As winter approaches so does the daunting thought of early mornings, chilly mornings, mornings so cloaked by fog the mere thought has images of ancient medieval times where cloaked men themselves would lurk in the shadows of the verges waiting to emerge and stop your carriage…well your motorcycle. Alas those cloaked men are in fact the Australian wildlife, waiting, watching….
Originally was going to travel on Friday as I usually do, but a change of plan and I decided to do the enter ride on Saturday – a turn around. KISS principle sounds easy enough….right.
4:06am says the docket from the local Caltex – ODO 64,204 and rugged up like an Eskimo expecting -3 deg this morning…including the heated gear.
Caltex North Ryde
Down the M2, M7 and noticed my SPOT has flashing “red” lights…oh no the batteries have died. Pheasants Nest I stop instead of doing a ride through to change them and settle my “riders belly”. In the meantime Frans arrives and we ride off into the mornings darkness together. Pea soup is the only way to describe the foggy morn. Pretty uneventful down the Hume. Frans pulls up and says “you stooping in Yass”, me “yes and a sleep”, Frans Ok – you lead. Not far out of Yass we come across another “crazy” Ed out at this hour, Frans moves on and e and I turn off for scheduled stops at the Yass service centre.
So much for my sleep, fuel yak, yak, yak and Vlad & Sidi1200 arrive, while Blacknsilver and his brother are just departing….waves all round and see ya there. Instead of sleep it’s coffee for us all and more yak, yak and then the four of us convoy out of the service centre heading south. The fog isn’t any better as we head towards Harden and I should’ve had that sleep. Wallendbeen, Stickinbingal and Temora and it’s finally turning into a lovely day to be out riding.
Our humble steeds at Yass
We are still convoying but I run up alongside Vlad and indicate that I need to sleep and pull into the Beckom rest area. The boys followed me in as they weren’t sure of my message…looking after one another – awesome! Let them know that I have to sleep and I’ll be alright and I’ll see them at check-in in Leeton…and they ride off into a lovely morning. Me, well I lay down on the bench seat in my gear (helmet removed) and shut the old eyeballs. I woke up when my arm hit the ground some 15 minutes or so later. All up my little stop cost me 30 minutes plus the 30 minute unscheduled long stop at Yass and “bang” my buffer to check-in is GONE.
Now, I’ve DNF’d on rallies but I have no intention of DNF’ing on a FarRide….not going to happen. Running the numbers in my head and looking at the GPS and it’s telling me I’m gonna be late….WHAT!!! Panic and self-doubt now kick in and I try to remember what google maps looked like……..I’m sure I didn’t have to go through Narrandera but not knowing the area thought follow the GPS you haven’t got time to be taking detours Kimmie. So off following the signs to Narrandera down the Newell Highway it was. Dudley was enjoying this new found “spirit” that coursed through his system and he “growled with passion” and excitement to ensure we made it on time.
I’ve never actually been through Narrandera before, it’s actually a nice little town (bigger than I thought it was) as I usually stop at Gillenbah Roadhouse. Alas, there is not time to sight see today…..tally-ho!! Watching the time tick by on the GPS and it’s going to be close……time is measured by the host, so my time and their time “may” not be the same. Through Yanco and now country suburbia traffic….snails pace…not a care in the world…..driving Miss Daisy….. I’m on the clock people what part of that don’t you get as they sit 20 kph under the posted limit….argh!!!
Finally reach Leeton, now to find the club. It’s on a corner, there’s no entrance, drive around the corner, can’t see any bikes……”oh no!!! I’ve got the wrong place” goes through my head. Then out of the corner of my eye I spot a “loud shirt” EUREKA! found them…sneaky buggers. Round the block looking for the entrance and think I only have “not long” and Dudley gallops me down the carpark where we come to an abrupt stop at the gate. Off in a flash, wallet in hand, helmet still on and land on the check-in table – MADE-IT!! Reader57 & Fatman say, “Kimmie you had plenty of time what’s the rush, 6 minutes to spare”……ha ha ha. Park Dudley up next to one of FarRiders Royalty and off to socialise and have lunch.
How good is it to see everyone? Excellent especially when there is a special surprise appearance by Ricecooker and she is riding!!! What a lovely surprise it has been too long…….. I met a young couple, I forget his name (sorry) but he was riding a white Tenere and his wife Jody was pregnant and happy to have travelled in the car, anyway they were looking at the plan in the tankbag and the SPOT device interested in what it was ant the purpose of the plan. I was more than happy to impart my little bit of wisdom and hopefully we’ll see them again on another ride.
Time goes by too quickly and I’m only half way through my ride, but it’s time to go. My wrist is aching but otherwise I’m feeling ok but want to get home. Figured I’ll take the easy option and just back track and take my time…I have plenty of it to get home. Philmor offers a hand to tighten the screen mounts as they seem to have some loose and the screen has dropped covering part of the instrument panel….Thanks Phil. Fatman suggests I take a little detour and have a look in Ardlethan – Home of the Kelpie, so I did. Now thought I’d get a coffee, but nup, the town is shut up tight with the exception of some guys packing up an art exhibition. So I stop and get a pic of the “Kelpie” did see any live ones running around…..but this one looks like he’s got his sights set on Dudley.
We skedaddled out there and saw Vlad pass by on Burley Griffin Way (he was having a nap in a truck bay a little ways back) anyway though I’d catch him but too much traffic. The Temora turn off approaches and I notice he’s heading for West Wyalong, I thought about it, but thought nah do “your” thing Kimmie so we turned off and in my mind wished Vlad a safe trip home. The road really can be an isolated place at times, no cars to share with and the sun slowly setting in the afternoon. Stockinbingal has roadworks, we came through them and now I’m back through them again, but the water truck has just gone through..nooo!! The surface is now really slippery and throwing up all sorts of yukky stuff and lime dust that is going to stick to Dudley like the preverbal stuff to a blanket.
I stop in Harden as I noticed Dudleys screen has dropped again and I need to give the wrist a break. Unable to right the screen I just tighten the bolt that has come loose and get back on my way. Next stop Yass for fuel and a feed and check-in with Karl. It’s dark now but I end up chatting to this old couple who are amazed that I’ve just done a turnaround for lunch and will be back home tonight. We wish each other safe travels and are on our respective ways.
Back on the Hume Highway and it’s an easy ride home…..set the cruise control and sit back, give the wrist a rest. All the way from Yass to Campbelltown this fool in a Honda Civic with one tail light and one head light on low and the other on high played games with not only me but other drivers. At first I thought they were napping at the wheel, then realised this person is just a tool. They hogged the right lane, blocked entry for overtaking and was just generally a PITA. When I did manage to get in front of them they would sit on my tail with the high beam on…..really, but they did it to everyone who got in front of them…tool. I was glad after just over 200 kays they turned off.
Arrived home at bang on 8:30pm and was glad to be there. A total of 1227kms for the day and a little bit sore…thankfully tomorrows Sunday and I can have the day off…with the exception of washing Dudley.
Thanks Team FarRider for organising another great event.
See ya on the next one!!
