The Trip begins, preparations completed.

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Ok.. Bike all loaded up except for water and my back pack with last things. Saddle bags on, swag on, tank bag on, two way radio working. Was hoping to be in bed by now!! But all things being equal am satisfied bike is well packed and safe. Dropped the oil today, had 10w-40 in it but after doing a test run around a few towns in the Toowoomba region engine came back a little rattly, oil was too thing due to heat, so 15w-50 in now, should handle the hot conditions much better. Still planning on heading off by 5 am in the morning, less than 6 hours! Still to shower, and a little excited, but hopefully will nod off quickly. Had great sleep and rest over the last couple of days so feel ok. No photos of bike tonight due to syncing all my music onto my iphone so I have tunes for the trip. Priorities right? Until next post, ciao for now!.

Saturday 28 December 2013 0830



All the best laid plans hey?!! Got away from Toowoomba at 0730. Small scare just outside of town when fuel supply cock decided to not supply fuel in on position, but soon sorted that by turning to prime position, that meaning I no longer have that sputter when I have to change over to reserve. First stop was Goondiwindi at 1000 hrs, and was thinking what the hell have I started!! After refueling took off and soon got in a zone, and kept on going to Coonabarabran, arriving at 3pm. was a bit worries about fuel coming into Coona so jumped in behind a semi about 40 k out and slip streamed into town. Road between Narrabri And Coona littered with dead roos. Took half hour break before heading off towards Warren arriving there 1730. Topped up fuel and continued onto Nevertire, arriving 1800. Got a room there bargain at $40, air con and shower and good bed! Had a feed and a couple of cold beers then off to sleep, however they were having a 21st there so got woken up a few times. Overall though well rested, left there 0730 and rode to Nyngan where I am now. Bacon and eggs on toast and a coffee, restock water then off towards Broken Hill and beyond. Very happy with bike, bit stiff and sore but otherwise good, hope I can find that zone again today. Aiming for Kimba SA but don't think I will get that far, thinking that around the 800 km mark is more realistic! Lots of Emus around here, haven't seen any live roos yet. On the road again!!

Sunday 29 December 2013 0830

Left Nyngan yesterday morning at around 0900 after a feed of bacon and eggs on toast and coffee and headed towards Cobar. Was very weary and couldn't figure out why, got to the point that I had to stop in Cobar at a rest stop and have a kip on a park bench! Then I remembered I took a phenergen tablet around 0130 that morning in an effort to return to sleep! I was still under its effects! After resting for a while and a great chat to two travellers felt much better, left Cobar at 1215. Got to Emmdale at 1400 stopped for a great coffee and chat to more travellers leaving at 1420 after refuelling and taking on more water. Was getting extremely hot so had to keep water intact right up. Next stop was Wilcannia for fuel top up and more water at 1530, local said it was 45 in the shade! So true, know how a roast chicken in a fan forced oven feels like! Mobs of goats on the road everywhere and saw emus a plenty too. Masses of dead roos with a few dead goannas, emus and saw what I think was a dead fox, could have been a dingo though. Lots of long straight sections very flat and almost barren, and hot hot wind. Got to Broken Hill at 1700 , was thinking of stopping because I was so fried but temp was dropping so decided to keep going while it was cooler and the sun was still high. Ended up chasing the sun getting into Peterborough SA at 2030 local time just as the sun was disappearing. By this stage was getting quite cool. A very welcome change. Saw no wildlife alive except for two emus just as I came into town. Was also good to have nice curvy roads through hills after all the hot straight plains roads. Wish I had pics to show because the scenery is amazing, the changes over the miles is in incredible, from flat cotton and grain, flat arid land, rolling hills of scrub. Grassed plains into white Cedar forests love this. country!! Stayed at a cheap motel last night leaving Peterborough at 0815 into Orrorroo for breakfast where I write this. Awesome to be sitting here and two travellers I have bumped into twice before roll in!! Off shortly hope to make Border Village. On the road again!!



