OzSTOC
OzSTOC Ride Reports, Pictures & Videos => National Rally 2013 Reports & Photos/Video => Topic started by: STRay (Roo Killer) on March 20, 2013, 01:28:44 PM
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Well after a couple of great days in Middleton it was time to leave. :'(
Fuelled up in Victor Harbor and was intending to stop at the Bakery in Port Wakefield for a late breakfast from a suggestion by StinkyPete. It was a good thought until I got there, it seems everyone in S.A. had the same idea. I couldn't even get into the servo's each side! So I continued on to Port Augusta for my first planned fuel stop. I am inside paying for my fuel when another customer comes running in telling the console operator there is a " Dopey Bitch " smoking by the bowsers. I am thinking, great, I get this far and my bike is going to be blown into a thousand pieces! After a small delay I continued on stopping to top up in Kimba due to the strong winds I had since leaving Port Augusta. At this stage I was still tossing up whether to stop for the night in Ceduna or carry on to the Border. About 50k from Ceduna, I told Mrs Garmin to find me a motel in Ceduna, and I ended up staying at the Ceduna Foreshore ( Best Western ). Had the $20.00 Sunday roast for dinner, what a feed! Remember this bit about where I stayed.
Got up nice and early and went to the BP servo to refuel at sunrise. I walk out from paying and hear a familiar sound. A Wineberry 1100 goes past, 2 up, heading west. Strange, I don't remember any Wineberry 1100's at the Rally with 2 peoples on it! Anyway, they kept going and I didn't think too much of it for the next hour or so. Then I arrived at Nullabor roadhouse to have some brekky, and look at what I parked next to......................................................................................
(http://i353.photobucket.com/albums/r379/Netdummy/RS1_0030_zps9d61a2f7.jpg)
As soon as I walked in he started talking to me about ST's ( His wife was ordering their breakfast ). I gave him a card and he was rather shocked to learn our little group even existed! Anyway we sat down and had a long chat over breakfast and they told me they were going to stop at Caiguna for the night. After telling them what I don't think of that place and telling them my plan was for Balladonia, they amended their plan to "probably" stopping at Cocklebiddy instead, but asked if I was stopping at the Border Village as they wanted one of those photo's at the border sign, yeah no worries that is my next fuel stop. We ended up riding together from Nullabor to the Border Village, where I found he sat behind me as it was the only way he could stay at the speed limit! They said they would need fuel at Madura so we basiccaly said our goodbyes as they weere still planning at Cocklebiddy ( but considering other options ) for the night and I was planning Balladonia for the night. They gave me a wave as they turned into Madura for fuel and I carried on to Caiguna for fuel and a cold drink. I waited for about half an hour, no sign of them, so I caried on to Balladonia. Saw a pushbike with a rather excentric rider coming towards me on the straight, giving me a big thumbs up. I arrived at Balladonia just after 4PM and met a couple of crazy poms riding across, heading west. They informed me the other rider I saw was a "totally mad" Frenchman. After a few photo's of me and my bike I finally got to my room and had a shower. I am getting dressed and hear that familiar sound again. Not another ST rider, I am thinking. No, it was my friends I made at Nullabor! I went into the Cafe to have a coffee before dinner where they joined me. Over a very nice feed we had another good long chat....................................................
Guess where they live...
MIDDLETON!!!!!!
Guess what road in Middleton..........................................................................................
Waterport Road, we went past their front door on our ride on Saturday!!!!!!!!
Where did they stay in Ceduna, in the caravan park across the driveway from the motel I was in!
Where did they eat Sunday night, in the same Bistro at the motel and at the same time as me!
After dinner and getting back to our rooms( which were next to each other ) we said our goodbyes again as I was leaving very early. They were only going to Esperence and wanted a good long sleep after their longest day ever on the bike!
After another good nights sleep, I got up at 4:30 for an early start and told my bike to say goodbye to it's new friend ( they spent the night together half under the verandah :spank ) and hit the road at sunrise again..............
(http://i353.photobucket.com/albums/r379/Netdummy/RS1_0033_zps47035a14.jpg)
Really heavy dew on the bike, wiped it down with a towel from the room and got going. Lots of fog and very low cloud for the first hour, I was only doing about 80KPH most of this time as I could not see very far. After sunrise the fog cleared to a nice cool clear morning.
(http://i353.photobucket.com/albums/r379/Netdummy/RS1_0035_zpsbecf58f1.jpg)
Made it to Norseman and refuelled and had another very nice breakfast, before going on thru to Southern Cross for my next fuel stop.
By the time I get to Southern Cross the temp is starting to climb and I decided to remove the liner from my jacket. Finally pull into Southern Cross for fuel to find out that the EFTPOS system for the whole town is down, cash only :cuss . I look in my wallet and found $20, and promptly do a Deisel :fp and put the wrong fuel in, bloody 91 octane! Oh well, Merredin is only an hour down the road. By this time the temperature is well into the 30's and I am looking forward to getting home. From here all went well until Northam.
Lots of roadworks and stopping parked up for a while. These guys need to learn a lot of us bike riders can hear what they are saying on the C.B. I was in the queue at one lot, we were let thru and the traffic controller gets on the C.B. and tells his mate the " Red Scooter " is the last one in the line! I get to the other end and the other controller asked his mate if it was a scooter or the large red bike that came thru!!! From here it was a pretty uneventfull, but quite warm last 90k's home, ( except for copping lots of hay from a truck for a while! ). Walked thru the door just befor 4PM Tuesday quickly unloaded the bike and threw everything inside, and had a long hot shower.
So guys, when Chris and Lisa from S.A. who ride a Wineberry 2000 ST1100 sign up, remember to give them a typical OzSTOC welcome!!!!!
:dred11
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Great write-up Ray,
Happy to see you managed to bring the bike through unscathed.
Sounds like you thoroughly enjoyed the ride back.
Take care and catch up soon,
Poppy :wht13
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Nice write up of how you got home, but what about the going there.....
put the wrong fuel in, bloody 91 octane!
Not the wrong fuel, the 1100 works just fine on it, its all I use. No sense i feel giving the servos more dollars than needed
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Nice write up of how you got home, but what about the going there.....
put the wrong fuel in, bloody 91 octane!
Not the wrong fuel, the 1100 works just fine on it, its all I use. No sense i feel giving the servos more dollars than needed
Mine doesn't, it knocks and pings and drops a couple of K per litre. So the cost works out the same.
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Thanks for sharing your story Ray :beer
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Thanks for sharing ray, great write up mate :)
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Isn't it great how just going for a bit of a ride has all those interesting aspects to it?
Thanks for sharing Ray.
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I had intended riding to Tammin and back to The Lakes with you but your tracker had you at Kellerberin for the afternoon.
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I had intended riding to Tammin and back to The Lakes with you but your tracker had you at Kellerberin for the afternoon.
Yeah, I just found out the batteries in it gave up!!! Gotta put new ones in for Sunday.
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Good write up and piccies. There should be more of it.
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thanks ray :CB--
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Good one Ray - great to see you again - PLUS the nickname OCTANE is available now as the former owner of it is now called 'Bushie' lol
Thanks for posting.
Cheers, Diesel (ULTIMATE)