountains to Bemboka. These roads wer stunning, and much like the Ottway ranges, as they wound down the mountain and throuhg spectacular forrests. We followed the coast north through fishing towns and rode into Batemans Bay mid afternoon. The park is right on the waters edge. Being Marcelos last night, we had fish and chips on a restarount on the water, at what is said to be the best fish and chip shop in Australia. We spent the night chatting with friends we met at Jindabyne, and who gave us some tips for a route through the ranges north of Sydney. Nice folk, who originally came from Walcha, NSW and who ride bikes, so they have some idea of the type of roads we are keen to ride.

Friday 20th March - Jindabyne










This was down as a rest day. In the morning we did some laundry, and shopping. I copied my photos to CD and posted them home, so photos are on the way! We rode to the top of Charlotte Pass, which is the highest paved road isn Oz, where we admired the view and boiled the billy for a cuppa. The road and the scenery were stunning. We had a slack afternoon, chatting with campers and fishermen. Tea was cooked my Marcelo, and we had spagetti bog, made with 2 minute noodles and tinned sauce. It was surprisingly good, and followed by apple pie and cream. We are looking after ourselves quite well. Steve has replaced the plugs on his bike, and reset the computer, and it's now going like a doctored cat. Tomorrow we hit the road again.......

Second Report

Thursday 19th March - Mt Beauty to Jindabyne
Another stunning ride, but this time across the Snowy Mountains. This trip just keeps on getting better. Massive mountains, ferny gullies and esxciting twisting roads. We needed to stop at Albury so Steve could get some advice on a miss that his bike has developed. He has got some new plugs and instruction on how to reset the computer, and that will be his job for tomorrow. We have a rest day tomorrow so we have bookin in for two nights. Again we are near the water on sites overlooking Lake Jindabyne. It's been a glorious day with bright sun and mild riding conditions. We have jsut come back from buying our groceries, and tea tonight it spagetthi bog, and apple pie and cream, all washed down with a white wine. We won't be going hungry yet.

Wednesday 18th March - Bairnsdale to Mt Beauty
WOW, WOW, WOW. God who made the mountains has got together with the folk who build roads and both have consulted with motorcyclists in the construction details of todays ride. Today was STUNNING. 197 km of twisting, winding roads with the most stunning of mountain scenery. Drag out your maps and have a look! We took it quite steady and had lots of photo stops, and met with another motorcyclist doing the run was well. The last 3o km leg from Bright to Mt Beauty was across the Tawonga Gap, and we gave it a bit of stick through there, as the road was just crying out to be ridden with "vigour". Our camp at Mt Beauty was on the banks of a river, with the tents just ten feet from the water, and we were serenaded all night by the gurgling stream. We shared out dinner and drinks with Greg from Coffs Harbour, was was exploring the area as well. He thought his $8 share for drinks, meal and entertainment (us) was good value. We were all very tired and in bed by 9.30, a very respectable time for old men.

First Report

Tuesday 17th March - Wonthaggi to Bairnsdale.
We had rain overnigh and had a wet pack in the morning. We rode the Cape Paterson road, described at the Little Ocean Road, and then just laid down miles to Bairnsdale. The weather just got better all day, and it was our first fine day of riding. Fish lost his CB radio at 110 km/h when it jumped out of its cradle, but it survived the 100m slide down the road and still works OK. The radios have been great, as we can chat, the lead rider can warn of hazards, and Tail End Charlie can warn of overtaking vehicles. We arrived at Bairnsdale early, and did some washing and shopping. We have the shopping down to a fine art and can now get meat vegies and some wine,a nd breakfast for about $8.00 per head. A quiet night and early to bed and the old boys were all a bit tired.

Monday 16th March - Apollo Bay to Wonthaggi
More rain..... Despite the weather the GOR is a spectacular ride. At Torquay, Fish and Marcello had a "coming together" and bike Fish's pannier and tore Morcello's pannier bag. Temporary repairs got them going again and it was not serious. The weather finally cleared int eh afternoon. We caught the ferry across the mouth of the bay to bypass Melbourne and pressed on the Wonthaggi for our first night camping. Another entertaining night in the camp kitchen with three young Italian bike riders here on holiday. The just about worshiped us as old experienced riders, and gave us a "T" shirt for their club, all written in Italian and which we suspect is very rude!

Sunday 15th March - Mt Gambier to Apollo Bay
Drizzle and huge side winds all day, and that was the good bits! Steve had never been along the Great Ocean Road, so se stopped at the essential tourist spots at Loch Ard Gorge and the 11 Apostles. Masses of tourists, and helicopters buzzing around like blowies on roadkill. The scenery is spectacular, but the fun went out of it through the Ottway Ranges when we struck torrential rain, so heavy we almost had to pull over. It continued until Apollo Bay, and again camping was out of the question. We got two rooms at the pub (basic is an understatement) and had expensive food in the bar and some expensive wine, but spent an entertaining evening on the balcony overlooking the bay. The staff locked our bikes in the Drive Through Bottle Shop for us, so they were dry and secure.

Saturday 14th March - Adelaide to Mt Gambier

Were sent off my family and friends at 8.00 am and headed down freeway for Keith, were we stopped for morning tea. From there we turned south and had lunch at Naracoorte. Up until this point the weather had been fine, but it soon started raining and we had heavy rain all the way to Mt Gambier. Camping was out of the question, so we hired a cabin at the caravan park. We cooked at BBQ tea in the camp kitchen and spent the evening with a big mob celebrating an 80th birthday. Despite the weather the day went well, and we had no leaks in our wet weather gear and no breakdowns.

We're Almost Off....

This is my last post before we go. The planning and anticipation is over, and it's almost time for action as Fish, Steve, Marcelo and myself count down the last few days before we head off on the great adventure. There is a small chance that an issue at work could delay my departure, and I’m hopeful it will be resolved. At 8.00 am on Saturday 14th March we ride off, with Mt Gambier being the first leg of our trip. Unfortunately the weather forecast is for showers, so we may have a wet start to the trip.


The showers in Victoria have helped control the devastating fires, and part of our journey will be through affected areas. I expect it to be an unsettling experience, as we pass through areas where people have lost everything, including family members, while we enjoy a holiday. The floods in Queensland have subsided to a point where all roads that we are hoping to take are open with caution. Tropical Cyclone Hamish, which developed a few days ago, does not seem to have closed roads yet, and is still off shore and weakening. We will monitor conditions carefully as we get closer to the affected areas, and avoid them if wind and rain make conditions dangerous.


Here's a couple of photos of my Yamaha XJR1300 fully loaded and ready to go.















I have a little Teddy Bear who has always traveled with me, and he sits on top of the headlight and behind the windscreen where he gets a good view of the road ahead.

I ask that you remember not only us in your prayers, but also our wives and families at home who will be worrying about our welfare.


Watch this space as the adventure now unfolds.......
Pete "Keeping the shiny side up"