AusTouring.com

3 days in Northern NSW

OneOff — Sun, 05 Sep 2010 10:16:25 GMT

I posted this over on Stromtroopers, so some of you may have already read it. Glitch has asked me if I would add it to ride reports here on AusTouring which I'm happy to do.

I hope you enjoy it,
Pete.

.................................................. .................................................. .......
3 days in Northern NSW

Haven't been on a decent ride since the Urunga gathering and it was well past time I fed the riding beast. With the show holiday on the Gold Coast it was the perfect time to do something about it. A couple of nights with Googlemaps and I'd come up with a rough plan.

There is a link to the route on Googlemaps at the end of day 3.

I really enjoy riding alone.
It's always good riding with friends and I like that too but when you are on your own you will always get more photos because it's easier to turn around and go back for that shot, there's always the option to see where that side track will take you and total strangers will stop what they are doing and take the time to talk to you.
But, there's no doubt the risk factor is higher on your own, small get-offs can turn into big problems when there's no-one there to pick you up. So I ride like the old grandpa that I am, I don't push my limits, I like to just dodder along and take it easy. 300 klm is a big day for me. So yeah, I like riding alone.

You'll notice a lot of my photos have a bit of the screen or some of a mirror in them, Traveling Strom showed us a great idea, the camera lives on a strong lanyard around my neck, not in a pocket or tankbag. So to take a pic, pull in the clutch, swing up the camera, click and away you go. 15 seconds, tops. You may sometimes lose on quality but you can make it back with quantity, however I'm quite happy with the quality of these.

So, on with the show. Text referring to pictures will be above the photo.

Meet Fat Suzy. All packed up and ready to go. Clean too. Suzy thinks her arse looks big in this.

7:30 and on the road out to Canungra. This hill was on fire a few weeks back.

First fuel stop at Beaudesert.

Mt Lindsey. Some of my favorite scenery through here

Palen Creek Prison Farm. If ever I'm naughty enough to have to go to jail, I hope it's got a nice view.

The Mt Lindsey Highway is a great bike road, great twisties and great views. A good day ride from Brisbane.

They were re-surfacing the road at the border crossing. Had a chat to the nice lollipop lady. I'm sure we would have had a lovely conversation except I couldn't hear a word she said on account of my earplugs.

Then on into NSW and Woodenbong and on to Beaury Creek road. First dirt for the day.

Tooloom Creek, 11.00 am. Time for smoko. The bridge is too old and rickety for heavy vehicles to use so they ford the creek next to it. The water was about half a metre deep so I opted for the bridge, it rattled and shook even when I went over it.

There are gaps in this bridge big enough to lose your boot through.

how's the serenity... no electricity grid, no traffic, no phone service

Crossing the Clarence River. Downstream....

and upstream. It was the first time of many I would cross this mighty river in the next couple of days.

I ran over old mate here, just couldn't avoid him, he just walked out of the gutter and under my front wheel. not a thing I could do.

it was only a tiny bump,I think I may have run over his nose. there was no blood and nothing looked broken so I'm hoping he was ok.

Paddy's Flat Rd - mile after mile of this stuff. this is exactly the sort of road I love on the Strom.

Butch and I sharing a pie, Stopped for a bite to eat at a little take-away in Tabulum. A home made meat pie and tomato sauce (good) and a cup of hot water with a teabag in it (not good).

Overlooking the Clarence River from Plains Station Rd � Tabulum

Plains Station Rd. Going down these roads is like opening an old book you've read years before, these are the roads I used to use when I had beehives in Ewingar Forest in a previous life. Twenty years on and they're exactly the same.

Ewingar State Forest - Deeper into the wilds we go.....

Old Forestry Camp. You get a strong feeling of being a 100 miles from anywhere in Ewingar. It's quite eerie. I've been at this camp at night, not a place I'd care to stay.

your room sir.. shall you be requiring a wake-up call?

North Ewingar Rd. This used to be State forest but I think it's all National Park now. That's why you don't see beekeepers up here anymore. I've been told that Ewingar and Washpool Forests have some of the best examples of old growth forest left in Australia.

takes a lot of concentration to get the big girl through this stuff, I'm glad it's dry, Fat Suzy would never have got through if it had been even a bit wet. This clay is real puggy, it builds up on your wheels and then they stop going around.

