05 September 2010

Day 2 SS1600 kilometers and a Ceremony

Day 02 Goondiwindi to Port Augusta

Today was to be our big day - and it was all it promised to be.

With bad weather being promised, we were ready to go at 3am under clear skies. We had the four bikes and five people.
We fuelled at BP Goondisindi and had the attendant sign our witness forms, to show we were here at that time for the start of our run.
It was probably the most fun she had all night.

The first hour was great with fine and cool weather, the lights on the Wing working well, lighting up the sides of the road like daylight.

Just south of Moree though, it began to get darker overhead as the stars were blotted out by the clouds that would accompany us for the rest of the day.

By the time we got to our first planned fuel stop at Coonabarabran, we were starting to get soaked. Final pieces of wet weather gear were added and on we went through the drizzle. The rain was not too serious, just enough to be annoying.

While we were travelling south, we had a nice following wind helping us along, but when we turned right at Nevertire, we were hit by crosswinds from our right. The four bikes were leaning hard to the right to keep on the road.
The rain seemed to be getting heavier and in Nyngan I called Charleen to see what the radar was showing locally. They were showing clear!!??
By the time we finished refuelling again, it was coming down a bit heavier. But to go back was to run with the weather. Better to continue on and punch through. Hah!!

It had rained quite a lot recently and all the creeks were flowing and the road washouts were awash.
Dave was leading now, and his brake lights came on constantly. Lift the feet and splash through the water.
One was a bit deeper and a large splash was blown by the wind on to my windscreen. I was OK. but Tack, on the ST1100 with a smaller screen, received the equivalent of a bucketful of water over the top of his screen and down the neck of his jacket.

We pulled up in Cobar for lunch, got chatted by the local copper for parking on a footpath close to shelter and had to move them up the road. Thanks a lot!!

Now out on to the road to Wilcannia and Broken Hill, the rain was easing off and we were only getting the occasional shower.
But the Wind!! Coming from our right and forward we were pushing hard in to it and it began to play havoc with fuel consumption. Trevor and I were carrying extra fuel, but Dave and Tack weren't. Finally, Trevor pulled up to pour in some extra and Tack and I pulled in as well. He was very low so I only put in just what I though I needed to get to Wilcannia, and kept a couple of litres spare in case he ran out.
Not long up the road, there was Dave stopped on the side. The Yamaha was dry.

So we tipped that last precious couple of litres in his tank and we set out into now a strong headwind to try to get to town.
I went in front and the two bikes tucked in behind for some slipstreaming and we made it with very little to spare. Tack still had two litres in his tank, so the ST had done well.

Refuelled and happy, we headed out for broken hill and beyond, now making sure to refuel every 200km to allow for the 30% more fuel we were using.

Approaching Peterborough, we finally went through the eye of the low pressure system that was to cause heavy damage to country Victoria that night. The wind died down, the rain came back, then once we got through town the wind hit us from the opposite side and battered us again.

But ahead I could faintly see clear patches on the horizon so took heart and pressed on. We finally got to the Horrocks Pass cairn and met up with a few other FarRiders who were beginning to gather for the Midnight vigil.

However, we still didn't quite have enough kilometres up for our SS1600km ride, so continued in to Port Augusta to get a final docket to prove our arrival. We checked in to our accommodation, grabbed some hamburgers for tea then headed back up to the Pass.

By now most of the FarRiders who were attending had arrived. I took a headcount and called out a roll. Quite a few had not made it for various reasons - all harmless but disappointing. There had been mechanical breakdowns, weather related problems and some who had decided to not ride. A good idea if your head is not in the "right place".

Only two were missing, but just before midnight they turned up and I was relieved to have us all there or accounted for.

We had our little informal ceremony to remember our mate Davo. Russell led the talk and several told stories of their times with him. There were poems read aloud. Some blokes had cone to considerable work. Such is the man's legacy.

After, we broke up fairly quickly and dispersed back to our various digs for the night.

All in all, many kilometres were travelled by men and women to gather and remember our friend, 12 months from the day he left us.

More tomorrow.

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