Australia 2019 - A real Adventure - A serial report

[wheatonFJR]

So how's riding on the other side of road? Likely not bad till you come upon a round-a-bout! Say safe and have fun.

I would have to follow another rider or I'd die turning right out of a restaurant or gas station.

[Tyler]

So how's riding on the other side of road? Likely not bad till you come upon a round-a-bout! Say safe and have fun.

I would have to follow another rider or I'd die turning right out of a restaurant or gas station.

Yup... when I rode in NZ a couple of years ago, that was the one that caught me but luckily no traffic and I got on the correct side of the road quite quickly... also coming off a one-way bridge, had to focus hard to stay left... was riding with my friend, Sally, from the UK and she led most of the time so I just followed her...

[CraigRegs]

Very exciting and looking forward to every report!

[John d]

Like this! Sure beats watching snow accumulate and melt.

[escapefjrtist]

Looks like a h00t bigjohn, standing by for the next installment!

~G

[bigjohnsd]

So how's riding on the other side of road? Likely not bad till you come upon a round-a-bout! Say safe and have fun.

My "Mantra" is "Keep Left - Look Right" - so far I've not had any issues, but I've generally been following Festar's lead. The roundabouts haven't been to bad, no right of way issues have surfaced yet. Festar has been relatively well behaved as New South Wales has instituted a "double points" traffic violation policy through the end of December.

[bigjohnsd]

Day One - Executed generally as planned. We are staying in Oberon above a Pub in the Royal Hotel. Doesn't look like it is has been refurbished since the before WW1. But it is $70 AUD ($1 AUD = $.67 US) for the two of us and the bathroom is just across the hall. The cell phone didn't hold its charge so there aren't any pictures tonight. We ran in heavy smoke as far as Singleton, then it got warm, 38C - 100F, but it is "dry heat, and the wind was howling. We saw several bush fires from a distance, One Of the roads we wanted to take, the Putty Road, was closed due to fire so we routed ourselves two valleys to the West. No real plan for tomorrow other than to end up in Young, NSW at a friend of Brian's fir e the evening. A fair number of bikes in the road, some Harleys, they don't wave, a fair number of various adventure bikes, and lots of Standards and Sport Bikes. Brian's FJR has a Gel Comfort Seat, 400 miles out the hurt on BigJohnSD's keester, I miss my Laam!




Highlight of the day was a lap around the MT Panorama Race Track at Bathurst NSW. https://www.mount-panorama.com.au.

[Hppants]

The other day, I got sucked into an hour long YouTube fest on the V8 Supercars (which are stupid cool, BTW) and the Bathurst track is AMAZING!!!! So envious of your time there. The downhill sections of that track would be sooooooo much fun to ride unabated.

Right on, man!!!

[fontanaman]

Ouch to no Laam seat and the cost of living in OZ.

Seems like OZ and California are very similar aka fires, smoke, wind and expensive.

Hope the fires, wind and smoke go away from the remainder of the trip.

[PhilJet09]

Great trip, I really wish I was there too. Say “hi” to Phil when you get down to Tassie.

[bigjohnsd]

Roundabouts haven't been a problem, I've been following Festar.
Didn't ride to far today. Staying with friends of Brian in Young NSW.

[bigjohnsd]

Thursday - Saturday
Thursday we headed South to/the Australian Alps. It was a long day, some 500 Kilometers, long at max speed limit of 100 KPH and actual speeds of 35-65 kph through the twisty routes Brian has led us on.

Thursday's Route


We left the lowlands of Southern NSW but not soon enough! The heat exceeded 44 Centigrade and even though it was dry heat, real freaking dry, it was just plain hot. I've always gotten great service from my wetted sleeve LDComfort shirt, this time was no exception, but the sleeves would only stay wet for less than an hour per soaking. My skull cap would only provide cooling for about 30 minutes.

During the course of the day we covered lots of ground and terrain.
Of course after the first 100K we had to have some sustenance. A small town cafe provided a nice "toastie" and a Flat White.




We stopped for a map and water at a visitor center and i captured this info:





The countryside reminds me alot of the California Central Coast, rolling hills, Eucalyptus trees, lots of two lane roads, some nice and smooth, some goat trails that Carver would love. The country is in the second year of a drought, it is really dry, normally these hills would be green and lush. In some places Farmers are shooting their livestock because they don't have food nor water for the animals.


