Day 1 to 86 – Wrap Up

What more can I say about this trip than I have already said. It has been a fabulous adventure around Australia taking 86 days covering 21,565km, consuming almost 1,300 litres of fuel, crossing all the mainland states.

Additionally I had 10 wonderful days with Robyn around Cairns (covering 1,145km) and another 18 days in a campervan (2,450km) around the SW of WA. That time helped me to complete this journey.

People often ask was I lonely? And the truthful answer is no, because I met some wonderful people along the way, riders and others, travellers and locals. So I wasn’t lonely, but I missed the friends in my life, and the intimacy that only a family can provide.

Would I do it again? The simple answer is Yes in a heartbeat. But I can’t see me doing such a long journey again. Robyn was kept busy whilst I was away, and the time shared on the trip was wonderful, but it doesn’t compare to the time we spend together at home and with family.

What would I change? Not a lot, if anything. Oh, other then not coming off the bike again, that was definitely a downer and I’ll be seeing what needs to be done with my knee over the next couple of weeks.

How was the bike? What can I say about Optimus Prime. He was fantastic, no better bike around and that is said with all honesty and sincerity. The fabulous riding position, the wonderful suspension and engine made long distances a breeze. Simply a fabulous all round ride. I could go on, but hey if you have ridden one you will know what I am talking about, and if you haven’t then you are simply missing out. Sorry.

Consumption (the bike not me)? The large fuel tank was invaluable. Although most fuel stops were within 200-250km in the more isolated areas, there were a few times where it was necessary to travel further. The large fuel tank, given the weight I was carrying, gave me a 500+km range, so fuel was never an issue. This range could fluctuate based on the conditions, road and weather, and on the riding style (twist of the throttle). Although given I sat on or about the speed limit this was always pretty predictable. As for oil I did not use one drop in all the kms travelled. I did an oil change in Darwin and a service (including oils) in Perth, but there was no need for me ever to top up the oil on the whole trip. As I said a simply fabulous bike.

GPS Equipment? Josie was invaluable. Firstly for navigation, although in the outback a map generally will do, it is nice to get confirmation of your direction, but more importantly finding your way around towns and cities. Secondly, the information that it gave me, such as distance and time to destination, and intermediate points, location of fuel stops and other information. And lastly, my source of music and stories that made the longer riding sections that much easier.

UHF Two Way Equipment? Not an absolute necessity but it did provide me with contact to other road users, especially the truck drivers ahead. I would let them know I was overtaking and thank them on completion. More often then not they would acknowledge me and wish me a safe ride. As I said not a necessity but nice to know that the bigger road users knew you were around.

Spot Messenger? An absolutely great piece of equipment I carried, and would use again. If nothing else it gave Robyn piece of mind that I was still riding and at the end of each day, I was safe and finished, especially in areas where mobile phone service was non-existent. It also logged my position and mapped that on Google Maps for my family & friends to see where I had been and where I was each day.

 

So in all, the pre-trip planning and equipment selection proved to be invaluable to making this adventure successful, comfortable and allowing me to end each day with a smile on my face. This is a wonderful country, the scenery, animals and the people. Not only were the other travellers terrific, but the locals I met and spoke with were always friendly and accommodating. If you haven’t seen it please do yourself a favour and see it, and then you will understand why all those overseas visitors and travellers just love our country and us as a people.

 

I would like to thank all of you who have followed me on this blog and shared my adventure. I hope that you have enjoyed reading about this trip almost as much as I have in doing and writing about it.

I want to thank all my family and friends for their emails and comments made on the blog. These were read and enjoyed and reminded me that there were people back home interested in what was happening. I especially want to thank my adult children for there comments and emails, with Kelly and Katie often giving me a smile or laugh, I always looked forward to reading your comments.

Finally, I want to thank my loving wife Robyn for her patience and willingness to allow me to indulge my passion for riding and my desire to see this wonderful country. Without her love and support I would not have been able to complete this trip.

So thank you all for allowing me to share this adventure with you. I know that we all have dreams, so just know that there is nothing like setting out to challenge yourself and to live your dream. If you have one to fulfil, what is stopping you, just do it. See yah!

Day 86 – Sat, 23 Oct to Home – Last Day

Today is my last day on the trip. I spent the morning with Glenn and co before doing the last section home. I couldn’t leave until I saw Oscar (6 yo) ride his scooter at the skate park ramps. He was a little put off by all the big kids (well teenagers) riding their bikes and scooters, cresting the slopes and doing flips. I think a little intimidated, but he summoned the courage and he was away. A couple more times at the park and I am sure he will be one of the daredevils.

The ride home would be uneventful up the Princess Hwy to Heathcote Rd, then through to the M5 and M7 to my daughter’s home. It would be lunch with Katie & David. I didn’t mention this the other day, for which I had a comment, but I had planned to have lunch with these guys (given they were going to be home).

Robyn escorted me this last stage through to Katie’s home at Marayong. Again it was wonderful to catch up with them. Katie, along with my other daughter Kelly were avid commentators on my blog throughout the trip and kept me in touch with home, as well as my use of terms like dongas. Dave is also a bike rider so the conversation did stray a few times on riding.

