Redundancy Ride 2009 - Round Oz by Scrambler

farawayman

Long Timer
Bring it on, ignore Glitch, lets have it. :clap::clap: This should be good, loads of memories, reminds me of my own Redundancy Ride http://www.austouring.com/forum/showthread.php?t=2532

Na Glitch is right, take your time, put down your memories, how you felt, tell us about the people you met and what you saw. You will enjoy it all again just taking the time to record it and you will go back and read it time and again.
 

Sir Francis

Displaced person
Ha ha farawayman, how funny. I recall reading your posts on the road whilst I was on the road and was on the lookout for a GS in case it was you.

Top stuff.

Lots of familiar places in your photos but you took a much more dirt route than me, hmmm now there's an idea...a victory lap but this time taking in the dirt that I missed....:)
 
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Sir Francis

Displaced person
Day 6: Grafton to Lismore

Distance: 319 km Total: 2,814 km

An early departure to ditch my cling-on.

I followed the river.



Although it was free, I couldn’t help but sing along…you know, that one about the ferryman…



I stocked up on elephant sized pumpkin scones and a kilo bag of macadamia nuts at the farmers market in Evans Head.

I was excited to find my first sugar cane for the trip.





After lunch, I hiked down from the lighthouse at Cape Byron and out to the most easterly point of mainland Oz.





Another concert weekend at Byron Bay meant the place was jam packed with gumboot wearing arty folk.

I made a getaway through the macadamia nut farms.



A night best not soon repeated in Lismore – a truly gruesome meal in a dodgy pub on the outskirts of town followed by an opportunity for a punch on with a few of the locals in the bar and sleepless night in my grimy room upstairs.
 

Sir Francis

Displaced person
Day 7: Lismore to Murwillumbah

Distance: 354 km Total: 3,168 km

I took a short cut through a macadamia nut farm.



Fantastic riding but very rough and bumpy towards Nimbin and Kyogle.






It was starting to feel tropical.





I looped the Lions Rd into Queensland.



Before dropping back into Murwillumbah.





No dodgy pub room for me tonight. I was hosted at the family home of a former customer. Late afternoon spent checking out their show horses and hubbies monster sized tractor-mower. A late night with much wine and belly full of laughs.
 

goodie

...
Murwillumbah!!!! It never rained, when I was up there..... it poured!!! You were very lucky indeed to strike dry weather.
Macadamia nuts..... yum
 

Sir Francis

Displaced person
Day 8: Murwillimbah to Maryvale

Distance: 239 km Total: 3,407 km

A long breakfast before I hit the road.



A short ride before it was time for 2nd breakfasts at the Chillingham store.



I snuck into Queensland proper on a little back road.



A couple of hours walking around at Natural Bridge before I climbed the ranges.

The high rise towers of the Gold Coast in the distance.



I rode west to avoid Brisbane.



Advrider inmate Phil Fong was to be my host for the next two nights.
 

Sir Francis

Displaced person
Boy, you didn't muck around, shooting north like a flash.

Looking back over the notes excluding a couple of big days later in the trip, it never felt like I was rushed.

I guess it is one of the advantages of traveling alone - starting early, stopping whenever there was something of interest for as long as you wanted and drifting along until I'd had enough for the day.

Often the riding was done by lunch/early afternoon with the rest of the day playing tourist, hiking, taking in the sights, or just kicking back.
 

Sir Francis

Displaced person
Day 9: Maryvale to Maryvale

Distance: 330 km Total: 3,777 km

An early start after a quiet night at the historic Maryvale Hotel.



It was finger snapping cold on the ride to the Toowoomba Triumph dealer.

I lazed at a couple of cafes and then was treated to lunch in a posh restaurant by another former customer while I waited for the Scrambler service to be completed.

Today, my trip almost came to an end when I got a surprise phone call from a competitor to my former employer with a job offer. Immediate thought was to fast track the 1,600km home. Second thought – err, how do you feel about me starting work when I finish my trip in a couple of months….maybe?

I spent the afternoon at the motorcycle museum in Haigslea.



 

glitch

Mapping the next ride...
Staff member
I guess it is one of the advantages of traveling alone - starting early, stopping whenever there was something of interest for as long as you wanted and drifting along until I'd had enough for the day.
.

True.
And it also was "Scaredofthedirt" in those days, I guess :)
Looks like a wonderfull trip.:chug:
 
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