Tag Archives: Adventure motorcycling
Cairns to Brisbane in under five minutes by motorcycle.
Ten Years After
When I went to France and first met Anne in 1974 I first heard of an English band called “Tanyazafteeer” as I spent time explaining “English Band Lyrics” to her friends next door where I was staying. It seems an appropriate title for this blog entry as it now ten years since two very inexperienced motorcycle travellers set off from the UK with an idea to ride across Europe and Asia back to Australia. I recall being in the Eurotunnel shuttle on day one surrounded by leather clad sportsbike riders heading for a MotoGP event in Germany. We did not even mention our plans which would have probably seemed ludicrous given the shiny new bikes and mountains of kit loaded on board. We did not even update our travel map on the blog until we had left Poland as it would have been, in our view, just an insignificant blip on the world map.
So here we still are a decade later, which seems to be time to reflect on the last 10 years. I certainly did not expect the blog still to be running after all this time. When we headed off to travel down Africa overland with our backpacks in 1982 on our first aborted RTW trip, we had no thought that one day we would circumnavigate the world on motorcycles, twice!
We started a hand-written diary, no ipads then, back in 1982 on our first long term trip down Africa,. The scribing lasted about a month and confirmed on re-reading 40 years later that I had no literary skills which would have cemented my teachers’ assessment when I left school. I am glad we persevered this time otherwise we would not have this record to supplement our memories.
Our timing in 2014 was impeccable. Russia, Iran and Burma/Myanmar would all be closed to us today. Even our crossing of Columbia was during a two week ceasefire between the Government and FARC in 2015 was fortuitous. Each of those countries was not only a key link to our overland route but enabled us to meet the local people and form our own views about both the country and the people.
It is somewhat surprising, given the use we put it to, is that the majority of our our motorcycle equipment is still in use today. There is however a caveat, after 10 years of use, most is worn out, leaky or works intermittently. Any major motorcycle trip, or minor one for that matter, will need to see all clothing, boots, intercom and other key items replaced. We have wrung the maximum out of the products and would likely source products from the same companies again given the sterling service they have provided.
When looking back over the last 10 years, two RTW motorcycle trips, 4WD in Southern Africa, motorcycle trips to Iceland, Ireland, the UK, Spain and France plus an enforced COVID break have kept us busy and I would not change anything. We saw amazing sights, had fantastic experiences, created lasting memories and made new friends around the world. For us it comes back to people.
What will the next 10 years hold for us? We shall see……..
Anne & Anthony
Lisdoonvarna, County Clare
Over our late breakfast in Killarney, we check the weather radar again. It has not improved since last night or this morning and is looking very grim. Gale force winds and lashing rain are forecast. Not the best combination to stay shiny side up. We definitely will have to skip the ring of Kerry and head north.
We have a friend in Miltown Malbay who is attending a week long music festival in her home town. There is no accommodation available there but we find one hotel with one last room in a village up the road. That will do. It is the Ritz at Lisdoonvarna. Someone with a sense of humour I think. Our route has been changing every day because of the weather so we were unable to organise anything with our friend in advance. She is busy tonight and tomorrow but can meet tomorrow evening. That means booking another night which turns out very interesting and answers some questions we have been asking ourselves ever since we arrived in Ireland: why are all the hotels booked out. With a sudden influx of 3,500 Ukrainian refugees in the county (there are over 84,000 Ukrainian refugees in Ireland as at early June 2023), hotels have turned into refugee accommodation. While good for hotels on the one hand as they have 100% occupancy, it means they and other businesses around are missing out of tourist money which is spent on food and drinks etc. Not too surprisingly, The Ritz is fully booked tomorrow and according to the usual websites I use, so is every other hotel in town and the area. The manager is very helpful, suggests 3 other places we could walk to and ask in Lisdoonvarna and says that if we find nothing to come back to her anyway and something will be sorted, not to worry. We did say we had a tent we could pitch beside the bikes at the back of the Ritz. That could be an option. The first hotel/bar is strangely deserted and we quickly disappear. The next one is fully booked too but we are told to wait while she double checks the booking system: she pulls out a massive white board from under the counter. She rings one number and leaves a message about a lovely couple looking for a room. She then calls another messages and gives the same story and embellishes it some more. It turns out this booking system has the names and numbers of a number of unofficial guest houses that can cater with hotel overflow. And we now have a huge room with private bathroom at this little old lady’s who used to have a guest house but now lets out rooms in her new home whenever the local hotels recommend someone. It’s nice to know we look trustworthy enough to be recommended to her. What a perfect arrangement.
