Melbourne to Brisbane on the Rockster

dougman1

Part of the furniture
The plan for Xmas was to do a roady ride from Melbourne to Brisbane. :looney:

I didn't have a plan, just that I wanted to get there in a couple of days to visit friends and have a relaxer in the Queensland heat.

So I chucked some stuff in the top box and off I went.

It was a cool ride out of Melbourne on the 22nd and the heated grips were welcomed as I droned up the freeway to Tocumwal.

Magically once across the border things warmed up a tad and by the time I reached Finley, it was time to shed the winter kit and enjoy the sun

I pulled into Gilgandra around 5.30 as the beer monitor was peaking in the heat. Found a nice little Motel put the Rockster to bed and shuffled of around the corner to the RSL.

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Next morning was up with the sparrows and headed east to Tamworth and then continued up the New England Highway to Brissie.

Stopping for a truckers breakfast in Gunnedah

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I was stopping occaisionly to stretch the legs and have a rest.

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Just out of Warwick the skies looked threatening.

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Yes, as it turned out I was in for a treat.

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I took the positive, and thought at least I'll be cool, so I set off into the abyss.
Wets donned, and sweat trickling down my everywhere...but not for long! :woot:

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dougman1

Part of the furniture
It didn't take very long to acquire the drowned rat syndrome. It was persisting down with some ferocity as I tried to make haste to finish the day.

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I pulled over 3 times on the motorway as visibility was down and visor was fogged and wet. I gotta say, when those 18 wheelers shoot past it is kind of exhilarating.
Queensland, what a welcome. :bt

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I pushed on regardless and soon reached my destination. The good thing was, due to daylight savings I had gained an hour. So I had arrived an hour earlier really.
Didn't matter as the prawns tasted good whatever the time was.

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Xmas came and went and I didn't need to look at my bike as I was busy to replace lost fluids on the trip north.

But there was eventually riding to be done, so off we went in search of cafe's and the like. My mate had hired this Black GS for a few days to show me around the back roads of Brisbane. :woot:

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A cafe in the hills, no sooner had we sat down and these 2 came in for a look.

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Is that real jam in those scones?

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Lake Wivenhoe in the distance.

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Then home again for a red. (or Two)

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dougman1

Part of the furniture
The next day was a loop of about 350k which took us up to Kenilworth, Maleny and down to Beerwah for at gander at the glasshouse mountains.
Morning tea at Peachester

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The Hinterland. Was cooler in the trees. I like trees.
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I was at this point certain that the rain had something against me.
But as good fortune would have it, this storm missed us.

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The Rockster doing dirt, the steepest hill in Queensland for me to find my dirt legs on!

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1 black one, 1 white one.

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The Glasshouse mountains and another shower in the distance.

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M

micky m.

Guest
Love the first 2 Glasshouse Mountains shots

The Rockster would love the dirt. It's got rock in its name, after all.
How are you enjoying your new bike?
 

Hytram

<-- now went that way
The start of your report I thought to myself why didn't you take the car.. Now I saw where you were riding too, how silly of me.

Beautiful part of the world and great riding too
 

glitch

Mapping the next ride...
Staff member
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I took the positive, and thought at least I'll be cool, so I set off into the abyss.
Wets donned, and sweat trickling down my everywhere...but not for long! :woot:
[/IMG]


:killingme:killingme
Trickling down your abyss....
AAAAHHHH, Queensland :doh:



1 black one, 1 white one.

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No offence, mate :bs but those 2 look like they've just kissed a bus! Head on!
No doubt they belong to the same family! :icon-maffick-: :icon-maffick-:





The Glasshouse mountains and another shower in the distance.

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:glu:glu:clap: WHOWWW!
 

dougman1

Part of the furniture
My week in Brisbane was over soon enough.
So Brissie does what Brissie does, and sends me out with an all too familiar sight.

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My mate had a busy schedule but took time out to escort me to the border.

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We said our goodbyes at Woodenbong, and I continued on through this fab forest.

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There were plenty of B grade roads to bump and grind through, but at least there were no average speed gantry's. So on occaision I could open it up and do the speed limit. :cool:

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After what seemed like every road in the State of NSW, I made a b line for Coonabarabran. Checked into 1 of the local pubs and just revelled in the air -conditioned bar.
This was the un air conditioned bit!

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After dinner I went for a stroll. The streets were alive.
Nice enough town I thought.

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