So far we have been riding on as many scenic routes as possible (even though on one occasion I announced no more scenic routes as they always take longer!) as they are much nicer than being on the highway. Unfortunately to get moving along the coast we have had to befriend Bruce - the Bruce Highway that is, which is not very attractive, full of trucks and pretty boring, but does mean that we have made some ground in the last week or so.
We left Brisbane and drove through the gorgeous Hinterlands to the coast, popping by thepost folk in Noosa Beach and then staying in Rainbow Beach and hiring a jeep wrangler to take to Fraser Island. It seemed a little mean leaving the bike for a shiny red, topless jeep - but once on the island we were very pleased that we hadn't brought her with us! Fraser Island was just beautiful and we are now of course, masters of the 4WD! Driving along the beach was easy and great fun, the internal roads providing a bit more of a challenge and making us glad it wasn't our car! The scenary there was even better than expected- you just have to go!
On leaving Fraser we've had a hard (well, hard for Tille who has to ride and not so hard for me to day dream on the back) few days riding to move along up the coast and are now in Mackay - which I must say has very little to offer if you're not into massive utes and tattoos... Although we had a great 2-4-1 meal at the Lawn Bowls club near our caravan park last night - yes folks we are living it up!
Have downloaded some more photos - we're off to Eungella National Park next to spot some platypus and then to Airlee Beach.. No complaints from us!
Friday, 18 April 2008
Thursday, 10 April 2008
Rain, rain go away - come again, in SA!
On leaving Sydney we headed up through Yengo National Park into the Hunter Valley - yet another beautiful, winding and green ride. It was then time to say goodbye to the cold mountains and return to the coast. We spent a night in a place called Seal Rocks that had picturesque beaches before continuing on to Port Macquarie where thanks to puncture no.2 we spent the night. The 'Iron Person' was on that weekend so we mixed it up with incredibly fit and healthy looking people there before moving on to Hat Head National Park (thanks for the tip Don, great spot) where we shared our campsite with a pair of kookaburras, a family of kangaroos and a goanna!
On our way to Byron Bay from there we got caught in a crazy down pour and I conceded that perhaps buying rain gear would be a good idea - denial was not keeping it away! We are now the proud owners of functional and particularly colourful gear. After a day or two of rain, body surfing, a bit of sun, a few beers and being hippies we moved up to Surfers Paradise where Tille perfected body boarding and enjoyed finally being able to swim in the Australian seas (bit too cold in SA). Highlight of Surfers was definitely the world's largest timezone and NOT the endless rain - tried to blow those clouds to the south. Last few days have been in Brisbane - thanks to Carrie and Sam...
The weather maps say it'll be clear this weekend so the plan is to leave the bike for a few days, hire a 4WD and head over to Fraser Island - yippee!
Last thought is that if I were a cow - I would definitely want to be a dairy one and live in the north of NSW near the Nurimbah Valley, just outside a town called Winglepong where life just looks peachy. As you can see my mind is now clear and I can just mull over the important things in life whilst riding along.... :)
On our way to Byron Bay from there we got caught in a crazy down pour and I conceded that perhaps buying rain gear would be a good idea - denial was not keeping it away! We are now the proud owners of functional and particularly colourful gear. After a day or two of rain, body surfing, a bit of sun, a few beers and being hippies we moved up to Surfers Paradise where Tille perfected body boarding and enjoyed finally being able to swim in the Australian seas (bit too cold in SA). Highlight of Surfers was definitely the world's largest timezone and NOT the endless rain - tried to blow those clouds to the south. Last few days have been in Brisbane - thanks to Carrie and Sam...
The weather maps say it'll be clear this weekend so the plan is to leave the bike for a few days, hire a 4WD and head over to Fraser Island - yippee!
Last thought is that if I were a cow - I would definitely want to be a dairy one and live in the north of NSW near the Nurimbah Valley, just outside a town called Winglepong where life just looks peachy. As you can see my mind is now clear and I can just mull over the important things in life whilst riding along.... :)
Friday, 28 March 2008
Four seasons in one month!
