Hooray for an earlyish night and therefore the resulting lack of a hangover, cheering. We hit up one of the local cafe's for a early breakfast and were underway just after 9am after fueling up. Today's route was going to take us up the Snowy Mountains highway and then turn off through the back roads to Candelo, Wyndham and further on to Bombala.
Lads in Candelo
I keep forgetting how good this road through Candelo is. It has bits of everything from sweeping hillside scenery to thick forests with some very twisty blacktop and everything in between.
Myrtle Mountain Road
We took a short break in Wyndham for everyone to regroup and then continue our way to Bombala for fuel and coffee. It was too early for lunch yet.
Wyndham
There were a few bikes travelling through Wyndham on their way to Bombala, including a bunch of postie bikes. The Bombala bike show was on this weekend so we found out, but we didn't have time to hang around to check it out which was a bit of a shame. Stopping in Bombala there were a few bikes around the streets, not as many as I thought there would be though, but is was still early about 10:30am when we stopped for coffee.
Bombala main street
It was here the group discussion on the route plan for the next bit was a bone of contention. Dave and Brett with their brand new toys - Aprilia Tuono and MT-10 didn't want to get them dirty on the 11km of dirt road on the Bonang Highway. So we ended up splitting the group, four of us including myself went via the Bonang Hwy and 4 went via Cann Valley way and the main Highway. I know who is going to have more fun......
Craig on the Bonang
The boys discussing the dirt section just after finishing it
Selfie Goodness on the Bonang
It didn't seem to take long at all from the dirt section to the fireplace rest stop where we stopped for another chat. I don't think I've ever seen the Bonang in better condition and the temperature for today was spot on too. It wasn't hot or cold which made for perfect riding. The banked corners on the top section really help you attack the curves.
The Bonang must rate right up there as one of the best roads in Australia for riding. 105km's of bends with over 1080 curves in that distance.
I lead most of the way from the dirt section down to Orbost with Stu in Hot pursuit, I did have to slow down a few times to give him a sporting chance!!!
Arriving at the end of the road I decided I wanted a picture at the 105km sign, luckily Craig motored by just as I was about to take the pic so I got the two bikes.
105km Bonang Hwy - Pure motorcycle heaven
We stopped in Orbost for fuel and the other four soft cocks were waiting for us at the bakery next door having a spot of lunch with their pristine condition bikes and chicken strips. We quickly fueled up ready to go whilst Geoff inhaled a sausage roll. I wasn't hungry so I went with just some water to rehydrate.
We decided on the scenic route out of Orbost to Buchan(pronounced Buckun) which keeps us off the main highway, as well as being a fantastic twisty bit of remote rural countryside with some stunning views, you might say it was Buchan fantastic. I did crap myself at one point when I came around a bend at speed and three sheep were standing in the centre of the road. A beep from the horn and nothing, a blip of the R1 throttle and that exhaust note scared the bejesus out of them and off the road.
Geoff and Doug getting amongst it
Buchan - Orbost Road - You Buchan beauty
We stopped in Bruthen for a top up of fuel before heading up towards Omeo. The section of road that runs along the Tambo river is another favourite of mine from years ago when we used to ride to motogp. It's fantastic to see a freight train of bikes insync with each other flicking from left to right laying it over into the long bends that run around the river. Simply magic stuff.
Tambo River
Getting into Omeo late in the afternoon we parked the bikes up under the awning and settled in for a few quick beers on the front lawn. It was fantastic basking in the evening sun having a cold one with da boys talking everything bikes. I like staying in Omeo, in every direction is a winding road, the meals are good and they have free cooked breakfast all for $50, bargin. Another 502km for today and mostly all twisty road. It doesn't get much better than that.
Our accommodation at the Dromadary was probably up there with the worst I've ever paid for and it wasn't just me, I think we were all in agreement that its time to find a new place as this place just isn't up to scratch.
We stood around out back eating our ordinary bacon and egg rolls whilst getting things ready to move on out. We got under way somewhere around 9:30 for fuel just 10 minutes down the road at Carbargo. The pub here looks inviting maybe we should stay there next time.
Not long after Bega we took the turn off for the Candelo-Bega road and on into Wyndham. This bit of road is a bit on the rough side but is motorcycle heaven as the corners come thick and fast as the rolling hillsides give up to the forested mountain twisties. There was a couple of brown trouser moments when I hit some gravel patches that were hidden in the shadows on this road. I saw Stu in front of me having the same moment.
Here's a short little video of the road through from Candelo and to Wyndham.
We regrouped at Bombala at the servo. Again it was a hot day. It always seems to be really hot when we ride down the Bonang highway. I'd loaded up with water this time before we headed off, we split into 2 groups here again and 3 took the Cann Valley Way whilst the rest of us choose the Bonang Hwy. Riding down the twist's and turns of the Bonang is motorcycling bliss. I stopped to take some pic's of the guys in action.
