tabledrain
IBR Finisher
My ride to Netallie Hill back was never going to be at saddlesore pace. For some time now I have been looking more to slower paced rides and have planned accordingly.
As you can see from my spot track, my initial route took me between the main highways, on some dirt roads, on some tar ones and all of them new to me. Wednesday just on dark I arrived in Goondiwindi out of fuel. the BP filling both bike and adding a sandwich to me. The meander took me west 50km, Toobeah being the nights destination.
Toobeah is a old country pub and coming from a farming history fell into the conversations that floated from Guinness World record to harvester comb widths and farming in general for an hour or so.
The day was well up by the time I got rolling on Thursday. For some months now I have planned on heading from Goodooga due west to Engonnia, its all country I have never seen and helped make the route to Wilcannia as straight a line as possible which was this rides particular metric - straight line it.
Two nights before I arrive in Goodooga, the country, black soil at that, had 25mm of rain. The pub advised against it and so heading south into Brewarrina and into Bourke, then south 8km I stopped at the entry to the Louth Tilpa road and faced a road closed sign.
I smiled, the road gods were toying with me.. So Wonky took me south to Cobar and the local MP's office nice warm concrete is what I sat against with Wonky up on the footpath while I determined what and where to go.
Margaret and I have been planning a beer n prawns night, with this particular event being the meetup. But that was planned for the following night ( Friday). A quick phone call to Margaret was made to find out she was arriving in Wilcannia in two hours. Decision made, I shot down to Wilcannia and arrived just before dark. We spent the time through to Saturday morning with a wandering conversation in the caravan park and then wandered into town to the cafe and met up with the rest of the riders in town.
Our gathering at the Memorial is, as one would expect, a mixture of sombre, joyful, reflective tones. The vista we enjoy standing there looking across the plains is typical Australia and makes me glad I am one. Standing in that group of accomplished riders, recalling the riders since passed reminded me that we all have our end, but we do live on afterwards in our friends.. Thanks to the team who maintain this site for us all, I dips me lid.
Saturday afternoon was a short blast down to Wilmington, myself and Russ eating the distance comfortably that afternoon in spite of a noticable footpeg vibration becoming noticable in Wonky. By the time we had blasted over Horrocks, visited Davo's plaque and blasted back over Horrocks to Wilmington pub, the day was done.
Saturday night in the Wilmington hotel revolved around the local football teams loss, I had a big jar full of coins that I emptied onto the bar and the barmaid loved the coins for payment for beers.
Sunday in the early morning light Russ went south ish, me and wonky eastish with Nyngan my days destination 1000km away. the vibration in wonky was really quite noticable now, the rear wheel no longer rolling smoothly when spun by a boot. Nothing for it, ride it..
1000km went be easy and arriving in the campgrounds on the rivers edge closed out my swag nights for this ride.
Monday morning i made a decision. Narrabri was under 400km, I have family there, I would head there at a steady pace and if Wonky sheared off the shaft, then at least I was close to support. At the same time, Colleen was heading south to meet me in town and we would trailer the bike home the last 700km.. By this time the vibrations had settled into the " lets give the rider a sense of security before we shear off" phase.
But we made it to Narrabri, Coll and I made it home, I pulled the shaft out, ( in two seperate pieces mind you) so it really was about to bust up proper and new parts are coming..
All going well, I shall see you all there is 2026.
As you can see from my spot track, my initial route took me between the main highways, on some dirt roads, on some tar ones and all of them new to me. Wednesday just on dark I arrived in Goondiwindi out of fuel. the BP filling both bike and adding a sandwich to me. The meander took me west 50km, Toobeah being the nights destination.
Toobeah is a old country pub and coming from a farming history fell into the conversations that floated from Guinness World record to harvester comb widths and farming in general for an hour or so.
The day was well up by the time I got rolling on Thursday. For some months now I have planned on heading from Goodooga due west to Engonnia, its all country I have never seen and helped make the route to Wilcannia as straight a line as possible which was this rides particular metric - straight line it.
Two nights before I arrive in Goodooga, the country, black soil at that, had 25mm of rain. The pub advised against it and so heading south into Brewarrina and into Bourke, then south 8km I stopped at the entry to the Louth Tilpa road and faced a road closed sign.
I smiled, the road gods were toying with me.. So Wonky took me south to Cobar and the local MP's office nice warm concrete is what I sat against with Wonky up on the footpath while I determined what and where to go.
Margaret and I have been planning a beer n prawns night, with this particular event being the meetup. But that was planned for the following night ( Friday). A quick phone call to Margaret was made to find out she was arriving in Wilcannia in two hours. Decision made, I shot down to Wilcannia and arrived just before dark. We spent the time through to Saturday morning with a wandering conversation in the caravan park and then wandered into town to the cafe and met up with the rest of the riders in town.
Our gathering at the Memorial is, as one would expect, a mixture of sombre, joyful, reflective tones. The vista we enjoy standing there looking across the plains is typical Australia and makes me glad I am one. Standing in that group of accomplished riders, recalling the riders since passed reminded me that we all have our end, but we do live on afterwards in our friends.. Thanks to the team who maintain this site for us all, I dips me lid.
Saturday afternoon was a short blast down to Wilmington, myself and Russ eating the distance comfortably that afternoon in spite of a noticable footpeg vibration becoming noticable in Wonky. By the time we had blasted over Horrocks, visited Davo's plaque and blasted back over Horrocks to Wilmington pub, the day was done.
Saturday night in the Wilmington hotel revolved around the local football teams loss, I had a big jar full of coins that I emptied onto the bar and the barmaid loved the coins for payment for beers.
Sunday in the early morning light Russ went south ish, me and wonky eastish with Nyngan my days destination 1000km away. the vibration in wonky was really quite noticable now, the rear wheel no longer rolling smoothly when spun by a boot. Nothing for it, ride it..
1000km went be easy and arriving in the campgrounds on the rivers edge closed out my swag nights for this ride.
Monday morning i made a decision. Narrabri was under 400km, I have family there, I would head there at a steady pace and if Wonky sheared off the shaft, then at least I was close to support. At the same time, Colleen was heading south to meet me in town and we would trailer the bike home the last 700km.. By this time the vibrations had settled into the " lets give the rider a sense of security before we shear off" phase.
But we made it to Narrabri, Coll and I made it home, I pulled the shaft out, ( in two seperate pieces mind you) so it really was about to bust up proper and new parts are coming..
All going well, I shall see you all there is 2026.
