Colin has a problem at work which means he can’t take 6 weeks off at one stretch. So he and Alan have agreed to ride to Alice Springs and then store the bikes for 2 1/2 months until the beginning of August before tackling the Tanami. In some ways this is a better idea than heading off from Alice Springs in mid May. The weather has been unpredictable at that time of year and in 2010 on their round Australia ride, the Gibb River Road was closed at the end of May due to rain.
So we will ride Melbourne/Sydney to Alice Springs 4th May to 13th May. Stay in Alice until 18th May and then fly home on 19th May. We will return on 5th August and head off to Yuendumu and the Tanami – returning to Melbourne/Sydney by Alan’s 70th birthday on 4th September.
Saturday, 26 April 2014
Monday, 21 April 2014
Full Dress Rehersal - Easter 2014
This Easter Monday I rode the DR down to Anglesea to do a dress rehearsal of packing the bike with a full load and trying out the Hiddenau tyres on the sandy tracks in the Otway State Forest. I reversed the Ventura bag so it sat on the back of the seat and strapped a 5L can of petrol and a 5L can of water onto the rack. I also slung the saddle bags over the seat. I sorted out a reasonable tool kit and stored the spare parts I had collected as well. I fitted the extended gear change lever which was necessitated by the fact my Alpine Stars motocross boots were too big to get under the standard lever. I had bought myself a Bell dirt bike helmet, some goggles and motocross gloves. Catherine was house sitting in Anglesea and put me up for the night and acted as back up vehicle in her Xtrail.
Riding down to Anglesea with the full business made me feel good and I now think I'm ready for the trip. Catherine took me to the sandy trails she had noticed in the Otway State Forest at the back of Anglesea. I dropped the pressures in the new Hiddenau tyres and set off along some undulating gravel roads. The bike felt great and I was soon cruising along at 70 kph. Corrugations and ruts made no difference to the DR, it just ploughed through them. Catherine noticed a motorcycle trail off to the side so we tried that. It was much rougher and soon I was riding along a narrow sandy track with a few ruts. The track lead us to the Anglesea brown coal power station which was built by ALCOA to feed its Pt Henry aluminium smelter. The locals blame it for causing a massive fish kill in the river. I had to get used to the bike skipping around in the ruts and had a few moments, but it wasn't too bad at all. I could have let a bit more air out of the tyres. We did the track twice, doubling back at the end. I rode about 50kms and the DR was so easy to ride on the gravel tracks.
The Ventura bag forced me to sit well forward on the seat and that pushed my knees out around the 30L petrol tank like a frog. This was not too uncomfortable but felt awkward so when I got back to Anglesea I turned the Ventura bag around again and put the petrol and water can in it. If I use the sausage bag across the back of the seat I should have enough storage and that is the way I will set the bike up. I tried a couple of positions for the gear lever and haven't decided which is the best yet.
Its only 2 weeks to go before I set off and I can't wait.
Riding down to Anglesea with the full business made me feel good and I now think I'm ready for the trip. Catherine took me to the sandy trails she had noticed in the Otway State Forest at the back of Anglesea. I dropped the pressures in the new Hiddenau tyres and set off along some undulating gravel roads. The bike felt great and I was soon cruising along at 70 kph. Corrugations and ruts made no difference to the DR, it just ploughed through them. Catherine noticed a motorcycle trail off to the side so we tried that. It was much rougher and soon I was riding along a narrow sandy track with a few ruts. The track lead us to the Anglesea brown coal power station which was built by ALCOA to feed its Pt Henry aluminium smelter. The locals blame it for causing a massive fish kill in the river. I had to get used to the bike skipping around in the ruts and had a few moments, but it wasn't too bad at all. I could have let a bit more air out of the tyres. We did the track twice, doubling back at the end. I rode about 50kms and the DR was so easy to ride on the gravel tracks.
The Ventura bag forced me to sit well forward on the seat and that pushed my knees out around the 30L petrol tank like a frog. This was not too uncomfortable but felt awkward so when I got back to Anglesea I turned the Ventura bag around again and put the petrol and water can in it. If I use the sausage bag across the back of the seat I should have enough storage and that is the way I will set the bike up. I tried a couple of positions for the gear lever and haven't decided which is the best yet.
Its only 2 weeks to go before I set off and I can't wait.
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