Ok, now I understand why the road was not maintained, it's a lot cheaper to just close it.The road got a lot better after here, which was just as well, I wasn't about to turn around and go back after the effort spent getting this far.

Lionsville Rd - Yulgilbar Station. Down off the mountain and onto the flats again

Lions on Lionsville Rd

Small easy water crossing on Lionsville Road but the first one I came to so I thought it worthy of a photo.

The next one; no, I didn't drop it - yes, my Dainese boots leak
Bigger water crossing, but a bit slippery in the middle so the feet went down and the boots filled up. How pretty is this spot?

lots of these sort of bridges around this area. Half road, half bridge, half a mile long.

Carnham Rd - Now this is a pleasant ride. Lovely gentle sweeping twisties on single lane tar for the first few k's and then another 20-30k's of the same but on good gravel. A nice last road of the day.

Mann River Broadwater. My stop for the night. You would pay big bucks for a room with a view like this. This is a free camp.

Morning all. Very happy with my new tent. I can even put my chair in there and read a book if I need to spend a rainy day. $115 well spent.

So a great first day. I'll gather my thoughts and photos and post day two soon.

Thanks for taking the time to look,
Cheers,
Pete.

Ride Report - West Takone

Indie — Sun, 05 Sep 2010 05:46:24 GMT

Well i headed out this morning about 9 ish for some exploring.

I wanted to do some mapping with the gps for Open street maps.I upload a lot of my gpx's here and add to the map.I have mapped Somerset and surrounds but now i am venturing out further.

Here is a map of the route motowhere.com not a bad place to upload gps routes.

Just a few pix

While out i decided to go check ou the Monkey Puzzle Tree and find a geocache while i was there. My first attempt failed as you can see road tyres and moss don't work.

The track back out

Monkey Puzzle Tree

Monkey Puzzle Tree

Just came up this one, bloody slippery.

Okay onwards we go

This is a spot i shall come back to, Mcgowans Falls

Came to a t junction..went right and the track lasted about a k the went to this.

Another 500 mtrs and i decided that the Wee strom is not a mountain goat and wont go up this track with these shoes on.

Back to the t junction and go the other way for about 2 k and come upon this, me thinks it would be bloody fun but not on me own, hard to push bike by self :)

This was another track on the way home, very slippery with road style tyres.

Just the Bush

I also made a shitty video if your interested the music is ok.

Hope you enjoyed my day, i sure as hell did.

TTT Rally

farawayman — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 23:12:27 GMT

I left after work Friday, Derek (Crustyvarmit), had booked us into the pub at Holbrook. A long boring ride, it didn�t matter there was nothing to see . . .
it was dark!
Meanwhile he had taken a leisurely ride north the scenic way exploring and found a few geocaches on the way. Work just seems to get in the way of good rides.

The next morning dawned cool and foggy. Foggy enough that I didn�t want to travel too close behind Derek yet I had trouble keeping him in sight in the fog. Don�t know how he was going with a dark visor. My bike thermometer read -1.5

The sun did come out but the day stayed cool. We had some success finding a few geocaches, one at the little Sydney Harbour Bridge on the old Hume brought back memories of a truck trip many years ago.

Derek suggested a decent meal for lunch at Taralga, before we got to rally site hidden deep in the Blue Mountains National Park. Neither of us knew the way in so we followed others along the dirt roads and fire trails, some good, some steep and some a little slippery. Derek helped push a KLR 650 sidecar up a steep greasy hill, he had problems keeping it straight when the front wheel was off the ground and the stop starting was hard on his clutch.

The rally site was in a tight little valley and flat tent sites were in short supply.

Good to catch up with some people I hadn�t seen for a while and some new friends I had made a couple of weeks earlier at the Off Centre Rally.

Well done to this guy. If he made it you would have thought it was good enough for vstroms. :poke:
I think one did sneak in after dark

And on the back . . .

Our camp

We woke to a fresh morning Sunday,

Even Crusty�s fluffy seat looks cold

Derek told me a Harley made it in once. Apparently he couldn�t get out.
See his rear wheel is still leaning against that tree. :bs

Time to go home, see work gets in the way again.

