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Dec 26 - cont.: Melbourne to Sale
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Sunshine, briefly. As I walked out of the Internet Cafe, I spotted a glowing
ball in the sky. Overcome by shock, I blinked, and it was gone. I decided to
push on back towards the coast and see what was around.
Followed the main highways as it was getting darker and wetter by the
minute. The roads coming in and out of Melbourne are great. Plenty of room
and the drivers aren't too bad either. Plenty of bikes.
As it started getting wetter, I cancelled plans to head for the coast and
instead decided to head for Sale.
By this time the roads were getting _really_ slippery. I don't think they've
had rain on the roads for months. Many of the country corners I was going
around at slower than the advisory signs suggested. I was continually
coaching a slipping front wheel through corners.
Anyway, you can guess the next result. I dropped the bike in the middle of a
little country town. I don't really know what happened. Travelling along at
around 50km/h, fairly heavily banked, but straight road in the centre of
Meeniyan, I looked up to see my bike sliding along the road in front of me.
Luckily, little damage to rider or bike (bent brake lever, right foot peg
and scratched pannier and fairing).
Feeling sorry for myself, I wandered into Sale and found a motel room for
the night.
27th Dec: Sale - Sydney
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The plan for today was to stop at Eden or one of the lower south coastal
towns. As usual, I woke to find grey skies above and lots of wet stuff on
the ground. Suiting up again, I wandered off along the coastal highway.
Today was full of tourists. Not one wanting to do the speed limit. I suppose
this was because of the heavy police presence :) I doubt 15 minutes would go
by without a patrol car with radar going past.
Slowly I crawled up the coast. At Eden, I stopped to play tourist. Spending
some time wandering through the local whaling museum and other local
attractions. It was still raining, before lunch, and not feeling like
putting up a tent, I decided to press on to Ulladulla.
This time the ride was more interesting. I must have seen five or six large
groups of bikes on tour go past. The roads were much better condition on
this side of the border allowing some higher cornering speeds, but still
sticking to the limit as the coppers hadn't decreased in numbers.
Ulladulla was chockers. Not a room or camp site available. It was 2pm, and
still pissing down with rain. I really wanted to stop here because the aim
was to go north through Kangaroo Valley. However, given the weather forecast
and the roads, I decided to make a run for Mum's place in Camden. I'd be
getting there late, but I didn't feel like stopping anymore. Head down, arse
up, right wrist cocked, Sydney here I come.
The rest of the journey was mostly uneventful until I got to Wollongong. I
normally go up Mt Ousley and through the back roads to Camden, but they'd
put in the new intersection near the TAFE which got me all lost. Scrambling
through the Gong at night, in the wet, trying to find the way back
was....errrr... interesting. Finally the saving grace of the Golden Arches
presented themselves and I took the opportunity to stop and regroup. It was
funny watching the expressions on the faces of people as I walked in running
with water and fully clad in bike apparel. A mixture of shock and confusion
("What the hell was a bike doing out in this weather?"). One table for me,
one for the puddle of water that accompanied me like a shadow.
An apple pie and thick shake later and I was on the way. This road I know by
heart. I could have done it with my eyes closed. Actually, it pretty well
was like that anyway. Driving rain, wind, and dark on a country road
normally inhabited by coal trucks. The turn to Douglas Park was a welcome
sign - almost home.
Hi mum! I know its 11pm, and I'm dripping wet, but don't you want to give me
a hug?!
28th Dec - 2nd Jan: Sydney.
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Boring stuff. Visiting friends and relos. NYE's at Milson's Point watching
the fireworks. Couldn't find a 'net terminal (didn't try too hard either...)
so didn't know if there were any rides to join. Took 2 days for the gloves
to dry out after the last few days soaking.
3rd Jan: Sydney - Diamond Beach
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Sunshine!!!!! Real, live, honest to goodness sunshine! Time to go. Paid the
city and many of my old haunting spots a visit on the way north.
Following the coastal theme, I headed along all the coastal roads I could.
Gosford via Peats Ridge. The Entrance and I ended up at Foster. As expected,
the place was full so I headed north up towards Halliday's Point. A great
little out of the way place that I'd been to before. At last, a place to
enjoy the surf....
4th Jan: Diamond Beach - Woody Head
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A gorgeous morning swim with the dolphins in the surf. No kidding, I
wandered out to have a swim and a group of 3 or 4 dolphins popped up in the
area, no more than 20 or 30 metres away. For about 5 minutes they swam
around between me and a board rider playing in the breakers and then headed
on up the beach. What a way to start the day.
