My first ride report... In Victoria, new motorbike riders are only permitted to ride up to 250cc bikes, no passengers and zero blood alcohol for the first 15 months. So for over a year I've been watching Strom's pass my fat butt by on my 250 counting down the days. In December, 2 months before I came off restrictions I gave in and purchased a new 07 650 Strom... didn't ride it much, waiting for the additional bits and pieces to arrive. Then when they did arrive I was stuck at work for over a month. But I finally got a week off, so I loaded the bike and hit the road heading from Melbourne Victoria, to Newcastle New South Wales, the long way. I've learned a few things from the ride - $40 tents are bad, smaller items the better, and I don't really like dirt roads... I rolled out of the Garage at 8am and the misses took the first photo of the ride. I should note the photos are a mix from my phone and digital camera. I hooked the Zumo in to my helmet speakers, flipped on some music and hit the highway to get out of town quickly. First major stop was outside Moe where this Power Station just appeared. It was rather amazing to be in the bush and not see this coming. Next stop was Toongabbie. Lovely little town, even though the roads were a little boring. This is the first point the GPS played up. I headed out and the GPS told me to turn right in 200m, then right again in 200m and right again in 200m. Having done Orienteering before, my keen sense of direction kicked in and I soon discovered I was in fact going in circles. So I made the executive decision to go along the road I had not come from, it worked! Soon I arrived at one of the many starting points of the Great Alpine Way. The road looked good and the weather, while overcast, felt good too. After climbing the hills for a while it was a rapid decent where the road followed a river for a number of K's. Time for a rest stop. Just think, this is some unlucky buggers driveway! Heading off I soon encountered logging trucks. Then came across a huge pile of wood that was being watered... Personally I didn't think it was going to grow again no matter how much water they put on it, and they were pumping a lot of water over that wood. The sign said "DO NOT ENTER"... I entered. Continuing on I entered the Alpine National Park. A lovely area, with a nice dirt road and plenty of old bridges. The road come out in to a valley... by this time I was rattled to death as that lovely dirt road slowly turned in to a goat track. My hands were killing me. One of the side roads promised a view but it was dirt again... I took my chances, and the view was great. Here is a picture of my gloves from later that night... they were in great shape before entering that dirt road. I chickened out and took a Hotel Motel room for the night. $50 including breakfast. Great view, a bed and shower! Damn that Strom is a sexy beast. The valleys were lovely and there were plenty of Roo's jumping about waiting to be slaughtered by logging trucks. Heading on I knew I was close to the Snowey's where a large portion of electricity is generated... something gave away the fact there was a power station around somewhere. Reaching the top I was amazed to look out, not so much at the view but the simple fact nearly everything I was dead! Heading down the hills again I came across two damns. Amazing roads and yet I didn't see a single person for hours. Damn those Europeans (apparently European Wasps were eating people's canned food and soft drink). Apparently everything is dangerous out here... Back up in to the hills again I came across a Ski Resort. Nothing more then the same accommodation repeated over and over again going for top dollar during the right season. The GPS again played up here, simply because the roads were on top of each other as you head up and down the hills. Heading back out in to the bush I came across another dirt road. This one turned worst then the last one, but it was a great place to have lunch. The road came out near a river... and of course I was happy to see I had been travelling within a stones throw of a paved road, not that the GPS had any idea of that. Heading on I was getting close to the cost again and heading up hill the weather closed in. The Illawarra Highway near Wollongong is insane - zero visibility due to low cloud, wet, slippery and spectacular. Wollongong it self though is a tip... sorry, it just is. $16 for a chicken burger meal? Hell I ate Stake, Chips, Salad and a Coke at one town for $15. Having said that it was great to see water again. Heading up the cost I took the Grand Pacific. Now this road is supposed to be some amazing thing, and it is, for the entire 1.5KM's it runs. After that it's any other coastal road that runs around Australia. But it does lead in to the Sydney national park which is stunning. From here was a freeway run to Newcastle. Sydney is still there, still awful, and still a commuting nightmare. The family were good, they've aged since I last visited and oddly enough they said the same about me. I enjoyed my time there so much so I intend to go back in a month for more then a day. After visiting the family it was back on the road, boring freeway until heading west to Wisemans Ferry. But before I reached the ferry, I stopped for some home made apple pie my Grandmother made. Next stop Wisemans Ferry. Not as nice as I remember, but still an interesting trip. Heading up the mountain I stopped, had some tucker, took a few pictures and headed off again. I wont bore you with the rest of the trip home. It was wet, cold, wet again, and cold again. The GPS lost signal countless times as the rain bucketed down. So much so I couldn't take any pictures as I would have destroyed the camera and phone. There is no such thing as water proof clothing, just degrees of water resistance.
There just is something about reports from Australia that makes my heart ache. I miss it so much. Too much. Some day perhaps I shall come back.. Great report.
Nice report mate, fantastic up around Cabramurra and the Snowies in general, I just love it up there. I PMed you about when you were going as I was thinking of heading that way. Went down the GOR to Pt Fairy and back instead, had an idea there was "weather" on its way in NSW, hate getting a wet arse! Cheers Under