Once again, we have a fine evening – our mornings so far in Ireland have always started wet and wild, and by late afternoon, the sun comes out. Time for a short walk around the village before dinner at the Ritz – it sounds good doesn’t it?! – which served up good simple tasty pub food. As we walked around Lisdoonvarna, the only language we heard on the street was Russian. Sitting outside one large hotel were three groups of women, of different generations, all talking in their native language. The small supermarket in the village was staffed with Ukrainians. People helping people….
I have circular route planned out for the next day – starting inland first as I do not fancy riding the Wild Atlantic Way in 110km/hr winds forecast that morning. First stop is the Burren Centre in Kilfenora, a very well presented museum that explains the UNESCO Geopark we are about to discover today. The Burren, an Irish word for “stony place”, is the largest expanse of limestone pavement in the world and measures 530 square kilometres! Within the Burren area, we visited Caherconnell Stone fort and Poulnabrone dolmen.
Caherconnell stone fort is a remarkably well preserved medieval stone ring fort, 42 metres in diameter and with walls of up to 3 meters in thickness and 3 meters high. This 1000 year old fort was inhabited up to the late 16th century. The craftsmanship of the walls is awe inspiring. Things were built to last back then.
Just up the road, is the Poulnabrone dolmen, an unusual neolithic dolmen portal tomb that was used as a burial site between 3,800 and 3,200 BC and is believed to have been used as a centre for ritual well into the Bronze age.
Ballyvaughan, a very picturesque little village, has a Saturday market on which we decide to stop at. What a treat to find a pancake stand who could make gluten free pancakes for Anthony.
We stop for a walk along Fanore Beach before getting to the spectacular Cliffs of Moher which rise 200 metres above the Atlantic Ocean: a truly breathtaking sight, especially as the skies cleared in the afternoon as per usual. The wind also died down this afternoon which made the ride along the Great Atlantic Way coast road very enjoyable.
Today is capped off with catching up with our friend at the Roadside Tavern for an evening of good company, good food and of course good music.
Patsy gives us some ideas of places to visit tomorrow as we head north towards Derry (as LondonDerry is known here) but it is the Matt Molloy’s pub music in Westport which settles our next destination.
– Anne
Getting back in the saddle
Well, after an absence of some six months from blogging, it seems that our handful of followers are looking for more. We thank them for their dedication and positive comments. Perhaps a short road trip to get the writing juices flowing again?
Anne has diligently packed the motorbike panniers over the last few days and we are ready for our first road trip in 2022. Little steps and with Easter approaching, we want to be back before the bulk of the holiday makers are out and about. Coffee at Boonah over Cunningham’s Gap and into the Granite Belt as the area is called, known for its fruit, national parks and wine. Yes, we produce wine in Queensland. It’s not all beaches and palm trees.
As we approach Stanthorpe I am struck by the golden colour of the leaves of the deciduous trees. For some reason I always think of April as the start of Autumn but it is in fact March I am reliably informed. Without such trees around us in Manly, I am always about a month out on the seasons’ change each year.
Day 2: My iPhone’s weather app shows cloudy skies all morning but no rain. This is confirmed by the bureau of meteorology’s radar map but unfortunately this is in conflict with the sound of rain on the roof of the mostly waterproof tent. So much for relying on technology. I had used the weather forecasts before we left to determine what we brought with us, and rain gear was noticeably absent! Jeans are not that waterproof but it is what we have.
Water has entered the tent overnight, puddles Anne calls them, but from my side of the tent just wet patches. It is all in the perspective. Seems the waterproofing has not significantly improved since the last trip. This is why from time to time, equipment needs replacing, but I, Anthony, do not like to throw anything out that has given good service which is why we still have tents going back to 1975! I have been reliably informed on this trip that this tent will not be making the next motorcycle trip in Queensland. A replacement needs to be sought and this tent retired and donated as “dry weather only” tent for kids.