Bushpig and Slomax
R1 on the Bonang
The Bomber
The Fireplace
We stopped in again at the fireplace two thirds of the way along on the Orbost end both to regroup and have a little rest. The constant breaking accelerating of this road I was beginning to get sore hands but a 15 minute break off the bike and I was good to go again. It wasn't long and the rest of the group had arrived and we chatted in the shade.
After the break we suited up and headed off but within 100m of leaving the fireplace I could feel something inside my shirt/jacket biting me on the chest. I quickly pulled over to see what it was, as I did the other guys shot past. No problem I'll catch back up again as its still about 40kms to Orbost. Looking inside my jacket and down my shirt I couldn't see anything so I'd zipped up glove back on and taken off again. Another minute later I could feel something biting me again, I'd looked down and back up again, just enough distraction to come into a bend a little hot, braked a little late fixated and then did some off road parking................
Then everything went really, really quiet....................
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Just Parking
There's no way I could get it out of that ditch without a tow, such a rookie error I still don't know how I managed it really. With absolutely no phone reception in here it was needless to say I waited a long time on the side of the road before anyone came along. 15 minutes it was before anyone came past and that seemed like an eternity. One nice guy in a van went into Orbost to get a tow truck for me to get it out. It was a long, long, wait of over an hour until I heard the faint sound of a couple of bikes coming in the distance. Bushpig and Slomax had arrived back and the shaming had just commenced. The look on bushpigs face said it all.
Long story short it was still rideable, didn't break a single thing, just a bent rear brake lever. I'd parked it very gently. Pulling in for fuel in Orbost everyone was waiting on me so I quickly fueled up and got ready, it was just after 5pm now with still around 2 hours of riding to go to get to Omeo. As it was now late there was little time for photos or anything else, I just wanted to get there without any skippys coming out onto the roads as it was the time of the afternoon for them.
The ride through the tambo river section of the Omeo highway was another highlight of the trip. The road follows along the Tambo river with drop offs into the river on one side and cliff faces on the other side. So I was taking it careful but still having fun. I loved this section but it was getting a bit on the late side and light wasn't as good as it should have been due to some idiot.
I was surprised to find that we had beaten Bushpig and some of the others into the Golden Age at Omeo. It was a surprise because we didn't pass any bikes along the way and they were ahead of us. They just had taken an alternate route. God I needed a beer badly. And at that the beers flowed and the humiliation continued................
DAY 2
I'd awoken this morning at 6:30am and immediately thought "oh god today is gonna hurt". Getting back from the pub late and drinking till 2:15am seemed like a good idea at the time. Luckily I'd been drinking pretty slowly and not with Bushpig otherwise I'd have been completely wrecked. I was just feeling tired and thanks to bringing my camelback I stayed fairly well hydrated during the night. We rode back to the pub in the morning and had some breakfast. After that I actually felt pretty good considering, no hang over just tired from being up late. Thank god because last trip in 2009 I was wildly hung over and the next morning on the Bonang Hwy was like a living hell. This road we were about to embark on - famous for 1038 curves in a 90 km stretch from Orbost to Delegate NSW. thanks for that spiel Tarsnakes. It was a long ride planned for today to at around 500kms with at least 250kms of this in winding roads of 35 -65km corners. Now that's what I call entertainment.
Due to my initial laziness I'd not even got the camera out to take any photos until we got down to the 105km sign on the Bonang highway. Our route had taken us down until the turn off near Bega then we turned up towards Brown Mountain. I really wanted to ride Brown Mountain as it is such a good bike road, but we actually turned off and headed down through Candelo then Wyndham and onto Bombala. I actually think we made the right choice as there are many more twisties through here like about 60-70kms worth compared with about 20km on Brown Mountain. Following York through here was quite a lot of fun, with bushpig following me. Bushpig has some video of us riding through here I'll have try and prise it off of him.
We refueled in Bombala which had a bike show on in town this weekend, unfortunately we didn't have the time to go have a look although we did see a Honda CBX 6 cylinder pull into the servo where we stopped for fuel. It was 12pm by the time we left here which is very late in the day seeing as where we were going.
First stop on the Bonang Hwy was at the 105 Km sign in the pic below. See that painted marking on the road. There is a big dip in the middle of that which I hit whilst heavily braking to stop for a pic by the sign which I'd nearly thrown it away on.
Here's a short video at the start of this great road. I was taking it pretty easy down here. I didn't even see the lizard on the road until I watched it back on the gopro, i think I remember seeing what I though was maybe a stick but as you will see it was no stick I nearly run over.
Here's my lizard encounter.
There were all sorts of bends along here and no straights which was all great fun. Only spoiled by about 20kms of dirt. Then it was back into it again. We stopped to gather at the rest stop about 50kms from Orbost. I was quite tired by the time we got here and so was Bushpig by the look of it......
We gathered and regrouped and everyone had ear to ear grins this road is that much fun.
