Bodø's Halls Gap Trip

[Bodø Glimt]

It was Stimpy.

[Bodø Glimt]

A great collection of road-trip photos Bodo.  Good to be just rolling along, stopping for a pic whenever you see something that catches your eye.  I'm usually on a mission and just tell myself I'll be back sometime to get the photo.

These a pretty much the photos I have taken with my phone and uploaded to facebook at the time.  I have taken more photos with my digital camera.  I won't be going through those until I get back to Adelaide.

[Bodø Glimt]

Day Ten Trip Report

Knowing today would be relatively short I wasn't in a hurry to leave in the morning, plus I was downloading some Japanese television programs.  Kev mentioned an earlier start in the spotwalla thread but by my standards was a late departure.



It's been a while since I snapped a silo so here's one from Corobimilla.  Most of my road trips have a silo, a level crossing, a disused railway and a salt lake.  I came across an unusual disused railway at Morundah where the track just stopped and the the ground dropped a metre.  Usually they go under the bushes/dirt and disappear.  It's been a long time I saw a salt lake.





I like the way many roadhouses and bakeries have their toilet key attached to some large object so you can't put it in your pocket and walk away with it.  I'd like to photograph more of them but I don't have a habit of taking cameras into toilets.  This one was at the Jilderie bakery.



I think I just scraped under this weight limit.



Kev Murphy picked it but I was going to enter Swan Hill via the Speewa ferry but the bike making a noise as I was taking off had me go straight to Swan Hill Kawasaki to get them to have a look.  He said the chain just needs a spray and gave it a spray for me.  It did the trick.  Since I was here I went and bought a usb-hdd for my gopro files as the other one is now full.  Then I went to Speewa (nsw) and did the ferry to Speewa (vic) before checking into my hotel.



Tomorrow I make my way to Melbourne.

[richo]

  looks like you need an ST. No need to oil a chain 

[Bodø Glimt]

looks like you need an ST. No need to oil a chain 

Haha... I did envisage that response.

Day Eleven Trip Report

Warning: this report contains a selfie.  If offended look away now.

Knowing today was a short trip I wasn't in a hurry to depart on sunrise like I usually do.  The previous day I saw the Giant Murray Cod on the way to my hotel yesterday but as I was hot as hell and it was only a few hundred metres from the hotel I decided to wait until the morning to snap it.



Whilst doing this I spotted a train in the station.



I thought the post office I saw in Empire Vale was small but the one I saw in Durhan Ox was nothing more than P.O. Boxes.



Since Stimpy mentioned  the name a town make a word thread I've been taking more photos of locality signs.  Actually that's not entirely true.  I have always taken them so I know where subsequent photos come from when processing them after I return home.  They just have a second use now.  This one however was facing sideways like they do on train platforms.  I think the platform has been stolen.



Yesterday I had observed that the brake pads only had about 2000km left in them and I'll be doing that before I return to Adelaide so I contemplated dropping into the Kawasaki dealership in Bendigo to see if they could change them.  Being a saturday I didn't like my chances but I thought the least I can do is ask.  They said no problem so whilst that I went for a walk around the town.  I saw bits of the Remembrance day event that was on



There were tram tracks along the one street so I asked someone about that.  She said she wasn't 100% sure but she thought it only a tourist thing and may or may not operate on saturdays.  I did see it as I was riding out of town about an hour later.



I believe Williamson is a fan of bridges so here's one from Castlemaine.



Can't touch this:



I did my level best to stay off the freeway coming into Melbourne.  One here I went to Fairfield to get my negajō photo for 2018 before coming to my accommodation in Preston.  I shall be here two nights.  I've had a few beers tonight.

Day Twelve Ride Report

In the spotwalla thread Kev Murphy referred to my morning outing as a ride around the block before lunch.  That pretty much is it.  I initially didn't plan to go anywhere but by 0530 I had been up for an hour and starting to get bored so I decided to go for a ride to Healesville.



The plan was to go via Yarra Glen and return via Kinglake.  I did neither.  I ended up going via Whittlesea and Kinglake by mistake.  It was pretty foggy.





It got really thick at one stage but cleared up at Kinglake Central



After going via Kinglake I had hoped to return via Yarra Glen but somehow ended up returning via Ringwood.  Such is life.

Got to Epping in time for lunch and had Hog's Breath.  I used to go there a lot when I lived in Cairns.

[Kev Murphy]

Can't wait to see the rest of pics after you finish the trip. A lot of memories in there.

[Bodø Glimt]

Day Thirteen Ride Report

Bar the day I left home to kick this trip off this morning was my earliest departure simply because I didn't want to waste good daylight on suburban streets.  I was in Little River when the sun decided to poke its head out.  There was plenty of fog about at the time.  Glen Shorrock said it was passing through this town is how the Little River Band got its name.



