The Inaugural IBA Australian Parkes Muster 2016 – qualifying ride for this momentous event is a SS1600. Can I do another one, in the middle of winter, is a debate that I lost with myself. After my last one in April which could’ve ended quite differently I decided that I would be of more assistance on this one behind the scenes. Although I had intended to still ride to this event, circumstances beyond my control had me attending in the car.
ROAD TRIP!!! As I’m in no hurry, it was a late departure from home at 10am, hoping to arrive at 3pm in Parkes. That’s was the plan anyway….LOL!!
Heading up Bells Line in Dougall (that’s the new car) towards Lithgow and true to form (well mine anyway whenever I travel this road), it starts raining..well sprinkling. It gets heavier then peeters off and repeats the sequence all the way. On the way up, I thought I’d stop at Hassans Lookout but with the rain I decided not today. Once out of town on onto the open road Dougall’s happy to sit on the cruise control and coast on through.
Planned lunch stop is Bathurst and you can’t not visit Mount Panorama. Dougall was just a little bit excited about going round this track (just quietly I was too..he he he). But before that lunch. On top of Skyline it’s a balmy 3 degrees LOL!! and the perfect place to have lunch.
Time to get the rest of that lap in…..ZOOM ZOOM!!!! Well maybe not this time it’s strictly to the speed limit this time, but OMG it’s amazing!! And still 3 degrees…brrrr
On the road again, time to get back on the road again……. Through Orange, Manildra and the rain is just enough to be annoying all the way to Parkes. Just as we head out of Lucknow, Dougall clicks over his first 1000 kays – Happy Birthday Dougall!
On the outskirts of town I was looking for the “Welcome to Parkes” sign for “THAT” pic but it wasn’t there, so thought I’d take a detour before checking in and go visit “The Dish”. You know the one that was in the movie with Sam Neil and Dan Aakroyd, well now to find it. Dougall comes self-equipped with a navigation system named Daisy. So I ask Daisy to find The Dish and WHAM…..god dang it, she did!!! Confidently I followed Daisy through the back streets of Parkes and then I turn down a country road (big mistake) it turns to dirt….not just a little bit of dirt but real slippery wet clay stuff…..ARGH!! About 8 kays down the road though I spot this in the background…Eureka!!
It’s pretty impressive!! There’s not much there though. I suppose I was expected more. In the centre there are some models of the telescope and a repica of the control panel along with some amusing stuff for kids and the all-important souvenir shop. Anyway, it’s 4:15 and they are rushing you out the door. Poor Dougall is covered in wet dripping sticky yukky clay from our little off roading adventure…I felt really bad.
Heading back to town along the highway (which I should’ve taken in the first place) and “THAT” sign appears…..photo op.
Checked in and now to organise dinner. Tonights choice is Ikon at Gracelands, great menu and not pub food. It’s kinda based on 50’s movies stars and French chic with a fire pit and a couple of gas fires. The Wild Mushroom Sauce with housemade Veal Tortellini was absolutely fabulous and wit a glass of Sauv Blanc all went down a treat. I thought I’d have any early night and a bit of a relax, but I was too excited watching the links and FB posts of my LD motorcycle friends to sleep. At 12:10am a rider pulls into the motel, so I wonder out to great them. Don’t know this fella and here I am standing in the freezing cold in my pyjama not caring and congratulating him on completing his SS1600 for the IBA Inaugural Muster. As it turns out Anthony was more impressed with meeting Lynne The Pillion and Myself in one night…lol – go figure…
Back to bed and watching dots and posts when another rider Gadget arrives. Again out in the jammies to greet him and we have a bit of a chat but he’s just done a SS1600 also in the cold and needs to get some shut eye. Watching a couple of friends travel around out in the darkness and the cold and they both stop for a bit. As it turns out, one of my friends was in distress. I contacted him and arranged for him to go to my place where Karl would be waiting for him, with a hot shower and warm bed. Still not able to sleep, check in on my other friend travelling and thankfully his spot is now heading in the right direction…phew! Exhausted I can now finally get to sleep knowing these two guys are safe and on their way. Just a note: I have many friends on this ride but not all of them post or SPOT for you to watch.
4 hours sleep….argh! but it is what it is. Head out to wash Dougall and grab some breakky and come across Brian & Tory at the BP. After signing their witness forms, Knave, then Rob and Gaggs roll in, so I sign all their forms too. May as well have breakky with the boys and they all enlighten me about their various journeys to Parkes for this event. Off to wash Dougall now and if everyone elses vehicles weren’t as dirty if not worse than mine, I’d have been embarrassed…lol. Back to the motel to get ready for the days events.
The Oz IBA Team had accepted my offer to assist with the day and I planted myself in a chair behind a computer and proceeded to check riders in and verify their route. Ever so nervous that there would be one that would be rejected (thankfully there wasn’t). Young Nevertire Nic offered to be my photographer for the day….thank you! Since I was busy and he was off like a shot.
It’s always good to catch up with familiar faces and find out how everyone’s been. I had the pleasure today of meeting the infamous 10ft Red Head “Daisy” (ok, a slight exaggeration….she’s only 7ft) and her loving man Reg from Tassie. What lovely people and I look forward to catching up with them again.
Back for a bit of a rest and to wait for Streak to arrive. It was such a great sight to see him pull into the driveway of the motel. As soon as Streak was ready, he, Gaggs and myself head back to the club for the remainder of the presentations. Shane “Cuddles” Cudlin gave us a good insight into how an Iron Butt Rally (IBR) is run and the gruelling efforts it takes on the preparation and the team. He showed us some fine photos, including some stunners of Lady Cuddles……lol. Nevertire Nic offered to be photographer for the night but seems he hit the video button instead of camera button, so I don’t have any pics from the night and the video is very blurry. Think he moght need some more practice 🙂
I must say though, the meals at the Parkes Services Club are pretty darn good and huge servings.
Sunday morning meeting at the club before the, well ride (or drive in my case) out to The Dish for the group photo and breakfast. TJ has everyone line the street as he provides instruction or the ride out. It’s a wonderful sight seeing all the bikes and riders together.
Out at the Dish we have to wait to get through the gate, before assembling for the group photo and photos of photo grabbers and just great friends.
But it doesn’t take long before those not staying for breakfast decide to get going. Some are going straight home, some are going on great adventures and well some are just going for a ride. Now there is one person that I had been told dislikes having their pic taken and you rarely get to capture this persons face….but this morning I managed the almost impossible. I captured a partial facial shot of the infamous 10ft Redhead Daisy. I also know that I am sooooo going to pay for this when I next see her…………
Is that a smile I see Daisy????? he he he
Breakfast before heading off. Now on the way out, I noticed a sign on the start or is that the finish of that awful road I managed to take yesterday……….
A quick call to Karl to let him know I’m on my way and can’t wait to get home. It’s pretty uneventful all the way to Lithgow where I decide to stop for lunch. Onnies was the spot today….a quaint little café on the main street. The food was fabulous but the coffee, well, should come with a warning tag…..”undrinkable”. Note to self….don’t buy coffee here again.
Unfortunately, all the numbknuckles decided they wanted to take Bells Line of road too. Needless to say it was a slow and frustrating trip down the hill. Finally back home to Karl and Ella-Jane which is always a wonderful way to end a trip.
Almost forgot…….some more pics.