So after lunch it was to be my last stage, riding to home. I had such wonderful weather on this trip I knew it couldn’t last. This last part was ridden in rain. Along the way at the traffic lights another BMW F800GS rider pulled up beside me and he had just arrived from Perth (in a clockwise direction). Should I keep going?

No, home was waiting and Robyn was there (having left a few minutes earlier) with Kelly & Andrew and their kids Kimmy, Nessy, Sammy and my newest grandson, whom I had not seen, Ben (born in August).

The girls had not known I was arriving and my arrival was a shock. At first not believing their eyes, but then I had little girls all over me. I had left on the 2 Jul with them seeing me off and here I was home with all of them welcoming me home. It is really lovely to be home.

Day 85 – Fri, 22 Oct to Stanwell Tops

I hung with my grandchildren, drove them to school and had coffee with Wade before heading off mid morning from Canberra. After yesterday’s adventure I was taking it easy, straight up the Federal and Hume Hwy, onto Picton Road and then N up the F6 to Helensburgh turnoff for Stanwell Tops.

My eldest son Glenn and Pip and there lot of Trea, Maisie & Oscar were expecting me. Robyn was also driving down to spend the night. It was going to be a celebration, not only my return but also Glenn completing his last exam for his part time degree today. Study for the year is over and you could see it on his face.

As I left the Hume turning onto Picton Road it was in the low 30C but I could see rain ahead. I road through some heavy rain towards the end of Picton Rd and on the F6, but it cleared. However, as I pulled into Glenn’s driveway and carport the heavens opened and it hailed. What timing.

Robyn & Glenn were there to greet me and the kids arrived home shortly after from school. With Pip arriving it was time to celebrate, which we did with gusto. As I said, terrific to be with family again.

Day 84 – Thu, 21 Oct to Canberra

This morning started off like most others on this trip. Early rise, breakfast, pack and onto OP for a ride. I was heading to Canberra today and I would have all day to get there. No problems.

I headed N towards Wodonga then turned E onto the Murray Valley Hwy towards Corryong in NE VIC. This turned into another great ride through the countryside and along the S shores of Lake Hume. This is the first time I have seen the Lake full, well as good as anyway. The drought has obviously been broken and the Hume Dam is doing its job. The Murray River was also flowing as I rode along the S side towards Corryong. 

Here I refuelled spoke to another biker heading home from Phillip Island, the long way. I had plenty of time, still before lunch, which I’ll have in Tumut later today.

I decided to cross into NSW, then travel towards Tumbarumba then onto Tumut, Gundagai, Yass then Canberra. Well that was the plan. I headed out crossing into NSW at Towong and yep I’m in NSW, potholes and rough roads. Welcome back.

A little further on the sealed road to Tooma had a road closed signed so I took the detour. At the next intersection I took the road to Tooma (no closure signs this way) but gravel ahead. I travelled about 15km on gravel, climbing hills, wonderful views and back down into the valley. I reached the bitumen and found the road blocked – road closed. Bugger!

So I took the sealed road back to the start and checked what other way I could go. I decided to head towards Jingellic and then to Holbrook. I wanted to catch up on some time and I thought the best way would be not to cross the mountains again. So I was about to head out and a couple of bikers arrived and informed me that the bridge across the Murray at Jingellic was washed out. Great!

So it would be up over the mountain via Cabramurra. So I got to the turn off near Khancoban, about 20km from Corryong where I had refuelled. I looked at the odometer and it said that I had travelled 110km in all of this mucking around and I had lost 2 hours.

Up the mountain towards Cabramurra, about 60km in I was stopped by a Stop/Go man. It would be a 20-30 minute delay he said, they were clearing trees from the roadside. Well he could tell I was not impressed and I told him what I had been doing for the past 3 hours – getting no where quick.

After that it was a straight ride down to the Snowy Mountains Hwy into Cooma and then up the Monaro Hwy to Canberra. I arrived at my son’s home just before 6pm, it was 580km day, not my longest, but the longest riding day I had done.

It was wonderful to see Wade & Rowena and their gang of kids, Maddie, Charlie, Jamie, Hannah, Rita and the little one Alex. They were all hanging out for my arrival and I said to Robyn later that there appeared to be so many that I thought they had brought in some outsiders. Wonderful to be with family again.

Day 83 – Wed, 20 Oct to Harrietville (near Bright)

A wonderful day for riding; great weather, great roads and feeling on top of the world.

I had breakfast with Bob the publican at Lang Lang, the Palace Hotel if anyone is travelling this way. We chatted and had coffee. The hotel has been in his family for many a year, his grandfather built it and the family still own it.

On leaving I headed in a NE direction letting Josie have her way again. We criss crossed the country NE of Moe through Toongabbie, Heyfield (where I had morning tea at the Bakery), Maffra and finished up hitting the main highway north of Sale.

I passed through grazing country of the Gippsland, through the brown coal belt with power stations to my S, arriving at Bairnsdale around midday. It was decision time. Do I head further E across S Victoria and then N towards NSW at Cann River or Bega, or do I head up over the mountains towards Omeo and Mt Hotham.

