Over the shoulder: Rides of a decade

[glitch_oz]

As life, events and rides roll along year after year, things tend to blur into each other.
“Remember when...” turns into “I think there might’ve been...” and trying to sort out who was on which trip, what happened when and where and to whom is all turning into mush.

Time to “look over the shoulder” and put things together from old ride-reports, pics stashed away for a long time and comments of those who were there, possibly shaking lose some memories of things here and there.

Some of those who came along on all those trips have somehow “faded away”...others came and went....but quite a few are still around.


A few pics to pull the trigger... and it will be a bit of a project for a while.

Where better to start than with the “early days” of digital cameras and the all-conquering JPG’s...

There weren’t too many motorcycle-related groups on the Net then, the AusMoto Newsgroup the only mob around, including Jason and Vic, who , a little later, founded NetRider first as a Yahoo-based newsgroup, turning into a forum later (2002-03?).

No ADVrider, no HorizonsUnlimited, no mcnews, Overclockers, owner forums....this was Forum-Ice Age. I doubt even the BoM being on the net at the time, so we couldn’t check weather ourselves, but had to believe whatever the Channel 9 weather bunny was telling us.

Bikes, rides, travel....it’s been a ripsnorter of a decade !!
http://www.austouring.com/forum/images/smilies/laola.gifhttp://www.austouring.com/forum/images/smilies/laola.gif

[glitch_oz]

European Alps from/to Vienna.

Another Usenet Bike Group in Austria (at.freizeit.motorrad) had been the contact to organize a bike-swap with a couple near Vienna.

We took their bikes for a 3week ride through the European Alps, they took our bikes for a 3 week ride around Vic some months later....and it all worked out great.:thumbs:

Mick G organized a then brandnew Canon Powershot A20....2mp... at a fantastic price, used for the shots below.

The 300kg Honda PC800....Cruiser with Tupperware-coat and the ~ 350kg BM-monster, wrong kit for the Alps, but we had to find that out ourselves.

http://www.austouring.net/glitch/Euro_01/1/004.jpg


It sparked our love for Slovenia:woot:

http://www.austouring.net/glitch/Euro_01/1/022.jpg

Discovered the Local’s taste for fast “tripods”:drool:

http://www.austouring.net/glitch/Euro_01/2/033.jpg


http://www.austouring.net/glitch/Euro_01/2/035.jpg


Grossglockner, Austria


http://www.austouring.net/glitch/Euro_01/2/036.jpg


“Danced” in the Dolomites/ Northern Italy


http://www.austouring.net/glitch/Euro_01/2/053.jpg


http://www.austouring.net/glitch/Euro_01/3/056.jpg


http://www.austouring.net/glitch/Euro_01/3/067.jpg



Stayed with friends in Merano and rode the Mendel Pass.


http://www.austouring.net/glitch/Euro_01/4/078.jpg


...and the Gorge Road into the Eggen Valley.


http://www.austouring.net/glitch/Euro_01/4/079.jpg


Across the Timmelsjoch into the Oetz-Valley to visit the folks in Vent where I learned how to ski as a kid.


http://www.austouring.net/glitch/Euro_01/4/091.jpg



Lost our hearts in Glurns, the medieval town that was granted city rights over 1000years ago.


http://www.austouring.net/glitch/Euro_01/4/095.jpg

Had to ride the Passo di Stelvio, too...:doh::so


http://www.austouring.net/glitch/Euro_01/4/099.jpg


...and watched the local "pines" change colour amongst the ice-giants of the Swiss Bernina Mountains near St. Moritz


http://www.austouring.net/glitch/Euro_01/4/103.jpg



Walked the Tschuppa Gorge in Southern Austria/ Slovenian border

http://www.austouring.net/glitch/Euro_01/5/116.jpg


...and gave “oma”(granny) a spin on the BM...and she was "talk of the town" for a month. :D

http://www.austouring.net/glitch/Euro_01/5/120.jpg


Spotted the only KTM shaftie ever built


http://www.austouring.net/glitch/Euro_01/6/124.jpg


Checked out a tiny bit of Vienna on the way out


http://www.austouring.net/glitch/Euro_01/6/131.jpg



For the complete yarn and ALL the pics (total ~135)

http://www.austouring.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1683

[glitch_oz]

Vic High Country


Australia-Day weekend ...and we didn’t know it then, but this was the start of something that’s still rolling at full steam more than 10 years later.