Where to start - since Melbourne there has been more dirt, rain and freezing mountain air than I could have imagined! We left Melbourne and rode along the coast to Bairnsdale - the view over Wilson's Promontory was just gorgeous. Just out of Bairnsdale we encountered our first puncture - well Tille did, on looking at it I announced it was 'fine' and we rode a bit further, oops. On changing the tire we headed into Bairnsdale and had awesome wood oven pizza and wine - it is all about the food!
The motorbike atlas we're following then took us on a crazy journey into the snowy mountains - we rode on a one car wide gravel track through the mountains with sheer drops down the side. Breathtakingly beautiful but a little bit scary - Tille rode like a star whilst I had my heart in my throat and hung on tight! That night we camped next to the snowy river - just perfect.. Then into NSW - enough gravel road and winding around the mountains that I started to think would bring us out out the top of Australia! Spent a few nights in Mount Koziosko national park, this time next to the Thredbo river and climbed the mountain (2233m - Australia's highest point), well, we caught the ski lift half way and then hiked the remainding 13km (alright - that was the return distance!). Unfortunately there was no view at the top due to cloud and Tille started to grow ice on his beard and look like a yetty so it was time to return!
Out of the mountains to Canberra through 14mm of rain that decided to bucket down whilst we rode along - never have we been so incredibly wet! We upgraded that night to a cabin (lush i know) dried everything out and enjoyed a night of tv before heading back out to the tent site the next day. We had mixed up our messages with Kev (that's our Prime Minister for the non-aussies) who was in Adelaide to see us so our dinner date with him didn't come off, but it was great to see Parliament House - I was surprised to feel quite patriotic and had a run around on the grass roof to prove it.
From Canberra to here - Katoomba where the air is REALLY cold but the mountain views are just awesome, a must for anyone visiting Australia although I vowed to tille that next time we'll be staying in a hotel and making the most of the restaurants and not just the camp ground.
The bike is definitely a diva but the three of us are forming a relationships. She has expensive taste and rides best on the extra premium petrol, she doesn't like the hot weather too much, especially when stopping and starting through city traffic and sometimes she is in two minds whether she is hot (fan on, temperature guage not up or vice versa) or not. But I figure if someone loaded me up with 220 odd kilos of luggage and human and made me ride up and down mountains, on gravel roads, over funny litle wooden bridges, in 40 degrees weather and rain then sometimes I too would be a bit of a diva!
We head over to Sydney this afternoon to catch up with Belinda and Darius which we are looking forward to. For those of you who got ot the bottom of this well done, sorry it is so long - will try to right shorter and more often!
Oh I forgot to mention, the bike was losing coolant and I, yes I will now be adding mechanic to my CV after working out what was wrong and saving the day - well, something like that..
The motorbike atlas we're following then took us on a crazy journey into the snowy mountains - we rode on a one car wide gravel track through the mountains with sheer drops down the side. Breathtakingly beautiful but a little bit scary - Tille rode like a star whilst I had my heart in my throat and hung on tight! That night we camped next to the snowy river - just perfect.. Then into NSW - enough gravel road and winding around the mountains that I started to think would bring us out out the top of Australia! Spent a few nights in Mount Koziosko national park, this time next to the Thredbo river and climbed the mountain (2233m - Australia's highest point), well, we caught the ski lift half way and then hiked the remainding 13km (alright - that was the return distance!). Unfortunately there was no view at the top due to cloud and Tille started to grow ice on his beard and look like a yetty so it was time to return!
Out of the mountains to Canberra through 14mm of rain that decided to bucket down whilst we rode along - never have we been so incredibly wet! We upgraded that night to a cabin (lush i know) dried everything out and enjoyed a night of tv before heading back out to the tent site the next day. We had mixed up our messages with Kev (that's our Prime Minister for the non-aussies) who was in Adelaide to see us so our dinner date with him didn't come off, but it was great to see Parliament House - I was surprised to feel quite patriotic and had a run around on the grass roof to prove it.
