2018-07-18 My First Ride On a Honda ST1300A

After buying an ST1300A which was located in Mandurah WA I needed to get it back home again. I flew from Adelaide to Perth and spent the night with my sister.

 

I took a few photos at the airport and I think this one was the best. One landing while one on the taxi way which is the same type as I flew on.

 

Some of Glenelg taken just after take off.
 

I was met at the airport by one of our bike club members who took me meet some other Western Australia members at a local McDonalds. Then taken to my sister's place who took me to pick the bike up at Mandurah on Wednesday morning.

 

Before I left for home I called into the local Mandurah Forum shopping centre for a few food related items that I would need along the way.

 

Day 1

 

Wednesday18/07/2018

Start time 10:12 am WA time at Mandurah Forum 

 

 

 The plan was to ride from Mandurah to Norseman via Pingelly and hook up with The Great Eastern Hwy at Kellerberrin with an overnight stop at Norseman

 

All was well until the phone battery started to die a little earlier than expected and I was without GPS for the rest of the way to highway.

 

This where the route changed a little as I made a wrong turn and had to back track about 10km and I made it into the first rest stop Pingelly.

 

 

I saw the road to Corrigan sign posted which was heading in the right direction,

 

then Bruce Rock

 

an onto Merredin to fuel up the bike and connect up the Hwy East towards home. Another fuel stop at Coolgardie and onto Norseman for an overnight at the BP Eyre motel.

 

Motel room with Queen bed just for me.

 

 

Finish time 8:02 pm WA time at Norseman

 

Day 2

 

Thursday 19/07/2018

 

Start time 8:07 am WA time at Norseman 

 

I fuelled up at the Caltex in town and made tracks for Balladonia Roadhouse about 190km East.

 

A B triple fuel tanker was delivering fuel and I would see this one again later in the day.

 

The larger trees begin to dwindle a few kilometres after Balladonia and apart from a few places along the highway the surrounding country side is much the same as the next lot of pictures show.

Not far away is the Western start of our longest straight section of road. A lot more trees along this section and plenty of places to free bush camp beside the road.

Next fuel stop was Caiguna at the Eastern end of the straight.

Mining vehicle was just loaded before I arrived and still being tied down while there. The fuel tanker I saw at Balladonia was also off loading fuel here. Rear of last trailer above the red car.

 

 Fairly well straight sailing from here to Madura where I stopped at the lookout before going down the side of what was once a cliff face.

 

The ancient seabed that is now a vast coastal plain. The Southern Ocean is about 40 km (25 miles) due South from here.

 

About centre of the photo you can see the road as it turns to the East.

 

 

 It was just on dark by the time I got to Eucla which is where the road climbs back up the old cliff face. A few kilometres further on and the cliffs of the Great Australia Bight become evident. 

 

 After topping the tank I moved onto Border Village (South Australian side of the SA/WA border) where I had planned to stay the night but all accommodation was booked out. So it was onto Nullarbor for the night.

A rushed phone picture of the bike parked next to the whale statue at Nullarbor.

 

 Finish time 7:35 pm WA time at Nullarbor Roadhouse

Day 3.

Bike in front of the room at Nullarbor while getting ready to leave for the final days ride home.

 

 Originally I planned to ride from Border Village to home in Peterborough but now from Nullarbor taking the days ride down distance to about 800km.

I missed the sign for the Western end of the plain due to darkness but made sure I stopped for the Eastern side. Though the Nullarbor Plain (Treeless Plain) is very large the highway crosses only a small part of it about 30 km at most.

Next along the road for me is the old Yalata Roadhouse which at one time was run by the local aboriginal community a few km north of the highway.

 

A quick stop at Nundroo and then Penong for Fuel. I made Ceduna at around lunch time local time and had an hour's break here. Took a few photos and walked about half the length of the jetty.

A short way of the beach were some Shags on the rocks.

Nice to see some green after a day or two of brown

On the move again after lunch with a stop for photos at Wudinna.

The Australian Farmer statue.

Looking back to the towns grain silo complex.

Sturt Desert Peas were growing in the monument's garden

One more stop for fuel and photos of the recently (2017) painted silo at Kimba.

I just arrived at Kimba as the rain was passing and with the sun behind a rainbow was the result and to large for one picture.

 A little while later I was in Port Augusta to fuel me up. Hungry Jacks at the new On The Run and then on towards home which for us is often the worst for meeting skippy (kangaroo) and friends.

 A little different this night as I only saw two living roos about 15km before Orroroo. These were the only two I saw since the start of the trip. It was also the coldest part of the trip with temps down 2C just after I took the one with 3C.

 

Eventually arrived back in Peterborough as I kept the speed down to about 75 kph for the last 25km because of the cold. Heated gloves are on the to do list.

