5/10/2011
I’m on holidays and just because my knee is playing up it doesn’t mean
I’m not going to take the bike out for a spin.
As you start up the twisty section, past Fordsdale, the road surface is
breaking up a little and I had a couple of “brown pants” moments when the back
of the bike started sliding.
Once the twisties were over and done with, it’s was past the Darling Down
Zoo (home of the white tigers) and on to intersection with the New England
Highway. Turning left at the New England
Highway, I stopped to have a chat with some grey nomads at the rest stop. They were trying to work out where they were,
so I showed them where they were on the map and how to get to Warwick. They went on their way and I decided I’d try
out my hexamine stove and brew up a coffee.
As soon as I removed my helmet, I was greeted by a couple of the local
magpie who were not happy with my presence.
It appears I had stopped directly under their nest, so it was on with
the helmet and back on the road, the coffee would have to wait.
A few hundred metres down the New England Highway and it’s a right turn
towards Clifton. A few wrong turns at
Clifton (and a long hard look from the local police officer) and I was off to
Millmeran via Ellangowan, Leyburn and Yandilla . The local wildlife out this way are
incredible, lots of sulphur crested cockatoos, rosellas, kangaroos and even the
occasional fox! I was forced to almost stop on one occasion as a cockatoo was
sitting in the middle of the road, just looking at me. He stayed there as I
rode past and continued watching me as I drove off. Now this was either a very brave, or very
stupid bird.
Crusing along taking the scenery I missed the Millmeran turn off just
south of Leyburn and wandered down the road for several kilometres keeping an
eye on the every present kangaroos. I eventually
noticed my GPS was telling me to do a U turn, so I did what I was told and started
heading towards Yandilla. Now the roads
became interesting. As soon as I crossed
into the Millmeran Council area, the road went from 2 sealed lanes down to
about ½ a sealed lane, not a problem in a car, but on a bike? Fortunately I
only passed a couple of vehicles and being locals, they did the right thing and
allowed me to stay on the black stuff.
At Yandilla, it’s a left turn onto a proper road and a couple of
kilometres down the road to Millmeran and a much needed refuel, feed and drink.
While filling the bike, I was asked by one of the locals if II was associated
with a certain 1% club who had been in town over the past few days. I advised her I was not and she seemed a
little happier.
Bike fuelled and rider fed, it’s off to Inglewood. More flat farming land with the occasional
scrub thrown in for good measure. Before
I knew it, I was at the intersection with the Cunningham Highway. Turning right I eased into Inglewood and
grabbed a quick drink and checked out the sky.
I hadn’t noticed but the clouds to the west had started to turn grey and
were heading towards Warwick. I didn’t have any wet weather gear, so I didn’t
hang around and started back towards Warwick.
The road from Inglewood to Warwick is in much better condition than the
last time I drove it (about 10 years ago) so I was able to find out what my
bike could really do. My old XVS250 could do a maximum of 110kph (down hill,
with a strong gale behind it). The new bike, on the other hand, has no trouble
doing …..let’s just say the bike has sufficient speed to enable me to lose my
license on the spot and have my bike confiscated under “hooning” legislation.
Those of you who ride will know one of the differences between riding and
driving, you experience all the smells of the areas you go through. To say the odour emanating from the rotting
roos by the side of the road was bad is an understatement. The smell started about 5km from Inglewood
and was with me until just before Warwick. I lost count of the number of dead
roo’s by the side of the road…there must have been hundreds.
Passing through Warwick the weather was looking better so I slowed down a
little and tucked in behind a couple of B-doubles and made my way to
Cunninghams Gap. Passing through Gladeville,
an ambulance and fire engine screamed past.. not a good sign as there are major
road works occurring at the moment due to land slides and accidents are a regular
occurrence. Just before commencing the
downhill, I re-fuelled the bike and headed off.
As expected, the traffic was banked up. A car had run off the road coming
up the range and was in the process of being pulled out of the drainage
channel. Ten minutes later traffic started moving, only to be stopped about 2km
down the road due to road works. By the
looks of it, one entire lane had fallen down the hill, so traffic was
restricted to one lane. A short delay
and it’s off again. The shipping
containers stacked by the road say it all.
The containers have been placed to prevent rocks falling onto the
road. By the looks of some of the dents
in the containers the rocks that are falling must be huge and the falls appear
to be occurring on a regular basis.
Bottom of the range and on the home stretch. I’ve been on the road for several hours now,
and the ride has taken much longer than I anticipated, so it’s point the bike
towards home and crank the right hand, easing off when approaching the usual
radar site at Amberley, finishing the ride at the new BP Amberley.
All
in all, an enjoyable 470km ride with lots of variety. Next time I’m out this way, I might push a
little further west and drop in on Goondiwindi…
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