It is difficult to get pictures along the way because there are no shoulders on the roads and like a dumb shit I left my point and shoot on the move camera on the dresser at home charging the battery


I risked life and limb on a gravel shoulder with a 500 meter drop off to get this picture. It reminded me of one of the many Sierra Foothill canyons I've ridden with Bugs.




A typical 100KPH Speed limit road with every almost every curve signed at 35-50 KPH.

Watash at a "high Point"



The "Mate" at he same point


There are "Bush Fires" all over NSW and Victoria where we are headed next. You can see the light haze in this next picture


About 1630 it was 44F, we were both parched and happened across this Tea Room/Post Office a bottle of cold sparkling water was $4 which I Gladly paid.






The Murray River is the boundary between New South Wales and Victoria. The biggest difference I've noticed has been that once in Victoria Brian keeps within 1 KPH of the speed limit!Victoria has a "Zero tolerance policy: and speed cameras are no notice!
We ended up spending Thursday night in Tallangtta, Victoria. We splurged and got an air conditioned motel room instead of a room with a fan above the local pub

Friday - Tallangatta to Tallangatta via the Alps:
Our Route


Very technical roads, some had lots of leaves and sticks from a windstorm the night before. No shoulders, No photos, I have only a few to post. Breakfast was delayed until almost noon in Omeo



A view of the Alps from above Omeo


An information filled Kiosk that doesn't show well




Mt Hotham - The "Bear Tooth of Australia"









Saturday - Moving Day - we left Tallangatta this morning about 0830 and arrived at Colac Victoria about 1700. No pictures today. We traversed varying country which got greener as we got further South and West. Wheat fields just being Harvested, Large Round Bales of hay cut and stacked, cows, sheep, less road kill, more traffic.



Sunday - Tomorrow - The Great Ocean Road!

[festar]

The other day, I got sucked into an hour long YouTube fest on the V8 Supercars (which are stupid cool, BTW) and the Bathurst track is AMAZING!!!! So envious of your time there. The downhill sections of that track would be sooooooo much fun to ride unabated.

Right on, man!!!

Pants ya just don’t realize how steep it is through those twisties

[Pterodactyl]

Hey John, who is the skinny Dude?

[bigjohnsd]

Sunday - November 24th - A Lap on the Great Ocean Road!

Many aren't aware of the Great Southern Ocean, Australias Southern Coast across from Antarctica.

Today we rode a portion of the Great Ocean Road -much akin to the fabled and well regarded California Highway One.

We left our Abode in Colac about 0800 and rode East and South to intercept the Great Ocean Road at Lorne. The road to Lorne was very similar to riding from the Monterey Valley over to the coast in California, narrow road, 100 kph speed limit, lots of 35-55 kph signed corners. Hard to pick out the bumps in the dappled sunlight but we made it safely. Most folks in cars would use the slow vehicle turnouts to let us by when they were holding us up. Lots of bikes out, saw more Ducatista today than in Italy I think.
Our first view at Lorne


After a quick photo we stopped for some Fuel.
It is "Schoolies" week here in Victoria, lots of recently graduated 18 year olds spreading phermones and pollen on the beaches. So as not to violate the rules of the host I have purposely not posted any pictures of long legged, full breasted, scantily clad Aussie's of either sex.







The road more twisty but smooth for the tourists and not much traffic headed West away from Melbourne.



We stopped briefly at the "12 Apostles" a site much akin to Cannon Beach in Oregon.





We observed Surf Lifeboat training




Before stopping here at the sight of an 1893 shipwreck that killed 11 people and 1,500 sheep.



We returned to Colac about 1630, fueled and washed the bikes. I did a little maintenance on the FJR.

Our route for the day looked like this - about 400 kilometers

[wheatonFJR]

Wow....awesome.

[raYzerman]

Very nice, John!!

[Hack]

It is "Schoolies" week here in Victoria, lots of recently graduated 18 year olds spreading phermones and pollen on the beaches. So as not to violate the rules of the host I have purposely not posted any pictures of long legged, full breasted, scantily clad Aussie's .

I am disappoint.

[wheatonFJR]

It is "Schoolies" week here in Victoria, lots of recently graduated 18 year olds spreading phermones and pollen on the beaches. So as not to violate the rules of the host I have purposely not posted any pictures of long legged, full breasted, scantily clad Aussie's .

I am disappoint.

So disappointed, in fact, that he couldn't wait to hit that enter button.

[escapefjrtist]

Awesome scenery, thanks John!

~G