The Original 6-peaks
(...and the start of nearly 10 years of tour-shirts for all of the big rides)



It all started with Graham and Joy getting hitched in Eildon :chug:


http://www.austouring.net/glitch/AAAA/6pks1/6peaks1_07.jpg



http://www.austouring.net/glitch/AAAA/6pks1/6peaks1_06.jpg


L to R: Latte Dave (FondaHonda)...???? on BabyBlade,frozen white....Danny Trumpy TT6...Graham in front, MickG (MickG) in the back...Joy...Jason...Dave Mountainhitter GSXF750 and Jan, his better half.

http://www.austouring.net/glitch/AAAA/6pks1/IMG_0719.JPG


Latte-Dave on the CBR6 and MickG at Dinner Plains


http://www.austouring.net/glitch/AAAA/6pks1/6peaks1_02.jpg



Christ, was it miserable up there or what? Mayhem on the Falls Creek Rd. Bikes down like flies.
That "carpark" is right in the middle of the Falls Creek Rd.
(and the pic is still used in the NetRider forum banner)


http://www.austouring.net/glitch/AAAA/6pks1/6peaks1_04.jpg

It’d sometimes turned into a “survival” ride along the way...
http://www.austouring.net/glitch/AAAA/6pks1/IMG_0725.JPG


For the complete yarn and ALL the pics (total ~a dozen)
http://www.austouring.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1175

[glitch_oz]

Sometime through the winter months....

Goodie took the shot
Looking into the camera Mark Micallef.... MickG with the cap.... Jason, as always, feeding himself....Dave Mountainhitter...Rupert (damige) , laughing...Pete (glitch)....Danny on the front-right.

http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/01/AusMoto_Penin/IMG_0257.JPG

Arthurs Seat

http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/01/AusMoto_Penin/IMG_0255.JPG


Rupert (damige) and the Green Monster-Smoker

http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/01/AusMoto_Penin/IMG_0260.JPG

[glitch_oz]

July

Saw some motard racing in Broadford

http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/01/Broadford/IMG_0298.JPG

Jason grinning into the camera with a brandnew, first-batch NetRider cap.

http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/01/Broadford/IMG_0312.JPG

http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/01/Broadford/IMG_0313.JPG

[glitch_oz]

Andi had taped a little note to the BTX (Fern Tree Gully Kawasaki/ BMW dealer... now defunct) front door in Fern Tree Gully.
And they came! And had a pearler of a day!
No idea where else they went, but Mt. Pinniger Lookout above Eildon was one of the spots.

Sitting on the bench on the left is Andi, Goodie standing behind her.

No idea about the rest of them.

http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/01/Girls/IMG_0851.JPG


http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/01/Girls/IMG_0855.JPG


http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/01/Girls/IMG_0863.JPG

[glitch_oz]

Just a couple of pics from the meetup at the 7/11 in Kilsyth...one of the hot summer nights, daylight 'til 9pm, going for a squirt up Donna Buang.


Dave Mountainhitter doesn't give a shyte :lol:

http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/01/Donna/IMG_0841.JPG


L-R : Jas (carrothead, ZZR250), Rupert (damige), Paul (drizzt)....the guy in the black/yellow gear went under the name "Dark Clown" I think....and was another one of those Across-Cosmonauts. :bs

Can't remember the others....the half-covered guy in the Dainese-suit could've been Brandon from Rowville, used to have a sweet, little Bandit 250.

http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/01/Donna/IMG_0842.JPG

[glitch_oz]

September Ride

No idea where we went that day, but everyone came along for a cuppa afterwards.

Chromedome in the middle is Vic, who not much later started NetRider together with Jason, who's standing next to his blue Viffer on the right.

http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/01/AusMoto_Sept/IMG_0449.JPG

Jas and Vic

http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/01/AusMoto_Sept/IMG_0450.JPG

[glitch_oz]

Another winter ride, mid-June or so...aka The 2001 Aussie Pegaso Convention :bs
Ok, ok...at least the Victorian Pegaso Meet then!

