Overnighter to Long Flat, sensational idea! Alas, it is only the 3 of us though – Karl, Paul & me. This’ll be Daisy’s first real road (teething) trip. We’ve, well Karl has done a bit to her, I’ve done the pretty stuff and think I’ve figured out the packing for a trip (in particular a camping trip) sorted.
Saturday 11th Jan 14
8:30am Saturday and we are off….woo hoo! Plan – Fuel at Berowra (where I can’t get off the bike cos I can’t get off without her falling over – thanks Kath for holding her for me), up the Old Pac to Australian Reptile Park and then back on the Freeway to Bucketts Way. How much fun is the Old Pac on Daisy? – Awesome amounts of fun!! But the fun doesn’t last long, it’s uncomfortable L We hit the freeway and I’m squirming around like a worm. Anyway’s finally turn onto Bucketts Way and I get off ready to go home. Karl ends up taking the swag after I’ve spat the dummy and we turn the bag around to give me back the seat space needed to be comfortable *thumbs up*.
Mount up and Daisy, she no start – crap. Karl’s already gone, Paul starts to go and realises I’ve got trouble. Anyway, there is no way she’s going to start. Finally after about 15 minutes she fires and we are off (this turns out to be an ongoing issue). I’m still fuming and it’s not getting better, the seat is now uncomfortable. Can’t fix it on the road will have to wait til Gloucester.
The usual food haunts in Gloucester are busy, so we head up to the Kik’n’bac Cafe for lunch. Flies, who ordered flies with our lunch, they are everywhere. Lunch was nothing special for the bucks we paid so we won’t be going back there.
They should have a side of “flies” on the menu…Yikes!
Fuel at the shell and unfortunately I had to turn Daisy off – bugger. Finally get her started and Karl says “you go putting up the street, we’ll catch”, ok then. With the airhawk now fixed, the luggage sorted I finally start to enjoy riding Daisy….YAY!! What a hoot and I’m into it – no sign of the fellas though *shrugs*. Into the lookout I get a couple of pics before they arrive.
Carson/Cameron’s Lookout. I never get the name right.
Paul “The Leprechaun”
Karl checking out the view.
I’m accused of hooning! Naturally I must’ve been right, cos they couldn’t catch me and after all I’m not on a fast bike now – it’s cruising in a bouncy kinda fashion…LOL
Assessing the clouds we decide we are possibly gonna get wet heading into Walcha. Paul and I swap bikes about 40 kays outta Walcha and not long afterwards it starts to rain…oh well, it’s not bad but we’re tough and don’t worry about wets (not required really).
A little wet Daisy in Walcha servo
The skies clear in the direction we want to head and I’m happy (thank god for that I reckon the guys are saying) and off we go to “smash the Oxley”, well to have a bit of fun anyway. Other than the straights, I surprised myself by keeping up with them. Daisy lurves the curves and she dips in here and flicks into there with a spring in her stride – it’s awesome and sooo much fun.
Heading down into Gingers Creek.
Cuppa tea at Gingers and a WOO HOO from me…happy Kimmie!!
Almost forgot we had to stop at Apsley Falls so Paul get a pic – Daisy’s first time too.
Daisy’s first visit
One of the locals on his way down to the look out
Giant wildlife….would eat ya leg off if you let it! LOL
Check out the view
Apsley lookout
Panoramic view
Back on track, sorry, time to go, a cold beer is a calling. Now down the exciting part of the Oxley and WOW, it’s so much fun and relatively easy going on Daisy in comparison to Angel.
Pull up at Long Flat, a cold drink, unpack and start to relax.
Drinking hole & bed for the night
As you can see Karl & Paul have the beers ready and made a new friend…good to see them playing nicely with the yocals!
Great alfresco dining overlooking the river with great company, what more could you ask for really. A walk after dinner is in order so we toddle off down the road yakking away and checking out the camping down by the river wondering how they got in there. I decided to climb the resident tree and felt like a Hobbit for a moment…LOL
Hobbit land? leave it up to you….
Our usual night cap of tea and biscuits, more tea and Pringles, beer, chatting some reading and finally it’s cooled down enough to hit the hay.
Sunday 12th Jan 14
I had a good nights sleep and it was a slow start to the morning. Paul had demanded coffee and toast on his opening of thyne eyes in the morning. So when I had toast cooking and was ignored by him (who was still in bed) bugger him and Karl had gone across to the general store for coffee (which was disappointing this time).
No rain in sight today, the sun is out, the air is crisp, Daisy started first go (she’d had a sleep afterall), the fellas are having their war of words that they have and time to go and climb that snake of a road back to Gingers.
trusty steads.
It’s a short stop, and the Power Rangers pull in not longer after we arrived so we hit the road. Let’s spoil ourselves in Walcha with a nice cuppa tea and scones! The Oxley never disappoints and the run through the top end twisties is invigorating!
Of course you have to get one of these!
cos ya have to…
Another tanty as Daisy wouldn’t start after fuelling up in Walcha and the guys had already left me for tea. 15 minutes later she starts and I have the irates something chronic. Karl goes and starts her first go after I get to the cafe and explain what happens….grrr. Yeah, well I’m disappointed again, no darn scones! WTha is going on here….it’s a conspiracy I tell you!!
On a better note, they have a new sculpture at the Walcha Cafe – the creator is truly talented.
something out of Alien???
The heat of the day is stinging already, so next stop is the lookout and then Gloucester for lunch. This time we go to Roadies Cafe (passed by previous taste tests) and there’s fans and aircon…YEAH!! The Daisy issue is really giving me the irates to the point that I just don’t want to turn her off. Finally on the way and it’s a cruisey run down Bucketts. In saying that Thunderbolts still has some good sections and some, well crappy road surface. Maybe one day they’ll complete both Bucketts and Thunderbolts, somehow I don’t think that will happen in my lifetime though.
End of Bucketts and Paul is pulled over and indicates he needs to put oil in the Rex (TRX850). So him & Karl, I thought had a plan (silly me) anyway we end up stopping at the driver reviver at the top of the Freeway home so he can add oil. Thankfully this time I was able to park in the shade. As Karl rode off and Paul started to leave, yep you guessed it, I’m still sitting there trying to get Daisy started. Paul turned around and tried to help but alas until Daisy’s ready to start, there is just no pushing her (at least this time someone else can explain to Karl what is happening or not when she gets hot). Eventually we are off and see Karl stopped down the freeway waiting for us.
Let’s get home!! Final fuel at the twin servos at Tuggerah (not for me I need to see what kays to a tank Daisy will get) but yep she won’t start again. Over it, just over it, totally ridiculous! An uneventful run down the freeway and into the drive..Yay! So glad I was to be home that I stupidly *doh* turned Daisy off “big mistake” cos Karl now had to push her up the drive in the gate…oops – sorry Sweety!!
Look, it may sound that I had a crappy time but if I was totally honest, it was a great weekend, once I sorted the luggage and seating. Ok, a major hick up with Daisy which I have no doubt Karl will sort in time but it was a teething run for Daisy. So now we know the bugs and can set to rectifying them.
For the specky people…
Total kays for the weekend 1086, Special Price $1.42, OA 80kph, MA 88kph