Ride Dates: 18-20 July 2018
Bike: 2004 Honda ST1300A
Distance: 2716 km Odometer/ 2661 km  Google
Departure Town: Mandurah
State: Western Australia
Destination: Peterborough

State: South Australia

 

The way home -

 

Day 1 - The first 24 hours from start time

Day 2 - The second 24 hours.

 Day 3 - The last day.

 

05/05/2018 Glendambo South Australia

Not the best time of the day for me but for this ride but at 4am it was out of bed after an early 10pm bedtime.

On the road and still half asleep on our way over to our town's only ATM to get the needed start time on the transaction receipt. This was a ride where we needed to ride a minimum of 1000 km or 621 miles within 24 hours while needing to arrive at the destination and check in between 11:30 and midday local time (GMT + 9.5).

The outward bound journey was more about getting there on time stopping only for fuel, food and nature/rest  stops as needed. All was ok and we arrived at 11:20 but just looking at the pictures I took forgot to reset the camera time back an hour when our DST ended a few weeks ago.

The sun wasn't above the horizon at 6:50 am when I took this. The hills at this intersection are where the Yourumbulla caves are on the Quorn to Hawker Road.

We had an hour and a half of night riding before I took the photo and I lost count of the number of kangaroos I saw in that time. Luckily most just stood by the side of the road or hopped away into scrub. Sometimes one or more would jump across the road but nearer the end of the driving light range.

Our Honda ST1100A with some of the other bikes parked in Front of the Glendambo Pub

 

 

 

 

 

Before it got crowded inside I took some pictures.

Dining Room

A wool bale set up

I haven't seen one of these for almost a life time - Pianola

Our friend Pete just bought this one BMW R1200RT and on it's first long distance ride with the new owner.

The Glendambo Hotel. The location itself has a hotel, two roadhouses and staff housing.

We refuelled the bike at the BP roadhouse before leaving for the ride back home.

 

Because we don't travel up this way often I planned on a few stops for some pictures on the return trip. The highway which is part of the Adelaide to Darwin route passes between a few dried out salt lakes and some view/rest stops have been provided.

 

The first stop is Lake Hart which more tourist orientated with information about the area. For the night riding I need to do at times I would not to be without the driving lights that can be seen each side of the wind screen.

 

 

The next stop is at Island Lagoon North and an area that is quite similar to the Nullarbor Plain in that there are very few trees around.

 

 

The next stop is at Woomera where I went to have a look at the rocket park

 

 

 

 

After Woomera there is Island Lagoon South for a few more pictures. 

 

The Stuart Highway heading South and towards home.

 

The total ride distance for the day was 1026 km (from Sat Nav) with the next image showing the route from home to home. I went South At Port Augusta so as not to repeat the early morning ride.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

7th April 2018 - North Star Hotel Melrose SA

Only a little one just up the road for us today.

Melrose is 75 minutes away from home and we went to the North Star Hotel for lunch today.

Heather ordered some squid (calamari)

 

while I had fish and chips

 

One of our other club members turned up as well. Others were supposed to attend but decided not to attend so only three of us turned up which was better than cancelling the day altogether.

My bike to the left keeping company with our friend's bike.

 

I took some pictures inside the hotel as well

 

This was next to our table and made out of what looks like tree branches and old wooden planks

 

Looking into the bar area of the hotel. fairly quiet today

Outside there a couple of very unusual motor homes but more than likely just set up for the appearance and used for accommodation

This one is an old army truck

Not sure if this two units or both trucks being used for one accommodation unit.

This old wagon left over from when bullocks or horses hauled them

Heather wanted this in her garden

Our ride today was a round trip of 235 km (146 miles) as shown in the next image.
Live map here https://goo.gl/maps/HPcnL75sLem

2018-03-04 The Big Dice Winnininnie SA

It's been awhile since we've been anywhere on the bike and with it just back on the road yesterday I decided to go for short ride today.

With The Big Dice about an hour away from home and not having seen them before it was time we made the effort. There's nothing other than a few pictures online about them so who put them there and why is a mystery.

We ran non stop with a minor hiccup being an emu beside our side of the road and apart from avoiding few dead hoppers (roo) on the road it was easy run up. Lots of emus in the paddocks on the Northern side of the road as well. Trip map https://goo.gl/maps/F97fvKks6dB2

Passing through Yunta we noticed a few bikes at the Caltex and we saw then again heading East while we were heading West back to home.

Heather in front of the dice

Just managed to get the rear end of a B triple

Didn't wait for the camera to focus before hitting the shutter and it looks as if the picture turned out ok.

Another view of the dice

With the rail line close by we walked next to it for this shot.