From Canberra to here - Katoomba where the air is REALLY cold but the mountain views are just awesome, a must for anyone visiting Australia although I vowed to tille that next time we'll be staying in a hotel and making the most of the restaurants and not just the camp ground.
The bike is definitely a diva but the three of us are forming a relationships. She has expensive taste and rides best on the extra premium petrol, she doesn't like the hot weather too much, especially when stopping and starting through city traffic and sometimes she is in two minds whether she is hot (fan on, temperature guage not up or vice versa) or not. But I figure if someone loaded me up with 220 odd kilos of luggage and human and made me ride up and down mountains, on gravel roads, over funny litle wooden bridges, in 40 degrees weather and rain then sometimes I too would be a bit of a diva!
We head over to Sydney this afternoon to catch up with Belinda and Darius which we are looking forward to. For those of you who got ot the bottom of this well done, sorry it is so long - will try to right shorter and more often!
Oh I forgot to mention, the bike was losing coolant and I, yes I will now be adding mechanic to my CV after working out what was wrong and saving the day - well, something like that..
Wednesday, 19 March 2008
Glamour of Melbourne...
Melbourne is famous for shopping and today we have purchased the most glamorous item of all - self inflating pillows! Yes Jane, you were right, there is room on the bike for pillows and we just can not do without them!
We are just over a week into the trip now and other than a few stiff muscles from the camping and a few bike niggles all is well. Great Otway National Park was beautiful, thanks to my inability to read a map, we camped amongst the ferns next to the river in a remote spot - wasn't the planned destination but a beautiful one! The road down was steep, gravel and windy - Tille is now a fully fledged dirt bike rider. We stopped over night in Torquay (thanks to Christie and Kristen for the hospitality) and caught up with the worlds best surfers at the Rip Curl Pro - I am SURE that at some point we were standing right next to someone famous.
For the next few days we're in Melbourne - soaking up the city life, eating, shopping and going to the MCG to see Carlton v Richmond - when in melbourne - do as they do and get into sport!
Last thought - have been considering the colour brown over the last few days as I gaze out through my helmet. As a kid we had a brown car, which for some reason was very embarassing (?) and then much to my dismay- mum and dad bought another brown car - 2 brown cars! As a teenager I thought the Australian country side was just boring brown and an english teacher I disliked always wore these brown fleck trousers that in my family are known as 'potato and gravy'. But I think finally on this trip as we cruise along, I am going to come to terms with the beauty of not just this country but also the colour brown - perhaps it is like sharp cheese or strong wine, something you grow a taste for as you age... ...
Sorry - still no photos, forgot the cord, will upload some soon. xxxx
We are just over a week into the trip now and other than a few stiff muscles from the camping and a few bike niggles all is well. Great Otway National Park was beautiful, thanks to my inability to read a map, we camped amongst the ferns next to the river in a remote spot - wasn't the planned destination but a beautiful one! The road down was steep, gravel and windy - Tille is now a fully fledged dirt bike rider. We stopped over night in Torquay (thanks to Christie and Kristen for the hospitality) and caught up with the worlds best surfers at the Rip Curl Pro - I am SURE that at some point we were standing right next to someone famous.
For the next few days we're in Melbourne - soaking up the city life, eating, shopping and going to the MCG to see Carlton v Richmond - when in melbourne - do as they do and get into sport!
Last thought - have been considering the colour brown over the last few days as I gaze out through my helmet. As a kid we had a brown car, which for some reason was very embarassing (?) and then much to my dismay- mum and dad bought another brown car - 2 brown cars! As a teenager I thought the Australian country side was just boring brown and an english teacher I disliked always wore these brown fleck trousers that in my family are known as 'potato and gravy'. But I think finally on this trip as we cruise along, I am going to come to terms with the beauty of not just this country but also the colour brown - perhaps it is like sharp cheese or strong wine, something you grow a taste for as you age... ...
Sorry - still no photos, forgot the cord, will upload some soon. xxxx
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