Sunday Ride Nov 1th 2009
Next Sunday a get together ride for 1/2 day. Brizzer, Sideways and i are in. Killswitch, Pockets to confirm. Will publish start details on Wed evening.
Mohawk. 4357 1459 or 0409 243 365 (i don’t get mob reception at home)
Had to Happen
This is what happens when you use a 250kg sports bike as a dirt bike.
Riding along minding my own business (mainly ’cause there is only me) when the road opened up (friggen’ mud under the top crust) and tried to swallow my poor little ‘Bird.
Arse over head and came down with a big thud.
Ever tried to lift one of these things upright while sliding around in the mud that brought it down?
Came down real hard on my shoulder and the bike landed on my thigh so I am a bit sore, hand got jammed under the bar end and I leaked the usual amount of claret.
‘Bird is pretty knocked around, scratched and bent down the fairings and mountings, right hand mirror is smashed and the housing hosed, rear blinker bent but I picked the bike up, hit the go button and away it went.
My efforts to get the bike out and, as you can tell, there was not a lot of help around. The mud was just under the crust, got me a beauty. Where’s a KLR when you need one?
Port Pirie Day 80
Decided to leave my little sanctuary here at Fisherman’s Bay and head up to Port Pirie (at the speed limit) for a visit to the bank and a quick look around.
Pirie is a town with a smelter and …..
Nice farming countryside and this area is one of only 3 places in the world that experience ‘dodge tides’. Them thar hills are covered in wind turbines …. good look …. not and of course I had to go and have a look at the ‘sensational’ 🙂 jetty at Port Germein.
Port Pirie Museum
Pirie has a big problem with lead poisoning and has launched a 10/10 target that by 2010 blood lead levels will be below 10 μg/dl for at least 95% of children under the age of 4. I wonder what happens to all the others?
This is what you find at the end of jetty.
Shore is a long way back 🙂
Incredibly windy 1.5km walk out here but at least the wind was behind me on the way in.
The enhanced landscape
They are going to plant about 60 trillion of these on the Barrier Ranges outside of Silverton to create the largest wind farm in the world, won’t that be great?
Not Happy Jan! on Day 75
Got pulled over and booked for speeding!
Wentworth Day 74
Headed south to Wentworth where the Darling and Murray Rivers meet.
Rode in to Mildura for another quick look around to see if I missed anything, I didn’t 🙂 My first visit into Victoria this trip, must get a photo of the border crossing next time.
Wentworth is an interesting place, it is close enough to the Vic border that busloads of punters used to travel and stay here to play the pokies before they were introduced in Victoria. Hence there are heaps of places to stay here and quite an interesting history.
Darling on the left, Murray on the right
Wentworth Gaol
The "Bird parked below Perry Sandhills
One of the dunes used in many movies.
SA to home via Great Ocean Road some suggestions.
Haven’t been in that corner of SA from Adelaide to Mt Gambier. There were some nice roads around Victor Harbour area. One place I have wanted to visit is Picinini Ponds near Mt Gambier. A diving snorkelling spot – fresh water but very clear and very deep apparently. Of course the blue lake in the crater is there too.
Great Ocean Road is a beauty – didn’t spend enough time at Port Fairy which is meant to be interesting – especially the waterfront. Do the short walk around Mait’s Rest in the Ottway part where you leave the ocean for a while.
Instead of going through Geelong and into Melbourne why not catch the ferry from Queenscliff to Sorento?
There will be a fair bit of bike traffic from the GP I imagine.
If you haven’t been to Wilson’s Prom I reckon it’s a great spot. Only one campground at Tidal River and it is a fair way into the park but it is worth it.
If you are not in a major hurry and are coming up the South Coast Mallacoota is worth an overnight at the main campground on the inlet.
Tarthra Wharf is also worth a look.
You do know school starts Monday, right?
Went for a short ride today and I think the little screen makes a big difference.
Sad news about your friend.
Make sure you ride safe!
I’m certainly up for some weekend trips when you get back.
Mudgee trip went well – did day trip to Hill End and Sofala and drove down to Glen Davis in Capatee Valley on the way home. Glen Davis and Newnes are great weekend destinations.
Trying to make the GSX1400 a little bit tourable
Would like to do some touring so have tried to make it able to carry some stuff.
Went for a ride down to Brooklyn yesterday and also found it to be capable of speeds that make it uncomfortable as a naked bike. Fortunately the small screen I got on eBay was at the post office to be picked up when I got back so I fitted it last night and will try it out today to see if there is an improvement.
Fitted the soft luggage I bought a while back just for the photo – haven’t done any kms with these but I was impressed at how well the same type were able to put up with the amazing riding that Nige was doing on our trip. Only damage at that point was one broken clip.
It is still certainly no BMW in the luggage department.
Also picked up a right side alloy engine cover to replace the badly scratched one. It has a tiny scratch but not the gouges of the other one. When I removed the old one it was also cracked on the inside so an improvement all round. You can see it in the first pic. Now all it needs is a decent paint job and maybe some stainless steel header pipes as the current ones do have some imperfections.
Kinchega Days 60-63
Spent time with my brother and his family camping on the Darling River at Kinchega National Park.
3 day Criss-Cross. Oct 2009
DD, Pockets and Mohawk left Macca’s on Tues morning. Great ride up Bucketts Way to Gloucester for morning tea. Then up Thunderbolts to Walcha stopping only when Pockets cleaned up a brush turkey. Thru to Uralla and quick lunch and internet at Armidale. A bit cool and the big Kwaka was using fuel at an alarming rate, (carbies and altitude). Beautiful ride along Waterfall Way to Ebor and up Summerland Way thru’ Nymboida to Grafton. No beds as there was Arts Festival, so on to Casino. 700Kms in the day. Great room and people at the Swagman Motel and walk around the corner to the RMS Club.
Wed and a fantastic ride across the ranges via Bruxner H/Way to Tenterfield. Cool again and on to Glenn Innes for coffee. Pockets decided to abandon ship as he had to put the cat out, so he headed down the New England while DD and I did the Gwydir H/Way to Grafton. Back across Summerlad Way thru’ Nymboida and Ebor to Armidale and coffee. Then Uralla and Walcha for the night at the Commercial Hotel. Great food and people. 600kms for the day.
Day 3 and it was the Oxley H/way to Wauchope… 175kms mega road. On to DD’s mum at Port for toasted sandwiches. Decided to head directly home via very windy Pacific H/Way and some rain. Coffee and goodbyes at Heatherbrae Pie shop. 500kms. Thanks lads.
All up 1800kms and some great roads and good company.
John Holmes Day 58
Joined the Broken Hill Branch of the Ulysses for a ride out to Penrose Park and then on to Silverton Pub for a John Holmes. They get a very good turn out.
Just missed the Ghost Town Rally, apparently a very good roll up, 380 odd people although the weather was pretty ordinary.
The ‘Bird among a few of the bikes.
They were everywhere.
My beer and John Holmes at Silverton Pub.
Ned and I went to the Demo Club (a bit too early) to watch the NRL Grand Final on the big screen but we both drank way toooo much beer. They too, had free John Holmes on the menu at half time. I can’t remember watching much of the game and Ned was asked to leave the premises (keeping up the family tradition). We think that Melbourne Storm won 🙂