ricecooker

Well… it has been a while in between rides.  Very unusual for me, but these are unusual times!  I had been very busy trying to get my house ready for sale so I basically did nothing but commuting for the whole of October… in fact, I had thought about pulling out of the 4M’s ride altogether but decided I could really use a bourbon or three so headed off for Bombala late Saturday with Tess with the intention of getting up Sunday morning, hoping the ride home would cure the hangover so I could get stuck back into it…

Tess and I left Canberra under threat of thunderstorms… there were storm cells to our left and to our right and we were riding down this path of sunshine between the two… at least until Cooma, it all turned to shit after that!  Before Nimmitabel it started raining… hard.  It could have been hail, it fkn hurt!  We pulled up in Nimmitabel, decided we couldn’t be bothered with wets so pushed on… arrived in Bombala and the Sydney crew were already there so a quick hello, then we sourced some coke for our bourbon and got stuck into it and then got into our costumes… one bourbon wasn’t quite enough dutch courage and when we walked downstairs and all the locals in the bar laughed we quickly fled outside - smoke time!  We got a few more bourbons into us and caused some havoc by having our photos taken on the roundabout on the mainstreet ;o)

Eventually everyone else rocked up and the night got under way… we were hanging out for the karaoke but when they started it up… they had taken off everything since 1990… Tess and I did “I love rock n roll” and that was about the only thing we really knew.  Luckily Andy and Billy love to sing so they were our entertainment until it was time to go chill on the balcony for a bit before going to bed.

I woke up Sunday morning, looked out the window and saw a hint of light in the sky and had a little tanty in my bed… “I WANT TO GO TO TINTALDRA!!!!!”  So I decided fuck the garden, I’m going to Tintaldra.  Problem.  The only thing I had brought with me was my halloween costume, which Matt assured me would be fine to wear at Tintaldra but I thought not… LOL

So the group headed off without Bubba and I (his chain was completely stuffed, I could hear it from 100m behind him) headed for Cooma and while Bubba went in search of a chain I went shopping for a new outfit.  I made my purchases but unfortunately there was no chain for Bubba so we headed on to Jindabyne where we fuelled up and then hit the Alpine Way.  As Dad was nursing the chain I actually got to ride with him for a bit which was nice.

Lunch at Khancoban… note that if anyone ever goes to Khancoban, take care not to overwhelm the poor lady in the cafe at the servo!  The poor dear… she was really lovely though, even though she forgot about my burger being ordered without lettuce (I’m good at scraping lettuce off though) and she forgot all about Dad’s coffee!

From there it was onto Tintaldra :o)))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))

We got into town and pulled up at the pub where we were warmly greeted by Alf and Maija, it was soooooooo good to be back there.  A couple of bourbons and it was down to the Caravan Park to see Ailsa and Rick and meet the new family member (Yowie!).  While we were still at the pub Minna, Ratty, Faye and Jim had arrived, Faye and Jim were staying at the pub and Minna and Ratty had claimed a cabin… but as everything else was still available I claimed a double bed in a cabin again (YAY).  Showered and changed and it was down to the BBQ area to relax with Ailsa and Rick for a bit before eventually everyone else rocked up.

It was a great night!  The bourbon flowed beautifully and there was much talking going on. 

Much later, I was walking back past the pub which had closed and there on the verandah sat Alf and Maija, hand in hand, bathed in moonlight sitting looking at the moon over the hills.  It was a really beautiful sight.

Anyway I ended up staying up most of the night, watched the moon set over the hills (I have never seen a moon set before!) and eventually fell into bed not long before the sun came up. 

Breakfast was cooked but I was too tired to eat!!! Hung around and watched everyone else go until there was just Tess, Andy and I left.  I had told Tess that I was way too tired to try punting the barge up the mountains so was gonna slab it home and she was going to join me… but then Andy decided he was going to stay another day and Tess decided that she was too so i kitted up and headed off home alone.  Slabbing it was the worst decision ever it was so hot and boring.  Eventually got home and fell into bed!

Of course it was an awesome weekend, it was the 4M’s!

(I had no idea where my camera was so no pics!)

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Tickets were bought, accommodation paid for… and I decide I want to sell my house *roll eyes*.  My original plan had been to leave either straight from work Wednesday arvo and try and catch the Sydney Crew at Orbost, or up early on Thursday for a straight run down to the island… a shiteful weather forecast decided me… I stayed home Thursday and got underway early Friday morning.

