The internal borders on the eastern seaboard of Australia finally started to open as the community transmission of Covid 19 is eliminated.
It was time to load up the mighty Moto Guzzi Breva and hit the road.
Time to visit dear friends interstate that I hadn’t seen a long while
First stop was the lovely old town of Carcoar,and the lovely camping spot on the banks of the dam
From Lithgow through to Singleton the Bell Line of Road and the Putty Road is a spectacular ride across the top of the Blue Mountains.
The Blue Mountains were badly burnt in the terrible Australian bushfires last summer, but it was great to see some regeneration.
Off the Blue Mountains it was the backroads to the beautiful Pacific coastline north of Sydney.
Rattling over the old timber bridges that are distinctive part of the NSW backroads.
On the way from the mountains to the coast.
On the northern NSW coast mountains and the sea come together and on a hot summer day there is the ocean or a run up the Waterfall Way for a freshwater dip.
To Dangar falls in Dorrigo.
A route enjoyed by many beautiful bikes.
And at the bottom of the Waterfall Way is Urunga.
Where the Kalang River flows into the Pacific Ocean.
And the big old hotel offers a cold beer, a comfy room and a good meal.
A special treat of a long ride in spring is seeing a new born calf being encouraged by its mother to take the first tentative steps
Addendum:
I need to add 1500 km in a day is beyond this piecemeal adventurer these days. But Australia is a good place for eating up long miles. On my most recent trip north I covered around 950km in the first day from Melbourne to Coolah at the start of the Black Stump Way. That allowed a more leisurely 500 ks the second day – and stopping for photos and sightseeing which I can share. I try to keep to the back roads which makes disctance eating harder but travelling for more enjoyable.
In the more closely settled countries of Western Europe off the highways 5-600k is a big day on the road
January 2019 Previously published March 2018- This beautiful part of Australia is on fire at this very moment. Horrendous hot fires nothing like anything before. If we don’t act now on the Climate Emergency so much of the nature we love will be lost
I had ridden up to Jingellic to join some others camping on the side of the Murray River in the foothills of the Snowy Mountains. It was ANZAC day, in a part of the country linked to national legends, the men of the Snowy Mountains and the headwaters of the Murray River – Australia’s biggest river. It was cool and crisp camping by the river and on ANZAC Day the memorial service remembered other local legends who had died at Gallipoli and other fields of battles since. Other local legends. Australian Legends Mountain men Snowy Mountain Men Murray river men
ANZAC Day service in Walwa
Hard men of the bush Dead on foreign shores But the river still flows Still on the surface Reflecting The mountains around The sky The heaven as a cloud hangs in the valley The river A mirror on the surface Is flowing relentlessly below
