banzai
Well-Known Member
Actually, I've already started it. It isn't really a secret ride but I don't think anyone else really wants to visit my parents north of Brisbane.
Google Maps tells me it should only be about 941km door to door which is doable in a day if you push. I have a route that will be at least 1500km and I'm taking the better part of three days. Along the way there and back I'm planning to take a lot of twisty roads and visit places I've either never been too or haven't been to since I was kid.
Today's leg started when I left home in the Northern suburbs of Sydney at 9am and finished about 6pm at Kempsey.
First stop Berowra for fuel. The 7/11 is closed for new underground tanks so I had to settle for Shell. The cops were setting up a largish Random Breath Test operation about 100m south of the Shell but they didn't have any customers and didn't seem worried about me.
Onto the Old Pacific Highway and an oncoming rider warned me of Popo ahead. Shortly after I saw a grey Holden Commodore travelling south quickly just after I saw some fast motard riders. Can't say for sure the Commodore was an unmarked cop car but it looked like one. If it was, that was the last cop I saw all day. Traffic on the Old Road was light and uneventful but about 2km south of Somersby I saw a lyrebird crossing the road and pause under the armco while I rode past. That's the first time I've ever seen a lyrebird in the wild.
I had originally planned to leave home later and slab it almost all the way to Port Macquarie but while on a refreshment stop at Heatherbrae Bakery I looked at a map that showed a scenic route to Forster-Tuncurry. I like scenic routes and for the most part this one did not disappoint. It had a couple of very nice twisty sections. This road reminded me of Buckets Way from the motorway to Gloucester but with some tighter sections. Annoyingly my low fuel light came on a few km along the road so I decided not to give to too much stick.
I found fuel coming in to Port Macquarie, 299.1km on 18.89 litres. Then went back a couple of k's to go up a road that lead to a lookout. That was a disappointment. The road was good but the small carpark at the end was the start of a 15 minute uphill trek to the lookout. Not doing that in bike gear.
Quick lunch at the golden arches (yes, I know that is boring) and time to move on. Saw a road that indicated a scenic view as I was coming into town proper and decided to follow it. It lead to a very nice view but even better, when I looked down into the water at the bottom of the cliff, there was a pod of about 6 dolphins swimming close to shore. Damn! The camera was still in one of my side cases. Oh well. Here's a pic of my bike with Tuncurry in the background to the left.
Explored along the coast for a little bit before heading back to the freeway and eventually saw a sign that indicated a tourist/scenic route to Port Macquarie. It was okay but not as nice as the road to Forster. It did, however, lead me towards the Tacking Point Lighthouse which was quite nice and the hill it was on had very nice views.
The lighthouse:
Bike and Ocean:
Moving on, rode through Port Macquarie (very developed) and eventually found the main highway which, at this point wasn't dual carriageway. In fact it was still mostly single lane each way for about 15km. Eventually got to the turnoff for Kempsey just before 5pm and decided to check in to a motel that I saw online which looked reasonably cheap and okay; The City Centre Motel. $75 for the night and pretty basic but it is all I need. Easy to find to as it is next door to McDonalds.
On the way into Kempsey I saw a sign that said Scenic Route to Crescent Head. After unloading the bike I just had to go and check it out. The road has potential but there are several areas of new surface and a reduced speed limit due to the loose gravel. Crescent Head isn't very developed or exciting but at least I can say I have seen it.
Crescent Head:
By the time I fuelled up for tomorrow and settled back in my motel room I'd covered over 590km and it was about 6.15pm. Time to grab some dinner. No, it won't be next door at McDonalds.
The plan for tomorrow is to end up in Tenterfield. Google maps tells me that will be just over 400km if I travel directly. I will be adding at least 100km to that. Stay tuned for the report.
Google Maps tells me it should only be about 941km door to door which is doable in a day if you push. I have a route that will be at least 1500km and I'm taking the better part of three days. Along the way there and back I'm planning to take a lot of twisty roads and visit places I've either never been too or haven't been to since I was kid.
Today's leg started when I left home in the Northern suburbs of Sydney at 9am and finished about 6pm at Kempsey.
First stop Berowra for fuel. The 7/11 is closed for new underground tanks so I had to settle for Shell. The cops were setting up a largish Random Breath Test operation about 100m south of the Shell but they didn't have any customers and didn't seem worried about me.
Onto the Old Pacific Highway and an oncoming rider warned me of Popo ahead. Shortly after I saw a grey Holden Commodore travelling south quickly just after I saw some fast motard riders. Can't say for sure the Commodore was an unmarked cop car but it looked like one. If it was, that was the last cop I saw all day. Traffic on the Old Road was light and uneventful but about 2km south of Somersby I saw a lyrebird crossing the road and pause under the armco while I rode past. That's the first time I've ever seen a lyrebird in the wild.
I had originally planned to leave home later and slab it almost all the way to Port Macquarie but while on a refreshment stop at Heatherbrae Bakery I looked at a map that showed a scenic route to Forster-Tuncurry. I like scenic routes and for the most part this one did not disappoint. It had a couple of very nice twisty sections. This road reminded me of Buckets Way from the motorway to Gloucester but with some tighter sections. Annoyingly my low fuel light came on a few km along the road so I decided not to give to too much stick.
I found fuel coming in to Port Macquarie, 299.1km on 18.89 litres. Then went back a couple of k's to go up a road that lead to a lookout. That was a disappointment. The road was good but the small carpark at the end was the start of a 15 minute uphill trek to the lookout. Not doing that in bike gear.
Quick lunch at the golden arches (yes, I know that is boring) and time to move on. Saw a road that indicated a scenic view as I was coming into town proper and decided to follow it. It lead to a very nice view but even better, when I looked down into the water at the bottom of the cliff, there was a pod of about 6 dolphins swimming close to shore. Damn! The camera was still in one of my side cases. Oh well. Here's a pic of my bike with Tuncurry in the background to the left.
Explored along the coast for a little bit before heading back to the freeway and eventually saw a sign that indicated a tourist/scenic route to Port Macquarie. It was okay but not as nice as the road to Forster. It did, however, lead me towards the Tacking Point Lighthouse which was quite nice and the hill it was on had very nice views.
The lighthouse:
Bike and Ocean:
Moving on, rode through Port Macquarie (very developed) and eventually found the main highway which, at this point wasn't dual carriageway. In fact it was still mostly single lane each way for about 15km. Eventually got to the turnoff for Kempsey just before 5pm and decided to check in to a motel that I saw online which looked reasonably cheap and okay; The City Centre Motel. $75 for the night and pretty basic but it is all I need. Easy to find to as it is next door to McDonalds.
On the way into Kempsey I saw a sign that said Scenic Route to Crescent Head. After unloading the bike I just had to go and check it out. The road has potential but there are several areas of new surface and a reduced speed limit due to the loose gravel. Crescent Head isn't very developed or exciting but at least I can say I have seen it.
Crescent Head:
By the time I fuelled up for tomorrow and settled back in my motel room I'd covered over 590km and it was about 6.15pm. Time to grab some dinner. No, it won't be next door at McDonalds.
The plan for tomorrow is to end up in Tenterfield. Google maps tells me that will be just over 400km if I travel directly. I will be adding at least 100km to that. Stay tuned for the report.