It was a cold but otherwise uneventful run out to Bombala and then down to Cann River.  I looked at the Mobil where I usually fill up and I think there was about 300 bikes there so I headed up the road to the Caltex and got straight onto a pump (hurrah for Ms Impatience).  I was filling up and noticed a maroon 4WD pulling in very close to me… “don’t hit my bike you fucker” I was thinking… and then there was Skip grinning at me… hi Skip!  Met his lovely bride Allison, a bit of a chat before they were on their way, a little snacky for me and it was time to head south. 

Being on the A1 now I was taking it very easy (it was a little damp as well) and was soon overtaken by a chick on a ducati and a dude on a sportsbike.  Awesome I thought, radar fodder so after I bit I worked my way past all the slower moving traffic… and all too soon caught up to those two… which was great until it came to corners, fark me she could have walked around them faster I think.  Anyway eventually they pulled over and I kept going.  Stopped here and there for fuel, got absolutely drenched around Morwell and pulled into Mirboo North dripping wet.  And then the sun came out :o)

Got into Cowes and checked in at Boomerang… only to find out that in fact the KSRC bookings were NOT altogether :S.  So I set up my tent on my patch of grass and went in search of the others - nope they weren’t back from the track yet so I set off for some supplies and poured myself a bourbon and then they were all there :o)  Pizza for dinner and a reasonably early night.

Out to the track Sunday morning and it was just awesome to watch all these dudes I’d been watching on the telly all year whizzing round in front of me!  Caught up with heaps of people and a good day was had.  Over on the side of the expo they had Rossi’s 100 wins banner!  Wooohoooo!

Rossi's banner part 1

Rossi's banner part 2

Rossi's banner part 3

Rossi's banner part 4

Rossi's banner part 5

Rossi's banner part 6

These photos were taken with my phone camera and it was kinda hard to match it all up

Caught up with Alli which was AWESOME been far too long between drinks! 

We met these dudes who offered me a pillage

But I politely declined… I think they were secretly pleased…

Wonder what would have happened if I had of accepted…

Eventually the day was over and Team Kawasaki headed into town for pizza for dinner again :o)  While we were waiting for the pizza Gig and I went into a handy bar to have a look (Gig is awesome at picking out the hot boys  for me hehe) and we made some new friends.

This dude had a shirt with Valentino Rossi’s signature on it

He assured me that he was a close and personal friend of Valentino Rossi’s, who had just signed his shirt that morning

In any event, he was very cute and had a totally hot accent (Irish) but I felt him up, I mean I felt the signature and it was printed on so I gave him a kuda for the camera and left

The pizza was worth the wait and we all traipsed back to the caravan park to sit around talking more and having a few bourbons.

We eventually decided that we were all old and boring and to make up for that we must, absolutely must go into town.  So we did.  Got down to the end of the main street where the band was playing and OMG they were utter crap.  Absolutely murdered Enter Sandman while we were arriving and didn’t improve.  Luckily they only did two more songs and then we called it a night and headed back to the caravan park.

Stace tried to do black murder upon me in the night with his silent but deadly farts (I thought I’d be safe with him safely sealed within his sleeping bag) but I managed to survive somehow and it was up and out to the track :o)  Gig managed to talk me into walking around the entire circuit and didn’t I bitch and moan the whole way!  But we had lots of rest breaks where we admired the view

Eventually everyone got really excited cuz some dudes in cars were driving past

And I didn’t really see what the big deal was until Rossi came past and then I got really excited too <3

Gig and I eventually completed our circuit, and I fell down and died for a bit.  Dad came over and watched the race with me which was kinda cool - he was backing Stoner and I Rossi so it was fairly competitive commentating from our little spot :o)  After the race Dad left and I caught up with Alli for a bit, before packing up and heading back to the car.

The queues to get out were huge and not moving so we set up camp around the car and had some bourbons while waiting for the queue to start moving…

How's the serenity

And before long we were rolling back into Boomerang.  Into the bourbons and off to town for pizza… again.  Eventually everyone wanted to go to bed and I didn’t and nobody would come into town with me and they made me promise not to go into town on my own so I wandered back to my little tent and crawled inside with my bourbon in hand and thought that was really boring so I crawled back out and thought if I went and stood out on the mainstreet and watched the world go by for a bit that would be OK.  So I was just crawling out through the fence when some dudes were coming back into the park - they advised me that nothing was happening in town, but they were the party! So I collected what remained of my bourbon and followed them to their camp.  I was pretty pissed by that stage and think I managed to insult every single one of them so eventually I left them in peace and went to bed.

