Time for a final rally practise ride, with only a few days before I jump on a plane to head to the States.
This one was going to be the “real deal”, I wanted to do this one at close to my planned Rally pace. My partner was pulling together a list of Bonus Points complete with Rally Book for instructions. I would receive the GPX files by email (just like the IBR) and have to choose a route accordingly, record my score and then get scored once complete. The only tip I received was you will be going places you haven’t been before….and so it was, files received along with the Rally Book. Coding was done quickly, followed by a short analysis of the route options. The options included combos to further complicate things! Routing finalised it was off to bed for a few hours’ sleep.
Up at 2:00am, rugged up and rode down the road to collect a starting docket. Docket collected, Ride Log written up, reread the instructions for the first Bonus Point and headed north east. It was cold!
BP # 1 Goulburn Golf Club
Felt good getting the first Bonus in the bag, although writing up the log had been difficult due the cold, -2 showing on the dash! Onwards to warmer temperatures I hoped!
BP # 2 Bowral Golf Club.
Starting to get into the groove now, still very cold though! Onwards to Sydney where I take the Narellan Road for Camden.
BP # 3 Camden Golf Club
The roads are busier now as the dawn approaches. I make way through the Harbour Tunnel and turn east to Mosman, traffic is light which was a blessing. Didn't take too long to ride my way through the leafy roads to find Taronga Zoo.
BP # 4 Taronga Zoo
Rode out of Mosman and called in briefly at Crows Nest for a bacon & egg roll before heading over to the Pennant Hills for this photo.
BP # 5 Koala Park
Turned northwards on West Pennant Hills Road to hop onto the M1, the traffic is still fairly sparse and I make good time northwards to collect this great photo.
BP # 6 Australian Reptile Park
Back on the freeway and up to Newcastle to find the Newcastle Golf Club, where I parked illegally out the front to collect the photo and write up the log as quickly as possible. I was getting a few stares from the local golfers!
BP # 7 Newcastle Golf Club
I enjoyed the ride back to the Hunter express way, this is all new territory for me. Managed to take a few wrong turns as I headed to the New England Highway, where I turned north for Scone, collecting another Bonus at Aberdeen, I now had 5 Golf Clubs which gave me one Combo.
BP # 8 Aberdeen Golf & Bowling Club.
From here it was a short hop up to Scone and up the hill to the Scone Mountain National Park, photo taken, back to the local servo for lunch and Call in Bonus # 1.
BP # 9 Scone Mountain Park.
Backtracked to Muswellbrook where I turned west to Singleton and then on to the Putty Road. The sun was out and the corners were flowing. Good times! Heading down from Colo Heights I had an unscheduled stop with the NSW Constabulary which concluded in making a compulsory donation to the NSW Treasury. Bugger. Not to worry, onto to Richmond for the next Bonus, this one proved slightly awkward as it involved parking outside the Richmond Base and taking a photo. Job done I was out of there quickly and onto the next Base, Glenbrook.
BP # 10 RAAF Richmond
BP # 11 RAAF Glenbrook
Back on the M4 to head eastward to Doonside in heavy Saturday afternoon traffic. Took a while to thread my way through the Western Sydney roads but made it before heading south east.
BP # 12 Featherdale Wildlife Park
Motoring out of Sydney in the gathering darkness I needed fuel for the bike plus it was time to have a break. As I motored down Mt Ousley the Wollongong lights were sparkling in the early evening. Rolled into a servo at Albion on fumes, bike fuelled I parked for 10 minutes to grab a Macca’s burger & chips plus put on warmer gloves. Onwards through the darkness through, Berry, then Nowra, Milton, Ulladulla and then finally into Batemans Bay. Hardly any traffic now, but the rain has arrived to make things interesting. A short 15 minute ride south of Batemans Bay to grab the 2nd to last Bonus of the day.
BP # 13 Mogo Zoo.(Part of the Zoo Combo)
Rode back to Batemans Bay Servo at the bottom of the Clyde to put on my heated vest and more layers for the ride back up to Canberra. Glad I did as the temperatures plummeted to zero with fog almost all the way back to Canberra. The fog was quite thick in places and I was happy to just take my time through it. Riding back past Canberra airport, the fog cleared and by the time I arrived at ANZAC Avenue for the last bonus it was -2. I was cold! Hmmm, I couldn’t park at this Bonus Location so it was off the bike and walk, just what I needed after a long day in the saddle.
BP # 14 RAAF Memorial (The final part of the RAAF Combo)
From here it was a short hop to home, collecting a docket at the local ATM before rolling into the garage. Job done, 1,467 kms for the day, complete with plenty of Bonus collecting, including three combos. Surprisingly I didn’t see one Roo. Things went smoothly, I rode at what I think will be my IBR Pace, while keeping an accurate Bonus/fuel log. Plus my Spotwalla worked. A few lessons to learn from this one including tightening up time spent off the bike, otherwise I'm ready. Now to start packing.
