There was GSA Digger (note with an 'e' not with an 'a'), 1150 GS Jamie, 1150 GS Robbo and GSA Nev. DR Nige tagged along until the DR could no longer keep up through the winding freezing gullies from Mundaring up the Golden Pipeline Heritage Trail road. Or maybe Nige's carburettor just froze up at an intersection somewhere. We went wherever Digger(with an 'e)'s GPS pointed us. If we had ridden slower, it may have been possible to read the West Australian, as it was spread for about 10km through the valleys. Obviously a load had fallen off a truck recently. But not even the lure of a good story or the specials in the Saturday paper could turn us from our journey north.
Some indefinable time later, the temperatures climbed three hundred percent to 3 degrees C, then before you know it, 6, then 10. Peaked at around 14 for the morning. Luckily by afternoon, we were well on our way to being half way to Geraldton. The joys of latitude
Digger (with an 'e') lead us a merry chase over short bitumen connectors to fine unsealed dirt roads all the way to Mullewa and on. Who could have imagined so much accessible dirt offerings were available in this great country of ours. I reckon about 400km of the total 650km trip to the mulga campsite 60km north of Mullewa was smooth, recently graded, and dust dampened by rain only days earlier.
We hauled up at the New Norcia service station after the obligatory trip to the far end of town and back. Bumped into (not literally) Diggar (note with an 'a') who was on the first day of his 8 day GS friendly jaunt to Mt Augustus and beyond. On a 650 Dakar went he, thumping away at a leisurely pace. Whilst the Diggers ('e' and 'a') gas-bagged, I ducked into the service station to order a bite of hot food. "Nothing, all sold out" said she, "but I can make you a toastie, ham, cheese, and tomato." Well, seduced by such a tempting treat, "Yes" said I. And what a surprise! Out came a large New Norcia bread sized toastie, steaming hot. Like the cheese, my mouth, now watering for it's warmth, melted around it. Ah, bliss, and there are folks that rave about pies!
From New Norcia north, the gps pointed us. I could tell the gps was doing the pointing. Just like last year in Germany when my infamous Garmin 660 Zumo, obviously female, changed it's mind frequently before deciding on a direction and then delayed the communication back to the rider until after one had passed the turn-off.
The vast lengths of dirt gave me time to fiddle with the newly-fitted Ralle Moto steering damper. The big GSA progressed from the usual heart-stopping head-shakes, brought on by that loose pea gravelly stuff, to a well-mannered straight-line steering blinkered beast. Damn, I should have fitted the steering damper when I bought it nearly 2 years ago
But that's another story...Animals, of the road-wandering kind, kept to the bushes. Sheep and goats abound, all well mannered. Emus behaved. Numerous impolite kangaroos laid about, never to recover from failing to second guessing that road train.
At one fuel stop, Mingenew (still can't say the name) a lovely lady asked us where we were from and where we were heading. "We're taking dirt roads north" said we. "But luv, there's a brand new bitumen road up there now" said she. Our passion for the dirt was expressed, followed by mutterings of madness from the local identity.
Stopping over in Mullewa to top up our fuel tanks, 1150 GS Jamie nudged my GSA off the centre stand. Now having a fully laden GSA fall in your direction is not something to be sneezed at! Faced with the option of picking it up off the concrete, I toughened up and grabbed the big beasty by the ears and held her vertical. So remembering brian (what you have to put the side stand down)/5 dropping his GS at a Hyden service station, having my own GSA teeter-off the centre stand and attempt to squeeze the life out of me, I decided that fuel stops are where the real danger lies. Beware the fuel stop!
Well, north over the Greenough River, we rode. Again left the comfort of the sealed road to raise more dust behind our wheels. Digger (with an 'e'), after much poking around in the mulga, found us a sheltered camp out of the wind. Ah, did I forget to mention the wind. We actually had tail-winds! Or alternatively, strong easterlies that blew what pragmatic dust bothered to lift with our passing, off the road. Going back home was going to be dicey, pushing into that lot.
So, under beautiful clear skies, sheltered from what wind was left, we pitched our tents, threw down the bed-rolls and camp-bed (no, that was just me). A fire appeared, coaxed on by clear orders from Digger (yes, with an 'e'). With warmth from the blaze, food now heated and consumed, beer and whiskey in the appropriate place, the day's yarns were spun. Following ministrations of what was, what may be, the meaning of life and motorcycling, slumber took its toll.
In the morning, a very heavy dew covered the camp, and probably everything else for miles around. Breakfast, well, broke... Wet tents slipped into even wetter tent bags. Trusty steeds rumbled into life and were pointed out of the mulga back to the beloved GS friendly dirt roads. Further north to the Murchison went Digger and co. South-bound was Nev, back to Perth. via Geraldton, followed by the long slow slide down the Brand and Indian Ocean Drive to home. The wind was horrendous, nuff said
Caution was piqued by the threat of double demerits, so it was no leisurely blast home, just hours of the dreary speed-limited drone, taking care to avoiding 4-wheeled steel cans as the need arose.
Forgot to add that it was an enjoyable 1200 km weekend. 650 km up to the Mullewa camp, then 550 km back to Perth via Geraldton.
Points to note for next time. Springtime, Wildflower season, Coalseam Nature Reserve, Korojena Gorge east of Geraldton (I think that's the name, although I cannot find it anywhere).
Kudos to a great ride and trip planning by Digger (I guess you know who by now). Excellent selection of GS friendly unsealed dirt roads that supported building confidence in riding the big beasties in their natural habitats. A welcome sojourn to a warmer latitude where the recent rain greened the landscape to remind us how beautiful this land of ours could be with water. Look forward to hearing how the others faired up in the Murchison and their trip back home via Paynes Find, Mouroubra, and the Bimbijy Road.
Bring on the movie, Digger
