Formula Extreme - for large road bikes with limited modifications. Won by an R1 ridden by Kevin Curtain very convincingly. The Bandits were there but not doing a whole lot.

SuperMono - take any single cylinder engine and bolt it into a race bike frame and away you go.

400cc Production - numerous 400cc high revving sporties

250cc Production - Aprilia RS250’s verses RGV 250s - the RGV showed it’s age.

Classics - all sorts of great oldies - the bikes were getting on a bit as well - convincingly won by a Vincent Black Shadow lapping at 2.35mins as compared to the best R1 at 2.15mins - bloody impressive to watch.

Post Classic and Forgotten Era - this just seemed to be an excuse to race anything that didn’t fit into any other formula. Taken out by an extremely quick Katana 1100, much to Pogos liking.

BEARS - British, European & American Racing Series - race anything you want as long as it isn’t Jap - everything from Aprilia 250’s up to BMW R series purpose built racers.

Formula Bathurst - This was another excuse to race anything you fancied but the highlight of the weekend was the final 2 hour endurance race - complete with pit stops, rider changes, wheel changes and teams running out of fuel - a real treat.

Sidecars - many nutters trying to kill there supposed mates - a real crowd pleaser.

On top of all this excellent racing there were large screens to view the action when the bikes were out of view - they showed bike type videos at night. Each lunchtime there was a good stunt show by a rotund Scotsman called Bolger sponsored by Donut King. The RAAF Roulettes visited us on Sat and Sun. At night live bands playing in 3 different spots and over two nights - then there was motocross under lights where the youngsters amazed a lot of the old road racers and showed them a whole new way of riding around a circuit.

The campground was well run and very peaceful - no behaviour problems and lots of families there. It was a real shame that the FIM decided to put Philip Island on the same weekend - that must of lowered the crowd numbers - hopefully the organisers made enough money to put in on again next year - it was a top weekend. (Ed - unfortunately they ran at quite a loss but hope to do it again next year nonetheless)

Monday morning was freezing like every other - my plan for the trip home was different - do a couple of interesting roads and head home as quick as possible. So first it was off on the Western Freeway towards Sydney to do the Putty Road from Windsor to Singleton. The Putty was as much fun as usual and I must take my hat off to an old fellow out for a drive with his family in an ancient Jaguar 420 - he really knew how to drive the old car and it still went like the clappers. On the other hand the young fellow in the Honda Integra Type R who’s car had more talent than he did - my gesture to him as we parted company summed it all up.

From Singleton we took the Freeway back towards Newcastle and then a shocking road to Gloucester - we were in search of Thunderbolts Way - a road the Gympie Moto Guzzi Club had raved about at the Mountain. At Gloucester we lost Pogo who had more time on his hands and went to visit mates on the coast. Once again our maps showed the road as dirt but it turned out to be all new bitumen. The road is a tourist drive 150km north from Gloucester to Walcha - a 150km of fast sweeps and a real delight - I think the fact that the Bandit hit reserve in 150km (the worst economy of the trip) on that section sums it all up. Once again a great alternative route for bikes into and out of NSW. Mal took a while longer to get along Thunderbolts than I did. Midway along I had stopped to see if a Harley that was parked needed any help, but he was only enjoying the view, however by the time Mal reached them 2km up the road they had run out of petrol so being a good fellow Mal told them not to worry, he would get some out of the fuel bowser BMW call a tank. So he flicked out the side stand and started to get off - only to find that it sunk straight into the mud and the whole 400kgs including him rolled on it’s side. It only finished off with a damaged mirror. So much for the good Samaritan act - bloody Harleys.

Now that Mal and I had ridden the Putty and Thunderbolts it was time to hit the main roads and start burning up the miles. That afternoon and evening we joined the trucks on the New England Hwy and let them clear the roos for us. By Tenterfield we succumbed to the intense cold and after 14 hrs called it a day and stopped at the Golfs Inn who I’ve used before, it’s very cheap, warm, and they love bikers.

Next day was the big one - in total we covered 1144kms following the New England and Burnett Hwys and all their holiday traffic up to the coast at Rockhampton. Lots of miles and still fun but by now that "I want to get home" feeling was with us so it became an exercise in distance covering. By now Mals bum and back were killing him and he had taken to putting a towel under the sheepskin on the sagging seat. After tea at Rocky we headed north for Mackay using the trucks as roo scarers - then the rain started - and boy did it rain. 100kms short of Mackay we decided it was just too dangerous and pulled of the Hwy for a very good night’s sleep in the Carmilla Hotel.

The last day dawned even wetter than the night before. We heard rumours of the Tully River flooding - would I be able to get across the Mulgrave - there was nothing for it, but to go for it. Luckily it only lasted about 200km but those 200kms were very unpleasant. Next came 400km of threatening weather but nothing really heavy and of course lots of traffic - well it was the Bruce Hwy. As we passed through Ayr, Mal was glued to my rear wheel as usual but as we came out the other side he was nowhere to be seen. I assumed the old fellow was suffering from incontinence and would catch up if I slowed up and eventually he did - but he looked bit taller in the saddle. At the next fuel stop I found out why, passing through Ayr he was really in pain when he saw a camping shop, skidded the RT to stop outside, threw out the stand and with the engine still running, ran into the shop picked up a camping pillow, threw $5 at the stunned shopkeeper telling her to keep the change , ran back to the bike stuffed the pillow under his sheepskin on top of the towel and did his best to wheelstand the RT down Ayr’s mains street. No wonder he looked taller in the saddle.

As soon as we reached Cardwell I knew we were almost home as it poured down - making the last 200km the wettest of the whole trip. The spray and pot holes combined to make it probably the most dangerous of the trip - but once again Mal had the RT stuck to my back wheel.

All in all it was an epic trip - short but fun - the Bathurst Easter Festival was a real treat and if it goes ahead next year it deserves supporting - I know I will be there - staying in a warm motel next time thought.

For the number crunchers - in 6 1/2 days riding I covered 5,498km using 397.97 litres of fuel costing a total of $323.81 with an average cost per litre being 85.2 cents - the cheapest being 77.2 cents in Innisfail and the most expensive being 94.6 cents at Coolah in NSW. My average fuel consumption was 14.47km per litre. The Bandit used no oil with the only problem being one handlebar weight vibrating off on day 2. I started the trip with a new set of Michelin Macadam X90’s, the rear wore from 7mm down to 3.5mm the front from 4.5mm down to 3mm.

Start planning now - see you in Bathurst next Easter

Pom