I had looked at the weather for the day in all these areas so I decided to head towards Omeo. What a great choice as the riding through the mountains was fabulous (almost had to learn how to ride around bends again after all those straight roads of the past months). The temperature only dropped from around 23C at Bairnsdale to 16C at the top of Mt Hotham.

This took me up through the ski lodges and there were still remnants of the snow around the village and on the slopes from the winter just past. Well not actually snow now but compacted ice, which will not be around for much longer if this weather continues. Although, there was a small fall of snow late last week as that cold front passed through, so who knows how long it will continue.

After Mt Hotham I headed back down the mountain on the N side of the range, dropping from around 1,850m down to 450m at Harrietville where I decided to stay for the night. I was originally heading for Bright (about 20km further N) but this was such a pretty little town that I couldn’t resist staying.

I just got back from a walk to the School Bridge where I spoke to a local and his 11 year old granddaughter. The local school only has about 35 students, so this gives you an idea of its size. Obviously a jumping off spot for the snowfields, but also what looks like a lovely village for the summer.

So I am almost home, with plans to see my son and his family in Canberra tomorrow night, then my other son and his family N of Wollongong on Friday night, and most likely home on Saturday. We’ll see how things progress. Maybe if this fantastic weather and riding keeps up I may just do a U-turn and head back around the country again, the other way. On second thoughts, maybe Robyn would have something to say about that, so I better keep heading in my NE direction.

Day 82 – Tue, 19 Oct to Lang Lang

Where is Lang Lang you may ask, well it is a little N of Phillip Island on the mainland, SE of Melbourne. I am here at the Lang Lang Hotel, with Bob the publican, we are the only occupants tonight but it has been full over the weekend. He just filled me with a mixed grill that you could not jump over, literally. Thank you Bob.

Well what a day. I left Peterborough at 8am and I feel like I have been on the road all day, well I have, but what a day. I rode the GOR (Great Ocean Road) which was a huge amount of fun. I checked out all the sights along the way, but hey that is what  it is all about, see the sights, but ride the fabulous road.

 

I got to Bells Beach and missed the car parks and was heading back out again. I got about 2km down the road to the next turn and I thought, will I go back. I almost didn’t but hey I might as well as I am already here (you see I had been here before). So I did a U-turn and headed back to the car park.

I parked the bike and dismounted. I was taking my gloves off when a bike rider arrived on the other side of me. I acknowledged him and knew that another bike pulled in literally behind me (behind my back). I hadn’t turned and the guy revved his bike a couple of times. I thought what the hell is he up to.

I turned and it was Rod, yep Rod Vile, who I last saw up in Cairns all those months ago. He had been to the MotoGP, and he and the other guy, Steve were riding the GOR in an W direction. How bl..dy incredible is that. They only took the turn off to Bells Beach as a last thought. There is definitely someone out there organising all these “coincidental” meetings. Wow.

Rod, Steve & I talked for a little while and they continued W before heading home. I headed onward E, to Queenscliff (W side of Port Phillip Bay) where I caught the car ferry to Sorrento (E side). A great trip I literally paid the fare and rode straight onto the ferry, no waiting, great timing.

On the ferry I met Steve & Janet from England who had rented a bike and were doing a few days riding. He had just finished the Postie Challenge, Brisbane to Darwin. He had done a lot of riding previously and he said it was the toughest thing he had ever done. He went over the handle bars at one stage and cracked a few ribs. This didn’t stop him but hey would he do it again, and his answer was “NO”!

So I headed NE from Sorrento and ended up at this great little pub, SW of Melbourne. Not far now only a few days from home, so I’ll drop into my sons’ places on the way through. See you all soon. How was that, meeting Rod after all these months, bl..dy incredible!

Day 81 – Mon, 18 Oct to Peterborough

A wonderful riding day allowing Josie to take control and lead the way. Who you may be asking, is Josie. I’ll get to that in a moment.

Today I went from the Limestone Coast with white sand, all the shades of blue water, rugged coastlines, to wonderful farming land, with lush green undulating hills passing through cattle and sheet country and plantation forests.

I continued S along the coast from Robe through to Millicent. I then headed NE to the town, that has been very much in the news, especially last night, of Penola. Yes Saint Mary’s country town. I had morning tea here and it was interesting that this same weekend they were also celebrating the Coonawarra Shiraz Festival.

At this point I set Josie to take over the route. Josie is my female companion that has done the whole trip with me. She is very patient as I don’t always follow her directions and she simply recalculates and comes up with a new route. She is of course my GPS. I set the destination as Peterborough on the Great Ocean Road about 50km E of Warrnambool.

Her route took me through SW VIC, some wonderful farming country, along B & C classified roads. There was no traffic (almost no vehicles) and the riding was fantastic. I would never have found my way through, I would have simply stuck to the more major roads.

Overall a 420km ride today, I hope the weather clears for tomorrow. It has continued to fluctuate from sunshine, cloud, pouring rain and almost fog. Please clear as tomorrow I head E along the GOR, something I have been looking forward to for sometime.