The plan is to travel around Australia on motorbikes. Why would we wish to spend 9 months in this way?  To explore the ‘top end’ in the winter months known as the  ‘Dry’; Enjoy warmth for 9 months; Expose ourselves to encounters with new places and people; Above all, to relish the freedom: the freedom to do so; the freedom of motorcycling in warm weather; the freedom to pick our places and plot our progress ‘off the cuff’. 

 

Meet The Bikes

Louise’s BMW F650 GS on the right.

My BMW F650 GS Dakar e on the left (with top box on). Both have paniers – not attached in the photo. They are categorized as ‘Adventure’ bikes meaning that as well as being ‘Road’ bikes, they are capable of off road jaunts. The Dakar variant is supposedly slightly more so but the rider needs to acquire off road skills which, with one slow speed spill on day one, I have yet to acquire.

The bikes attended pre-trip therapy classes at Motueka Motorcycles. In addition to such niceties as new steering head bearings, brake pads and a full service, each bike received a tailor-made reserve fuel tank, fabricated out of aluminium. There may well be occasions when we need an extended range between drinks.

Crating Up

On the weekend of 8/9 April we rode down to Christchurch from our newly acquired future patch of Nelson. At our second home of 476 Sparks Road, Halwell, which we generously share with Dagy and Carol, Dagy and I crated the bikes up ready for collection on 12^th. See photos below. Unfortunately, the collection of the bikes by the shippers was delayed by 24 hours during which time rain fell on the

magnificent crates ………………… with unfortunate implications yet to be realised.

Sydney Arrival

 

Our journey started at 2.30pm on Sunday 30 April, extricating ourselves from the assembled throng of guests attending Dagy and Carol’s May Day party, all huddled inside due to the foul weather. Big farewells, taxi, airport and click, seatbelts on and off we went. As we left terra firma, it was not an apt time to ponder what on earth we were doing yet ponder I did: The definites were: We were leaving dear friends and family behind for another protracted period; We were leaving our newly beloved Nelson; to conclude, we were waltzing away from good beer and comfort and heading to the great outback with all its bity creatures and its frozen fizz of industrial lager. All for the lure of the unknown.

For the 1^st week in Sydney we were made most welcome by Holly and Hamish. During this time we learned that by some random decision, Aussie Quarantine decided to inspect the bike crates – meaning a delay. Meantime we moved to Jean and Cathy’s house in north Sydney. Lady luck then played another black trump card. The Quarantine guys found a snail dozing on one of our bikes. This beast had slid into the crates during the wet delay at 476 Sparks Road. Many dollars and days later the snail was neutralised and the bikes delivered to Jean’s studio – see photos above.

Sydney Departure

Mick Ryan, a friend of Jean’s is a bike enthusiast and kindly took us for a ‘loop ride’ out of Sydney and back, just to check that all was well with our mounts. He enjoys off-road riding and was keen to give us a taste of it. We stopped at St Albans for a cuppa at the Settlers Inn where I experienced a mind flip. Walking in the door I passed from Australia into the bosom of an English pub, complete with hand pump.

But a cuppa it had to be.

Eventually, after interminable delays, numerous months of far from smooth planning and a building anticipation for the “off”, we departed Jean and Cathy’s house on the morning of Thursday 18 May, led by Mick. We were most grateful for the kindness, hospitality and patience Jean and Cathy afforded this couple of bikie interlopers.

Australia’s East Coast – The Great Ascent

Mick led us north out of Sydney across some great country using unsealed roads for preference. The photo right shows Louise crossing a small creek. Nice innocent-looking ford crossing but we were warned that the concrete under water was usually slippery with green algae – which it was – but neither of us took a bath! Without boring you with chapter and verse, our journey from Sydney up the East Coast of Australia to Cairns in the Far North of Queensland was punctuated by the following overnight stops as noted on the map below.

It’s a large island this one!  This East Coast ascent took 3,100 kilometres. The overnight stops were at: Matt and Sarah’s farm (Mick’s friends) near Tamworth; Evans Head; Brisbane (2 nights with Andrew Renaut); Glass Mountain; Hervey Bay, Bororen; Sarina; Hydeaway Bay; Rollingstone (see photo left – had to stop here!) Yungaburra and finally to Edmonton, a southern suburb of Cairns, where we are dog-sitting ‘Prince’

above from 1 to 17 June. We are currently enjoying a break from camping, exploring the Atherton Tablelands, Cairns and generally catching up with communications, including posting this first blog on my web site.

You may be relieved to read that subsequent posts will be far more brief.