Woke up fairly early, surprisingly not too hungover, packed up my gear and by that time none of the other KSRC crew had surfaced so I hit the road (after bidding a somewhat sheepish goodbye to my party friends from the night before who it turned out were camped straight across from me).

Headed up to Inverloch and fuelled up and was debating whether to try a new road home or just go through Mirboo North… the latter prevailed and as I went through the roundabout I got caught up in a group of riders and at the last minute recognised Jet Pilot!  Took me ages to realise I was actually in the KSRC group… they all pulled in at Traralgon so I did too - maccas breaky and a bit of a catch up - but I had a lot of kays to go (and they were all going for Moussaka bastards) so I left them too it… only to catch up with them at Bairnsdale.  Rode through to Bruthen with them and waved them goodbye as they turned for the good roads and I continued on the slab.

A quick lunch at Cann River then headed for home.  I was debating whether or not to go to coffee but seeing as I was riding past there at the right time I pulled in but didn’t stay for all that long and then home and to bed :o)

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For something different I signed up for the Got’M Girls Only weekend away to Goulburn.  Figured it’s always good to get away with the girls, even if it was only to Goulburn (approx 100km up the road).  I roped Tess into coming along and the plan had been to ride out via Gunning and Crookwell, undoubtedly with lots of coffee stops/breaks along the way :o)

So Friday rolled around and the  weather forecast was truly awful.  Cold, rainy, sleety, hail, gale force winds, storms, etc.  Tess and I reviewed the matter and decided to try and pick a clear window in the afternoon to make the mad dash up the freeway to Goulburn and we’d meet the girls there.

So after a sleep in, I packed up, then headed over Tess’s under a grim sky… we suited up, and hit the road, with a storm hot on our tail.  We managed to avoid most of the rain until Goulburn :)  The wind picked up around Collector and was pretty rough but we made it.  Got into the pub around 3pm, no bikes in sight, so we found a little undercover hidey hole for our bikes and checked in.  Turned out the girls had already been there and had lunch, no idea where they had gone to though!  So we got our room and noted there was only a vacant double bed…. hmmmmm.

Noodles across the road from the pub were a good late lunch and then off to the shops for supplies (coke and junk food) and we chilled out in the room, listening to the rain/hail come down and being grateful for getting into Goulburn when we did!  Still no sign of the rest of the girls… we had a good laugh at some really old video clips and eventually it was bourbon o’clock.

We started drinking, and Mrs Doubtfire came on the telly… hilarious with a bellyful of bourbon!  A sad bit came up and Tess and I are looking at the screen in horror - right smoke time.  At some point I finally phoned the girls, they were up at the Workers Club for dinner, having spent the afternoon there - we decided we would see them when they got back, which turned out to be not long before Mrs Doubtfire finished.

So, bourbon consumed, movie finished, it was time to check out the band that the pub had told us would be playing.  We donned the dancing shoes and headed over… and the band, while they were quite good, was definitely not dancing material.  We watched the band for a bit before giving that up and taking over the pool table.

The place was pretty dead and we tried to determine where the action in Goulburn was (where are all the cowboys?????) and were advised that either the Workers Club or a night club called Flamingos (affectionately known by the locals as “Dingos”) were the places to be.  We were then advised that Dingos was the place to be if you liked drugs and fights :O

We eventually wondered up the street to the workers club.  Scary.  Shit.  We didn’t hang around, decided “Dingos” just wasn’t going to cut it and headed over to the RSL club where we could hear the band.  The band was quite good and there was a total of 5 people rocking on the dance floor… they might have had a full set of teeth between them…. of course we got there when the band had two songs to go…

So back to our room, where Tess and I got to share a very dodgy double bed. 

Sunday… was much like Saturday.  But windier.  We jumped in Becsta’s car for the journey up for breakfast and then when the girls all headed home in their cars, Tess and I went back to bed.  We finally got up around lunchtime, lunch in the pub and then packed up and headed for home.

What followed was probably my worst experience on a motorcycle ever.

We left goulburn and the wind was terrible.  Truly fucking awful.  Out onto the freeway and we passed this poor learner on his little naked 250 being blown all over the place. 