Up and off to Stanthorpe in light rain heading for the Commercial Cafe, which we hear does great coffee, to meet up with a lovely couple we met the day before at a petrol/gas station where their young son got to sit on both our motorcycles. We really enjoy meeting locals and get their perspective on life and living. Breakfast at a non-gluten free establishment, in spite of their best efforts, does not treat me kindly later in the day. I will need to be more careful in future.
A clearing sky tempts us to ride the 36 kilometres to Girraween National Park, a place we have loved to visit during our time in Queensland but have not been to for a dozen years or more. A brief rain shower tests our resolve and our jeans’ lack of waterproofing, but we push on and are able to hike partway up the Pyramid, a famous rock formation in the park. It is really good to be out in the country again.
While having dinner, a cup of soup and a biscuit back at the campsite, we meet a group of families from Brisbane who were all originally from Kerala in India but only met when they moved to Australia. They invited us to join them for dinner with a range of mouthwatering curries on offer, but I realised I had to decline because of Coeliac Disease. What future culinary delights will I be denied? Oh well, life goes on with nice dried biscuits.
Our third day is still grey but with the promise of sunshine further west: we are headed for Texas, a small town of 900 people on the banks of the Dumaresq river which also forms the border between Queensland and New South Wales. Anne proposes we go via the Bruxner Highway so south we go, crossing a state border for the first time on our motorbikes in more than two years without fear of quarantine rules being suddenly changed.
The Bruxner highway from Tenterfield to Texas was a joy to ride: undulations, twists and turns great views and little traffic. Stopping at a river crossing, we enjoy a leisurely break on the banks of the Dumaresq river, which had been in flood only days earlier as evidenced by damage to trees and bushes along the riverbank.
The Texas Railway Museum is our third night’s camping spot. Located just outside Texas Queensland, not the US TX, a band of intrepid volunteers are working to restore part of what was a 54km branch line to sleeper by sleeper.
We get to meet Dave, a railway museum volunteer, who comes to check on us after a concerned resident seeing a couple of dangerous looking bikers just ride up to the station and setup camp calls him! We explain that we are expecting Robert and Kelvin to turn up for the week end. Dave shows us around the facilities and it is impressive what they have achieved. Worth a visit if you are in the area.
At Millmerran, we stop for coffee and I am finding that most Gluten free pastries I have eaten so far seem to be a combination of concrete for strength and cardboard for taste. I need to loose my taste memory of tasty flakey pastry. I am starting to think that gluten free pastry will not form part of my ongoing food consumption. Anyone found an edible version?
Our direct route to our overnight destination of Dalby is closed due to the effects of the recent flooding locals inform us. The damage to bridges and other infrastructure will take some time to repair.
The Bunya Mountains is the last stop on this little adventure. The mountains rise from the surrounding plain and are visible from Dalby some 50km away. Crossing the farmland and floodplain crossings as we travel north, the mountains always seem far away. We enjoy seeing deep blue skies finally. As we start to climb, farmland gives way to scattered temperate forest, then, suddenly it seems, we are enveloped by massive bunya and hoop pines touching above our heads as we enter the real forest. The area was heavily logged. We are just too late for the Bunya nut season and can only see the remnants on the forest floor, however not a bad thing since the nuts are the size of small pineapples – being hit by one could be very painful.
While we are still camping, there is a fine restaurant and even finer whiskey/whisky bar with a large section of Scottish and other work. The hearty meal and accompanying drinks are balanced by a couple of brisk walks exploring parts of this unique landscape.
Back via the Exchange Hotel in Kilkoy, a favourite stop of ours on northern motorcycle loops from Brisbane, for a steak lunch and then after six days and 1158km, we are safely back in Manly.
While many of our blog entries are from far flung places, for us anyway, there is much to be seen locally everywhere, So while we are all looking at testing our travel wings, why not start with a local trip first?
– Anthony
PS. Storm has a new front (fully round) wheel and has passed the MOT. Ready for the road later this year.
2slowspeeds 