Wednesday night all plans changed. St George had just rang, he had simple plans to clean an oil his K&N air filter,, result ! dead
ST1300, anyway thats his story. I was asked ifI'd be willing to double Gregory, ST George, down to the rally as we had planned to ride down together.
iits been a long time since I had done any LD 2up, so I told Greg, He also hadnt been the Pillion before so we where even,, or on a bike towing a trailer..,which it didnt take long to find out.
Late we leave Wollongong and about to turn onto Mt Ousley Rd and ,,, nothing. all lights/power gone, luckily I was able to get the bike and trailer out of traffics way to have a lQQk. the 1ST thing I thought was the replacement ignition switch I put in after my failed FR to Urbanville. I reached in and unplugged it and try'd a toggle switch I'd kept from that event , and presto in about 2 mins was back ready to go.
We headed of down the Hume and turn of toward Queenbeyan and onto Cooma with a few stretch stops so Greg could well stretch, and take a few pics,
we arrived in Cooma around 6pm so camped the night here.
I cooked a Chicken Stirfry curry, Gregory started a small fire for sheer pleasure of flame's flickering. yummm and headed into my tent my laptop, new Medications and bed,,, hmmmm my Qld temp sleeping bag wasnt very warm luckily I had 2 and thermals...
Woke the next morning to thick fog so a delayed start after packing up and breakfast at the golden arch's. we headed of into the The Snowy Mnts.and the twisties,,, I had already settled into Gregory's habit of tensing up, so I got into it, throwing STrangerdown into the bends smoothly dragging the trailer along, with the odd pedal scrap to bitumen, 2 what almost became 'Brown Undies" moments when my Pillion stood us both up and heading for the guardrail. Quik reflex and experience towing managed to
brake, throw the bike backdown and power back on course around the bend then thibk about what hust almost hapnd
...I had a lot of fun riding thru to Wodonga where we stopped as the Heaven's above lQQked like it was about to burst.. we shouldnt have been here so the sign says..
After the storm passed, a quik re-routing down the Hume Fwy and across to Balarat arriving wet and late,with my pillion 'ALIVE AND UNDAMAGED but possibly mentally scared for life,, :) 9.30, check=in, set up tent, thanx for the rain as soon as I uncovered the trailer.Then to find where Gregory ended up ... and meet up with the few ppl left.. headed back to tent , hmmm hot shower,,, NO HOT WATER!!! bugger,,, off to bed cold,all good though as Gregory was in a cabin I could borrow his 2 extra sleeping bags.. MMMmmm now nice and warm.
To Be Cont... my meds kicked in so I'll finish later.
part 2
after a good nights sleep re-riding parts of the trip in my dreams, I woke early and headed over for a great breakfast from the locals. and met up with some familiar faces and new ones.Faces to forum names.
After brealfast Gregory and I saddled up for the ride to Kryal Castle.
then for the Rally ride to Blackwood for lunch
and CFMoto's little bike display, and arvo ride thru some nice Victorian roads. Then to the Leagues Club for dinner and presentations, my Pillion won a trophy I think.. :) and more meet n greets. then shuttle bus back to the Big4..
Sunday morning after another big breakfast, Gregory who had thought of catching train back home suggested we leave early and take it easy and head home.OK I said and I packed up my tent loaded the trailer and headed for home, up thru Bendigo Shepparton where I let Gregory have his firST ride on an ST1100 and his first towing with bike,mayB even his 1st pillion even. He has different riding ummmmm... method than I and I think the strong winds blowing the trailer at times it all got the better of him and by Wodonga he was ready to sit behind again..
Knowing my rear tyre had stripped out on the right side I was taking it easy. Around Yass I found the Hume Corrigations, the bike shuddered badly,
the tyre has gone, stopped in a rest stop and checked it out,,
just how it looked in Balarat... so at 80>90kph we headed off again. stopping Sth Gundagai and Pheasants Nest for fuel and food,
Arriving safely back to Gregory ST George's door at 1am monday.,, Unloaded Greg's things and went to head for home. ignition,,, lights ok but no go ,,, oh well quik lQQk back trailer round and clutched the bike downhill, then arrived back home in Leumeah at 2am.
I had a great ride , even with my sidesaddle sitting pillion, trailer and having to approach ever corner twice to compensate for weight shifts etc (1 or 2 almost Brown Undie moments. It was a challenging ride thru some very nice roads with great views tight demanding bends and I enjoy that, I know mayB not the same experience for my first time pillioner.
to be part of such a great bunch of people on ST's from all across OZ and seeing so many ST's together is a good feeling. Marcus and his crew have done Rally 2014 proud, you organised an event that was fun friendly and enjoyable, this being my 1ST rally cant compare it to others, but know Qld has a job to beat it.. Thanks Guys and everyone who came for OZSToc Rally 2014