And then we hit the Federal.  We tried the usual “pick up the pace” and it did not help.  I’m leaning the bike so far into the wind, just wondering how long my front tyre is gonna hold it for.  We managed to pull up, what can we do?  Just continue on.  We set off again and the wind got worse.  I’m sitting behind Tess, at a ridiculous lean angle fighting so hard just to keep going in a straightish line… and watching Tess lose her battle as she gets pushed closer and closer to the edge of the road.  We managed to wobble off to the side of the road again and decided fuck it, we’ll have to go slow.  At times we were sitting on 50km/h.  Which is interesting with cars coming up behind you at 110km/h+.  We made it though.  And if I ever see a forecast for gale force winds again, fuck the riding I’m staying home.

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I had signed up a long time ago for FarRide #11 to Tottenham.  And then Davo’s funeral was set down for the same day.  So no FarRide and I was going to head up to Cooroy for the final send off for an inspirational man… but finances and time didn’t allow so it was back to the FarRide.

After some thought, I decided I would do an SS1600 in memory of Davo.  I sorted out a black armband and headed off to the local servo at midday to get my start receipt.  The usual guy I see in there was serving so he signed my witness form, I told him what I was doing and why, and he shouted me my first tank of fuel.  So I headed off, slabbed it to Yass then jumped off the Doom and headed through Binalong, and onto Cootamundra and down the Olympic Highway.  This is much preferable to the Doom!  I went through The Rock (I have always been intrigued when I see the signs to “The Rock”) and there is a rock there… a totally appropriately named town!  No time for pics though, so I kept going, had a quick bite to eat at Albury and then I hit the Murray Valley Highway through to Cobram. 

After adding some layers and switching to the clear visor I headed up the road a little further before joining the Newell Highway and heading back up into NSW.  It got colder and colder as I went on, but I had found a little van setting a very nice pace so as much as I wanted to stop I didn’t, until I had to for fuel at Narranderra.  Another layer went on and I continued on with the road pretty much to myself.  For once there was no full moon on a FarRide and the stars were spectacular… had to keep reminding myself to watch the road.

By the time I got into West Wyalong I was freezing… usually I’d pull up at a local park or in town but being about 11pm(?) and there being a few dodgy looking people about I decided to find somewhere else, and ended up pulling up outside a motel which still had its lights on.  I was wriggling into my wet weather gear when a bike pulled up… it was another FarRider!  We confirmed that I was in fact OK (and later I had to explain that I don’t usually hang out in gutters!) and eventually I’d wriggled into that damned one piece suit and was underway again.

Peak Hill, NSW

I got into Dubbo and was feeling OK - I am comfortable with getting to Coonabarabran in the dark but after there I was heading into unknown places… so I decided that I’d probably be best to grab a motel in Dubbo rather than continue on.  After many laps of Dubbo I finally found a room, more expensive than I wanted to pay but hey… it was 2am!  Took me a while to wind down but eventually I fell asleep…

…. and woke up to full daylight…. faaaaaark, I dont know what happened to my alarm!  I looked at how far I had to go, I had like 500km to do in three hours or something.  Dammit.  There goes the SS1600.  I had plenty of kays up my sleeve for the FarRide though so I went back to bed for a bit before making my way out to Tottenham in a leisurely fashion. 

We all gathered in the pub and we had a minutes silence for Davo as well as Nico reading out the FarRider One poem.  very emotional.

Skip and I stocked up on supplies before heading out to the rally site where we were to have lunch.  Set up camp and then Skip went off to visit the Cairn and I wussed out at the thought of all the dirt roads.  So I hung around chatting heaps, talked to some people I had met last year and had some awesome discussions with Ken from Very Far Away and he gave me  a photo that he had taken of me and Jimmy last year.

Camp Mel

The sun goes down on an emotional day

Eventually it was dark and the rally got underway properly.  Had a really nice time chatting with Nico and the others, I won the longest distance female again (1300km this year) and eventually crawled into my little swag amongst the chorus of snorers and was quickly asleep. 

I woke up pretty early and found Ken scamming an early cup of coffee so I convinced them to let me have coffee early too :o)  I function better on coffee.  Packed up and was underway in good time…

Tottenham, NSW

 I pulled up at Bogan Gate for a photo and realised that I had about 300km to go home and all day to do it… stuff it, I decided to head west instead. 

Bogan Gate

I looked at my little map and decided to go to Condobolin as I had never been there.  It was very pretty. 

