Hi all, I thought I’d give a bit of an update on the 2014 version of my annual pilgrimage to Phillip Island for the Australian MotoGP. Been home a week but as you all know - if you go away for a week on the bike there will be a lot of domestic "must do's" as soon as you get home.
Left home about 6:00am on the Wednesday morning into a cold rainy morning. A massive cold front had come through from the south during the night causing havoc in Sydney and snow falls on the ranges on the north side of the Hunter Valley, known as Barrington Tops. Temp was down to about 5 deg C which is very unseasonal for us for October. This year for a change the plan is to do a large sweep out west and bypass Melbourne and Geelong to the west then catch the ferry across from Queenscliff to Sorrento where Port Phillip Bay opens to the sea. My round trip route is
here (the link should open in Google Maps if you have it installed on your computer and then you can use the normal Google Maps zoom in and out).
My route took me via Dunedoo where a top up of the tank was required as well as a hot coffee for me. I could finally see blue sky further out to the west so I was hoping the weather might warm up. In Dubbo I called in to see a guy about recovering a seat then on the road again to Narromine. Once clear of Narromine I thought I could pick up the pace a bit as the revenue collectors are probably not as busy out there as they are closer to the more populated centres. After enjoying maybe an hour of making good time the K75 started rocking like a drunken sailor as I leaned into a left hand sweeper. Whoa! roll off the throttle and slow down for the few kilometres into Tullamore. Pull up and check the flat looking rear tyre - I worked out that 10 psi probably isn’t the ideal pressure for quick touring. Oh well, I may as well get lunch before tackling the obvious need for repair.
I think these two items might have something to do with my problems.
It turned out the piece of metal to the left of the tyre appeared to be some of the screw head and it seemed to have only penetrated the tread block. The one in dead centre was a screw. Pulled out my tyre plug repair kit and compressor, fitted a plug pumped it up, no air appeared to be leaking around the plug and away again.Up close with the remains of the offending screw.
and the tools to do the (temporary) repair.
Now I have a very important question to ask here; Am I the only forum member who has stopped for a screw in Tullamore?And yes! I'm looking at you Irish Eccentrics for a truthful answer. I note that both towns are centrally located in their respective regions – maybe that is why ours was named.
About an hour down the road the back tyre felt doughy again, so pull up and check the pressure - started at 40 psi, now down to 20 psi. Well this is why we carry a compressor isn't it? Wack some air in and away we go. This became the pattern for the rest of the day as there were no motorcycle tyre outlets out here.
I pulled into Lake Cargelligo for fuel and a quick photo stop by the lake which is a natural inland lake on the Lachlan River.
My plan for the day had been to make it as far as Tocumwal on the Victorian border - about 945 kms from home. The constant tyre pumping practise had a significant impact on the plan and I only made it to Griffith by about 6:45pm; about 12 and a half hours on the road for 775 kms under the wheels. The Griffith area has huge areas of irrigated orchards and the smell of the citrus blossoms was almost overpowering as I approached the town (sorry folks, by that time of the day - no photos).
As you do, I consulted the barman in the pub where I was staying about the bike shop situation - poor fellow rides a Kwaka, but he was helpful in ringing the dealer after hours to let him know an old guy with an old BMW would be in first thing in the morning looking for a tyre. After couple of coldies and a feed it was time to rest.
Bike shops don't open early out there so after pumping my tyre up to get to the shop I was pacing up and down outside when the owner arrived, asked me what size tyre I needed and the reply was "No mate we don't have any that skinny" (bloody modern road bikes with their wide low profile tyres).
Directions obtained to the Yamaha shop; "No mate we only have dirt bike stuff, but I've got a 17" motocross knobby that will go on that wheel". Maybe I'll be back if I'm desperate. Directions obtained to the Honda/Harley shop (last one).
By now the familiar response but seeing as I was on my last chance I persisted with "There must be some adventure bike owners out here - what about dual sport tyres as that is what I've got on it." Ah Ha! follow the guy to the storeroom and low and behold I've got the choice of two 140/80 x 17 tyres; a Heidenau K60 and a Michelin T66. Choose the Michelin, pay the man, whip out the rear wheel, tyre on, wheel back in and voila!
New boot.
At 10:00am I'm heading south again with the schedule shot to bits and it's freezing cold with very strong winds buffeting me - but who cares; every day is a good day for a ride - some days are just better than others.
For those forum members in other countries who may hear the term "wide open spaces" about Oz, its something like this.
But its not all like that as you will see later.
With the late start I only made it to a little town called Winchelsea, southwest of Geelong by the time I called it quits for the day. It had been cold all day and I was looking forward to a big fire in a pub. I did manage to get 601 km under me and the scenery down through country Victoria northwest of Melbourne was really good.
Next morning I headed for the ferry at Queenscliff and pulled up to the ticket office at 8:55am asking "What time is the next sailing?" Good answer, "9:00am and you're the last vehicle on". So with the K75 at the back of a small group of bikes I had breakfast on board on the 45 minute trip across the bay.
I was in Cowes on Phillip Island for lunch and then out to the camp ground where I stay, which is called "The Shearing Shed", only about 500 metres from the track. The trip down was about 1,600 kms.
The name of the facility comes from the main building being a converted shearing shed.
The front door.
And the important part inside where we eat and occasionally have an alcoholic beverage.
Now - the reason for the trip. Its time to get to the track for the action.
My favourite location is at turn 12 which is the last bend leading onto the main straight as you can see across to Lukey Heights and down the main straight.
My main location for the three days.
with one of Casey's bikes (or a replica) inside to set the tone.
The views from my seat in the grandstand above the pavilion.
And down at the southern end of the circuit looking across to the Siberia corner by the sea.
A good time was had over the three days. Bad luck for the Spanish with Marq falling while leading, the crowd went wild with Rossi winning another and the best race of the weekend was the Moto 3 and not just because the Aussie, Jack Miller, won.
The cool to cold weather had persisted all weekend but that was OK as the rain had stayed away. Monday morning was no different as I started the homeward run which was east through Gippsland. As promised earlier, the scenery down here is different to that found up in central west and south west of New South Wales. This is probably more akin to what our UK colleagues might be used to.
Near the small town of Foster.
And further east looking out towards Wilsons Promontory.
I rode east through Gippsland out to Cann River then up the Cann River Valley into the open high country of the Monaro region with the temperature steadily dropping all of the way. The run across from Bombala to Cooma, where I stayed the night, was freezing as it is at about 1,100 metres altitude and there was a fog rolling down across the hills in the early evening. Having got under way at about 8:30am after breakfast and packing up the tent, I got 605 kms in for the day.
Another very cold start to the day leaving Cooma on Tuesday morning and the temperature did not start to ease up until I was north of Oberon just west of the Blue Mountains in New South Wales. My route went from Cooma up to Queanbeyan then onto Goulburn via Tarago, then directly north to Oberon. I took a minor road to Tarana then Meadow Flat, Cullen Bullen, Kandos, Rylstone, Sandy Hollow and into the Hunter Valey and home.
Nice countryside around Tarana.
Home safe and sound on Tuesday afternoon. The ride was fairly demanding physically this year as the cold conditions and buffeting winds persisted for the whole trip. The round trip distance was 2,935 kms.
Anyone want to come next year?
Cheers
MotoGP 2014 Phillip Island October 17, 18, 19 Sat Sep 27, 2014 8:53 am
