port_lincoln

We all met up at Gilgandra. Lindsay came over to Hooky's place and rode to Gunnedah together picking up Rossco and Jen and close enough to the allocated time we pulled out, 5 bikes and 6 people. We decided up front not to do over 600ks a day and to take it easy, smell the roses, that sort of thing, but when we hit Cobar at 1pm and we'd done our allotment, we just said bugger it and we hit out for Broken Hill. A fuel stop at Wilcannia was an education and yup, check the pic out below, 114.9 cents per litre!!!!!! We dodged goats, 'roos and emus and the only things we reckoned were even in close to good condition, were the crows! Dry as out there! Just over 1000ks for the Tamworth guys and a shade under for Rossco and Duds. Not a bad run.

Broken Hill,

a pub on every corner

Had a look round the Hill in the morning, and no, we will not mention anyone dropping a bike! Crossed the South Australian Border in fine style. Just to prove the ole Rain God still had a bit of pulling power we went through a couple of showers but that was really only a bit of a demo!

Had lunch at Peterborough where we found out a schooner is a middy and a pint is a schooner! Nearly got run over as we crossed the road by a heap of Harleys heading the same way. Had a nice little run through the Flinders Rangers and then dropped in to Port Augusta and hit Whyalla for the night.

Day 3 was an easy run down the west coast of the Spencer Gulf and into Port Lincoln, with just the one stop for oysters at Cowles on the way. Got to the rally site and pitched our tent, a true virgin, never been snored in before, and Hooky even scored a palace of his own kindly put up by the host chapter.

		made it!
		thunder run time			Hooky's palace

A few beers to settle us down, a few more in the footy club over the road and then out on the town we went. Got back at an unsociable time and hit hay. Good time had by all, as one does! Next morning was usual HOG Rally type stuff with the thunder run and gymkhana and the dinner that night with a few awards handed out and a band thumping a beat.

Woke Sunday morning to one of those overcast, cold starts and decided to pull camp. No sooner had we pulled the tent than it started to rain. Seemed like a deluge but the weather that night reported only 1mm. And it blew a gale! Rossco reckoned it was the first time he'd ever done a left hand corner leaning to the right. Made Port Augusta for a counter lunch and then decided that we'd call in on Port Pirie and take a look. Plan A was to stay the night in Clare and enjoy a little of the valley's hospitality and product. It was here we farewelled Lindsay who was in a hurry to make it home. Alas, long weekend and all accommodation booked out so we had a quick drink and headed for Eudunda, plan B to stay somewhere along the road to Renmark. Yup, you guessed it, accommodation was non existent so we decided that OK Jen, lets go see Adelaide. Thru Gawler we just squeaked past a random breath test team setting up and hit Elizabeth on Adelaide's outskirts just on dark. That little run, through the valleys, on great roads and with a 110 speed limit, was a ripper! Worth the trip just for that section alone!

told you the wind was blowing, even put this up on the beach!

say no more!

Adelaide, a church on every corner

Next morning we wandered into Adelaide, gawked at a few of the sights and turned East for Murray Bridge. On the way had a look at Eagles Nest up the road they wrecked so many of the old vintage racers on when they held the Grand Prix there. Then a look at Murray Bridge where we seemed to be dodging cops at every turn! Over the hill we went and into the Mallee and sand dune country. Again the wind blew and thru a couple of brief dust storms and then we hit an intersection just out of Loxton. The desert ended abruptly and we were into another amazing wine and stone fruit region. We hit Renmark for lunch where Rossco couldn't resist and had Prime Roadkilled Roo for lunch! With what seemed like a big day battling the elements we pulled into Mildura for the night where Jen's clickometer butt informed us we'd only managed a bit over 400kms for the day! New tire for Coops at the local dealer and we left a bit after 10am and crossed back into NSW for the run home thru Balranald, lunch at Hay and via Griffith where we got a fish for the roadkill comp, we rolled into Parkes for the night.

On the bikes about 8am, through Dubbo and a week to the day and close enough to the minute, we got to Gilgandra. All of us home by about 2 o'clock. A couple of hundred over 4000ks. Damn, when's the next one??????