The sun was shining in Geelong but I could still see fog/cloud in the distance.



I saw quite a few of these.  If you have to be reminded then you probably shouldn't be operating a vehicle.  I think most of them were before roundabouts.



The sun came out when I was in Angelsea so I was really pleased as my only other Great Ocean Road trip was besot with rain.  That smile was soon taken from my face when I went to check tyres and the stand wasn't fully down.  I dropped the bike and broke the left hand handle bar wind guard.  The ducks are not related.



I think everyone takes a picture here, although I have been told I have to get the bike closer next time.



I gave Lorne the thumbs up.



I know shop windows and advertising often use Chinese but I never expected to find road work signs in Chinese.  I was also surprised they used traditional characters instead of simplified characters.



Cape Otway was the land of the lost.  I didn't see any of these creatures though.



After dropping off my stuff at Port Campbell I headed out to complete the Great Ocean Road as there was no guarantee the weather would be as good tomorrow.

[richo]

It is bad luck about the damage to the bike.   At least you can continue the trip.  the GOR is a great ride.  Great pub at Wye River.   

[Bodø Glimt]

Fortunately it's only cosmetic damage.  It'll be due for a service when I get back so they can replace that too.  Annoying but I'd have been more annoyed had I broken the indicator or fog lights.

Day Fourteen Ride Report

With another night in Port Campbell today's trip was to travel light and do a clockwise loop taking in Terang, Camperdown, Cressy, Inverleigh, Winchelsea, Colac, Chapple Vale and Simpson before returning via Princeton.

Even though I dropped into this lookout yesterday afternoon I did again this morning to wish all my fans a good morning.



After a short ride around the township of Peterborough I headed north towards Temang.  I spotted cattle crossing the road via an underpass in Curdievale.  Japan has similar underpasses for tortoises to cross the road.



Who says lightening doesn't strike twice?  I've only ever had two flats on the kwaka and both have been on this trip.  I was still in Curdievale when this happened.  Again I tried plugging it but this time the plug wouldn't hold.  I did manage to get it to Nullawarre (which I had no intentions of visiting today) before being able to contact a motorcycle shop in Warrnambool.  They said it would be mid morning before they could get to me so I just had to sit and wait.



Fortunately it was day where I was as Kev Murphy puts it 'a ride around the block' as opposed to being on the move to somewhere.  The bike would have been a lot heavier without it.  The downside is that I had no bushman with me and the insects were annoying.  There's not a lot to do in Nullawarre so I vegetated.  A football forum I post on provided plenty of entertainment as italy failed to qualify for the world cup after losing on aggregate to East Norway.

When I got to the motorcycle shop it turned out to be a Suzuki dealership.  They had a v-strom on display.  I had already decided to buy a v-strom when I suddenly changed my mind and went for the kwaka, based purely on the location of the dealership.  Ironically that dealership went under and as they also dealt with Honda their demise led me to this forum.



By the time I got to Terang I had lost over five hours so my lap was severely truncated.

Believe it on not, it's not on the coast.

After Colac I pretty much headed home via Simpson, had a cold shower and now must think about what I am going to do for dinner.

Don't forget to put your pasta out for italy.

Day Fifteen trip report

With a long day planned and the threat of rain I departed in the dark.  I was in Cobden by sunrise.



There's a causeway between two lakes on the way from Lelslie Manor to Foxhow.





I see Ballarat has a Toy Run as well.  I wonder if any other states do.



I had a smidsy moment in Dayelsford.  Those were his exact words.  The gopro footage should be interesting when I get around to viewing it.



This was in Malmsbury.  Personally I didn't think the road was that bad.  The roads I encountered on my Horsham to Portland and back trip last year were way worse, and Langers also said something along those lines.  Nevertheless, this sign did make me chuckle.



This trip I photographed more bridges than disused railways.  Usually it's the latter.



Guess what I found Williamson?  Actually I have found a lot of things others have posted in the "where is this?" game thread.



I felt a couple of drops of rain in Nagambie but nothing of note.  I could count them on one hand.



After dropping off my gear at my room for the night I made my way to Hume Village and then to Granya to do the Wymah ferry.  I have now done the Murray River ferries outside South Australia.







I had to push a button to get the ferryman to make his way down from his house.  I couldn't believe how quiet it was.

[Williamson]

There's a causeway between two lakes on the way from Lelslie Manor to Foxhow.

Back in '88 or '89 I got myself jammed up with work commitments, had an 8:00am start at Camperdown,  decided to leave home around 9:00pm the night before, stay in a motel at Camperdown.   This resulted in me driving the Foxhow Road along that strip between the lakes (not actually a causeway, but as good as), had to make a pit stop so stopped on the narrowest point, the fog had settled-in, very spooky indeed. 

Something moved in the bushes or reeds on the roadside, I packed me daks, put my gear away before I finished, just as well I had a change of clothes for the next morning's meeting. 

