Post by longtravel on Sept 22, 2020 11:40:36 GMT 10
Hi Comrades,
We got back last week from a ride around the block (for exercise). Up the NSW coast and onto Yeppoon, a turn west and across to the Barkly Tablelands, up to Litchfield (incredible swimming under waterfalls), Darwin, Kakadu (the sacred Australia), West Macdonnell Ranges (spectacular), Uluru (the rock sunset followed by the field of lights installation was really good), Adelaide, Barossa and back via Broken Hill. About 13,000km in 10 weeks.
We went through the QLD border crossing within 24 hours of it opening after printing out our border passes in Byron. We were waved through without stopping with my wife holding up the A4 passes in the outrigger. We filled out hard copy applications for the NT entry, at Cammoweal Roadhouse ready for the NT border. The indigenous copper welcomed us in saying we could go anywhere we wanted whenever we wanted. A very friendly welcome.
These days, my comfortable riding distance in a day is about 3.5 hours (based on Google Maps), 4 hours is a long day and 5 hours or about 500km a very long day. Such very long days were Tennant Ck to Alice and Alice to Yulara. I find the wind a big variable for comfort in riding. The standard full bench seat is so comfortable I don’t need a sheep skin on it.
On the stretch from Cammoweal to Barkly Homestead (262km) I got 15.739km/litre taking it easy. That was with a wind from an obtuse angle behind us. The day heading north from Tennant Ck with the Barkly Breeze directly behind us I got 35.48km/l. That is 100mpg old school! Some of the more challenging days are when the wind is getting under the tub in left handers.
There was virtually no road kill or flies and very few mosquitoes. I have the pins in the final drive to stop it cracking and a breather on it. It was still using some final drive oil on the way up but it hasn’t used any oil between 15,000 and 23,000km. The 2019 model is humming along. I did brake two spokes on the back wheel on the atrocious corrugations getting into Maguk Falls in Kakadu. Great to have a spare wheel!
This was the best ride. Met some really interesting people that were ambassadors for their remote communities. It is good to see so many people getting back onto country. The rock art at Kakadu was very special and it was an excellent day exploring the base of Uluru now that the climb is closed.
I hope there is light at the end of the tunnel for anyone who is having difficulty getting out riding at the moment. Cheers, Steve
We got back last week from a ride around the block (for exercise). Up the NSW coast and onto Yeppoon, a turn west and across to the Barkly Tablelands, up to Litchfield (incredible swimming under waterfalls), Darwin, Kakadu (the sacred Australia), West Macdonnell Ranges (spectacular), Uluru (the rock sunset followed by the field of lights installation was really good), Adelaide, Barossa and back via Broken Hill. About 13,000km in 10 weeks.
We went through the QLD border crossing within 24 hours of it opening after printing out our border passes in Byron. We were waved through without stopping with my wife holding up the A4 passes in the outrigger. We filled out hard copy applications for the NT entry, at Cammoweal Roadhouse ready for the NT border. The indigenous copper welcomed us in saying we could go anywhere we wanted whenever we wanted. A very friendly welcome.
These days, my comfortable riding distance in a day is about 3.5 hours (based on Google Maps), 4 hours is a long day and 5 hours or about 500km a very long day. Such very long days were Tennant Ck to Alice and Alice to Yulara. I find the wind a big variable for comfort in riding. The standard full bench seat is so comfortable I don’t need a sheep skin on it.
On the stretch from Cammoweal to Barkly Homestead (262km) I got 15.739km/litre taking it easy. That was with a wind from an obtuse angle behind us. The day heading north from Tennant Ck with the Barkly Breeze directly behind us I got 35.48km/l. That is 100mpg old school! Some of the more challenging days are when the wind is getting under the tub in left handers.
There was virtually no road kill or flies and very few mosquitoes. I have the pins in the final drive to stop it cracking and a breather on it. It was still using some final drive oil on the way up but it hasn’t used any oil between 15,000 and 23,000km. The 2019 model is humming along. I did brake two spokes on the back wheel on the atrocious corrugations getting into Maguk Falls in Kakadu. Great to have a spare wheel!
This was the best ride. Met some really interesting people that were ambassadors for their remote communities. It is good to see so many people getting back onto country. The rock art at Kakadu was very special and it was an excellent day exploring the base of Uluru now that the climb is closed.
I hope there is light at the end of the tunnel for anyone who is having difficulty getting out riding at the moment. Cheers, Steve