Found some excellent roads on the way home, looked for a couple of geocaches with no luck before getting serious and joining the Hume again at Jugiong for the dash home with each off us taking the lead every half hour to watch the speedo, while the other had to coast along behind and see the views.

Ride Report - Oldina, Takone Tasmania

Indie — Sat, 28 Aug 2010 05:57:47 GMT

Went out two up with the missus to check out a camp spot for the summer.

Link to MAP

Me practicing my mobile shots

Missus Practicing shots on the move also

Onto the gravel roads

Camping spot found

Cuppa time

And after all that the wee was tired

:bs :poo:

Wet Dream

platypus121 — Wed, 25 Aug 2010 01:12:39 GMT

PROLOGUE - BRISBANE

A trip to Brisbane to visit relatives is an excuse for a ride around some areas of Australia I have not seen before.
After the bike (Arthur) is picked up the fun begins - but not on the road. There are different coloured slips, CTP and
personal insurance to sort out in the correct sequence, all with much proving of identity, then off to the RTA to tie
them all together. Surely a passport, driver’s licence and credit card will be enough to prove identity? No, they
are playing it really safe and a second credit card is required, but I have brought only one with me. One and a
half hours later, after all options have been suggested, investigated and rejected, the supervisor emerges from
the back room, waggles her finger as if scolding a naughty schoolboy and says that she will bend the rules for me.
However, “This is an exception. It will be noted on the records and we won’t be doing this again!” She doesn’t
give me the rego sticker, it must be posted. Bugger waiting another five days, I make up a look-alike label and
display that instead, carrying the receipt in case of observant policemen.

For five days with the rellies, the weather is typically Brisbane, “perfect one day, better the next”, but the day
before kick-off, gardeners and farmers are celebrating to the sound of rain. I am missing my thick waterproof gloves already.

STAGE ONE - WEST
Brisbane to Cunnamulla, 876 km.

http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UT...076a79&t=h&z=8

By morning it clears to overcast with drizzle patches, and it’s out of the northern Brisbane area via the D’Aguilar Highway
where there is a taste of heavy traffic and a lot of time being cautious (ie self-preservation) with trucks on steroids and
the occasional hoon car driver. Later I realize it is a very mild introduction to conditions further down the track.

Crikey a CT ! 2007 with a suspiciously low 18,525km on the clock, tarted up with extra tank, front rack, pannier racks,
extended mirrors, throttle lock and other baubles that might be useful back of Bourke.

Through the picturesque Kilcoy area with its rolling hills, no time for photos while alternating between surfing like a
dolphin on the bow waves of trucks and hitching short-lived rides in their slipstreams through Blackbutt and Lindman to
Yarraman. A State School billboard advises “Fool the Politicians, Lie to the Pollsters” and I wonder how this advice is
reconciled with the straight and narrow that schools like to believe they instill in youngsters.

Road trips mean road food, and it is never too early to start. Yarraman’s RACQ depot doubles as a roadhouse where I
get my first cholesterol overdose when I stop for fuel. The agent comes out and we chat. He gives some advice after
mention of Arthur’s noisy cam chain. He reckons it’s better to have no mechanical knowledge at all, then you don’t worry
about strange engine noises. Hmmm.

No petrol to be had in Yarraman, so on to Cooyar where a global warming 3.96 litres tops the tank and then off again
feeling much cooler around the hands. They soon warm up after I retrieve my gloves from the pumps. On the way to
Dalby the Great Dividing Range is conquered, turning out to be more a series of gentle slopes than the anticipated steep inclines.

Top of the GDR …

Over the range there are rainsqualls to left and right of the gently weaving road. The road is soaked, the ditches are full,
but the one spot where there is no rain remains directly overhead all the way into Dalby. Into the first caravan park to
grab the cheapest on-site van before the rain catches up.

233 kilometers. Not a big day, but enough for a shake-down ride on a Postie as even a sheepskin seat cover can only give
so much relief. Check tyres, chain, oil, nuts and bolts. Already I know that I have too much gear despite cutting back to
what I thought would be the bare minimum. Some is dumped, some selected for posting off, then settle into the van and listen
to noises from the roof.

