Not so motorcycles. When touring, hypothermia sets in. Visibility is reduced in the wet, and if you hit anything that shouldn't be on the road it may well kill you - or at least leave you in a world of pain. You need to be 110% on top of your game all the time and the hypothermia is always working against that. The headlight thing still works to your advantage.
"616" and I have just left Kilmore, having stopped to to do my traditional "10k" check of luggage security. Everything is as it should be. Now I have the priviledge of a low setting sun, temporarily off my left shoulder and glaring across my visor. I don't have to worry for very long as it soon moves to directly in front. I navigate to Heathcote via tree shadows and a glazed outline of where the road should be. The sun sets properly as I'm leaving Heathcote and my eyes quickly adjust to the dropping light levels.
I have never driven all the way into Bendigo from Heathcote. I am now totally confused and recognise nothing. I pull over and check my Google Maps route instructions. Nonsense. Confusion reigns supreme. I start the bike (yep, it still won't idle) and ride down the road looking for any indication that I am heading to St Arnaud. Mildura is in roughly the right direction so I follow that arrow. About 8 km out of Bendigo I see the first sign to St Arnaud.
The headlight is poorly aimed - the difference between adjusting it with no rider on-board and having some fat-arsed bloke with about 20kg of luggage riding it. At least it illuminates the signs OK. Shame about the annoyed motorists coming the other way! I can easily spot possums in the roadside trees with it on High Beam. It isn't quite bad enough to justify stopping and fishing around in the toolkit in the dark for a screwdriver.
As the evening gets colder, I am challenged by the unfamiliar road and the poor lighting. Fingers are numb from the vibration and cold. I am grateful for the added insulation of the road jacket and winter gloves. I fear hitting a kangaroo - they are well known for sitting on the warm road surface as the air chills down in the late evening. At least I won't see it coming...
OneAlphaNineSierraMike is purring away contentedly. She seems unchallenged by travelling at 100 km/h and appears to be performing as well as expected, with none of the power degradation experienced before the ignition system swap. As each minute goes by my confidence in her grows. The charging system must be working too, for had it not the battery would have been flat well before now. She is a much more well-rounded ride than the initial trip down from Bathurst (see earlier posts). The seat is still, literally, painful.
I have only tens of kilometres to go now and I find my mind drifting. I'm missing Linda already. Thoughts on the next few days riding. How sore my backside is already. How long will the fuel last? The anticipation of meeting Clubby, Tania and the other 48 Tragics on Friday afternoon. Is there a way to ride from Yunta to Mildura?... Suddenly the speed limit signs appear and I am welcomed to St Arnaud by a shotgun blasted sign. I turn right and scout for the "St Arnaud Motel". I find it hidden a little way off the road and unilluminated. I pull a U-ey, ride in, park and then walk up to reception - CLOSED says the sign. It is 2150 (9:50 PM, for those who can't calculate 24 hour clock). I check my mobile phone. The Gorgeous One has left a message. She has arranged for late check-in. I'm in Room 9 and the key is in the door. PERFECT !! I walk 616 over to the room and unload. The room is small but clean. I call Linda and thank her. I then strip and have a warm shower, make a couple of cups of tea and some 2 minute noodles (which I threw in my pocket at the last minute). l fall asleep thinking that the "Ténéré Spirit" must be looking after me and that everything will, indeed be alright.
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| 616 sits waiting for me to get ready. She's impatient. Within 20 minutes we will be purring down the road. |
The next morning sun beams in through the window at sunrise. I'm thinking that I should have pulled the curtain before undressing last night! I'm also grateful I'll now get an early start, despite not setting the alarm. I'm dressed, packed and ready to go by 0720. I message The Gorgeous One.
I had retained the thermal liner in the jacket and also the winter gloves. One kilometre down the road my hands are freezing... there's no stopping though.
I have a long way to ride and a deadline. 670 km to Burra, South Australia by 1700 hours.
