Bozo Across Australia

[KoosWA]

Aww..you should have told me you're doing the West of the Blue Mountains. Jenolan Caves Road and some secondary roads in that area is great,

[KoosWA]

Chris's Friday morning induction into the NSW chapter

http://i1228.photobucket.com/albums/ee4 ... 449635.jpg

[Bozo]

The day started with a safety briefing courtesy of Jamie. Apparently inductees in the NSW chapter need to have a safety officer present.
Induction photo

Soon after I was on the Putty or Wilberforce road.
The road very quickly gets into steep up and down sections. Fortunately the traffic was very light and the Traffice Policeman following me gave up when he saw I had been properly inducted.
The road lived up to its reputation as being challenging when a bit wet. It rained before I got on the road and for 20 minutes just near Putty.

The fireys were trying to start a fire and had over a dozen appliances spread along the road. The high humidity and low temperatures were against them and for me.

Stopped at the Grey Gums for a coffee...very bike friendly cafe with concrete bays for motorbikes. Ran into a rider on a 1200 GSA LC who had ridden the road many times and told me horror stories about accidents on the road.

A great ride. Will stay in the Hunter Valley for a few days before taking the Wollombi Road south.

Bozo

[Bozo]

The ride on the Putty Road was followed by a run on Bucketts Way to Stroud and Gloucester. The road is pretty average to Stroud but brilliant beyond that to Gloucester. Gloucester is at the intersection of Bucketts Way and Thunderbolt's Way and was full of motorbikes. The run down the hill to the National Motorcycle Museum at Nabiac. The museum has over 900 bikes and was an interesting sojourn.

A run down the Pacific Highway gave enough time for visiting a few Hunter Valley wineries.

Around 2 in the morning I heard a loud crash near my bike. Two charged up individuals had broken into the room next door. Minutes later there was a car with blue flashing lights and the pair were arrested. One explained that they needed a room and planned to pay in the morning.

Wollombi Road was the Sunday ride with a coffee at Jerry's. A deviation to Wiseman's Ferry was excellent again with mobs of bikes. A battle from Windsor to Campbelltown through Mother's Day traffic eventually got me to a decent ride on Appin Road to Bulli Pass. I then doubled back to the Sea Cliff Bridge before heading to Nowra.

Today I headed to Bega to take the stunning Snowy Mountains Highway to Cooma. Then the alpine scenery continued through Jindabyne, Thredbo, Khancoban and Wodonga to Beechworth. So many brilliant roads.

Now in Victoria and heading to Melbourne.

Really enjoying the ride.

Bozo

[Bozo]

After near misses with emus, kangaroos, log trucks and caravans I thought I was pretty safe on the freeways around Melbourne.

At 10:30 am there are a lot of trucks on the road and I was following one laden high with hay bales with a large truck behind my bike and wall to wall traffic in adjoining lanes. I try and keep a sensible distance to the vehicle in front of me by going slow but inevitably this means the vehicle behind is only a few metres away.

There is normally no reason for traffic to stop at the top of the Westgate Bridge and lane speeds were signed at 80 kms. All of a sudden the hay truck tyres smoked and it went from 80 to zero. Luckily everyone was on the ball and pulled up safely. I looked in my mirrors and all I could see was truck radiator as the truck behind had pulled up a metre behind me. A car had broken down in the centre lane and had unsuccessfully tried to get to the edge of the bridge and ended up blocking two lanes. Nothing like a bit of adrenalin to start the day.

Bozo

[Swampy]

Bozo, You have just got to love the Westgate Bridge. I had an incident right on top of it about 7 years ago.

We were on our way to Tasmania and were travelling there on the "Spirit" on the day voyage.
We had stayed at a Caravan Park close to the docks and in true Melbourne fashion it was a cold wet windy and dark morning when we packed up for the drive to the docks.

In my haste to pack up and and in my attempt to stay dry I inadvertently forgot to clip down the pop top roof and you guessed it the wind caught it right on top of the bridge and the top flew up. I wasn't aware until a passing driver pointed it out to me.

It was Peak hour traffic but fortunately I was in the left lane and pulled up afraid that the roof was going to rip off, not a nice prospect in having an open top caravan whilst touring Tasmania. Unfortunately I couldn't open my door as the traffic was racing past only inches from my door there is no footpath on the verge but there was just enough room for my wife to squeeze out between the bridge railing and the van.

