I started planning for the Border Run a few months back and decided at the time to do it as a SS1600.
So after many adjusted spreadsheets and planned routes I settled on the normal run out with a detour to Salmon Gums to make up the extra 200kms.
To make a check in window for FarRiders I was unable to leave until 9am. This should have put me at Southern Cross at 1pm for a FR start docket for a check in time of 1pm at the border.
Thursday night I went up to the local Caltex to grab all my fuel for the start and I happen to run into Gus there. We had a quick chat and general Good Luck then I headed home.
Bike all packed with extra 7.4L fuel cell (just in case) as well as swag and seat bag. I think I over estimated what gear I would need.
Just before Tammin I ran into roadworks and got stuck for around 15 minutes ....
After this I try to make some time back up only to come over a hill with the throttle lock on look down at speedo and up to see flashing lights.
Obviously the excuse that throttle lock in same position going up hill is going to make it go faster downhill and I was just correcting at the time was not good enough so I now have a donation certificate.
The officer was very insistent that I should always be monitoring my speed and didn't take too kindly to me telling him that I barely ever look at the speedo especially on country roads. When asked why not, I told him that I was more interested in looking at what was on the side of the road waiting to jump out.
Anyway, I went to fast and have a donation receipt to go with it now. Such is life.
That was my first stop around 20km out of Southern Cross.
Arrived Southern Cross just on 12:20pm and caught up with Yorkie, Wombat, Hoffy, and Turtle. We had a bite to eat there and then it was back on the road with Yorkie on his cruise control in the lead.
A quick pic of Wombat's swag / windbreak / wide load.
Saw a Turtle on the road going up the left hand side.
A quick glance back..
A shot of Hoffy ...
And a wave from Yorkie ....
We stopped for a quick breather and photo when we turned South just out of Coolgardie.
Bikes from left - Wombat, Turtle, Yorkie, Me (Pezzz), and Hoffy .....
From here we headed to our next fuel stop at Norseman.
Just as we pulled into town we were met by the boys in blue again
, this time for a random breath test.
Of course all of us tested fine and after a quick chat we were off to the BP to give the bikes a drink. I got through as quick as I could and saddled up to leave the lads and head to Salmon Gums.
As I was heading through Norseman town I glanced down and noticed my temp gauge was creeping up to the last white line. I turned around and headed back to catch the fellas still at the BP. About 45 minutes later we had earthed the fan switch and engine was running nice and cool again so I decided to carry on with my original plan.
Got into Salmon Gums around 7pm and grabbed a snickers bar and a docket and after cleaning my visor headed back to Norseman. Fueled up at the Caltex this time and put on all my cold weather gear and grabbed a hot pie for dinner.
Left Norseman around 8:30 after a quick chat with Turtle to let them know I was running late and was told to watch out for Roos as they had seen a few.
By 10pm I was heading into Balladonia. After a quick debate with myself (after dancing once on the road with a skippy the same height as me on the bike and a wind chill putting the riding temp in the minus 10 area) I decided to pull the pin on the SS1600 ... My safety comes first and my feet were feeling like ice blocks.
Turtle kindly offered me a spot in his room and after a nice hot shower and cuppa I was ready for a good sleep. Eventually I got this and then proceeded to keep Turtle awake
On a brighter note I found that I can sleep with earplugs in ...
We were up around 6 and scraping ice off all the bikes and departed Balladonia around 7:20.
A quick pic again before we head off ... Border Bound !!!!
Next stop was Caiguna for fuel and breakfast then we headed to Madura Pass with a quick stop in at Davo's Memorial.
The only photo here with Hoffy had his hand covering his face .....
A couple more pics of the view from the Madura Pass .... Easy to see why this was picked as a memorial spot.
Down on the plains now heading to Eucla to fuel up, book in, and change into something a little more comfortable.
Next stop ... South Australia !!!!
Some fine looking machines .....
Look .... an illegal alien on the left !!!!
Nice to meet you Saaz (John) ..... I thought I would only put up the pics with you wearing the right clothes .....
OzSTOC Representatives !!!!! (From Left) Saaz, Hoffy, Turtle, Wombat, Yorkie, Pezzz
The FarRiders photo for the run .. Congrats to all who made it ...
Pic of Saaz with the WA lads .... check out the joey in that big Kanga's pouch !!!
All of us WA boys in front of the big Kanga
After a few hours of photos and chats it was time to head off again. Goodbyes are said to Saaz and the FarRider friends and we head back to WA.
12kms down the road and we are back in Eucla ready for dinner and a well earned sleep.
Just have to get a pic of the STeed in front of the big whale
A lovely view out onto the plain at sunset.
Turtle decided to make an early morning dash (I think he just wanted to see how close he could get to Skippy) and the rest of us headed off around 7:30am
Breakfast in Mundrabilla and then back up the Madura pass.
Somewhere along the way I noticed my speedo giving one of those Kodak moment readings .....
We stopped at Caiguna again for fuel and for me to finally fix the coolant problem (air lock in radiator) as my temp gauge was starting to climb again coming up to Cocklebiddy.
We hit Norseman again around 3:30 and from here we split up.
Wombat and Hoffy headed down to Esperance with a Vulcan rider while Yorkie and I carried back up to Coolgardie.
This was scenery just out of Norseman.....
Found a place to stay then had a small Parmy at the local restaurant ....
A good nights sleep and Yorkie and I were back on the road around 7:30 (some nice sunrise pics below on the main street of Coolgardie) and had breakfast in Southern Cross at 9.
Some absolutely breathtaking vistas as you rounded some of the corners but not enough memroy card space to capture them all
Yorkie left me at Tammin as he headed home that way and I carried on with a detour into Northam to catch up with my sister in law for lunch.
Arrived home at 2pm after turning around and searching for my phone that decided it wanted to fly off the bike at 110km/hr. Thank goodness for the Otter case as only damage was a scuff mark on the rubber of the case.
So total distance traveled for me was 3084.9km and I used 179.2L of 91 ULP
I would like to take this opportunity to thank Yorkie, Wombat, Hoffy, and Turtle for their great companionship. We had some great laughs (many at my expense) and I have learned a lot from all of you. Not just about ST's and long distance riding. It has been quite different for me to just spend time "away with the boys" and I realised how much I missed my family. It was great being home when my daughter got home from school and she ran up to give me a hug ....
Saaz, it was a pleasure to meet you (although I am still not sure why you thought I would be taller) and I hope that my delivery makes it's way to it's destination (OzSTOC Couriers at work)
Thank you for taking the time to read this.