Great weather, great ride....and Warren showed us some of what a Peg can do on dirt.

http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/01/BunyipWarren/IMG_0366.JPG


http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/01/BunyipWarren/IMG_0370.JPG

http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/01/BunyipWarren/IMG_0373.JPG


C'mooon ...they DO look sweet!:thumbs:

http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/01/BunyipWarren/IMG_0376.JPG

[glitch_oz]

Now under the NetRider banner, it's still the same crew of culprits...

Latte Dave (FondaHonda) threw one of his legendary Royal Breakfasts at his place in South Melbourne for the whole bunch to kick of the weekend ride along the GOR and Halls Gap/ Grampians.


http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/02/Grampians_Jan/Picture_0473.jpg

Port Campbell

http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/02/Grampians_Jan/Picture_0457.jpg

Moike clowning around

http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/02/Grampians_Jan/Mike SuperBike.JPG

Latte Express and Stef on the CBRthou

http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/02/Grampians_Jan/Garry,David and Stef.JPG


L to R: Sarah (who married Jason a year or 2 later).... Yours Truly....Paul (drizzt)...Jas....half-obscured is Latte-Dave... ?Grant, I think? (had a ZZR250 which had never seen a spanner in its life)...Stef


http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/02/Grampians_Jan/Picture_0466.jpg


Latte Dave showed us some new roads through Lexton and Clunes on the return leg :chug:

[glitch_oz]

Feb '02


Ingo, the old HighSchool mate and German Lufthansa Pilot had managed a 2 week “rotational break” in Melbourne, so we had to show him some of Australia’s best riding country by dipping down south.



Goodie, Garry and Ingo at Station Pier.
3 Pegasos and a B12



http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/01/Tassie/049.JPG

East Coast


http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/01/Tassie/060.JPG


Bicheno


http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/01/Tassie/080.JPG


Rossarden Loop


http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/01/Tassie/084.JPG


Mt. Wellington, Hobart at our feet


http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/01/Tassie/093.JPG


Strathgordon Rd.


http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/01/Tassie/104.JPG


This could be the Tassie Trip where the guy on the Busa decked it when the backpack got caught in his back wheel...what a mess.

Down the Derwent


http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/01/Tassie/114.JPG


Getting crappy near Queenstown, note the stylish “Goretex” shopping bags to keep the feet dry.

http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/01/Tassie/123.JPG

Needed a tetanus shot after a bite from this little bugger....but fed him Claret-soaked bread till he keeled off the verandah.


http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/01/Tassie/071.JPG


Guzzi Club boarding.....one of their shortest, sorta 5ft cube, rode the longest-suspension-Quota I’ve ever seen....some serious acrobatics were on show every time the queue crept forward.... bloody hilarious.



http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/01/Tassie/140.JPG



Great trip, lots of laughs and around 4500k’s, all road.

After some checking around it looks like I've never done a RR, nothing crops up when doing a search. :oops:
But I'm sure I've linked quite a few of the pics in the past...if I find something later, I'll edit the post.

[glitch_oz]

April 2002...

A week in the Vic High Country and Snowies

Only 5 months after the Inaugural, 6-Peaks #2 got underway.
Word had gotten around and numbers were swelling as a result.
Warren (RIP) sitting on the tree-stump of Tallangatta Caravan Park, Stef on the CBR1000 and Mark Micallef on that bent ‘n busted, old grease-bucket Across
:doh::lollol:


http://www.austouring.net/glitch/6pks2/001.jpg


Jaz smoking it up Mt. Buffalo

http://www.austouring.net/glitch/6pks2/008.jpg


Yours Truly on the loudest Pegaso around....and that was before she occasionally blew the exhaust can off the link pipe. Clean off, no sweat. Oh....and if anyone dared to chase, they finished up with a suntan and molten jackets, that thing threw 2foot flames on every high-rpm down-change .


http://www.austouring.net/glitch/6pks2/013.jpg



Dave Mountainhitter tried to blow up the BBQ at the Jindabyne Caravan Park


http://www.austouring.net/glitch/6pks2/021.jpg



The whole mob at Charlotte’s Pass, incl. BT Humble from Canberra


http://www.austouring.net/glitch/6pks2/026.jpg



Paul (aka Drizzt... RIP, mate!) wrenched his knee and discovered the delights of a Pegaso while I took his rumbling TL1000 home for him.:drool:

Stef gave Garry’s Pegaso the berries up the Alpine Way, while Garry nearly buried the CBRthou in a righthander, going bush big time and somehow emerging upright out of the greenery 30m further up. :whistle::whistle:

Discovered the Mitta Valley and Dartmouth Dam, Lockhart’s Gap and the then still unknown Redbank Rd.

