This story is also posted on the Dungbeetle Biker site I frequent and the object of this ride was to attend a Dungbeetle Biker gathering at Cape Otway plus meet up with some non Dungies .... Doug was my best man 34 years ago and was coming down or actually they came on the ferry across the bay from Melbourne .
Wooliehead I worked with in 1977 in Port Headland (he's a Dungbeetle)
Leaving Adelaide by myself in peak hour traffic with only one more days travel to reach my destination I was full of mixed emotions . I'd travelled this same road 30 years ago on my Harley before the tunnel was built but didn't remember much being so long ago , my mind was thinking about the red light I'd gone through whilst following the traffic flow and wondering if I'd had my picture taken .
Before long I was in Murray Bridge and got the tent up and fixed myself some tucker , Tomorrow was the big day and all was good in my universe , three nights of not having to unpack all the gear and repack in the morning ... beauty .
At breakfast I was joined by a real live dungbeetle so I was careful not to step on it , I was also joined by a ginger and white tom cat who was quite a confident chap and came over for a pat ... hello boy I said and gave him a stroke ... I like cats and he was nice company , I was starting to miss my dogs back home .
Get moving and went via Keith and Naracoorte to Mt Gambier then across the border into Mexico next major towns were Portland , Port Fairy and Warrnambool where I stopped at a supermarket to get supplies .
I'm not getting any younger and have gotten quite lazy in fact of late so all this fun I was having was wearing me out some , so much so that I had trouble staying awake .... I stopped about 30k out of Warrnambool and lay down in the shade for a power nap and then decided to swap helmets for some fresh air and get this bucket off my head , I'd set off again with a whole new view of the world ... the wide screen view .
I would discover later that my log book was missing and I suspected that this was the place we parted company .... was it there 3 days later ? read on and weep
I'd had the map out so many times whilst traversing these unknown highways and byways but wasn't positive about whether to come into Apollo bay via Colac or around the Great Ocean Road so when I turned off just outside Warrnambool I though I might just slip up the middle to Cobden as it was in the general direction and would avoid any bad weather from being right on the coast , the sky was dark and rain was not totally out of the question .
Asking directions at Cobden I was told to go over to Simpson and then take the road to Lavers Hill which I found out turned to gravel about 20k in then weaving through rain forrest for the next 30k at about 30kph I was too tired to care and pressed on till I came back to a real road and got headed towards Bimbi Park ... with my lights on , nightfall had beaten me home .
The only good part of the jungle track was I'd seen a deer run across the road in front of me .... never seen one of those in the wild before
When I did arrive after missing the turn off and coming back for a second go , I was directed to the main gathering and the first person I met was Ray who I had asked if he was Bluesman .
Lots of new faces and some long time no see faces as well with Doug and Wooliehead .
Apart from the oversize duffle bag I had a bag of groceries with the stretchy net on top when I went up that bumpy bush track earlier and was feared I'd loose my dozen eggs , loaf of bread , steak etc.
Woolie showed me the bunkhouse that I would call home for three nights and then we went to the kitchen to find Bluesman who was doing some cooking , I had a coffee and cooked up some chilli con carne , then I had one of Wolliehead's rum and cokes , my brain had strong thoughts about sleeping so I did .
Sat morn Dave arrived about 10 am with his bike all sorted and had ridden into the night on the Friday to reach Apollo Bay then got a room in another backpacker hostel .
Wooliehead , Dave , Doug and the boys from Melb were going for a ride to Lavers Hill so I went into town with the Blues , VX and Simone , Jstava , Shitty and Ray , some of us had brecky most of us had coffee ... I had a big chunk of rocky road cake for breakfast with my coffee .
Then we went to the bottle shop and got supplies , I went to a newsagents and asked for a 25 game slik pic for Sat night and got enlightened to their Tatts Lotto 24 game Mega Quickpick
On the way back to Bimbi Park I noticed a few familiar bikes at the local drinking hole in the main street and pulled up to see what they were up to , we went to check out the light house on our way back but weren't going to pay $18 to see it and $5 to climb it .... sorry just not that into light houses I guess .
I discovered the cup that had the rum and coke in it from the previous night had attracked a swarm of ants all over the top bunk and my bag of stuff , helmets , clothes , food . Once the cup was out the door and I'd sprayed some draino on the little mongrels they were under control ... I slept in one of the spare bunks . By morning no sign of the invading army . Thanks for your assistance Jstava
Sun morning Doug and the lads were going home back up the Great Ocean Road and Dave and I went along for a little way , I went as far as Lorne and Dave went up to Angelsea and back , we stopped at Lorne and watched the surf club guys row out into the waves and ride them back in .
Great scenery with the occasional waterfall plus the mighty ocean beating into the shore .
Sunday night Doggie built a great raging fire despite the intermittent rain earlier .
Dave , Wooliehead and myself chucked in snaggers , chops , steak and had a mixed grill with onion and eggs (all the surplus tucker) plus beers around the barbie , while the koala's growled above in the trees .... gotta love it .
Tomorrow back home .
