WELCOME TO MY MOTORCYCLE PAGE

Well you asked for it

Here are just some of my recent motorcycle rides. I forget to take photos so the best times are in my head.

Please click on any of the above links to see photos and a little narrative on some memorable bike rides.

Enjoy the ride

Leaving the East Coast, rugged up in riding gear & wearing thermal undies! It was a cold winter in '07

On a freezing cold winter morning (OK, 10 deg. C is freezing for us) we departed the east coast and headed north to Townsville, we're on our way to the NT. Yes we know it's shorter to go west, but Townsville has the best chinese seafood restaurant in Australia and what's a couple of hundred K's for a treat like that. [It's called - Dynasty Chinese & Seafood]

Yacht in the Mackay river - tide's out, no rush - it'll be back. Going west we pick up the dinosaur trial. Small town of Richmond has fossils exhibit and you walk where dinosaurs walked - excellent!

Don't need much of a map to go to Darwin

Looking forward or looking back, it's the same view. Stopped for a break, still wearing those woolies! It may look desolate but there's plenty wildlife - emu, eagle, brolga, camel, dingo you just have to relax, enjoy the surroundings and you'll see plenty around each watering hole.

We finally cross the border - I'm home !(I'd lived most of my life in The Territory)

So now you have to watch out for these monsters. Road Trains Rule.

Trucking Companies kindly put these notices in roadhouses so the tourists get some idea of just how dangerous these big boys are.

You can try getting off the road, and going to places like Mataranka hot springs and Edith falls

Just make sure you read the signs.... or ask these guys

Once you leave the desert you can leave the road and enjoy so many waterholes. A must along the Stuart highway are the Steak and Onion sandwiches (on homemade bread) at Renner Springs.

We left the main highway and took the loop through Kakadu National Park and came across the “Bowali “ visitors centre – no admission charge, great to see. It encompassed all aspects of Kakadu, from Uranium mining, parklands, burn off’s, aboriginal associations etc. The radio-active stuff on display was fascinating and the areas overlay with the Gagadju ‘sickness place’… an ancient cultural verbal tradition which has basis in fact. Without a doubt one of the very best tourist/cultural centres we've ever visited and it's only a couple of km's out of Jabiru.

This is the famous Crocodile shaped hotel at Jabiru. The shape is difficult to make out at ground level but from up high you can see what a neat building it is with an impressive art display.

We arrived in Darwin and settled in for a beer or two. This is sunset over the timor sea

It's time to leave so we head south again and as every tourist knows you must stay a night at the Daly Waters Pub.

Photos can't do justice to this place, you have to see it for yourself. Every surface is covered with memorabilia - it's customary to leave something of yourself there. Good basic bush accommodation, The cabins have names, we had; Faith in Australia - very fitting considering our journey. Food is great and you're served by backpackers from every nation working their way around the country. There's even nightly entertainment.

It was on to Mount Isa and a tour of the town. The underground mine experience is brilliant.

The small town of Winton has several dinosaur displays. It's very well presented and makes you feel quite insignificant when you think we had so many dino herds in Queensland

Next was Longreach which is famous for the Stockmans' hall of fame and a museum commemorating the birthplace of Qantas. We toured a retired Boeing 747 and being able to walk out on the wing of a jumbo jet is something to remember.

After Longreach it was a cruizy ride back through beautiful country of the central highlands and Emerald, and then we reached the ocean and turned south, heading home.

Took a month to do the this trip and we covered over 7500 km.

How about a trip from Melbourne to Canberra (and back)

Straight up the Hume highway, stopping to see the dog on the tucker box at Gundagai

We made it to our nations' capital. It's hard to take photos from a motorcycle. (note the headlight in the picture)

OK, it's a pretty spectacular building. All covered in grass with this fantastic phallic symbol on top

Here's the famous view showing how the buildings are perfectly aligned - New Parliament house - to the old one then on to the War Memorial in the far distance.

And here's the view from the other end. At the War Memorial looking back to new Parliament House

I love the war memorial, seen it a hundred times and it never fails to move me. A truly fitting tribute to our fallen

On the road again. It's ok I have this map you see....

His & Hers Harley Davidson Springers. The black 2001 88c.i. model and my blue 1996 80c.i. FXSTS model

Now when you're on the road, you keep an eye out for places to 'go'. This one was unique... quite a long drop!

We turned right at Canberra, went up over the mountains and came to the southern ocean. We then followed the coast back down and around to Melbourne

These are shots of the gardens at the Japanese War Cemetery at Cowra

Such a beautiful tranquil place. I've lost track of when we went there but it could have been this trip

Now why don't we go to Coober Pedy ?

After riding through the desert we're so happy to see this sign!

We stuck a pin in a map and decided that Coober Pedy sounded like a great ride

This is a salt lake. It runs for as far as the eye can see mile after mile. It's a long ride and we did it in the middle of a locust plague followed by a fly plague. Next stop Coober Pedy

Downtown, this is mainstreet

Budget underground accommodation

Now this is more like my style

Nice underground room carved from rock

It's a strange place but a must visit

We felt so safe at the motel in Port Augusta This is another of His bikes. It's a 1992 Yamaha Venture Royale

Then there was a trip Melbourne to Brisbane

Who could visit Bathurst and not ride the

famous Mount Panorama Race track

Looks like I'm leading the way again - at least I look warm for a change

There really is a giant guitar in Tamworth

And a giant space telescope in Parkes

So many trips that now they begin to blend together

We've ridden from Darwin to Tasmania, from Melbourne to Adelaide & up to Cairns

The Great Ocean Road was a nice ride

Yes I know, it's another Loo shot but you have to believe how important they become on long bike trips

There were trips following the Murray River

The blue lake at Mount Gambier

Somewhere in the desert

Somewhere in the mountains

Another country town

I've been all rugged up for the cold in Victoria

And stripped down for summer riding (my first Harley - another springer - Hot Pink!)

We rode to cairns and it was lovely weather for half a day until we hit Bowen... does that look like a storm coming?

And it rained and rained and.... you get the idea...

Torrential rain for two weeks, but hey, it was all about the ride.

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