Good stuff

Full story here (~40 pics)

http://www.austouring.com/forum/showthread.php?t=803

[glitch_oz]

August brought along the Netrider “Girls-Ride”...


L to R: Jodie (Rupert’s/ Damige’s better half), Jas and Goodie

http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/02/NR_Girls/IMG_1623.JPG


They only made it to Healesville, but sure had fun while at it.
Jodie on the tiny Yammie 100 stroker

http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/02/NR_Girls/IMG_1627.JPG

[glitch_oz]

August


Just a few days after the Girlz-Ride, the pack assembled at The Basin.
L-R: Rupert (damige)...Marty (MartyH)....Mike (Moike)...John Birrel...??blank???...Goodie...Danny, TT600 Trumpy....Wayne Holderhead in the suit, stirring the shyte before going to work....???another blank???

There also must’ve been Paul (drizzt), who rode that cyclopic, purple Gix750


http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/02/NR_Eildon/IMG_1628.JPG



Skyline Road above Lake Eildon



http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/02/NR_Eildon/IMG_1635.JPG



http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/02/NR_Eildon/IMG_1636.JPG

[glitch_oz]

September 2002


More fine winter weather, good enough for a tootle out to Noojee.


http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/02/NR_Noojee/IMG_1678.JPG


Paul (drizzt) thumping the TL up Mountain Hwy (still minus the Lycra Bandits, then)


http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/02/NR_Noojee/IMG_1681.JPG


http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/02/NR_Noojee/IMG_1686.JPG

[glitch_oz]

Another September ’02 ride.

THE infamous Strathbogie ride :lollol:

Marty punting the Across up the Merton-Euroa Rd...

http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/02/NR_Strathbogie/Marty.JPG

...then tries to “feed” the (Memorial-) sheep in the Main Street.

http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/02/NR_Strathbogie/IMG_1704.JPG




Some got other urges

http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/02/NR_Strathbogie/IMG_1706.JPG


It all comes to a screaming crescendo!! when the wedding in the nearby chapel finishes, the music stops and a couple of flower girls appear on Main Street.

http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/images/smilies/killingme.gif

[glitch_oz]

Time for another "Big 'Un"

A week of Vic Alps and Snowies

Once more the Melbourne Cup-Week played host, this time for the Beef ‘n Reef.
Word had REALLY started to spread and Tim from Hobart was the first ever interstater at the start, bringing his Pegaso from Hobart.

:clap:

Together with Garry and I, things were pointing to a showdown of which was the hottest Peg on the block. In the tight stuff, those things ROCK!!


Mine blew the whistle on the first day at the start of the Licola Rd. with a blown head-gasket, something the Pegs were well known for.
Had to crawl home, throw the pack onto the B12 and catch up with the mob in Dargo.

http://www.austouring.net/glitch/BeefReef/1/001.jpg


The week produced anything from a bare-arsed Tassie dolphin at Cape Conran


http://www.austouring.net/glitch/BeefReef/1/009.jpg

to magic twisties of Gippsland’s backblocks...

http://www.austouring.net/glitch/BeefReef/1/009a.jpg

...to wetting ourselves in Mallacoota....

http://www.austouring.net/glitch/BeefReef/1/010.jpg


...a trip on the Titanic......

http://www.austouring.net/glitch/BeefReef/1/015.jpg

....some serious honking on the backroads around Canberra, Batemans Bay, Tathra, Bega...


http://www.austouring.net/glitch/BeefReef/1/023.jpg


....enhanced by a “video-presentation” at Cotter Dam Pub (while it existed)...

http://www.austouring.net/glitch/BeefReef/1/028.jpg


...to laughs ‘til it hurt at Jindabyne CP.

http://www.austouring.net/glitch/BeefReef/1/035.jpg


Some climbed Mt. Kosciousco


http://www.austouring.net/glitch/BeefReef/2/040a.jpg

....while others got the pizza...


http://www.austouring.net/glitch/BeefReef/2/041.jpg


...or tried to throw the Pegasos down the mountain side before joining a costume ball.:rofl:


http://www.austouring.net/glitch/BeefReef/2/043a.jpg


Some lost a little rubber

http://www.austouring.net/glitch/BeefReef/2/053a.jpg


...while others just burned past Blue Duck, Hotham and Mt. Buffalo.