Following the coast again I wandered around bits of highway and coastal
roads. Lunch (well, if you can call a Cappuccino and cake lunch) in
Port Macquarie and along the coast we go.
Many years ago, the family had a holiday in Iluka so that was to be the next
port of call. The camping ground there is actually Woody Head, which is a
National Parks place. Again, a long swim and a wander around the headlands
finished of a lovely day.
5th Jan: Woody Head - Kingscliff
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Fairly short ride today. Another early start and followed the coast up to
Byron Bay. As I was looking for a park a guy on a Beemer went the other way
and parked. As the Blackbird is a bit like a truck with Panniers on, I gave
up, mounted the footpath and parked the bike next to a lamp post. The two of
us wandered across to the Pub across the road (can't remember the name, but
apparently it used to be owned by Strop - Paul Hogan's early partner in
comedy crime).
We spent the next couple of hours sitting there enjoying beers, lunch and
the copious quantities of eye candy.....
Anyway, back to this beemer. It was an 84 model K100 that had 29,000km on
the clock. The guy had owned it since new (Prior to that he'd had a Cosak
and a Moto Guzzi!) and it was in immaculate condition. Looking up through
the injectors and engine, there was not a speck of dust to be found. Glen
was really great to chat with. Filled me in on all the local rides around
Southern QLD. Very handy knowledge.
Wandered up the coast looking for a place to park my bod for the evening and
found it at Kingscliff. Wonderful thunderstorm that evening. Spent the
entire time walking around Kingscliff and the beach in nothing other than
boardies and sunglasses while it pissed down with rain.
6th Jan: Kingscliff - Nth Stradbroke Island.
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Glen's knowledge from the day before was wonderful. I took off bright and
early for the Gold Coast hinterland. Heading up through Natural Bridge (A
must see waterfall and rainforest area), Canungra and Nerang, I started
getting into the hang of the corners again. It was still a little slippery
(early morning and still dew on the road).
Leaving Nerang I headed up through Meerberaga where I quickly come across
the tail of a group of 3 riders. The front one was on a Bandit, but was
obviously a learner as it was going through corners very upright, lots of
front brake into and around them etc. After a couple of clicks just trailing
along with them, one bike decides to break away so I decide to follow it.
What followed was a wonderful ride through leaf, twisty roads. The guys was
a bit slower than I could go, but that didn't worry me as I just hung around
the back of him enjoying the roads and scenery.
My fellow rider pulls up at the top of the hill next to a guy on a ZZR 1100.
Quick intros and I discover that they are out and about taking the Bandit
rider through some twisties to teach her how to corner. Seems she's learnt
to ride out in the flat, straight outback of QLD and didn't know how to go
around a corner.
Finally the other two join us, intros complete and I'm invited to tag along.
The ZZR guy had worn 207GPs on, so that was a good sign :) I basically spend
most of the day tagging these guys around with the ZZ and I sitting at the
front of the pack taking the corners at well above legal speed limits (Most
of the roads here are marked as 60 or 80!)
Lunch at the Uki pub and a few other bikes join us. From memory, there was a
CBR600, FJ1100, couple of BMWs and a TLS at various times.
Back at Murwillumbah, I split and head north again. Visited Surfers Paradise
and the Gold Coast but the aim was for Straddie (another family holiday spot
from years ago). Catching the 5:30 ferry, I wander around trying to find a
camp site. Finally find one at Adder Rock where I was going to squeeze in
between a couple of other tents. Upon rolling my bike into the tents (can't
get cars there), one of the potential neighbours wanders out. "Fucking
gorgeous bike mate!". "Thanks". "Hey, listen, I've got a spare tent here
tonight, and a cold beer. Are you interested?"
Spent the evening with Glen and Charlene enjoying beer and swapping bike
stories. He owns a 1955 Honda 100 and used to do a lot of cruising on the
back of a Harley with a mate. More wonderful discussions and some great tips
on places to stay and ride further up north.
7th Jan: Stradbroke - ? (Noosa Heads?)
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Up early again, another wonderful swim and hit the ferry. Share the ferry
ride with a couple of custom Harleys and the riders from the Highway 61 M/C
club. Don't know much about them, but the old Harley V's everyone else
attitude prevailed. Tried to chat, but didn't get far :(
So I now find myself in Brizzie looking around. The goal for tonight is to
head to Noosa Heads and spend the next few days crawling up the coast, but
taking many of the inland roads to get there.
End of Part c - Stay Tuned for Justin's
next on-the-road update (Part D)
Justin Couch
On Tour Around Oz - By Bike!
97 CBR 1100XX
90 KR-1S
Stereo on Wheels: Doof-Doof Boy.
Look for the blue hair and a motorbike.... |
