Hello everyone. Kevin "Bam" Baker here. I live in Bowmanville, Canada, which is just east of Toronto. I will complete the Ride Around the Big Paddock ride from October 2 to 11, 2023. If anyone is interested in joining me for parts of the ride, I will be leaving from Sydney and traveling clockwise. You can email me at [email protected], and I will be happy to share my planned route and stops. I will also have a tracker on during the ride and post the tracker link closer to October. Cheers.
Ride Around the Big Paddock
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In late September, the wind on the Nullabor in the morning is mainly from the North & West, with typical speed 20~30 kph, during the day you will be riding into a strong Westerly headwind, and by afternoon it is from the South & West, with a typical speed > 40 kph.
This is why going anti-clockwise is easier.
This is why going anti-clockwise is easier.
The Australian Government's Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) has a great website page with all sorts of "average" weather information. Just drill down by month & location and you can work out a plan for the "Goldilock's Ride" as in not to hot, not too windy and not too wet.
BOM Averages
BOM Averages
Sorta...
A circle with a diameter of 1,800 km has a circumference of 5,652 km. A circle with a diameter of 1,800 km plus 5 m larger offset has a circumference of 5,652.0314 km. So traveling counter-clockwise around a circle of 1,800 km diameter in a left-side-drive country would be 31.4 meters shorter than traveling clockwise and 5 meters to the left of the counter-clockwise travel lanes.
Edit to correct math error. 5 meter radius increase = 10 meter diameter increase and decimal points need to be correctly dropped.
A circle with a diameter of 1,800 km has a circumference of 5,652 km. A circle with a diameter of 1,800 km plus 5 m larger offset has a circumference of 5,652.0314 km. So traveling counter-clockwise around a circle of 1,800 km diameter in a left-side-drive country would be 31.4 meters shorter than traveling clockwise and 5 meters to the left of the counter-clockwise travel lanes.
Edit to correct math error. 5 meter radius increase = 10 meter diameter increase and decimal points need to be correctly dropped.
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Sorta...
A circle with a diameter of 1,800 km has a circumference of 5,652 km. A circle with a circumference of 1,800 km plus 5 m has a circumference of 5,652.0157 km. So traveling counter-clockwise around a circle of 1,800 km diameter in a left-side-drive country would be 157 meters shorter than traveling clockwise and 5 meters to the left of the travel lanes.
A circle with a diameter of 1,800 km has a circumference of 5,652 km. A circle with a circumference of 1,800 km plus 5 m has a circumference of 5,652.0157 km. So traveling counter-clockwise around a circle of 1,800 km diameter in a left-side-drive country would be 157 meters shorter than traveling clockwise and 5 meters to the left of the travel lanes.
G'day Bam,
Welcome along to our forum downunder.
In case you have not found the ride reports for the three completed certified rides:
Ride established as a certified IBA ride 2015
2nd certified run in 2017
3rd certified ride "two up"!! 2019
Best wishes for your ride
Welcome along to our forum downunder.
In case you have not found the ride reports for the three completed certified rides:
Ride established as a certified IBA ride 2015
2nd certified run in 2017
3rd certified ride "two up"!! 2019
Best wishes for your ride
Another website you may wish to read is Driving In Australia
The website is orientated towards cars, but the same rules apply to motorcycles. Skip down to the section International Driver’s Permit (IDP) FAQs
The website is orientated towards cars, but the same rules apply to motorcycles. Skip down to the section International Driver’s Permit (IDP) FAQs
Thank you for this. If I have read this correctly, it suggests I don't need an IDP. It would appear I can use my license because it is in English as long as I am in Australia for less than 90 days, and my license remains valid for the duration of my trip. IDPs are readily obtained here in Canada (I had one when I lived in the middle east), and I will certainly get one if I have read this advice wrong.
That is how I read it. No IDP if your Canadian License is in English, has endorsement for riding a motorcycle, stays valid for the duration of your Oz visit, and you do not stay here for more than 90 days.
That said, you may also want to double check with your Travel Insurance company, and maybe the company you are renting the motorcycle from. Insurance companies are a law unto themselves.
That said, you may also want to double check with your Travel Insurance company, and maybe the company you are renting the motorcycle from. Insurance companies are a law unto themselves.
I was intrigued by the concept of the the Around The Big Paddock (ATBP) Certificate Ride, so I decided to read the Official Rules and I note that it must be completed by riding on the A1/M1 through Sydney.
I don't know much about other States, but I do know Sydney very well and our State Government has spent $-Billions and $-Billions building other motorways to get people off the A1/M1.
So this morning, just for giggles, I powered up Google Maps and plotted a route from the A1 at Sylvania (-34.00814, 151.10745) to the M1 at the Hawkesbury Bridge (-33.53947, 151.19847).
Google's preferred route has me departing Sylvania, and almost immediately leaving the A1 and taking the A3 to the A6, then onto the A28, NCX, and onto the M1. Hmmm, that would be the quickest and easiest route, but would also be a "fail" for the ATBP.
OK, lets place a via-point at Kyeemagh (-33.95159, 151.16117) to force Google to stay on the A1. Now, Google takes me along the A1 to the M1, through the Harbour Tunnel then off the M1 and onto the M2, A28, NCX and then the M1. Hmmmm, that would be another "fail".
OK, lets drop a third via-point at Roseville (-33.78754, 151.17910). Success. Google now takes me from Sylvania to the Hawkesbury Bridge via the A1 & M1.
I wonder how Garmin would plot things.
I don't know much about other States, but I do know Sydney very well and our State Government has spent $-Billions and $-Billions building other motorways to get people off the A1/M1.
So this morning, just for giggles, I powered up Google Maps and plotted a route from the A1 at Sylvania (-34.00814, 151.10745) to the M1 at the Hawkesbury Bridge (-33.53947, 151.19847).
Google's preferred route has me departing Sylvania, and almost immediately leaving the A1 and taking the A3 to the A6, then onto the A28, NCX, and onto the M1. Hmmm, that would be the quickest and easiest route, but would also be a "fail" for the ATBP.
OK, lets place a via-point at Kyeemagh (-33.95159, 151.16117) to force Google to stay on the A1. Now, Google takes me along the A1 to the M1, through the Harbour Tunnel then off the M1 and onto the M2, A28, NCX and then the M1. Hmmmm, that would be another "fail".
OK, lets drop a third via-point at Roseville (-33.78754, 151.17910). Success. Google now takes me from Sylvania to the Hawkesbury Bridge via the A1 & M1.
I wonder how Garmin would plot things.
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