And some loonies did it all on screaming, howling, 12.0000rpm 250s...
12.000 rpm ...all....day....long!!! Day...after....day...after...day!

http://www.austouring.net/glitch/BeefReef/2/054.jpg

A decade on.... and they’re still legends.:clap:

The full yarn with ~ 100 pics
http://www.austouring.com/forum/showthread.php?t=805

[glitch_oz]

Another go at the Great Ocean Road and Grampians in December.
Can’t remember everyone who came for this one and there aren’t all that many pics.

Going by the bikes in front of the old store in Princetown....Jason’s Blue Viffer on the right.... no idea, who’s that naked Bandit (250?) is...Al’s “Amelia”, the old, red CX, and he rode that bucket like an R1:lol:...Sasha’s ZZR and MickG’s “Handbag”...Suzie’s blue ZR7 and Paul’s TL behind that...
There was Garry on the Peg, Sarah on the Zeal, Latte-Dave on the Cibber6 of course...and myself on the XT6....possibly others.


http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/02/Grampians_Dec/IMG_1882.JPG


Fueling the XT after 504km just short of Dunkeld, Grampians in the background.


http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/02/Grampians_Dec/IMG_1883.JPG


http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/02/Grampians_Dec/IMG_1887.JPG


http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/02/Grampians_Dec/IMG_1889.JPG


From memory, that’s the ride where Latte-Dave and I swapped bikes and I missed that roo by a bee’s dick with the flashy Cibber6, when gassing it out of Halls Gap.
On the bloody thing for 20 seconds and nearly writing it off before we’re in 3.gear, Jeezaz.:eek:

Sarah dropped the Zeal and busted one of those unobtainable front-masks....someone else, who’d already sold his bike before moving overseas the week after, went arse-up in a ditch near the lookout....whatever it was, it was NEVER BORING!! :lollol::lollol:

[glitch_oz]

2 weeks, ~3200k’s, and nearly half of it on dirt.

Ingo, the old school mate from Germany was back, he’d absolutely loved Tassie the year before and we were up for another one.

This time “Da Boyz” only ....and on dirt.
By now the Bandit12 had given way to my first repaired write-off, a 2002 XT 600with a laughable 650km on the clock.
Gary had added a 12.000km fresh Domi to his garage....in hindsight, I should've bought that bike when he sold it 2 years later.

Thinking back, this could’ve well been the first trip where we sought out the dirt routes and it all started with some road called “The Western Explorer” I'd read about on the net.


Fixing a flat at a farmhouse near Tomahawk, North Tassie Coast


http://www.austouring.net/glitch/ThrillsSpills/1/015.jpg


Mt. William National Park was on the cards...



http://www.austouring.net/glitch/ThrillsSpills/1/019.jpg


....as was the Eddystone Lighthouse, the coastal track to The Gardens, Jacobs Ladder, Devils Gullet and endless other dirt roads.


http://www.austouring.net/glitch/ThrillsSpills/1/045.jpg


Cooked our own gourmet dinner at the Captain’s Cottage in Stanley... and yes, it was exceptional. :clap::clap:


http://www.austouring.net/glitch/ThrillsSpills/1/057.jpg


Slobbered all over the Western Explorer


http://www.austouring.net/glitch/ThrillsSpills/2/066.jpg


Up Shit-Creek without a paddle on the coastal Granville Harbour- Trail Harbour track, busting bikes and limbs.


http://www.austouring.net/glitch/ThrillsSpills/2/081.jpg


At least the wretched shoulder guaranteed me the double bed for a night


http://www.austouring.net/glitch/ThrillsSpills/2/087.jpg


Discovered the backcountry of Queenstown, some breathtaking places, lookouts and walking tracks.... and the former town of Pillinger.


http://www.austouring.net/glitch/ThrillsSpills/2/101.jpg


A whole different Tassie had opened up to me....I’d “tasted blood”...in a few ways.
:bs

http://www.austouring.net/glitch/ThrillsSpills/xtras/113.jpg


For the whole yarn (2 parts, linked) and ~115 pics

http://www.austouring.com/forum/showthread.php?t=807

[glitch_oz]

April 2003 Long Weekend

Freshly back from Tassie, the twisties were calling again.
Goodie had dropped off the Peg and wrenched her thumb, couldn’t hold onto the grips or even the steering wheel of the cage, so Michelle, the 16y/o daughter on L’s drove the Whitfield Road and Rose River dirt to Harrietville in the family cage.


