North Burnett Valley - a motorcycle trip

[hairymick]

G'day guys.

First I would like to apologise for my absence here of late. I have checked in most days, but haven't really felt up to posting. Life has given me an uppercut recently.

Nevermind. Some mates and I have just been on a ride to some places I have been before and to some others I have never seen.

There was a recent discussion - back channel where somebody posted a bunch of images of old, American, Gas stations. We have many that are still operational here and are not dissimilar in many ways. The post inspired me to take some shots of a few of ours today. *we call them servos)

The plan was to meet up at a highway coffee shop on the outskirts of Maryborough at 08.00, about 20 minutes from my home.

After fueling up at my local servo that also doubles as the towns post office and general store

I headed down the highway with enough time to spare for breakfast and several lovely coffees before my mates began to arrive. First to arrive was "Spud" on his beautifully restored 1992 Harley Sportster Shortly afterwards came Kroppy on his Suzuki Bandit, Timmy on his Moto-Guzzi and last to show up was Steve on a Kawasaki cruiser similar to mine.The other blokes who normally ride together all had prior engagements.

We set off about on time and headed west to the next town - Biggenden. The roads we took are secondary highways or country roads and consist of one lane of bitumen going each way and in places just the single lane. I was looking forward to a nice, leasurely ride in the country. Ha! not to be. The first leg saw us holding 70mph along these back roads. One really needs to drive on some of these roads to understand just how appalling they can be.

Through Biggenden and heading further west, over much better roads better, nore even surface and lost of twisty, hilly bends :mrgreen: through Ban Ban Springs and on to Gayndah for a much needed comfort stop, more fuel and some morning tea at another "servo"

 

[hairymick]

The run then took us north, past Mundubbera and through Eidsvold to a small park/come overnight camping ground where travellers can camp for no charge. (about 70 miles) There used to be lots of places like this along all our major highways but now are pretty much restricted to the lesser used back roads.

They are usually equiped with toilets and shady sites and that is about it. We had a break here and got some circulation back into our aging rear ends

and rested a bit before heading back east towards the coast over unknown roads.

 

[hairymick]

The plan was to have lunch in a small town called Mount Perry. The maps we had studied showed that the road was bitumen, very hilly and with lots of bends etc. How right they were!

The guys by this time, I think had got pretty fed up with the leasurely pace of 70mph :shock: and upped the ante for this leg. We are talking a white knuckle ride here and I was very glad to see Mount Perry come into sight.
A quick stop at the towns one servo for more much needed petrol

then on to the local hotel for lunch

a steak sandwich and a couple of beers

and then on to the next town of Gin Gin

More white knuckle stuff and then back down our main highway to home


The countryside through this area was amazing only we were going way too fast for me to enjoy it properly. I plan to go back there soon, spend a couple of days exploring and taking lots of photographs.


These are great blokes, but they ride a little fast for me. My mates, from left to right

Timmy, Steve, Spud and Kroppy

Thanks guys for a great day on the road.

 

[a Bald Cypress]

Uhhh Mick,

Y'all forgot , in no paticular order,

1. The wife
2. A boat or two
3. A bit of water.

Other than that, another fine report and piccies.

 

[hairymick]

G'day Baldy,

Thanks for replying mate.

To answer your questiom

1. Wife is no longer a part of the equation, it seems.

2. Hard to carry a boat on a motorcycle LOL

3. There is no water near any of these places that is worth paddling.. - with the exception of Paradise Dam. It has become home to a swarm of jet ski and ski boat lice and I hate those basterds.

The purpose of my post was to try to show some of the areas around here I like to go.

 

[oldsparkey]

I have been trying to come up with a name for Mick and his riding buddies and everything comes back to .............

The Restaurant Raiders :lol:

Chuck.

 

[Kayak Jack]

Aye god! Aussies sure know how to generate names for towns! I can't remember a darned one, but each one rolls off the tongue like a master link.

Mick, if the style of riding they do isn't comfortable for you, best tell'em "No thanks" next time. I don't want to read about you wrapped around a tree, or a roo wrapped around you. (Unless that's what you Aussies do for evening entertainment)

 

[Nockatee]

Great RR Mick!
"Geezers" is a phrase used a lot here regarding boating activities.
Looks like you fellows follow the O.F.R.A.T path in the motorcycle realm.
Old Farts Riding Any Time. :lol:
I am a card carrying member of that crew.
Seen any fuel stations like this one?



