Arriving into Cairns, had to squeeze my brains to remember how to get to my street.
After beeing on the road for a whole year, I felt indifferent to the place. I just wished I could ride the bike for ever and ever....It took a couple of weeks to appreciate again my little paradise.
Sunny Queensland
They say in Queensland: beautiful one day, perfect the next....quite right..I had wonderful weather riding North (the rain was just behind me) even Mt Bartle Frere , Queensland's highest mountain, pushed a cloud away from its summit to salute me..getting hungry at lunch time, I remember the little Rail cafe at South Jonhstone, it was worth the detour and the scenic route for a good feed and to avoid the crazy traffic on the highway.
NSW to Queensland
Bellingen was like Kuranda, I did not imagine that the area had so much rainforest and twisty roads, very steep to Coffs Harbour, followed country roads to Grafton where the afternoon was lighted up by a huge storm.
Nice to visit Ninbim again, Byron Bay, over the range to Ipswich, Mt Glorious, Sunshine coast...my friend Vincent lent me his brand new Buell, really cool! corners so quickly and handles well on dirt....
Nice to visit Ninbim again, Byron Bay, over the range to Ipswich, Mt Glorious, Sunshine coast...my friend Vincent lent me his brand new Buell, really cool! corners so quickly and handles well on dirt....
New South Wales Alps
Survived the 50oc in the shade in Mildura, the cold winds at Moriac and Geelong and rode straight to Wagga Wagga to warm up. Bathurst was very dry and the Blue Mountains very green...reached the North of Sydney to visit my long time friends Hiroko and David. Then to Singleton, Tamworth. Set base at Walcha and rode the bike in all directions where there were corners...loved the road to Port Macquarie. Lots of bikes on the road on the week-end.Waterfalls and rainforest, it was like be at home in North Queensland
Photos from the Christmas Pageant at Albany have arrived
44oC in Mildura, not good to ride the bike....here are some photos taken at the Albany's Christmas Pageant parade, the crowd loved the bikes...
Riding to Mansfield , a few showers on the way, picked a 'Blue metal' stone at the roadworks, it went right through the nearly new rear tyre...Happy me! fortunately I carry a puncture kit repair and a tiny electric pump.
The road to Mt Buller was nice and windy but it was freezing cold! The next day was warmer and we explored varisous road in the area with lots of corners.
Then off to Swan Hill and Mildura where I am staying with my friend Sy. In 1983, Sy and myself crossed the Gibson Desert on the Old Gunbarrel Highway from Giles to Carnegie with just 2 dirt bikes, no GPS, no back up vehicles. It was a great adventure.
The road to Mt Buller was nice and windy but it was freezing cold! The next day was warmer and we explored varisous road in the area with lots of corners.
Then off to Swan Hill and Mildura where I am staying with my friend Sy. In 1983, Sy and myself crossed the Gibson Desert on the Old Gunbarrel Highway from Giles to Carnegie with just 2 dirt bikes, no GPS, no back up vehicles. It was a great adventure.
Victoria
The best day was the walk up a 47m high tower in the ottoway forest amongst the giants and tree ferns...nice ride along Great Ocean Road, visit of Queenscliff area, busy Geelong to Warrebee....RAAF Museum...a train ride into Melbourne to dream in the motorcycle shops....
Apollo Bay Victoria
After enjoying a good ride on Santa's tractor near Adelaide, off to Vicotria. Busy Highway, impossible to find a camping spot along the coast...went inland to Forest,cold, wet...then to Apollo Bay, freezing cold...stayed at Ian's caravan by the beach. quiet New year with the neighbours, fire works in the distance...
In between showers ride up to the look out, climbed up the Lighthouse, went to a waterfall , a mini Milla Milla falls but so much colder!
In between showers ride up to the look out, climbed up the Lighthouse, went to a waterfall , a mini Milla Milla falls but so much colder!
Adelaide Hills
Nice to be back in the hills, it is cool but dry. camped at Mt Pleasant , very spacious site, camp kitchen, good base to explore. visited the Birdwood car & bike museum.watch the parade at Williamstown, saw the amazing Christmas lights at Lobethal.