This one was going to be the “real deal”, I wanted to do this one at close to my planned Rally pace. My partner was pulling together a list of Bonus Points complete with Rally Book for instructions. I would receive the GPX files by email (just like the IBR) and have to choose a route accordingly, record my score and then get scored once complete. The only tip I received was you will be going places you haven’t been before….and so it was, files received along with the Rally Book. Coding was done quickly, followed by a short analysis of the route options. The options included combos to further complicate things! Routing finalised it was off to bed for a few hours’ sleep.
Up at 2:00am, rugged up and rode down the road to collect a starting docket. Docket collected, Ride Log written up, reread the instructions for the first Bonus Point and headed north east. It was cold!
BP # 1 Goulburn Golf Club
Felt good getting the first Bonus in the bag, although writing up the log had been difficult due the cold, -2 showing on the dash! Onwards to warmer temperatures I hoped!
BP # 2 Bowral Golf Club.
Starting to get into the groove now, still very cold though! Onwards to Sydney where I take the Narellan Road for Camden.
BP # 3 Camden Golf Club
The roads are busier now as the dawn approaches. I make way through the Harbour Tunnel and turn east to Mosman, traffic is light which was a blessing. Didn't take too long to ride my way through the leafy roads to find Taronga Zoo.
BP # 4 Taronga Zoo
Rode out of Mosman and called in briefly at Crows Nest for a bacon & egg roll before heading over to the Pennant Hills for this photo.
BP # 5 Koala Park
Turned northwards on West Pennant Hills Road to hop onto the M1, the traffic is still fairly sparse and I make good time northwards to collect this great photo.
BP # 6 Australian Reptile Park
Back on the freeway and up to Newcastle to find the Newcastle Golf Club, where I parked illegally out the front to collect the photo and write up the log as quickly as possible. I was getting a few stares from the local golfers!
BP # 7 Newcastle Golf Club
I enjoyed the ride back to the Hunter express way, this is all new territory for me. Managed to take a few wrong turns as I headed to the New England Highway, where I turned north for Scone, collecting another Bonus at Aberdeen, I now had 5 Golf Clubs which gave me one Combo.
BP # 8 Aberdeen Golf & Bowling Club.
From here it was a short hop up to Scone and up the hill to the Scone Mountain National Park, photo taken, back to the local servo for lunch and Call in Bonus # 1.
BP # 9 Scone Mountain Park.
Backtracked to Muswellbrook where I turned west to Singleton and then on to the Putty Road. The sun was out and the corners were flowing. Good times! Heading down from Colo Heights I had an unscheduled stop with the NSW Constabulary which concluded in making a compulsory donation to the NSW Treasury. Bugger. Not to worry, onto to Richmond for the next Bonus, this one proved slightly awkward as it involved parking outside the Richmond Base and taking a photo. Job done I was out of there quickly and onto the next Base, Glenbrook.
BP # 10 RAAF Richmond
BP # 11 RAAF Glenbrook
Back on the M4 to head eastward to Doonside in heavy Saturday afternoon traffic. Took a while to thread my way through the Western Sydney roads but made it before heading south east.
BP # 12 Featherdale Wildlife Park
Motoring out of Sydney in the gathering darkness I needed fuel for the bike plus it was time to have a break. As I motored down Mt Ousley the Wollongong lights were sparkling in the early evening. Rolled into a servo at Albion on fumes, bike fuelled I parked for 10 minutes to grab a Macca’s burger & chips plus put on warmer gloves. Onwards through the darkness through, Berry, then Nowra, Milton, Ulladulla and then finally into Batemans Bay. Hardly any traffic now, but the rain has arrived to make things interesting. A short 15 minute ride south of Batemans Bay to grab the 2nd to last Bonus of the day.
BP # 13 Mogo Zoo.(Part of the Zoo Combo)
Rode back to Batemans Bay Servo at the bottom of the Clyde to put on my heated vest and more layers for the ride back up to Canberra. Glad I did as the temperatures plummeted to zero with fog almost all the way back to Canberra. The fog was quite thick in places and I was happy to just take my time through it. Riding back past Canberra airport, the fog cleared and by the time I arrived at ANZAC Avenue for the last bonus it was -2. I was cold! Hmmm, I couldn’t park at this Bonus Location so it was off the bike and walk, just what I needed after a long day in the saddle.
BP # 14 RAAF Memorial (The final part of the RAAF Combo)
From here it was a short hop to home, collecting a docket at the local ATM before rolling into the garage. Job done, 1,467 kms for the day, complete with plenty of Bonus collecting, including three combos. Surprisingly I didn’t see one Roo. Things went smoothly, I rode at what I think will be my IBR Pace, while keeping an accurate Bonus/fuel log. Plus my Spotwalla worked. A few lessons to learn from this one including tightening up time spent off the bike, otherwise I'm ready. Now to start packing.