Keep paddling and ride when you can.
Nockatee

 

[Kayak Jack]

I thought that glass top w/5 gallons of gasoline had been outlawed in the 30's, and off the market in the 'early 40's.

 

[mike]

G'day Baldy,

1. Wife is no longer a part of the equation, it seems.

Mick,

I hope this doesn't mean what it seems to say. If so, be sure to remember you have lots of friends here. Use us if you need us.

Mike

 

[tx river rat]

Mick
This trip reminds me of a trip in my past.
I was in the process of getting my pilots license and went up with a guy that I knew.
He thought it was funny to stall the plane act like something was wrong with it. Then tried to roll his wheels on a local lake ,basicly just acting a idiot. Between a break in the antics I explained to him that understood he was in control of the airplane
but when it landed it would be different scenario ,and if he didnt stop acting a fool when we got on the ground I was going to beat him to a pulp and till he had the feeling I was in control of his life,and made it plain that I would use my fist a 2by 4 or what ever I needed to accomplish the task. It was a much more pleasant flight after that and we flew a lot of hours together
in the next year are so.
My point is this you have that throttle in your hand so do it your way not theres.
Ron

 

[oldsparkey]

Mick

My point is this you have that throttle in your hand so do it your way not theres.
Ron

Ron....

I have to agree with you , all the wrecks and bodies we pulled from them were folks trying to prove their were in control , which they were not or they would not of been spread all over the pavement or pinned in there vehicles , stone , cold , dead. All of us have done it when younger and we were invincible , the world was ours. Then the world taught us that it is not ours and we are just here for a short time and rather fragile.

That is one reason I refuse to run some nasty water and will walk of line around it or just not paddle it , Turn around and go home. Same thing when driving , you speed on down the road , I will poke along at the legal limit or less , what ever is comfortable to me and eventually I will get there in one piece.

I control my life and what I do and no one else does. I would rather be square then dead. ( Square is when someone does not go with the crowd but on there own)

Now I have not had a word from Mick for a while and I know he has some domestic problems which take presidence , I just hope one of them is not him hitting a Roo and becoming a part of it on the road side.

Chuck.

 

[hairymick]

G'day guys,

Thanks for all the replies and for the sage advice too It seems, I am not 18 anymore :shock: and my reflexes are waaay slower now than they once were.

Ron, mate, I hear you loud and clear. 60 - 65mph is plenty fast enough for me on the best of roads - nevermind these other ones. It seems, a couple of the other blokes reckoned they were going too fast in the circumstances too but testosterone got the better of them.

Chuck mate, still here, I drop in from time to time but at the moment, I am just licking my wounds and waiting for the next little freaking drama.

Heading into town this morning to get a new front tyre fitted and then off down the Mary Valley on my own. Some nice country, magnificent mountain bends and I might just call in to a little country pub (hotel/bar with accommodation) and stay for a day or so. 8) Listen to some country music, get a lil drunk and pack some scrums 8) Haven't done that in years. Who knows? I might even find some shiela who likes me a bit

Man, what an adventure this is turning out to be! Hell of a ride. not sure I would want to do it again - given a choice, but life is what it is and we have to make the best of it.

 

[Kayak Jack]

Remember, Mick, the goal of Life is not to arrive at the grave in a healthy, fit, tanned body. The goal is to arrive worn out and tired, coming in on a broad slide, cigar clenched in your teeth and drink in hand, shouting, "WHAT A RIDE!"

When I'm gone, I'd like my friends to say something like, "He was a hell of a guy. Now - let's go get a drink. Remember the time when he ......"

 

[oldsparkey]

Mick ....

Just remember there are a lot of friends on this side of the pond worried about you.

Chuck
PS. Take good care of yourself , times will get better , they always do even if you think they won't.

 

[mike]

Remember, Mick, the goal of Life is not to arrive at the grave in a healthy, fit, tanned body. The goal is to arrive worn out and tired, coming in on a broad slide, cigar clenched in your teeth and drink in hand, shouting, "WHAT A RIDE!"

When I'm gone, I'd like my friends to say something like, "He was a hell of a guy. Now - let's go get a drink. Remember the time when he ......"

8)

I'm with ya, Jack! 8) 8) 8)

Mike

 

[gbinga]

....just licking my wounds and waiting for the next little freaking drama....

Mmm. Been there. Seen that. I guess most of us have at one time or another. Just remember you'll walk out the other side of it in time.

Hang in there, friend.

George