Helping out at the farm proved to be my demise this trip.
The grass was nearly a metre high, green and lush, and full of seed. After helping with the fire pump and scouting the paddocks where piles of trees were burning, hayfever got the better of me.
Burning, watery, itchy eyes combined with streaming nasal passages, I was relegated to the house...
Thanks again to Jeff and Sandra for your hospitality and for making sure I got to the pharmacy in Albany without incident. With drugs and drops, my condition improved somewhat.
However with the howling northerly blowing in pollen and seed, it was impossible to stay in that environment.
So early Monday morning ( 08.00 hrs ), I started the bedrudgingly ardous ride back to Perth, pushing into / across a 40 km/hr - 60 km/hr northerly head-wind. I headed east out to Manypeaks, up to Chillinup Road, then across to Chester Pass Road, stopping...
For 'that' photo...
Up to the Stirling Ranges, I stopped at the Formby South Road intersection, my reference photo location (
http://forum.bmwmccwa.asn.au/viewtopic. ... 295#p20426 - May 2020 ) from a previous trip. The damage from the summer bushfires on the Stirling Ranges is still clearly obvious and long lasting.
From there, it was up to Gnowangerup, Katanning, Narrogin, out to Pumphreys Bridge, North Bannister, then the last leg on Albany Highway into Perth. 560km arriving home around 15.00 hrs... exhausted from pushing for so long into that headwind...
The BMW R1250 GSA did it's part effortlessly. Cruise control on set to 100km/hr. The fuel consumption with a full touring load and pushing into those headwinds was reasonable at 5.5 litres/100km. The old bike easily pushed 6 litres/100km or more under those same conditions.
Again thanks Cookie for your planning. To Jeff and Sandra for the awesome country hospitality. Hope your hand improves quickly so the HD can get another outing.
And to my riding buddies for sharing the experience.
spacey out...