The last trip here in 2009 I was badly hung over and it was like 36°C and I went down to the little creek at the back of here and dunked my head in the cool mountain water to cool down. Lucky I wasn't feeling like that today. The rest break here was good and I'd felt a lot better after the stop than before so I decided I'd up the pace and have some real fun which I did on both counts. I caught up to York and Jeremy at the front and waited and filmed Jeremy. I could see him leaving tarsnakes on the road exiting the bends. This is what its all about.
After some lunch (2:30pm) in Orborst we headed out for Omeo. By this stage me and Bushpig just wanted to get there without any side diversions, which is exactly what happened just out of Orbost most of the Group split off and headed up to Buchan, but I was thinking Fuck it, I just want to get there plus there are still a lot of twisty roads to ride on just to get there.
We headed straight to Bruthen then up along the Tambo river. This is also one of my favourite pieces of road. I was having to much fun and only remembered to stop for one photo. Wish I'd taken a few more.
We arrived in Omeo late in the arvo somewhere around 4:30-5pm I think. I went to get petrol from the only 2 servos in town and found that both were closed no fuel. Yep this place really is in the boon docks when you can't even get fuel on a Saturday afternoon.
I don't normally put pictures of myself on my blog because I don't want to scare the bejesus out of my readers, but I had to just show how buggered I was by the end of the day. By the way the reserved sign on the seat next to me was Wayne's seat, the poor bastard couldn't make it we missed him but I bet he missed us more. It was funny to see the other guys roll into Omeo an hour or more later than us and they all looked absolutely stuffed.
We finally hit the sack at about mid night as by then we were totally knackered. The next day was going to be the shortest day but had just as many twisty roads. I was getting ready for a big day which turned out to be the best of the whole trip. Stay tuned.....
As I mentioned in my last post there hasn't been much riding going on lately and I have just had my R1 serviced ready for the spring weather which has just rolled in nicely. It was 26°C here today and the weather ahead has been forecast for warm and no rain for the rest of the week. Woo Hoo motorcycling weather at its best. To top that off I've also just taken 3 weeks annual leave. Sounds like a match made in heaven for planning a motorcycle trip. I haven't been out for a ride in over a month.
There have been a few other developments around here of late as well which has hampered getting out for a ride. I have Phillip Island MotoGP coming up in about 7 weeks time which should be good and I have already organised leave with the Minister of Finance for a 4 day/3 night overnighter in November with Bushpig and a few friends. We will be riding down into the NSW Snowy mountains and Victorian Alps along some of Australia's best motorcycling roads with some like minded bikers and I am really looking forward to that ride as it could be the last for a little while.
Bushpig and Steve on the Bonang Hwy
Bushpig rang up a couple of weeks ago about a weekend ride coming up next weekend and asked if i'd be in. The conversation went something like this;
Bushpig: We got another overnighter coming up going to Rylestone again for the first ride of the spring. You coming.....
Chiller: When is it?
Bushpig: The first weekend of September.
Chiller: Crap it, I can't make it.
Bushpig: HAHAHA that's right your f*cked now mate. Then lots of laughter down the phone.
Yeah thanks for that ya bastard, it's like you planned that just for me. So getting to the reasons why the riding around here has been pretty lack luster of late and is looking pretty bleak into the immediate future with the noted exception above.
Have I sold the bike? Am I giving up riding? Is the world falling apart?
No to all of the above with the exception of the last one, maybe.
One of the best things that has ever happened in my life happened last friday which is also the same reason for the death knell of my immediate riding future. At 12:33 our second daughter Olivia was born into the world weighing 3.5 kgs and 50cm long. Both mum and bub all doing well.
Georgia & Olivia
I have read a lot of other peoples blogs about how they got into motorcycling, and there were a lot of those riders that got out of riding when they had kids only to get back into it later on after the kids had grown up and moved out. I am really determined to not let this happen to me, as I really love riding and don't really know what I'd do without it. Yes there are family responsibility's now that needs attention especially with 2 little ones, 4 and under. Is it going to change how I ride. Well maybe it will.
Definitely there will probably be a lack of riding to start with, I'm ok with this as that's what happened with our first child, but I still will keep the bike and ride it when I can. Since our first daughter its always been in the back of my mind to take it a bit easy now and to a large extent I have done that. I think I have slowed myself down considerably when out riding. Am I still having fun? HELL YES is the simple answer. When I can't ride I can be enjoying all the fantastic blogs out there.
Does this mean I'm going to sell the R1 and buy a cruiser or tourer? HELL NO! I still have the inner hoon in me just waiting to get out. It's a bit like the Jekyll and Hyde thing. I was hoping to look at getting a new bike by next year for my 40th birthday but that is looking to be as shaky as Christchurch at the moment. I think I'd have a better chance of winning the lottery. Looking at all the new bikes in the dealers last week was very painful knowing what was coming. That second ball and chain will slow me down considerably.
Lets hope I can sneak in at least one ride whilst I am on annual leave to alleviate the frustrations. Stay safe everyone.