By morning it clears to overcast with drizzle patches, where have I heard that before, and it’s off to St George, about 315 km
away. Just outside Dalby, a mobile locksmith is parked alongside the road - how convenient, a chance to get a spare key.
Gary and Jim are so enthusiastic about my trip that it takes forty minutes to establish that they don’t have a Honda blank.
As I get ready to leave, Gary asks me to wait while he looks for something, he finds it and presents it to me. It’s a miniature
Bible “to read at night in the tent”. He means well, and not wishing to offend such fine representatives of the locksmithing
trade, I tuck it into a saddlebag, mentally calculating what can be jettisoned to compensate for this added ballast. It stays
there to the end (along with the rabbit’s foot, holy water, and silver bullets) as it could be tempting fate to toss it out.
On a CT you need everyone you can muster on your side.

Ever on the lookout for Australian icons, I am delighted to discover one so soon. Forget kangaroos, kookaburras and koalas :
next to the road rests the true symbol of long distance travel. Closer inspection reveals a fine example of orbis infracts,
with the shredded tread so characteristic of the species. Arthur cannot bring himself to look it in the eye.

How fast to push a Postie? At first I keep to 65kph, but this becomes 70kph to take advantage of a following wind.
Besides, no matter how I try to keep to 65, Arthur creeps up to 70 whenever he can. I decide to let him have his head
and damn the consequences. Are those fine skies ahead?

St George is deceptive. It has a lot more to offer than first meets the eye. I know this because I spend two days here,
mostly in a cabin hiding from waves of torrential rain that pass over every hour or so. Between the deluges are intermissions
when clouds disappear, pavements dry, and it is like it has never rained at all – so long as I keep off the dirt.
During one dry spell the information centre gets a visit.

Not many people know this, but St George has Thirty-Seven tourist Attractions. Thirty-Seven! Powerless before this
abundance, I ask what the two most popular are. The attendant gives me a pamphlet describing all Thirty-Seven Attractions in
detail, then starts describing Attraction One. She leans forward on the counter to get comfortable. I can see she is settling in
for the long haul. She’s word perfect in her spiel and prepared to go to number Thirty-Seven if that’s what it takes, with
Attractions Two and Three already under her belt. I’m on a run-away. I want to shout Whoa! to bring her to a standstill,
but the bit’s between her teeth and I have no reins. It’s going to be a long morning. Attraction Four…Attraction Five…then,
a miracle. Two Grey Nomads creak in the door, and stand dripping on the floor. The galloping mare hesitates, looses her stride.
I take my chance, thank her for the help, pocket the list of Thirty-seven Attractions as proof she has ignited my interest,
and slip out as the door that is still closing behind the GN’s.

A safe distance from Miss Phar Lap, the Thirty-Seven are checked. I had wanted two activities, so with the information
centre counting as Attraction One, just one other from the list will do. A one-ton survey peg, claimed to be the heaviest
in the world, gives a collection of carved emu eggs a run for the money but as it is some distance away and the eggs are
just around the corner, big old peg loses.

Emu eggshells are thick enough to be carved. They have many coloured layers and by carving down to different depths,
multi coloured pictures can be created. I learn this in a room at the back of the shop where the egg collection is displayed
after paying my $3 (refundable if not satisfied) entry fee. The room lights are dimmed and the lamps inside dozens of
eggs are turned on.

The colours are washed out, but the effect is magic. I doubt the artist has many requests for a refund. All done with a penknife.

All this excitement and art appreciation makes me hungry. Something quick and cheap at The Boomerang Caf� provides
what I need without skimping on quality. A real hamburger (with two slices of beetroot) is “Fair Dinkum Value” indeed.
Look at that summer sky behind the caf� – twenty minutes later it is hosing down again.

Good food and exciting Attractions can detain me only so long, and next day I set my sights on Cunnamulla, about 300km
further inland (NZers – imagine Ekatahuna). I don’t make it, ending up in the tiny town of Bollon after only 112km,
but what a ride! The rain at St George clears within a short distance to be replaced by a hailstorm that in twenty minutes
batters through my so-called Dri-Rider jacket and into certain personal spaces. I’m starting to wonder what it’s all about
when “ADVENTURE before DEMENTIA” on a caravan spare wheel cover splashes by and provides the answer.

