BananaRama '03

glitch

Mapping the next ride...
Staff member
Since apparently no RR was ever written, this will be a very short version of a 2week ride Brisbane-Melbourne.

Bikes Only (http://www.bikesonly.com.au/) was in its infancy and carting bikes on plain trailers, no custom-built jobbies then.

And why waste 2-3 days of a "booooring commute" to Brisbane to start the leisurly return ride, when the bikes cost us $180 to truck north, the flight around $100 and we could start the enjoyable part of travelling right away?





Rather spent the 2 weeks on a tasty 5000k's of (sealed) backroads jaunt, deliberately picking the most scenic stuff available.



All kitted up (for the flight)

L-R: Guenther (Gunner)...MIckG....Nigel from Ballarat...Sasha...Goodie...yours truly...John Birell

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Suzie (ZR7) was already in Brisbane through work....Garry (Pegaso) joined on his return-leg after riding to Cairns after riding the previous 2 weeks.

Getting greeted by some of the local AusMoto guys at the Brisbane depot of Bikes Only, Big Clem (in shorts) nursing a dicky knee (which seems to be the only way I know him). Then again, in that pic it looks like everyone's nursing a "dicky knee". :doh:

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A hasty exit from Brisbane Central, a cuppa at the Mt. Glorious Cafe with some more locals... Kingaroy and across the Bunya Mtns...

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...where Guenther decided to get it over and done with and deck the Pegaso, loosing some bark and re-groove the asphalt with the right knee.


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Nigel unpacking "THE TOPBOX" at Mt. Tamborine
"What do you mean you can't find the bottle-opener?"

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The Tamborine Mtn, Rd. singlelaner and into the Lamington National Park, the road to O'Reillys is a cracker!!

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glitch

Mapping the next ride...
Staff member
Nov 2003...BananaRama cont.

At O'Reillys you get shat on...

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....oogle up the guts of some old trees...or walk the crowns of some others.

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Then flip a Uee and run that brilliant singlelaner the other way around...


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...for some great tucker at the Canungra Cafe.

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There's always some turkey around in the National Parks of the Border Ranges.


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Natural Bridge in the Numinbah Valley is certainly worth a stop and a short walk....


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....even when you get into the biggest thunderstorm the decade has seen on the way south to Murwillumbah.
Drenched to the skin...



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...while the girls donated some "of those with the wings" to a good cause, as the 1.aid kit was also soaked and soggy :so:rofl:



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Sure did the trick, though...even if I had to read the instructions :bs
 

glitch

Mapping the next ride...
Staff member
Nov 2003...BananaRama cont.

Up the Tweed Valley...


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...Kyogle, Casino....the Bruxner is a single 150km rush 'n roar.
Nearly traffic-free for the whole stretch...and in those days you could still give it some decent stick and most likely get away with it. We did.

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Getting some extra supplies in Tenterfield, we nipped across the border into QLD again and into the Girraween National Park.


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The girls are taking the Mickey out of Garry, giving him the SMS spiel of a hot date to come in Dorrigo that night. He never cottoned on...

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Into Glen Innes for some Celtic touch
http://www.gleninnestourism.com/pages/australian-standing-stones/


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glitch

Mapping the next ride...
Staff member
Nov 2003...BananaRama cont.

Mick was having a go...



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...so was Nigel....and yes, he farted!


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Repeated yesterday's Bruxner-rush on the Gwydir Hwy down to Grafton, whoohoo.

Raspberry Lookout was pretty new then...



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You'll never see another "mass-Pegaso-meet" like that in AUS

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And nipped up the Nymboida Rd into Dorrigo, which was buckling down at the sight of some major thunderstorms.


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glitch

Mapping the next ride...
Staff member
We keep criss-crossing the Great Divide, veering inland from Dorrigo again.
Oh my Gosh...what a COLD night that was!!
Up the Waterfall Way, Ebor Falls and whatever else is along the way.


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What a magic spot....the rough-at-the-end dirt road is well worth it.


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Checking out some old buildings at the New England University in Armidale, cradle of all Australian bike-journos.



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Nigel and Suzie cooking up a storm in FREEZING Walcha!

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Bloody stone-cold or not....you can't kill the laughs and knee-slappin' of this mob. :chug:


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glitch

Mapping the next ride...
Staff member
There's a sheet of ice on the canvas, drying out the tents takes a while.

A look at Apsley Gorge....then down to Ginger's Creek Roadhouse at the top of the Oxley-Twisties for some fuel....oh shyte!!

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That means only a single bite at THE famous part of the Oxley Hwy then...better make it count!!

Back in Walcha we finally find an appropriate sign for Nige and "The Eskies"...that's about as wide as what he can make that Strom in the twisties :bt

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Lemmiwinks, just dropping by to say hello, reckons it's a hoot.

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Garry finally finds a proper plate and doesn't have to shovel it out of tins, cups and cigarette-pack tinfoil anymore.

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Down the Thunderbolt we go, it's good, it's fun...and there's only a single car on the whole stretch...sweet!

Gloucester Caravan Park

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Elmer Fudd on the loose!

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One tiny eel....on the bbq it goes!
And right amongst the steaks...YUCK!! :bs

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glitch

Mapping the next ride...
Staff member
We decide to hang around for another day and nip down the Bucketts Way to Nabiac at the coast, home of the National Motorcycle Museum.

Some delicious stuff even on the carpark here!!

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Big bike for big mouth!!


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Not posting all the pics of all the gems in this place....that has to be experienced live! And seen to be believed.



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Cutting west on the Booral Rd. from Buladelah back towards Stroud is a rollercoaster-ride...it's bumpy as hell, super-scenic, there's a snake or 2, and the climb up across the small ridge is a cracker.

Another great day in the bag.

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glitch

Mapping the next ride...
Staff member
Deeply sorry, mate....but you'll have to suffer through a whole week of pain then. :poo: Plenty more coming...
 

glitch

Mapping the next ride...
Staff member
The morning after...the night before.
Gayle and Alex (another Pegaso and Cagiva Navigator) had come up from Newcastle for a day or so...

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Into the Northern Hunter Valley and Chichester Dam, great road, great location...


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A quick check of the legendary Dungog Cinema
http://www.barringtons.com.au/dungog-area/attractions/75-dungog-cinema.html


The stay at the crappy Singleton Caravan Park was lifted immensely when this German??/ Swiss?? couple showed up with their sweet BM-rig (slobber!)


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