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22-09-2008, 01:45am
You're all just getting silly now.
Tonight's blog will be quick, today was the hardest day we've had. Only a little over 1000kms, but we did it hard. We pulled into Collie at 9.30pm WA time (11.30pm EST) after battling gale force winds, driving freezing rain and some local colour in a very small town.
We left Canarvon this morning before dawn and rode into the cold morning. Because we had been in Broome the day before, we assumed t would warm up soon enough.
We pulled through two fuel stops, and at about the 450km mark, Simmo's fuel cannister decided to make a break for freedom so he and I pulled over while Bruce kept going in the lead. We occy strapped the cannister up and hit the road again just to pass Bruce a km up the road where he had pulled over to wait. We kept going, but I kept an eye on the rear vision mirror for him. He ddn't appear in a reasonable time, so after a while I pulled over and waited. His lights appeared so I pulled onto the road and kept going. A km later he'd disappeared again, so I pulled over then turned around and went back.
Tootling up the road at 80kms/hr with the hazards blazing was Bruce. His rack had sheared off, swinging his luggage around and nearly throwing the bike up the road. He'd done a remarkable bodgy job with gaffa and a screwdriver. Mine had also started to crack, so we had to find a welder on a Sunday in a VERY small country town. Bruce and I found a guy working in his shed, so we called in on the off-chance. He couldn't weld, but he might have a mate who could. He hopped in his ute and took off up the road. A while later (after Simmo reappeared), he came back and sent us up to the Shell servo up the road. The Shell couldnâ€t help us, so while the boys were trying to work out what to do, I rode up to the BP to see if they had any ideas. The owner pointed out the footie was on this arvo, so no-one was home (go the Rams), bt if I wanted to give it a go, I could turn left at the hospital, go a km down the road, turn left at the empty corner block and into the dirt paddock with the truck in the middle and ask for Pete.
I followed the excellent set of instructions and found the shed with the truck and a bloke who was gob-smacked to find a huge black bike in his dirt paddock. He nearly turned himself inside out when he worked out I wasnâ€t a dude. I asked for Pete and got sent around the back to two guys, neither one of which wanted to weld out gear racks. I pointed out it was a safety issue and that we were prepared to pay. Finally the quiet one was dobbed in and he told me to follow him back to his house. ‘You know where live? He asked? ‘Ah, no†replied.
I followed him down a dirt road, left, right, across the main street, a bit more dirt and we were in a large dirt garage shed. I rang the boys and told them where I was and to not muck around in getting over in case my new mate changed his mind. He did a brilliant job and at the end when we asked how much he wanted, he said ‘$10?†We gave him $20.
Having lost three hours, we were considerably behind, but them we hit the gale force winds and driving rain. Bruce nearly had te front wheel blown out from under him a few times and the bikes were hopping and skipping all over the road, almost uncontrollable. We lost a lot of time wresting the bikes through the weather until our necks and arms were like jelly. Simmo was leading, and I saw a huge road train heading for us throwing out a two story wall of water. I saw Simmo disappear into the wall of water and knew I was next. I figured if he didn't get through, I'd be wearing him as earings.
Hitting Perth, the weather was still shit, but we got met at the outskirts by Bear on his big black busa. He took us on a spirited ride along the freeway, but he forgot Perth is the first city weâ€ve seen since Sydney and we havenâ€t seen traffic in a while. He lost us several times, we were menaced by cars, it was really quite odd. Bruce roadraged someone who was doing 70 in an 80 zone and had a serious talk to a lady who was tailgating us in a very unsafe manner. She wont take on four bikes again in a hurry.
The last over 200kms was a bastard, cold and dark and did I mention cold. There was nearly a mutiny, Simmo and I were about to leave Bruce on the side of the road wrapped in his tarp, when we hit the turn off to Collie.
Grant and Tina have fed us and let us use their shower (brave people). We are now sitting in the shed about to have some drinks. Photos tomorow.