At Bollon there are no cars on the roadside - they are parked under the verandahs of shops as the locals have had warning
from Cunnamulla of the hail. The pub provides sanctuary and after thawing out I spend an interesting four minutes
walking the length of the town.

I’m not the only rider stopped by the hail …

Still, it’s good for some …

Tanks are still almost full, but I decide to top up anyway. This lot didn’t have unleaded ...

So further down the street to find a notice on the garage door - “Ask at the caf� for petrol”.

The owner of the caf� at the other end of the town is happy to drive down to pump for me, even after being warned
it will be a fairly small sale. She realizes how small when I part with $5.50, but we have a good talk and I return to
her caf� for a coffee. The place is decked out as a shearing shed with wool press, overhead drive for shearing stands,
memorabilia of the good old days, and hand-piece oilcans for salt and pepper shakers …

More long straight roads after Bollon are broken by a laundry generating near miss of an intellectually disadvantaged
emu. It’s ten metres off the road, and walking away from the road, which seems to be a safe separation for passing
one of these dinosaur relics. Wrong. A quick 180 then it charges in front of Arthur. His forks shudder as they
absorb the power of a single leading shoe front brake, and three things flash through my mind : 1) Vector calculations
all giving the same answer - Bugger! 2) What long toes this thing has! 3) Road Runner!

Grasslands before Cunnamulla …

Oxford Hotel, Cunnamulla, better than it looks. Top class food and the cheapest in town …

A Dutch lady in the next room is heading to SA tomorrow in an old Pajero to tackle the Strezlecki Track, solo.
No rescue gear, can’t change a flat, not even the rains have dampened her enthusiasm. I hope the Strezlecki
is also undampened – goed geluk !

On the other side are two NZers from the deep South, working their way to wherever takes their fancy. I ask why
they are in Cunnamulla, and get the reply I have been using to that question, why not? Their ultimate destination
is South America. Again - good luck!

Cunnamulla really is the end of the line …

The outstanding “Cunnamulla Fella” sculpture honors early stockmen who overcame huge difficulties to open up
the land. One of their few luxuries was the occasional trip into town for a few beers. The subject holds his
empty beer mug and gazes wistfully into the distance …

… or, is it at the beer outlet across the street?

Lawnmowers at work in the cemetery …

Local colour on a wall …

To Be Continued ......

Gippy Tootle Sun 22/8/'10

glitch — Sun, 22 Aug 2010 11:15:59 GMT

Edit:
Reference Thread here:
http://www.austouring.com/forum/showthread.php?t=3123

86 shots for the day...heyhey!!
Here are those that sort of turned out ok.

Along the drainage channels near Bayles.... lush green paddocks, a sign of things to come.

Honking along, Mt. Baw Baw in the background..

Getting into the hills and an endless dirt/tar/dirt/tar pattern...

Plenty of fallen trees and branches...

"Crusty"/ Derek leading the pack

TEC Shrek....Goodie trying to catch up

First of the "leg-swinging clowns" :poke::bs

Here's the other one :chug:

Ain't that a tear jerker for backroad-bandits?? :glu:glu

Derek checking out Tracey's rear end

Oh yeah...views across the Latrobe Valley

Glorious little roads EVERYWHERE!!

Part of the Grand Ridge Road....Peter/ VTwin

Andrew/ Haysey

Derek/ Crustyvarmint

...and Guy/ GuyM

Was that the righthander with tar leading in, dirt through the bend and tar on the way out?

Somewhere between Grand Ridge and Thorpedale/ Mirboo North

They sure grow some weird shit around here....

tbc

Beechmont Range, Qld

Herby — Sun, 22 Aug 2010 02:20:15 GMT

Yesterday afternoon and night I rode a loop from Beenleigh (Qld) to Beechmont to Nerang and back to Beenleigh. The ride is one of my favourites and judging by the number of bikes on the road, I'm not along. I rode up to during the afternoon and home (not Beenleigh) late at night after visiting a friend for tea.

