Little bit of ancient history

[Kev Murphy]

29 Dec 2011... decided to go for a ride, and visit some Internet friends in the flesh. Gave my housekey to a mate to call in daily and feed my cats.

Day 1 - 3 stages. Will write this as days of actual travel, as taken from my diary.

Portland to Poowong East, south of Drouin. Took the sea ferry from Queenscliff to Sorrento.
Spirit of Tasmania passed behind us after we left Queenscliff. Pic below.
Had Lunch with a friend at Geelong, then dinner with another friend at Rosebud before pushing on just after dark.
Arrived Poowong East property around midnight.528 Km
Didn't want to wake friends at that hour, beautiful clear night, so I slept under the stars opposite their home (remote location)
The beauty of being ex-Army... can sleep anywhere.... including standing up in a hammock.

Was woken around 8 am by a call from the kitchen window... "White and one?"
Stayed another night.

[Kev Murphy]

Day 2 - A hot one. 2 stages
left 9 am on 31st Dec... a quick run northeast to Warragul, filled up, and then a coffee stop at Traralgon, iced coffee break at Lakes Entrance.
Caught up with an old Army mate who lived a short way north near there. Arrived just after midday and chatted for a couple of hours. 240 Km

Left at 2.30 and rode to Bega, topped the tank and on up through the Snowy Mountains Hwy through Cooma to Canberra. Very little traffic on the day of New Years eve, and the throttle was used "enthusiastically" Arrived Canberra 7.30 pm and an iced coffee break and tank top up. 520 Km

Then there was just a quick 300 Km run through Cowra to friends in Parkes, arrived 11 Pm in time for a coffee before we saw in the New Year. Around 1100 Km in 12 hours of road time for the day.

Stayed for a couple of days

*Note to self* no matter how hot the gloves are to wear on a day of 42 degrees, keep them on!
Hands blistered, and peeled in one piece, 4 days later.

[Kev Murphy]

Day 3

A quick run to Sydney, 350 Km, around 4 and a half hours.

[Kev Murphy]

Stayed with friends in Sydney for 4 days, we had an Internet friends meet for a picnic lunch in a park at Balmain, about a dozen people popped in to say hi.
Cruised Sydney area for a couple of days then moved on north.

[Kev Murphy]

Day 5 - 544 Km run to Kew, then Kendall for a couple of days stopover at a mates home.

[Kev Murphy]

Day 6 - 736 Km

On the way to Brisvegas, Carseldine, northern burbs

had a few minor detours on the way, sight seeing

[Kev Murphy]

Stayed at a mates home overnight, and cut loose the next day.

Day 7 - 360 Km

Cruised north to Mountain Creek, then backtracked to Sippy Downs to take the Glasshouse Mountain Rd (now renamed Steve Irwin Way) through Beerwah to the D'Aguilar Highway through Kilcoy, Yarraman, and on to Nanango. Fantastic bike cruising road.
Spent 3 days on a friends property, and we had a great time at Nanango. I shouted them to dinner at the local RSLon the last evening, and the embarrassing highlight of the night there was a tipsy woman who kept hitting on me, lol

[Kev Murphy]

Day 8 - 680 Km
Left at 10 am
Northwest from Nanango to Kingaroy Peanut Joh territory, then southwest  to Dalby... nice ride through here.
Hit the Warrego Hwy... long straight stretches, but a mongrel road, as its a real roller coaster. Very little traffic on the day.
Road was mmm... ok at highway speeds, but with no traffic and fine weather, I stretched the legs on the ST.
Thought I would get as far as Roma by evening, and did not expect to arrive before 2 pm, which is what happened..... so I continued on to Morven, a further 180 km along. Pulled into the motel at Morven at 3.20 pm..... oh the joys of cruising in places at enthusiastic hwy speeds for extended hours....

5 hours and 15 minutes travel for the day means an average speed of a dollar plus    including time out filling the tank and a coffee break at Chinchilla 

[Kev Murphy]

Day 9 - 430 Km

Headed out at 7am.... only realised a couple of hours later that I was still on daylight savings time on the dash clock.
Northwest heading for Barcaldine, and friends who managed a property some 15 Km out of town.
Some 40 Km short, I struck the first shower of the trip. Stopped and donned the wets, but it was only light, and being as the ST is a nice dry bike to ride, it was of no inconvenience. Many roos on this road, counted more than 70 in the 90 Km from Morven to Augathella. Decided to test the Shu Roos out, by covering them with tape, and found the roos were unaware of my presence until I was within 100 metres. Removed the tape, and noticed that they looked my way and moved aside while I was still 500 metres away. Free plug for Shu roos... they work!
Stayed with friends for 4 days, then did a day trip from Barcaldine to the Isa, stayed overnight in a motel again, and retuned to Barcaldine the following day.