Here's one I prepared earlier:

Guess what I found Williamson?  Actually I have found a lot of things others have posted in the "where is this?" game thread.

 

Big day today, how many km?

[Bodø Glimt]

I'm not sure.  I haven't kept track.  I clocked 6000 for the trip yesterday but I didn't photograph the trip metre as I was having problems with a flat tyre at the time.  It was 5993 when the tyre punctured.

[Williamson]

Interesting story about that bridge, something along the lines of:

It was built in Scotland in the 1850's, shipped to Melbourne as ballast in the hull of a sailing boat, it was intended to be used to cross the Yarra River at Hawthorn, but someone miscalculated the width of the river and the bridge was too short.  The Shire of Metcalfe bought it at a bargain basement price, and erected it over the Campaspe River.

 

Day Sixteen Trip Report

I left Wodonga at about 0500 and crossed into New South Wales and hit the Riverina Highway in the opposite direction I had ridden it the day before.  Weather meant photo opportunities were going to be few and far between.  My first photo of the day was at a level crossing at Rennie.



Upon my arrival at Berrigan the rain came.  It was quite heavy so I was fortunate to pull into this place under a roof to change the mobius on the back of the bike for a gopro.  The mobius takes better photos and when plugged to a powerbank will run all day without the need to change the sd card.  Unfortunately though it is not waterproof so when the rain is out I swap it for a gopro.



The bridge connecting Barwon to Koondrook is currently getting a makeover.  This is where I bid New South Wales goodbye.



I stopped in Donald for lunch before making my way to Halls Gap.



The free wifi at the caravan park has a limit for the day so I was unsure if I could make this report.  Other places I have stayed have also had limits but I could jump to my telstra mobile modem if need be.  Here I can't get a signal.  That may change if I go into town.  After all the rain I had been content to stay inside.

I'll see everyone when they arrive on saturday.  I'm in cabin 19.

[Williamson]

Another big day? 

...... I stopped in Donald for lunch before making my way to Halls Gap.

Here's a pic I prepared earlier:

I'll see everyone when they arrive on saturday.....

Yep!  See you Saturdee.
 

Here's a pic I prepared earlier:



Yep!  See you Saturdee.
 

I know that one.  You posted it in the where is this thread.

See you saturday.

[Williamson]

I know that one.  You posted it in the where is this thread.

See you saturday.

I reckon we stood in the same place, just angled the camera a bit different.  Did you recognise the location from the "Where is this" thread, and thought, "I'll get a pic here?"

[Bodø Glimt]

Yes, although I already knew it because it's the view you get when you turn the corner.  No motorcycles in that motorcycle shop.

[Kev Murphy]

No motorcycles in that motorcycle shop.

Used to be a Yamaha dealer? I bought a new tyre for my Bol dor when passing thru there in 2010

Day Seventeen Trip Report

The day started with Kev Murphy asking me how many kilometres I clocked up to get here so I consulted the kwaka.  On a technicality there should be an extra 30 that got unrecorded sitting on the back of a trailer from Nullawarre to Warrnambool.



Despite the drizzle I decided to go for a leisurely ride around the Grampians this morning.  It wasn't long before I spotted another location I have seen in the "where is this?" thread.  Cue Williamson to respond with a "one I prepared earlier" reply.



Fortunately the sun came out whilst climbing Mount William.



At the top though it was thick cloud and I could see zilch.  I did see a lot of kangaroos on the way down despite not seeing any on the way up.  I also went and saw a waterfall, Silversands or something like that.  To be honest it wasn't much chop but you have to do things.

From then there were roadworks on the way to Dunkeld so I took the opportunity to stand on the pegs.  I was expecting the Dunkeld to be bigger, ie. have a Coles, woolies or an IGA but it had none of those.  I went and had a look at the station which is currently being used as an art exhibition.  Whilst I was in the general store a tractor pulled in and tried to lift up a car.  You don't see that everyday.  Eventually they worked out it wasn't going to happen and they ended up getting the tractor to tow it.  I didn't know why they didn't do it in the first place.  The gopro had captured all of it.  I look forward to seeing that.



Apparently the car was stolen and dumped there.

I went back and did the Victoria Valley road.  A couple of nice views but nowhere to safely park.  There was one lookout where you could see bugger all.

My second usb-hdd was now full so I had to go to buy a third one.  I thought I'd get one in Dunkeld but I couldn't see anywhere they might sell one.  Same for Stawell... I ended up going to Ararat.

Spot was late to update due to lack of telstra connectivity but Greenalp had no problems.



So who else has already arrived in Halls Gap?

[richo]

  last time I saw a car picked up by a forklift it crushed the exhaust and other bits and pieces.  Great scenery in that part of world.

[Kev Murphy]

That would be Silverband Falls.

Thick fog down this way at the moment, will be on the road shortly.