After my last ride I took some time off from riding. Family commitments and the crazy work lead up to Christmas meant there was barely a free weekend. So with all that behind me and the Christmas shutdown enforced, I was looking forward to some riding and this ride was the first cab off the rank.
So 5pm rolls around on Friday the 20th and I can finally shut down the work computer for the year. A quick dinner and straight to bed as I'm looking to have my starting docket in hand at 2am. 0209 and my start docket is in hand from my local servo and I'm quickly onto the M5 and heading out of Sydney. This ride is planned to be a little different for a number of reasons:
1. It is the first ride where I'm attempting a double-certification (Summer Solstice and Selfie Ride), and
2. It is only the 2nd ride on my HD Street 500 - the bike I used on my learners and P's a few years ago and on which I did my very first IBA ride (SS1600K) back in January 2023. This was done as I was looking to complete a 'My Brand Rocks - 2' a few days later on my other bike (but alas it did not occur - but that's another story for another day...).
It wasn't long before my first 'selfie' photo was taken in CAMpbelltown. Back onto the Hume Motorway/Highway and it wasn't long before we were turning off into the Southern Highlands. Exeter and ROberson selfie photos in quick succession (after avoiding the roo in the middle of the road just over the crest at 80kph somewhere in between the two) and we were heading for the coast. Fuel and corner DBR in Kiama before heading south with a top up in Norwa. Onwards south we go - on roads I don't usually travel. Narooma for the next selfie photo and some fuel. First name sorted - now for the long haul to my turn around point, down the coast road (A1) until Cann River for fuel and a quick familiarisation re: fuel on the return leg and where my turn will be. All good - got to keep moving but the clock is looking good. Continuing on the A1 to Nowa Nowa and then taking the turn off for the inland road until we join the A1 again at Bairnsdale, following the A1 all the way to Stratford before turning off again and finally reaching my turn around point, Maffra, Vic. Selfie photo, fuel, drink and a quick feed (and the turn around DBR), over half the kms done and the clock in the positive direction - things are looking ok, time to turn around and head for home. A wrong turn at Barinsdale had me following the A1 along the coast so we ended up paying a visit to Lake Entrance en route to Nowa Nowa and we were back on plan. Cann River came and fuel topped up before turning north on roads I've not travelled before. Pulled into Cooma with the sun still up for yet another Selfie photo and fuel before continuing towards Canberra with the sun still up at just after 8pm for the penultimate selfie photo at KAmbah, ACT. Now the final leg.... first Yass for the final selfie photo at dusk (and to close out the letter collecting for my last name), before fuel, a little something to eat and a corner DBR at the Yass Service Centre before pointing the bike onto the Hume towards home. Fuel range is 'touch and go' so a quick top up at the Pheasants Nest service centre before heading home for a final DBR well inside the time limit.
It was interesting to find that @Martin Little happened to be in the area around the same time. I have no idea who was in front of who and when and even if we may have passed each other unknowingly on the road. A missed opportunity?
Thanks as always to Bec, Ian and the OzIBA Certification crew for their efforts without which we don't get certifications.
So 5pm rolls around on Friday the 20th and I can finally shut down the work computer for the year. A quick dinner and straight to bed as I'm looking to have my starting docket in hand at 2am. 0209 and my start docket is in hand from my local servo and I'm quickly onto the M5 and heading out of Sydney. This ride is planned to be a little different for a number of reasons:
1. It is the first ride where I'm attempting a double-certification (Summer Solstice and Selfie Ride), and
2. It is only the 2nd ride on my HD Street 500 - the bike I used on my learners and P's a few years ago and on which I did my very first IBA ride (SS1600K) back in January 2023. This was done as I was looking to complete a 'My Brand Rocks - 2' a few days later on my other bike (but alas it did not occur - but that's another story for another day...).
It wasn't long before my first 'selfie' photo was taken in CAMpbelltown. Back onto the Hume Motorway/Highway and it wasn't long before we were turning off into the Southern Highlands. Exeter and ROberson selfie photos in quick succession (after avoiding the roo in the middle of the road just over the crest at 80kph somewhere in between the two) and we were heading for the coast. Fuel and corner DBR in Kiama before heading south with a top up in Norwa. Onwards south we go - on roads I don't usually travel. Narooma for the next selfie photo and some fuel. First name sorted - now for the long haul to my turn around point, down the coast road (A1) until Cann River for fuel and a quick familiarisation re: fuel on the return leg and where my turn will be. All good - got to keep moving but the clock is looking good. Continuing on the A1 to Nowa Nowa and then taking the turn off for the inland road until we join the A1 again at Bairnsdale, following the A1 all the way to Stratford before turning off again and finally reaching my turn around point, Maffra, Vic. Selfie photo, fuel, drink and a quick feed (and the turn around DBR), over half the kms done and the clock in the positive direction - things are looking ok, time to turn around and head for home. A wrong turn at Barinsdale had me following the A1 along the coast so we ended up paying a visit to Lake Entrance en route to Nowa Nowa and we were back on plan. Cann River came and fuel topped up before turning north on roads I've not travelled before. Pulled into Cooma with the sun still up for yet another Selfie photo and fuel before continuing towards Canberra with the sun still up at just after 8pm for the penultimate selfie photo at KAmbah, ACT. Now the final leg.... first Yass for the final selfie photo at dusk (and to close out the letter collecting for my last name), before fuel, a little something to eat and a corner DBR at the Yass Service Centre before pointing the bike onto the Hume towards home. Fuel range is 'touch and go' so a quick top up at the Pheasants Nest service centre before heading home for a final DBR well inside the time limit.
It was interesting to find that @Martin Little happened to be in the area around the same time. I have no idea who was in front of who and when and even if we may have passed each other unknowingly on the road. A missed opportunity?
Thanks as always to Bec, Ian and the OzIBA Certification crew for their efforts without which we don't get certifications.