Can’t remember all who came along for that one....there was Moike on the 100RS, Marty still wringing the neck of that poor Across....there was Jason...and Stef had come from his new home in Adelaide after I promised him the share of the XT6 and Pegaso between the 2 of us.

I’m sure there were others, though...
Check that box of Coopers...the pub had robbed us blind the night before.


http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/03/Hotham/IMG_2348.JPG


http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/03/Hotham/IMG_2352.JPG


Marty on the Dargo High Plains Rd.

http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/03/Hotham/IMG_2355.JPG



http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/03/Hotham/IMG_2356.JPG

[glitch_oz]

Late in the year, late November...
5000k's of one-way cruising Brisbane to Melbourne and the first time ever we'd shipped bikes somewhere.


9 for the core-group, plus "temps" along the way...Latte-Dave and Nev joined up later, the Brisbane AusMoto contingent gave us a farewell at Mt. Glorious, Lemmiwinks turned up in Walcha, Alex and Gayle in Gloucester...


Mick was on the 9er by now.... it was Sasha's last trip on the ZZR250, the bike already sold before the start of the ride....Guenther's first ever "big ride"...
John touring on an overloaded R1...Nigel and his unforgettable twin-esky Strom, carrying everything up to a 5ton hydraulic jack :eek::eek:

http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/03/Banana/banana_core.JPG


Brilliant stuff in the BrisVegas Hinterland, like the steep singlelaners across the Bunya Mountains

http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/03/Banana/banana_007.JPG


"Happy-Cruising" in the Border Ranges

http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/03/Banana/banana_012a.JPG


The wonders of Girraween National Park

http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/03/Banana/banana_021.JPG



And it certainly wasn't a sombre affair


http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/03/Banana/banana_023.JPG


Some rare visitors popped in, too


http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/03/Banana/banana_033a.JPG


It just doesn't get much better than this.

http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/03/Banana/banana_054.JPG




Full story and more pics here:
http://www.austouring.com/forum/showthread.php?p=38007

[glitch_oz]

Late March....and it was a big group of 15.:eek:

9 days

TimTim and Tassie-Dave had come up from Hobart....Tim (Gixx) brought his mate Clayton along.
"Straightline-Chris" on the ZX6 was there,
John Birrel on the R6 or 1?,
Sasha on the CBR6 at that time, dropping it in Bright at the bottleshop,
Stef, now on the Peg with my Flamethrower-pipe.
Twin-Esky Nigel from Ballarat and
Alex+Gail from Newcastle for a short stint.


After all those big rides, Suzie decked the Kwak just out of Bruthen after the first night...and never came back to bikes, AFAIK.


http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/04/6peaks_3/6pks3_005c.JPG


Nigel's Eskies now matching the cop car

http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/04/6peaks_3/6pks3_008.JPG



Tearing the house down in Jindabyne...


http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/04/6peaks_3/6pks3_012.JPG





For the RR and pics, check this:
http://www.austouring.com/forum/showthread.php?t=784

[glitch_oz]

Early July...Mothers Day Weekend


A weekend ride that nobody wanted to come along for...too cold, too wet.
Bugger it, we'll go.


Aberfeldy Bridge, just north of Walhalla

http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/04/Jamieson/Jamieson_002.JPG

http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/04/Jamieson/Jamieson_003.JPG



Sliding down the wet and deep clay-hill into Woods Point became unforgettable...
hang on and pray stuff.


The Miner's Cottages in Jamieson proved to be freezers despite the open fires.


http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/04/Jamieson/Jamieson_007.JPG


http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/04/Jamieson/Jamieson_009.JPG


http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/04/Jamieson/Jamieson_010.JPG



Somewhere on the Skyline Rd.

http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/04/Jamieson/Jamieson_014.JPG


Lake Mountain

http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/04/Jamieson/Jamieson_017.JPG

Bloody cracker of a weekend:chug:


http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/04/Jamieson/Jamieson_016.JPG

[glitch_oz]

Feb + March 2005...5 weeks!!!