I hope this works: Here's a map:

And some pics:

As you can see, the ride is stunning: both the mountains and the view of the Gold Coast at night.

The Cooloola Way (on a road bike)

Herby — Wed, 18 Aug 2010 12:06:04 GMT

I totally love riding the Cooloola Way. It's not a long ride but it's a good one. The road connects Rainbow Beach in the north with Kin Kin in the south. It runs through a mixture of National Park and State Forest Road. From the Cooloola Way you can take a range of other dirt roads to explore the forest, or you can explore the coastal roads between Rainbow Beach and Maryborough in the north or the Noosa Hinterland in the south.

XS650 @ OCR

hunter_greyghost — Mon, 16 Aug 2010 22:01:16 GMT

Just thought I'd post a few photos on the ADVrider site and being a lazy bugger link it!
http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=610785

Hope this is acceptable practice for this Forum

Cheers
Baza:endu

Heaven II

Dalemation — Mon, 16 Aug 2010 03:47:49 GMT

January-March 2010

Episode 1
Adelaide to Buchan

click to view the map.

Firstly a history lesson (and shameless plug!). Way way back in 2008 my soon to be wife and I went to our first SBK round at Phillip Island and figured since we enjoyed it so much we would make it a tradition. 2009 rolled up and we headed there again. This time, however, on arriving at Phillip Island we felt the need to continue riding. And so we set out to the Highlands!

Our trip this year was broken into two parts. The first was a trip back up to the Highlands to for the AusTouring meet at Khancoban and the second was a spin around Tasmania.
At least two things are customary on our trips; Starting a day later than planned and my videos take for ever to be made.
This trip did not escape from custom...
Since we were a day late we by passed the great ocean road and headed straight to Melbourne where we stayed the night with Red's parents.
The following day we headed up to Buchan.

Along the way we stopped at an old swing bridge for a break.

I spotted a dirt track heading along the edge of the river and had to investigate "because I can."
Meh... Nothing exciting really...

So we carried on....

Until we reached Buchan... Oh what a place! With the sun dropping towards the horizon we dropped our gear at the backpackers and raced up the hill to catch sunset from the hilltop above.

And, as always, the Video:

Cheers,
Dale

kwaka's BR10

kwaka — Sat, 14 Aug 2010 04:47:14 GMT

Border Run 2010 - A Special FarRide

Friday 6th Aug 2010
Departure was 6.36am on a frosty winters morning from the servo. The Oxford HotGrips were paying for themselves and worked all day long. The cloudy sky was already showing dawn and about 15mins into the ride took a few sun up shots.

At the Fruit Fly Quarantine checkpoint at Oodla Wirra, Sth Aust the quarantine officer prodded my shoulder to make sure I wasn�t frozen solid. The temp was -7 an hour before I arrived and was just north of -3 on my arrival. I know it was cold �cos it was -5 back 60kms behind me at Yunta. No wonder I was shivering, this has been one of the coldest starts to a ride for a while. It was so cold that my right knee started aching and was quite painful.
Right turn to Peterborough and passing through Orroroo and I see a familiar rider at a servo, Gags99. Cool, I wave and very soon we�re riding together and heading though Horrock�s Pass. I pull into the Cairn for a photo shoot and as I pull up in front of the Cairn, the bike tilts to the right. Uh oh, the ground slopes away and my right leg hasn�t got enough purchase to push up to centre the bike. With the pain, a cramp and the bike getting heavier and heavier, poor old Kwakatoa just had to have a little lie down. Bugger!
It was a real shame seeing the newly repaired side laying face down but hey, a couple of scratches to the Tupperware and it�s now been blooded in! The r/h HID sustained the bulk of the damage but nothing that good old duct tape couldn�t fix!
Looking west from the Cairn

All�s good

Thanks for your help Gags

Thankfully Gags was there to help me, his main concern was my leg �cos I kept complaining I was in pain. No, it wasn�t from the bike falling on me but from the cold ache pain and cramp. Very soon we have the bike on the stand, take some pics and we�re off again. We pause quickly to locate the banner shot marker and fuel at Port Augusta. Here I lost Gags as I was to learn later he was having some fuel issues.
The weather warms up the further west I travel and by Wudinna it was warm enough to have the HotGrips on the lowest setting. Here I fuel up and have a bite to eat. As I�m about to getting going again I see Gags ride past and so, we travel together again.
Mr Plod has made his presence felt on this ride but no probs so far. He was again waiting for us at Penong but we didn�t play his game and we didn�t bother the scorers. Penong for fuel and off again into a setting sun where we finally had to stop for a few minutes as it was smack in front setting into the road. Temp starts to drop as the dark envelops us.
Last of Friday�s sun.