Monday 30 December 2013 0930



Left Orrorroo at 0930 after breakfast and a chat with a few travellers including some dudes from Adelaide doing a loop ride on their bikes. Lovely ride through the Flinders Ranges down into Port Augusta, very beautiful scenery and loved the windy road! Pit stop in Port Augusta then onto Kimba roadhouse, topped up fuel and water leaving at 1230. Onto Wudina for a coffee arriving at 1345 coffee machine was playing up so took over half an hour to come, wasn't worth the wait so wasted a bit of time unfortunately, but made a a couple of calls and found out we one the fourth test Woot!! Left Wudina at 1430 onto Ceduna And refuelled at 1630 straight back on getting into Nundroo at 1810. Decided to push on to Nullabour arriving at 1945 where I swagged it for the night. Overall riding was much more enjoyable as temperature was quite cool, scenery was amazing. Now on the Nullabour proper. Very flat feels like you can see to the end of the world! Hoping to make Norseman WA today. Bike running awesome, not much traffic and now wildlife should be off the road so... On the road again!!



Monday 30 December 2013 2030



Well this will be my last night on the road, ended up making Norseman, staying at the Norseman pub, it's cheap, and that's it!! Left Nullabor Roadhouse at 1000 local time for Border village, awesome views of the Great Australian Bite along the way, saw a couple of eagles as well, beautiful. Weather was cool again, great riding weather, got into Border Village at 1000 local time, had to double check!! Loved that change in time zone! Refuelled had a chat to a truckie I kept running into, through the border checking station and into WA. Had a close encounter with a Goanna as I came down onto the plains, he was about a metre long, that perked me up and him too I reckon! Started to warm up a bit but was still quite comfortable as I came into Cobblebiddy roadhouse at 1320. Refuelled and had a feed, and an awesome chat with a Canadian biker heading the other way. By the time I left half an hour later it had gotten noticeably warmer, so stopped again at Caiguna and bought more water and a Gatorade. This is where the 90 mile straight starts, and it got hotter and hotter as I got along. Ended up drinking 3 litres of water plus the Gatorade in the trip to Belladonia Road house! Did not stop it was too hot, felt way hotter than what it did through Willcannia the other day, my toes, face and neck feel burned. Got into Belladonia at 1620 and refuelled then stood inside in the air con talking to other travellers and the staff, it was 47 degrees there! Hate to think what it was on the road. A weird thing happened on that leg, my fuel economy was incredible, half the mileage again, and I was poking along at a fair rate too. The only thing I can think of is that it was so hot the fuel expanded and the bike was running on vapors! Wish it was like that for the whole trip! Though economy has been good. Had to top up the oil too, even using a thicker oil the heat effected that too. Decided to push on to Norseman, it was too hot to stay there, better to keep moving, so took off in company with some South Africans who were in convoy planning to get to Norseman as well. Still hot hot hot, but as we got closer to our destination it got very windy with a storm brewing. Made it into town at 1845 where I parted ways with my travelling companions and headed to my digs for the night. Hoping to get an early start to be in Perth by midday. One more sleep!! Looking forward to my own bed! And will do an overview on my computer with a real keyboard, has been a challenge writing this on my iphone with my stumpy thumbs!! ... On the road again!!!

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Comments

[Tania]

Drive safely!
Good luck, enjoy the ride, but above all make it safe :)

[Tahneea]

:-)
Good to see you are travelling well! Take care on those roads, look forward to the next update :-)

[Shirl (Wonny's Mum)]

Ride Tall Man!!
Glad to hear all is going well, bike is good. Keep Safe. Till your next update. :-)

[Hoffmeister]

Thanks mum!!
Always!! Lovin it!!

[Hoffmeister]

Cheers big ears!!
All good and safe!! Freezing my butt off in Nullabour but living the dream xxx