760 Km each way, and road trains. Didn't mark this trip on the map, but its in my diary.

[Kev Murphy]

The final stretch...

Day 10 - 940 Km

It was raining north of Barcaldine at Hughenden, so I opted for the longer, better quality highway through to Emerald, Charters Towers, Townsville.
Left at 8 am, refuelled at Emerald and topped at Charters. Really nice road to travel on. Arrived Townsville 7pm.

I had to laugh as I turned north at Emerald, and the GPS chanted "Take first exit left at next roundabout.... 612 Km."

Will continue this story for the return trip another day.

[Brock]

 

[ST2UP]

Ahh you just gotta love a road trip......thanks Kev for igniting the flame 

[Shiney]

Great RR Kev, the ride diary is a great idea. Thanks for sharing the adventure with us

[Diesel]

Great adventure Kev. Know what you mean about 'enthusiastic' use of the throttle up from Lakes Entrance, and making up time in the long straights around Dalby, Roma etc. Looking forward to part 2 thanks mate.
Cheers, Diesel

[StinkyPete]

Thanks for sharing your trip with us Kev.   I love road trips and after reading that, I can't wait to get on the move again. 

[Kev Murphy]

I stayed with friends in Townsville for a week, and I had a few local area trips during that time, including a trip to Cairns and returned the next day.
Cairns is 350 Km and 4 and a half hours away, but I made a few detours on the way there and back to look around.

Friends suggested while I was riding north, to detour to McClelland's Lookout, because "From up there, you can see about 200 miles along the beaches!"
I took the detour, went up the mountain, and then discovered that I was above the clouds and couldn't see shite!
Nice coming back down off the mountain... a gentle roll 28 km downhill with the engine turned off to get back on the Highway.
Cant think of the name of the place, but pulled in for fruit and icecream on the highway just a few Km north of there.
Bottom Pic below from Saunders Beach, about 30 Km north of Townsville

[Kev Murphy]

Day 1  23rd Jan 2014

Woke to threatening weather, decided to make a move south and towards home. Away from Townsville at 10 am.
Reached Home Hill an hour south, and received a SMS from friends that the the Haughton River halfway between the two towns was flooded and the road was now closed. Just 30 minutes behind me.
One hour further south, road surface was being replaced on a bridge, and there was an 8 Km traffic backup each side.
I filtered through on the dirt, and chatted to some caged drivers while we waited. Two hour delay before road finally opened again, and I went on to Bowen, passing through at 2.30 pm on the way to Mackay. Just a fuel stop and away again, as I was booked into a Motel in Rockhampton, and was already 3 hours behind schedule. Reached Rocky around 10 pm.
730 Km for the day.
Slept well.     Stayed over for another day and night to avoid some heavy passing weather.

Day 2
Away again at 9 am in the morning heading for Brisbane, had to wear the wet weather gear, as the rain caught up with me overnight. 640 Km to Brisvegas, and arrived 5 pm. Fed up on Mudcrabs at a seafood restaurant before camping it in the tent for the night. First time I used the tent on this trip.

[Kev Murphy]

Day 3
According to weather reports, northern coastal NSW was flooded due to heavy rains, so I decided to run inland.
I was about 5 minutes ahead of heavy rain on the blast through towards Tamworth, 600 Km away.
It was only light misty rain that I was running with, more inconvenient than an issue really, except that I like to ride without a visor when possible. About 7 hours of travel down the New England.
Caught up with some friends who live on a property outside Kootingal, just north of Tamworth. Stayed for a day and two nights.

Day 4  Sunshine, no rain.
Short early morning run from Kootingal to Parkes, 450 km, arrived before lunch and had time for a coffee break with friends before another 400 Km run through Wagga to Albury, arrived about 7 pm to a hot meal waiting at a friends home.

[Kev Murphy]

Day 5
 Can smell the scent of home.
Left at 9 am heading for Melbourne and onwards to home, 689 Km away
Really great roads and traffic conditions, pulled into driveway at home at 5:15 pm.

Had to postpone unloading the bike because two pussycats demanded my full attention, after being away for more than a month.

[Kev Murphy]

Total distance covered   11,817 Km / 15 of 31 days were in the saddle

Delivered the ST to Timmy Campbells MC shop here in Portland for a once over, as it was due for a service.

Replaced leaking front fork seals
Replaced both front disks, as they were borderline
Replaced all brake pads
Replaced all fluids, spark plugs, and both tyres
New air cleaner, tuned