It�s not as cold as the morning and a lot more bearable. Nullarbor for the last fuel up before the run into the Border Village, Gags chats with some riders there (Guy and Bruce??) and soon we are off again. Bugger all wild life and Gags is enjoying following me as my HID�s cause havoc with the semi drivers dipping their lights two hills away. For those who�ve travelled out on the Nullarbor would know, that�s a hell of a long way away!
In the chill we roll into BV around 9.40 BV time, fuelled up for the end receipt, force of habit, and soon we�re chatting with Peter (Reader57), Phil (RoadBandit) and Muttley. A few sherbets and a feed then it was time to hit the hay in the room I shared with Peter.
Saturday 7th Aug 2010
Early Saturday morning and I mean early, Peter has to leave as pre-arranged and I witness his SS1600K attempt. He rides off into the cold misty fog. My knee aches incessantly and this is the excuse I need to have a late start to the day in readiness for the fun and games to come.
A fine mainly sunny day greets all riders as they ride in, some stay within the confines of the Border Village, others head for �Camp Davo� and yet others wait for check in to open before heading off. Non FarRiders comment on the number of �orange caps� and 1400GTRs dominating the Run this year. FarRider One would have been chuffed to see that.

JefferZZR opens check in and the frenzy starts, so much so that Jeff forgets to clock in himself. Luckily that was noticed before check in closed. During the day I received an SMS from Peter saying he had to can the IBA attempt as his bike was overheating. He would make his way to Adelaide instead of back home in Swan Hill. Bummer Peter, hope you get it sorted buddy.

The day rolls on with sherberts flowing and riders coming and going and again all too soon, it�s meal time. I had planned to don my loud shirt for the evening meal but time seems to vanish at most FarRider events. After dining with fine company aka Malcolm, Patricia and Linda and fine food, the �pudding� makes an appearance and the photo sessions start with great aplomp.

Next years badge orders

Saturday night I share a cabin aka donga with Ben and Lance (PomonaBandit) and as Lance wanted to get an early start well that suited me just fine. I bid adieu to all and sundry and set the alarm for pre dawn.
Sunday 8th Aug 2010
We�re up and on the road just as the sky starts to lighten up in the east. No pics this time but we did stop once the sun was in our eyes to don the day eyewear. We make Nullarbor about 8.30am and make tracks for Penong where we stop for a fine country roast beef meal. From here I ride by myself as Lance is in no hurry to get home. I tell Lance my next fuel up would be Wudinna and I might see him there.

Again the road tax collectors were out in force but I didn�t trouble the scorers and as I near Wudinna I even get a friendly wave. Taking these pics, Lance arrives and we shake hands and wish each other fare weather on our rides. Not long after I encounter wet roads and the odd downpour or two. Again more tax collectors but alls good into Port Augusta.

Iron Knob

Yet again, more road enforcers as I make my way to the Banner Shot but I pass the test with the controllers, lucky me! I take a few pics and have a bite to eat then off through the pass, reminiscing on Kwakatoa�s little lay down as I pass the Cairn.

Wilmington, Orroroo and at Peterborough, my bestest friends were waiting at the eastern end of the city limits. I passed muster and as the sky turned to night, it was pleasant to ride and not cold.
Around Yunta the HotGrips went to flat out as the temps started to drop and after fuelling for the last time at Yunta, I made good time with the HID�s making night riding an absolute pleasure. One of the best investments I�ve made LD farkle wise. Highly recommended if riding in roo country and certainly a lot less stressful to ride through, not that I saw any live ones! Home after 2716kms and a heck of a good time again on the Border Run!