It's just a road...

From there I decided to go to Lake Cargellio (sp?)

Lake Cargelligo

and then I headed for West Wyalong where I stopped for some fuel and bought a pie at the servo and headed to the park to eat it… it wasn’t until I headed back to the bike that I spotted this through the trees:

West Wyalong

Yes, I managed to walk past a big arse plane without noticing it…

From here I just headed home, through some pretty little towns and I had a nice chat with a truckie at a rest area as well, the name of that town escapes me now.  I still got home pretty early but it was a good days ride!  I am sure Davo was riding with me this weekend.

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It was on again… with much anticipation 4pm Friday arvo finally rolled around… I geared up and found MickC waiting downstairs for me… now where is Gos??  Eventually Gos turned up and we were ready to roll.  Just a straight slab up the Doom and on to northern Sydney to the wonderful hospitality of Dave#3 and Cath.  After some confusion we eventually found their place… what a shed they have! *drool*  Pizza and a couple of drinks and it was off to bed…

Saturday morning dawned beautifully and before long we were all kitted up and ready to roll the short distance to the meet point… what a sight!  So many beautiful bikes :o)  After much chatting we got underway and headed up the Old Pacific Highway.  I hadn’t been up there since they’d re-opened it the full way so it was a bit of an adventure!  Through to Wollumbi for the first regroup/stop and then onto Singleton for fuel and smoko.  The sun was shining and it was WARM!  From Singleton we bumped our way through to East Gresford (I think it is called) and onto Gloucester before heading up Thunderbolts… I don’t know where my mojo was but it definitely wasn’t with me this trip, so I was just hanging out at the back… come around a corner and OH NO bike down! Rooster had been distracted by the pretty river he was about to cross and gone off the side.  His bike was righted and perfectly good to go… he wasn’t so bad either so we headed off… only to stop again very shortly when a heap of our group was pulled over… another dude had left the road and done some hill climbing LOL.  He was OK too so then we continued on our merry way, stopping in Walcha for fuel and a relax before heading off to Gingers Creek. 

After a shower I felt human again, the bourbon was opened though we were a little short on coke… luckily Birdman was itching for a run down the Oxley so he fetched us some coke… good man :)  Much talking and laughing and then a totally awesome dinner and back to the fire for more beer (bourbon) and bullshit :o)  Eventually into bed in the Chamber of Snorers… now usually snoring doesn’t bother me too much but this was even too much for me!  And then the phantom chunderer started up and I eventually went for my MP3 player… I really need some “sleeping” music instead of my usual rocking stuff!

Sunday morning also dawned bright and sunny… hurrah!  A breakfast that was once again superb and then it was off down the Oxley… Robyn had said she’d missed riding with me the day before so we headed off down the hill with her in the lead… and we came back up with me in the lead… love love love that road.  Wish it was a little closer to home!  We chilled at Gingers for a bit more before heading into Walcha for fuel and then back the way we came, down Thunderbolts, into Gloucester for lunch and it was stinking hot by this time! 

There was a bit of a mix up from here - I thought a bunch of us were heading for the Putty Road and so would have turned off to go to Singleton but everybody went straight and we ended up on the Freeway!!! Freeway into Newcastle and then five of us got separated at some lights… the plan had been to go to Cessnock so we headed there… and no crew so we headed to Wollumbi and still no crew, WTF???? The leader of the first pack had thought there was a Cessnock turnoff from the freeway… of course there isn’t!  So we headed down Wollumbi Road and were to meet them at Mt White.  We were all running a little short on fuel so stopped *somewhere* to top up… Pinchy headed off first and then I headed off… got to the corner, Pinchy saw me coming and headed off so I decided to wait for the other two… and waited… and waited… Pinchy came back, where’s the other two?  NFI.  So I stayed put, he went looking, came back, no sign of them.  Meanwhile Dave and Cath were on their way to find us… and then the other two had turned up at the right spot so we waited for Dave and Cath, then headed off to Mt White to see the rest of the group… by this stage it was already getting dark so it was a hurried goodbye before the Canberra crew took back to the freeway and made a mad dash for home, stopping for some dinner at Pheasants Nest, getting in stupid late!!  I was so tired on the way back I had to keep pushing my visor up to help me stay awake… scary.

Another good weekend, though I missed the crew who were all in Bright!!

(I didn’t take a single pic either)

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