Incredibly and I don't know how she did it but managed to open the vans door just enough to squeeze in (Lucky she is slim) and pull the roof down. She manage to clip down the front fastener which was enough to hold the roof down and we slowly crawled off the bridge and found a side street to safely finish the job.

Another West Australian not very popular with the locals!!

Thankfully the rest of our trip went without a hitch ( Pardon the Pun)

Swampy

[Bozo]

Swampy
The West Gate Bridge is not the place to break down and can be very windy. If the top tore off you would never find it.
Bozo

[Bozo]

Back in NSW having travelled from Melbourne to Gundegai today.

No Bozo ride in WA this Sunday.

Bozo

[BillB]

Maybe a BillB dirt ride in the Perth hills this Sunday. Anyone interested?

[Bozo]

Second leg of the Across Australia tour:
Melbourne
Broadford
Seymour
Avenel
Albury
Holbrook
Gundegai
Jugiong
Harden
Boorowa
Cowra
Mount Panorama
Sofala
Ilford
Mudgee
Badgee Badgee
Gulgong
Ulan
Merriwa
Scone
Willow Tree
Tamworth
Bendemeer
Walcha
Wauchope
Port Macquarie
Nambucca Heads
Coffs Harbour
Grafton
Jackadgery
Glen Innes
Inverell
Delungra
Bingara and
Narrabri

Highlights have been the magnificent scenery, heritage, excellent motorbike roads, good bakeries and two laps around Mount Panorama Race Track
Low lights have been sustained heavy rain, soaking rain, mist, poor coffee and wet riding gear.
GSA has gone well.
Bozo

[Bozo]

Mostly dry run from Narrabri through Gunnedah to Quirindi Bakery. From Muswellbrook I deviated to Sandy Hollow to take the excellent bike road through the Bylong Valley. It has stunning scenery as well as the historic towns of Rylstone and Kandos. Will overnight at Katoomba before heading back to the Jenolan caves.

Nice to ride dry roads.

Bozo

[Swampy]

Bozo, It sounds like you are enjoying the roads, bakeries, roads, bakeries, roads, bakeries but can't get a decent coffee? Should have packed your coffee machine mate

Glad to hear you are getting some dry weather at last, just hope it lasts for you.

I guess you will check out the sights at Katoomba like the "The 3 Sisters, Skyhook etc. and I'm sure you will enjoy the Jenolan Caves when you get there later in the day.

Stay Safe and Enjoy

Swampy

[KoosWA]

Whoa....let us know when you are traveling in the area.

Go into the national park south of Jenolan Caves - Kanangra walls road [gravel] and Boyd river camping area. Nice three sided stone shelter with fireplace, can get chilly there.

Where will you be Saturday & Sunday?

Cheers

[Bozo]

Koos and Jamie
My apologies for being a poor member of the NSW Chapter.

My plan was to go to the Australia Fiji rugby match and then head to Byron Bay via Gundegai and Mudgee before heading inland.

The weather meant I left Melbourne early and did not get to Byron Bay. I only decided to come to Katoomba yesterday afternoon and I will be in Yass tonight on my way back to Melbourne.

Bozo

[Bozo]

Stunning day today starting with Katoomba's rock formations sailing in a sea of cloud.

Katoomba early morning


Three Sisters Katoomba


Next was the scenic ride to Jenolan Caves with no traffic to impair my enjoyment of the sweeping bends before hitting the slightly damp steep 10 km descent.

Bozo at Jenolan Caves


Riding through the mouth of the cave with my exhaust popping and rumbling was a pleasant surprise. Not a single rear wheel slip on the way out despite the steep climb and it's 15 km corners being wet and having leaf litter.

A pleasant antidote was the 20 kms of sweeping corners on the newly surfaced road to Shooters Hill. Through the impressive Abercrombie River Valley and on to Taralga where I took the excellent road to Gunning through Crookwell. On to Murrumbateman and then to Yass.

An excellent days riding with impressive views. Most of the ride was through the high country of the Great Dividing Range and the temperature to fluctuated between single and double figures but stayed above 5 so there was no drama with frost or ice.

No rain and occasional sun rounding out an excellent day.

Bozo