Up and into it this morning at 5.30ish as woke up and couldn’t get back to sleep. Went for a run around a few blocks, in the half light the traffic was already underway. Nice little terraced houses packed together down the side streets, all brick and tile. Being half light I was mindfull of the Sydney funnel web spider which I believe is the most poisonous spider in the world, what ever that means, I guess if you get stung by a funnel web you end up several times more dead than if you are stung by any other fatally poisonous spider. Anyway the funnel web spider lives in the ground and creates tunnels that prey foolishly look into and end up being funnelled to death but apparently the funnel web male goes out looking for girlfriends at night just like any other young Australian male, and you risk being stung for the rest of your life (not very long) if you stand on one. I am not sure if the Asics gel sole is funnel proof but I do have an active imagination in the half light when there are stingy and bitey things around so it was very hard for me to run in a straight line.
Had a quick breakfast then packed the bikes and off to get the starting photo at Mrs Macquaries Point at about 9am. I got a wet bum as my camel back was leaking which was a little bit distracting. Despite the early hour on Saturday morning the traffic was reasonably heavy. I mismanaged a couple of traffic light intersections but the Sydney traffic was very understanding. Got out to Mrs Macquaries Point and did a bit of a survey to find a good photo opportunity and eventually realised that the pedestrian area was the best, not many people around so rode down and posed for a photo, got one photo taken prior to the first busload of young American and European tourists turning up and behaving in a very excited way. One of the young women offered to take our photos in exchange for me taking one of them, good deal and worked well. An Ozzie guy came over and I thought “here we go we are about to be told off and ejected”, but no, he was a professional photographer who takes photos of people at this popular spot and showed us a photo that he took of a proud guy and his Chopper the day before, so maybe we are not the only ones that think of this spot for a photo. Sadly for him I am way too tight for that sort of thing so self timer and American tourist will have to suffice. Then the next wave of tourists came, a group of Japanese tourists who were very excited to se a couple of big Beemers where they shouldn’t be and started firing off photos as if there is no tomorrow. After a few hundred photos of us mucking around they got really adventurous and started posing in front of the bikes, then with encouragement holding onto the handle bars, then the climax, Dad said “climb on” so a couple of Japanese who looked like their faces might rupture climbed on and sat on the bikes. Everyone was happy including the Ozzie photographer who was firing away with his camera and despite the rejection from us probably made a fortune selling the Japanese Photos of themselves on or around our bikes. We could have been stuck there all day I suspect (a great business opportunity) but all good things must end and off we had to go. He have to get to Sydney you know (via Brisbane, Cairns, Darwin and Perth no less).
Headed out into the fairly solid traffic now and followed the GPS ladies instructions across the harbour bridge and north to Newcastle. It took a couple of hours to get to the Freeway and off north to Newcastle. Cruising along the Freeway was interesting, in that a lot of go fast cars and motorbikes were there but absolutely no-one was speeding, and every few kms there were signs warning about the police cracking down on speeding or dangerous loads. My Radio Telephone was working and I was tuned into channel 2 and listening to a bit of banter intermittently, very Aussie blokish banter from Couriers and truck drivers. At one point a guy came on saying “what is happening in Channel 2 land?”, well that sort of comment is not for the Aussie bloke domain of Channel 2 and he got shot down, Aussie bloke 1“What the f%*k are you doing on here you useless dole gludgeing waster” “ Just wondering whats going on?” “ you F#$%king useless dole bludging losser, F*#$king waster drug addict dole bludger, spare wheel piece of shit just F%$3K off!” Aussie Bloke 2 “ who the F#%$K is that?” Aussie bloke 1 “ Just some F*#$king Bludging piece of Shit time waster who just said “whats Happening in Channel 2 land” F*%k what a dole bludging drug addict” Aussie bloke 2 “F*#@K! looser drug addicts, get of Channel 2 you dole bludger!” Friendly Hippy “I was just being friendly, you arseholes” , static as numerous Aussie blokes chip in to berate the curious dole bludger , it went on and on like this for some time, I don’t think they were friends at the end .
Stopped at Newcastle to get a Coffee and sort out the wiring for the RT on Dads Bike, which necessitated a strip down of the right fairing which we are getting pretty quick at now, but it still took an hour to sort this out, then we were off northbound again. A bit more freeway then we veered of to Bucketts way to Gloucester. This was into true motorcycle country, a nice twisty road through the trees with a pretty stippled light falling on the road and a series of typical Aussie houses with deep verandahs and old cars parked around them. Nice cattle and sheep country but not really any stock to see. The road was pretty rough in places and put the suspension to the test. Went through Stroud which was a charactersome we village, and pushed on to Gloucester. We fuelled the bikes here and fuelled the riders with a steak sandwich at a café in town. Lots of Bikes here as it is clearly a weekend motorcyclist retreat and there was a bike rally on, so “watch out for the police” the gas station lady told us.
After lunch headed north again onto Thunderbolts way. Named after a bushranger and the guide warns of the roughness being still present in the quality of the road. Sure enough this is another great biking road with lots of ups and downs and plenty of tight corners to scuff the side walls of the tyres. The light was getting pretty difficult with the sun low on the horizon and in our faces, we tucked in behind a Ford Falcon and at one point the road headed up hill straight into the sun and the Falcon braked heavily leading to a couple of bikes doing some emergency braking behind.
First bit of roadside wildlife seen in the form of a very relaxed Wombat. So relaxed I wondered if maybe he stood on a funnel web spider the night before. Arrived at Walcha as it was getting dark so time to stop, we found the accommodation options and settled on the Motel. Apparently someone called Smith is having a 50th birthday party and the town is full of Smiths, we thought we could crash the party posing as long lost relatives, but were just a little too knackered really. Internet access and tried to SKYPE home, not on line hence SKYPED Justin who phoned home and we had a conversation via Justins speaker phone over SKYPE. Excellent trouble shooting brother. Unfortunately the XT Mobile that is supposed to roam doesn’t seem to realise that it is meant to roam, so not so good to keep in touch. Take away pizza and chips from the local pub. Time to lie down I think. Over and Out.
Sydney to Walcha 454km
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