Bikescape – Top End Down Part 4

Day 10 Friday 20/5/11

After a hard day in the saddle yesterday – we decided to get going early to avoid the kangaroos later in the day.  So we pulled out of Charleville at 8:30am and headed towards Bourke which was around 470kms away.  Hoky Smoky – those bloody kangaroos hadn’t gone to bed!!  There were still some around until around 9am.  After the roo’s decided to pull their heads in and go away – Terry then had a close encounter with a goat!  It ran straight out in front of him and lucky Terry got to test out his ABS braking system very well –It worked!!! 

 

This was also the day that I saw hundreds of Emu’s – what an amazing sight, making the ride to Bourke quite interesting and enjoyable.  We pulled into Bourke around 2.30pm and had lunch at a café called My Little Café – which was very nice. 

Found a bed for the night at a quaint little joint called The Riverside Motel which was a very old building that has been converted into a motel.  We had a little look around town and then had the best meal since leaving home at the Port of Bourke Hotel. 

Hello NSW!!!

Goodbye Qld!!! – until next time!!!

Day 11 Saturday 21/5/11

Again we got going early – today’s ride involved long straight roads, nothing particularly challenging other than trying to stay alert on brain numbing boring road.  This was the strip down to Nyngan and if you check out the map you will even see that there isn’t a corner sight!!!  At Nyngan we were lucky enough to see the changeover of the helicopters.  These were hueys from the Vietnam war and the one in Nyngan was being transported to Caloundra as a result of an organised exchange with the Vets.   

After a coffee (very ordinary) and wee rest – hit the road again, a quick top up at Naromine and then directly onto Dubbo – hehe, we beat the kangaroos today as we got there around 2pm.  We had a quick look at the Old Dubbo Goal. 

We are staying with a mate in Dubbo – who has a property about 15kms out of town.  After getting directions and pulling up at his driveway, it then dawned on me, that a property in Dubbo means no paved driveway!!!  Shit!!  I rode the Harley up very dusty and rutted driveway (it had been flooded 3 months back) – I nearly binned the bike a couple of times, but finally pulled up after about 5kms of dirt riding, feeling very relieved that both bike and myself had arrived without incident. 

Now it was definitely for a drink – we had earned today!!!  Had a great night with Dave & Chris, and I left Terry talking big boys stuff at 11pm and hit the sack.

Day 12 Sunday 22/5/11

Today was our last day on the bikes – we had to be back in Sydney by 4pm at the latest.  After breakfast we got moving and again I conquered the dirt driveway and pointed the bike in the direction of home!  It was bloody cold – the coldest we had experienced so far on this trip.  I had my thermals and all the layers on.  Terry needed a breakfast top up at someplace along the way (can’t remember the name of it) just to warm up. 

It was onto Wellington, Orange then another stop at Bathurst for some motion lotion – then to Lithgow.  We decided to come home via Bells Line of Road – this was an interesting experience given that we had just completed about 4500kms without corners!!  Putting a Road King through the corners was like driving a brick/tractor – the road condition was very bumpy and it took quite a bit of concentration and effort to make a somewhat pleasurable experience. 

We pulled into Sydney around 3.30pm – mission accomplished.  Our job completed 1 x Road King & 1 Ultra Classic safely delivered from Darwin back to Sydney.   It was a 4641km exercise and we enjoyed every minute of it!!  Terry & I would highly recommend this trip to anyone up to doing it!  In fact we could even recommend a good rental company to get bikes from and when you should go! 

Packed;

2 cooldry t-shirts
2 undies
2 pr socks
1 thermal long sleeve top & pants
1 t-shirt for dinner
1 pr jeans
1 pr shoes
Riding gear - Helmet, Summer Jacket, Neds Jeans, gloves (2 pr) We always carry more than 1 pr of gloves in case of bad weather! Nothing worse than riding in wet gloves or cold hands.

Noodle (neck wrap)
Kooldana (a cooling bandana)
BikieChic Cardigan (Lizzy)
Wet weather suit
Tool kit
First Aid kit 
Wine Glass (donated to Kakadu NP)

Purchased on route

1 x foam esky
6 x icebricks
1 x wine cooler
1 x sharp knife
1 x Wine glass
Beer & Wine (who would have guessed this???)
Breakfast supplies
Lots of cheese & biscuits J

This is the last update for this trip, again I want to inspire other people to follow their dreams – when you put your dreams out there and declare them to the world; life has an uncanny way of delivering. You can live the life you dream of…. Just be brave enough to dream a little (or a lot!!).

Life is worth living – don’t live in the past, Keep faith in your friends and laugh every day, Then your aches and pains will fade away.

Okay back to dreaming about that next trip.  Take care my friends.

Until next time – stay safe,

Selena & Terry