Building on the previous, local rides, this one took things to a whole different level :eek::eek:...and "went international".

A REAL BIGGIE, being away for 5 weeks with a solid 31 days on the road.

Shipped the bikes to Christchurch, looped the South Island... then another, smaller loop of the North as far up as Rotorua.

Jimbo, then still living on Hawaii, came across for that one "but I can only make it for a fortnight, definitely no longer, and that's bloody stretching it".

It all started with the most hilarious roadworthy inspection ever experienced....yes, EXPERIENCED!.... (or WoF-check, as known locally)...

http://www.austouring.net/glitch/NZ_05/1/005.jpg




Station House Cafe at Lake Brunner

L-R:
Yours truly.... Sasha (now on the red Guzzi Breva).... the empty chair was a placeholder for Moira, Nigel's Better Half and their son Billy-The-Kid, coming along for the first 2 weeks in a hire-cage....Nigel, of twin-esky V-Strom fame on the BananaRama....Jimbo (forum-nick "Dusty") on a hired Wee-Strom...Tim ("Tim") on the KiloGixx...John Birrel, the other iron-butt on a sporty and his trusty R1....and Goodie took the shot.



http://www.austouring.net/glitch/NZ_05/1/024.jpg



This trip was also the start of a more concious effort by all to get some better quality shots....and it shows.

From "shooting stars" at a pebbly beach near Greymouth...

http://www.austouring.net/glitch/NZ_05/1/026.jpg


....to the old coalmine in Denniston...

http://www.austouring.net/glitch/NZ_05/1/044.jpg

...the spectacular coast and hinterland of Karamea...

http://www.austouring.net/glitch/NZ_05/1/052.jpg


....glacier-hiking at Franz Josef's...

http://www.austouring.net/glitch/NZ_05/2/095.jpg

...which brought up serious thoughts of investing in a local piece of "winter-clothing"...

http://www.austouring.net/glitch/NZ_05/2/085.jpg

....unbelievable scenery day-in, day-out....

http://www.austouring.net/glitch/NZ_05/2/116.jpg

...an early morning run into Milford...

http://www.austouring.net/glitch/NZ_05/3/147.jpg


...the backroads of the South, the Southern Scenic Route, the Mandeville De Havilland Aircraft Works....and man, Pounawea stole EVERYONE's heart!!
:glu:glu

http://www.austouring.net/glitch/NZ_05/3/208.jpg

Nobody will ever forget the run up Lake Pukaki towards the Ice-Giants of Mt. Cook

http://www.austouring.net/glitch/NZ_05/4/242.jpg


...or the longest place-name in NZ, a tiny place in the backblocks of Hastings...(shoulda seen the postcode !!!!!!)


http://www.austouring.net/glitch/NZ_05/4/266.jpg



....and unreal roads and landscapes around the Eastern Cape.


http://www.austouring.net/glitch/NZ_05/4/283.jpg


Some Blackwater Rafting in the caves of Waitmono was yet another kick in a loooong line of highlights...

http://www.austouring.net/glitch/NZ_05/5/306.jpg


Across the Lewis Pass, chasing down a cop for some fun!!! (unknowingly) :oops:


http://www.austouring.net/glitch/NZ_05/5/350.jpg


Finishing it all on the Banks Peninsula.

http://www.austouring.net/glitch/NZ_05/6/367.jpg





For all the yarns and pics of a truly stunning 5 weeks...start here!
http://www.austouring.com/forum/showthread.php?t=802

It's a 6-part story, links to the next/ previous chapters are in the posts.
BLOODY AWESOME TRIP THAT WAS!!! :drool::drool:


Oh....and Jimbo??
He finished up extending his time twice, re-booking and re-scheduling return flights and bike-hire etc....until the Bike-Hire absolutely NEEDED that Strom again and said : "NO" to yet another extension. :bs

[glitch_oz]

All this "#1, #2..." it sometimes feels like all of those rides were "designed as mini-series", sequelled, pre-designed etc....they weren't!

It just happened to morph that way whenever another ride into the same general area was "hitting the boards".


2005 Tassie Gems....a week on the Apple Isle.

Still riding the incredible buzz of the NZ-trip, it just HAD to be another 'southern island" and when the call went out. they came 'in droves".

Tassie Gems also turned into the last "NetRider" ride.

