The Newbies FarRide Escort
Well what a 3 days we have had! We have all covered about 1,700km over the last 3 days…and it went a little like this…
DAY 1
It was entertaining from the outset, we all gathered at about 9.50am on Friday ready for check in, Phil had a new topbox that was causing problems so it was into pull apart and remove, luckily Scott from Checkers on tor was able to look after the top box while Phills wife popped in to pick it up!
Starting this Ride was: Phill, Roy, Wayne, Wally, Mick, Mark & Myself.
We had our briefing with me waving around my pink clip board and it was 10.30am fuel and away!
At this point I had a little problem with a Red Light and my eyesight, let’s just say, I am lucky to have made it out of toowoomba (was very cranky with myself for not paying proper attention), Throw in Mick had a flat battery before he got to us and we had our 3 before we had got through our first set of lights.
It was pretty uneventful to Dalby, where we started the first of many fuel stops for Roy as his bike only had 12L tank so was only able to do about 250 max, so we planned all our fuel stops around him, it was then turning for Goondiwindi via Cecil Plains & Millmerran, temp was mid 20’s and we all we really excited!
We had another surprise along the way with Mick getting a tyre puncture in road works just outside of Gundy, in a town full of trail bikes, the bike shop kick was able to nurse the bike to had 1 road bike tyre in stock, and it was for the 900 Vulcan rear (mick cant buy a lotto ticket for a while)
We had lunch and headed for Moree with Mick playing catch up as we didn’t want to waste any time as we had a ways to go yet.
I seemed to be the only one who wore the wall of grasshoppers being the one in front, VERY glad I have an electric screen!
Quick Fuel stop in Moree 450km was done, about 300km to go, and it was getting on in the afternoon, and we needed to get to Glen Innes before dark to dodge the local wildlife!
Glen Inness at about 8.30 NSW time and it was getting Dark, so more fuel, and lights on, leading the team into Tenterfield, we were all getting a little tired and a little hungry, good thing the BP there cooks a good feed, fed and watered it was into the salubrious accommodations of the Tenterfield Lodge and Caravan Park, to which I gave up on camping, crashed with the 3 stooges (Phil, Roy & Wayne), I learnt a few things, 1. Don’t ask about $20, 2. Triple bunk beds are not to slept on. 3. A4 Credit cards will never be looked at in the same light again… 4. I am still laughing they are funny bastards.
735km Done in about 9 hours so we travelled pretty well.
DAY 2
Up bright and early (as was the whole park after Phill started his bike), we had about 370km to cover to complete the FarRide.
We rode over the Bruxner to Casino, and it was AWESOME, could have gone back and done it again, and again, 130km and it was Casino for Breakfast.
Not much else to report till we got to Nambucca, where the lines of bikes matched with the waves rolling in, and the packed pub just make it all the more fantastic.
We arrived right on check in time of 11am NSW time, Making sure everyone had their dockets, and watching all the FarRiders welcoming the new guys in was lots of fun. And it was complete! Everyone was in, checked off and and passed. Then it was photos, beers and meeting everyone.
367km in 5 hours including a long breakfast cant complain with that
And of course being highly impressed with the $9.00 fish and chips from the local café was a bonus!
Could write for ages on the rest of the day, but needless to say we had a blast (and some of us had naps to).
DAY 3
After a big nights sleep it was time for home, Phil, Roy & Wayne had left early to get home, So the rest of us went to the Anchors Warf for breakfast with a bunch of other FarRiders,
Mick headed up the coast after, and I took Wally and Mark the scenic way home up Orara Way and over to Glen Innes on the Gwydir Hwy, needless to say, we had LOTS of spirited fun, even Where’s Wally Showed up.
And then in was back on the highway and home, very glad to be sitting here on the couch typing this up now.
Hat’s off to everyone who came along, we have all never really ridden together of any note, and we did 3 days in each other’s pockets, credit to the style of people DDR have in it! Everyone kept commenting on how much fun we all had.
We are already starting talks on the next FarRide to do as there is quite a few from north QLD down into other places in NSW
Ride Map:
https://goo.gl/maps/SKuKs
