The best way to spend a birthday

Biggles

Premier Member
#1
This report has been posted in various forms on two other Forums, but I've been waiting for the Certificate for this posting.

Exactly 6 years ago to the month I did my first Ironbutt ride. It was to the same event which occurs on a 6 yearly rotation with other states, and it was Tasmania's turn to host the annual Christian Motorcyclists' National Run. The ride back in 2012 hadn't been sanctioned by She Who Cares For My Wellbeing. She went to bed confident that I had found a suitable bed somewhere around Parkes after a long day's ride. I rang her in the morning from Fawkner arousing all sorts of consternation. These days she is used to my shenanigans now I've completed 17 certified rides.
My preferred starting point servo was unaccountably in darkness, so I collected my docket over the road from one of the thousands of servo attendants found throughout Australia who exhibit signs of Indian ancestry. I somehow missed the memo that this had become a pre-requisite for the job.



The choice of the Pacific Highway (now pretentiously renamed in Qld, "Pacific Coast Way", in deference to a much more magnificent PCH in California) was purely with respect to reports of wildlife out west, and ineluctable masochism. The latter refers to the extent of roadworks south of Ballina. The redeeming feature was the time of night- all the nannas were in bed and I could maintain a healthy GPS 80 kph.

We'd had a couple of weeks of rain, and showers were forecast for my route. There were a few stretches of light drizzle, so the dawn shot was doomed. The palm trees lent a little tropical ambience to an otherwise dismal outlook.



By-passing Grafton, I like Halfway Creek for my first refuel. It's only three quarters of a tank needed but it's a big convenient servo (and they do Coles vouchers and Flybuys).

The next stop was for breakfast at the Port Mac Interchange. Gotta love Maccas- 50 cents for a good quality Cappa! Call me Bogan, but that's a good breakfast for under 10 bux!



Weirdly painted creatures are popping up everywhere. Was it Dubbo or Parkes started this trend?



Down the slab, around Newcastle and into the utilitarian-named "M1 Southbound Freeway". What happened to "Jilliby"- much more attractive, with hints of a lively lass.

Inescapably through Pennant Hills and then into the flow around Sydney with fuel needed at Gundagai. They saw me coming! Their "91" was E10 which I won't use leaving 95 at $1.80 (keep yer miserable tenth of a cent)!

The life sized dog on the box is underwhelming in this age of "big is better", and doggie has been eclipsed by The Big Koala:



Am I missing something else here? What's with the koalas at roadhouses?

I was needing to be at Station Pier in Melbourne on Thursday, but I'd given myself wriggle-room and a bed in Seymour ended the ride with enough kays for my purposes, and a short stroll down the road on the morrow.



SPOTwalla here...


The Certificate arrived yesterday. I had specified Brisbane as my departure city rather than one of its northern suburbs. Also, during their careful analysis of my ride data, the certifiers missed the several references to Seymour being in Victoria rather than New South Wales. But the Certificate did arrive in less than a month, as the Premium service promises. They must have looked at the data because the kilometres are as per Google maps rather than my reported ODO.



During the ride we passed a milestone:

 

HACKLE

Well-Known Member
#2
A good report and piccies, up to your usual standard Bill. Another IBA certificate that they got wrong. How many do they post out with incorrect info on them I've got one and I'm sure everyone else has one also. Not hard to get right when we are paying for this service. OK, I've had my bitch I'll shut up now.
 

Biggles

Premier Member
#6
Further to the certificate matter, Howard replied today pointing out I hadn't used the prescribed form for Premium member submission.
I did indeed, but it turns out there are two links at the bottom of the http://www.ironbutt.com/premierapp/ page, and you need to use the second one: "Secondary IBA Premier Certification Link" which will populate your email browser fully. The one I used isn't complete.
I just hope I remember that next time I use that service.