Perth to Adelaide
The bike is ready to go but the weather is wet and cold....finally the sun comes out and it is time to head off, departure coincide with the Albany Christmas pageant. I was going to ride directly to Esperance but Peter convince me to ride with his Ulysses group to Albany. Glad I went we had a great time. The Ulysses from Albany had invited members to join them to promote the 2010 AGM. They organised camping at the pistol club and a lovely BBQ, bfast for the riders. We rode at the back of the parade, the crowd was cheerfull and I enjoyed taking photos from the back of Pet's Valkory, more fun to be pillion and interacting with the crowd than riding my bike at low speed with an overheating engine. we did not have to wear a helmet for the parade, how lovely! the welcome we got is reassuring for the AGM, the population is behind it for sure.Unfortunately I have not been able to open the cd containing the pictures to include them on this site. hope to do it at a later stage.
The next morning Peter offered to escort me to Esperance. I am glad he came along, he is nice company and after beeing at his place for so many weeks, life was empty on my own. we rode together to Norseman; then I went East and Pet returned to Perth.
For the first 60km along the Nullarbor plain I did not see any vehicles or people...
Met a couple from Kalgoorlie on the way, the lady was in tears, she did not think it was going to be so hard to ride her yamaha cruiser, her legs were very sore. I tried to confort her. They were going all the way to Melbourne and Tassie on a very short time.I camped at the border village, camping very dirty and smelly but too late, cannot go back to Eucla as I carry fruit and got to go through fruit inspection....
the next day i wait at different spot for the cruising couple Steve and Tracey and lead most of the time to cover amaxi of kms. I leave them late afternoon at a motel and continue on to a camp ground at Wudinna,next to me Daniel from Perth has injured his knee as he lost his bike on the dirt at a parking bay. I gave him a tube of voltaren cream which helped to ease the pain through the night. we had some good storms but little rain. Glad I did not camped at Ceduna, the town flooded and roads were cut off. I was tired when I reached Port Augusta, bought some supplies and rode to the Flinders. Stopped at Wilmington caravan park and got stuck with 3 full days of rain. My good tent stayed dried and I was lucky to have access to a great camp kitchen, tv room. The owner took me in his car to the local shop and lent me books, magazines, gave carrots and free range eggs....paying only $10.00 a night.
On my way to Adelaide i stopped at the famous home made pie shop in a little town,pass Melrose, the owner, Patrick, is an Ulysse member, makes own jam from local fruit.
Not many camp grounds in the Adelaide Hills, overnighted at Mt Barkers, got a bit of grass between toilet block and caravan parks for $20.00 a night while a caravan power site cost only $25.00, campers are ripped off!!
Spent my first day looking for the place i used to live at Bel air, did not find it..but got lost onto a very narrow road with spectacular views to the city and corners down to 15km/h! rode through Meadows and Mylor...the roads are very bumpy with much more traffic than 30 years ago!!!
The next morning Peter offered to escort me to Esperance. I am glad he came along, he is nice company and after beeing at his place for so many weeks, life was empty on my own. we rode together to Norseman; then I went East and Pet returned to Perth.
For the first 60km along the Nullarbor plain I did not see any vehicles or people...
Met a couple from Kalgoorlie on the way, the lady was in tears, she did not think it was going to be so hard to ride her yamaha cruiser, her legs were very sore. I tried to confort her. They were going all the way to Melbourne and Tassie on a very short time.I camped at the border village, camping very dirty and smelly but too late, cannot go back to Eucla as I carry fruit and got to go through fruit inspection....
the next day i wait at different spot for the cruising couple Steve and Tracey and lead most of the time to cover amaxi of kms. I leave them late afternoon at a motel and continue on to a camp ground at Wudinna,next to me Daniel from Perth has injured his knee as he lost his bike on the dirt at a parking bay. I gave him a tube of voltaren cream which helped to ease the pain through the night. we had some good storms but little rain. Glad I did not camped at Ceduna, the town flooded and roads were cut off. I was tired when I reached Port Augusta, bought some supplies and rode to the Flinders. Stopped at Wilmington caravan park and got stuck with 3 full days of rain. My good tent stayed dried and I was lucky to have access to a great camp kitchen, tv room. The owner took me in his car to the local shop and lent me books, magazines, gave carrots and free range eggs....paying only $10.00 a night.
On my way to Adelaide i stopped at the famous home made pie shop in a little town,pass Melrose, the owner, Patrick, is an Ulysse member, makes own jam from local fruit.
Not many camp grounds in the Adelaide Hills, overnighted at Mt Barkers, got a bit of grass between toilet block and caravan parks for $20.00 a night while a caravan power site cost only $25.00, campers are ripped off!!
Spent my first day looking for the place i used to live at Bel air, did not find it..but got lost onto a very narrow road with spectacular views to the city and corners down to 15km/h! rode through Meadows and Mylor...the roads are very bumpy with much more traffic than 30 years ago!!!
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