Tonight's blog will be quick, today was the hardest day we've had. Only a little over 1000kms, but we did it hard. We pulled into Collie at 9.30pm WA time (11.30pm EST) after battling gale force winds, driving freezing rain and some local colour in a very small town.
We left Canarvon this morning before dawn and rode into the cold morning. Because we had been in Broome the day before, we assumed t would warm up soon enough.
We pulled through two fuel stops, and at about the 450km mark, Simmo's fuel cannister decided to make a break for freedom so he and I pulled over while Bruce kept going in the lead. We occy strapped the cannister up and hit the road again just to pass Bruce a km up the road where he had pulled over to wait. We kept going, but I kept an eye on the rear vision mirror for him. He ddn't appear in a reasonable time, so after a while I pulled over and waited. His lights appeared so I pulled onto the road and kept going. A km later he'd disappeared again, so I pulled over then turned around and went back.
Tootling up the road at 80kms/hr with the hazards blazing was Bruce. His rack had sheared off, swinging his luggage around and nearly throwing the bike up the road. He'd done a remarkable bodgy job with gaffa and a screwdriver. Mine had also started to crack, so we had to find a welder on a Sunday in a VERY small country town. Bruce and I found a guy working in his shed, so we called in on the off-chance. He couldn't weld, but he might have a mate who could. He hopped in his ute and took off up the road. A while later (after Simmo reappeared), he came back and sent us up to the Shell servo up the road. The Shell couldnâ€t help us, so while the boys were trying to work out what to do, I rode up to the BP to see if they had any ideas. The owner pointed out the footie was on this arvo, so no-one was home (go the Rams), bt if I wanted to give it a go, I could turn left at the hospital, go a km down the road, turn left at the empty corner block and into the dirt paddock with the truck in the middle and ask for Pete.
I followed the excellent set of instructions and found the shed with the truck and a bloke who was gob-smacked to find a huge black bike in his dirt paddock. He nearly turned himself inside out when he worked out I wasnâ€t a dude. I asked for Pete and got sent around the back to two guys, neither one of which wanted to weld out gear racks. I pointed out it was a safety issue and that we were prepared to pay. Finally the quiet one was dobbed in and he told me to follow him back to his house. ‘You know where live? He asked? ‘Ah, no†replied.
I followed him down a dirt road, left, right, across the main street, a bit more dirt and we were in a large dirt garage shed. I rang the boys and told them where I was and to not muck around in getting over in case my new mate changed his mind. He did a brilliant job and at the end when we asked how much he wanted, he said ‘$10?†We gave him $20.
Having lost three hours, we were considerably behind, but them we hit the gale force winds and driving rain. Bruce nearly had te front wheel blown out from under him a few times and the bikes were hopping and skipping all over the road, almost uncontrollable. We lost a lot of time wresting the bikes through the weather until our necks and arms were like jelly. Simmo was leading, and I saw a huge road train heading for us throwing out a two story wall of water. I saw Simmo disappear into the wall of water and knew I was next. I figured if he didn't get through, I'd be wearing him as earings.
Hitting Perth, the weather was still shit, but we got met at the outskirts by Bear on his big black busa. He took us on a spirited ride along the freeway, but he forgot Perth is the first city weâ€ve seen since Sydney and we havenâ€t seen traffic in a while. He lost us several times, we were menaced by cars, it was really quite odd. Bruce roadraged someone who was doing 70 in an 80 zone and had a serious talk to a lady who was tailgating us in a very unsafe manner. She wont take on four bikes again in a hurry.
The last over 200kms was a bastard, cold and dark and did I mention cold. There was nearly a mutiny, Simmo and I were about to leave Bruce on the side of the road wrapped in his tarp, when we hit the turn off to Collie.
Grant and Tina have fed us and let us use their shower (brave people). We are now sitting in the shed about to have some drinks. Photos tomorow.