I posted the same ride report on the FarRider site
I was pleased to see another unique Australian ride be recognized on the world stage via the IBA, through the recognition of the Australian Southern Cross ride. A special thanks to the original guys who thought up this ride and to OX for his work in establishing it as an IBA ride.
Having just completed this ride I am over the moon with this great run. Hopefully it will become part of your bucket list of rides to complete.
My goals were to complete the run in six days starting at Brisbane then going to Sydney (the pointer), Melbourne, Alice Springs, Darwin and finishing in Perth (the Federation Star).
the first star..Brisbane with the bridge and skyline.
My first day was to be the longest of approximately 1800k and the last day being the shortest around 1300k, with the rest of them being close to 1600k. The thinking of the longest day first and shortest last is that i would be at my freshest starting and knowing that as the days wore on I would wear down a bit as well. The second reason was that I had an option of another ride at the end.
Second star was Sydney and a photo at the Opera House. It was quiet amusing as where I pulled up for a photo, it appeared to gaing the attention of a number of tourists who gathered around the bike...
Next star was down in Melbourne. There had been an accident, unfortunately a fatal one involving a bus colliding with a motorcyclist. This backed the traffic up the Hume Highway for quiet a few kilometers.
Flinders St Rail Station in Melbourne City...
Stayed for a few hours a the Flag inn in the city and headed out early in the morning for my next sleep spot at Coober Pedy. It was during this part of the trip I noticed that I had lost one of my headlights, which was a bit of bugger when you drop down from high beam. Just one of those things.
Up over the boarder into the NT it was time to twist the throttle but not being used to the higher 130kph speed limit I thought I would sit on around 120kph for a bit before increasing the rate of knots. Was a good idea as abot 30 minutes over the boarder a couple of kangaroos decided that I need to test my breaking ability or at least that of the bike......the ABS really works and the poor bike groaned with the added pressure to the handbrake and footbrake. The old spinctre valve also went into overdrive and ended up at a 10 on the pucker scale. You ceartainly know you are alive when these typ of things occur.
onto the fourth star in the Alice...
and the view from the ANZAC Hill lookout (not quiet at the top)..
Interesting occurrence in the Alice whilst fueling up...about 6 riders from one of the biker groups pulled in and refueled. A couple of them commented on my bike and that it had everything on it but the kitchen sink. Seemed like nice chaps and so explained what I was doing, all good and they headed off.
A bit further out of town there is a roadside stop and on this occassion two copper stood out on the road indicating I should stop, then a police vehicle pulls out into the middle of the road to ensure I do stop.....really?... It then became a bit more amusing with a young senior constable walking over and looking at me says "well, you really don't fit the profile you may as well head on", looking over into the roadside stop there would have been around 60 bikers being checked for licences, drug, and alcohol. It appeared that there was to be a bit of convention in Darwin in the next few days.
A bit of siteseeing, the Devils Marbles...
Cannonball Memorial...
Up into Darwin for the fifth star....
Turn around and hopefull make it back down to Katherine and miss the group of riders heading up on their road trip. Frome hear on down to Perth is all new ground for me, it was also the first time I felt isolation.
Riding across the rest of the Territory ws an absolute hoot, cruise control on 128kph and off I go, the long sweepers were absolutely magnificant and scenery to behold. I absolutely loved this part of the trip.
The rest of the run down through to Perth was full of mining equipment and dump trucks. Stopped off at Auski Village for a sleep and thought I would pop in and grab a quick chicken burger, well after and hour I was becoming a bit peeved, to the rescue was one of the ladies who works one of the shifts in the kitchen and she went out and had a bit of a discussion the the cook on duty, 10 mins later out came my chicken burger. I was off and put my head down for a few hours. Very expensive for accommodation around these parts.
Into Perth and the sixth star (Federation Star) and the finish of the run
Outlook of Perth City skyline from Kings park....
What an absolute fantastic adventure, take the tiem and do this one.....
With that finished there was time for a sleep and off for another challenge, one that I did not think I would ever do. An attempt at the 50CC Gold was to be had..
A great group of West Aussies came down to put me on my was and guide me out of town, this send off was exceptional and again thank you guys....
The run was to go from Freemantle in Perth to Coffs Harbour. less than 50 hours, my planning had given me a buffer of around two hours...
just some photos on the way back across the paddock...
the straight bit....
the two cyclists were not going to move out of the photo
still no bends since last time across there
thats where I have been
the cockpit..
still can't catch him....
sunrise....
well I was getting towards the end of this part of the run and still had my buffer of two hours, then it hit at Dorrigo, bloody fog. Well I probably would have made better time had I got off and pushed the bike, I could feel the time slipping away......bugger, was that a turn off? ah well keep going....
Dropped down into Dorrigo and there was Crappy waiting like a parent for their child to come home from their first date. He was a sight for sore eyes, how fantastic is this, middle of the morning and another rider comes out to greet you and make sure all is ok, yes it is Crappy, now get me off this bloody mountain.
Down into Coffs and the servo for the final docket, 58 minutes to spare. done!!!!
The man....
yep, I am happy....
around 14000k in eight days ...one great adventure and one great personal challenge that I thought I would never attempt let alone achieve....