A fairly big group this time around....and the infamous "bowling-shirts" put the Tassie-Gems into the history books for good.:bs

Let's try to get them all together....there was Garry on the Peg....Loz on the Hornet9...Matt232 on the Blade (that years later turned into Tim's) after he decked it on the Whitfield Rd....Guenther (gunner) now on the only metallic-grey Vee in Oz, which later turned into the very first WTF...Nev on the Kwaka ZX12 busting the radiator on the Strathgordon Rd..... Jo on the F650GS (or was it still the Scarver?)....Goodie on the Peg...Jason still on the Viffer, I think....and Deano on the black VTRthou...Andrew?? on the yellow SV...Tim on the KiloGixx...Marty on the VEE...Karel (carver) on the VEE...myself on the VEE....Sasha on the Guzzi or the Hyundai??...Tassie-Dave on the Tiger and TimTim on the CapoNord joined in for a couple of days...man, it was quite a sight on the road.


The group split on some days....the "Pigs" did the Western Explorer and Jacobs Ladder/ Ben Lomond and a few other gravel roads.
Guenther's Strom blew the intake-boot off the throttle body in the bush above Upper Blessington.
For once, nobody decked it on a "NetRider-ride" :poke::rofl:


Loz on the Strathgordon Rd.

http://www.austouring.net/glitch/TasGem/005.jpg


The patch coming loose on Nev's ZX12 after a stone had punctured it. Got him into Hobart, though.

http://www.austouring.net/glitch/TasGem/015.jpg


Under the belly of the Hornet

http://www.austouring.net/glitch/TasGem/019.jpg




Guenther and Deano on the Mt. Wellington Rd.

http://www.austouring.net/glitch/TasGem/027.jpg

http://www.austouring.net/glitch/TasGem/025.jpg



Freycinet National Park, Wineglass Lookout

http://www.austouring.net/glitch/TasGem/034.jpg


"No more crotchless, yer bastards!!"


http://www.austouring.net/glitch/TasGem/039.jpg


Chairlift ATGATT

http://www.austouring.net/glitch/TasGem/060.jpg


WOT?? Another beer?

http://www.austouring.net/glitch/TasGem/076.jpg


Dinner in ...??? Where the hell was it? (Last night somewhere up the North Coast)

http://www.austouring.net/glitch/TasGem/077.jpg





What he's best known for....anytime, anywhere!!

http://www.austouring.net/glitch/TasGem/078.jpg


Man, it was stupid fun!!

http://www.austouring.net/glitch/TasGem/082.jpg






The RR is a bit of a disjointed effort now, with Marty's pics missing in the first part as his site is offline or the folders deleted.... Loz never added pics in the first place, some overlapping bits and days....I'll post the links to both parts here.

Part 1 (no pics, good yarn!!)
http://www.austouring.com/forum/showthread.php?t=795

Part 2 (with all the fruitsalad :-)
http://www.austouring.com/forum/showthread.php?t=796

[glitch_oz]

Only got a few pics of this one and can't even remember it.

No idea who else was along....but here's Goodie (Eggnogg, 'cause of the yellow helmet, panniers on the bike...which looks narrow enough to be a Peg.)

http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/05/Snowies/Snowies05_1.JPG

That's Karel (carver)

http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/05/Snowies/Snowies05_2.JPG

Marty...and that looks pretty much like the Cabramurra-Khancoban Rd. near the Tooma Reservoir, one of the last bends on the eastern side of the dam wall.

http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/05/Snowies/Snowies05_3.JPG

And Sasha on the Guzzi?

http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/05/Snowies/Snowies05_4.JPG

Perhaps someone else can comment with more details...according to file dates, it would've been between X-mas and New Year.

[glitch_oz]

Early Jan....a day-ride north of Melbourne.


Yea

http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/06/Yea/Yea06Jan_02.JPG

Going by the bikes...L to R : Karel.... yours truly.... a mate of Karel's on Karels old 250 (forgot the name)...mmmmm, oh yeah, John's FJR which he bought after falling off the Strom because it was too high, then fell off the FJR because it was too heavy...and Goodie's Peg.


Murchison Lookout above Strath Creek

http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/06/Yea/Yea06Jan_07.JPG

http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/06/Yea/Yea06Jan_10.JPG

[glitch_oz]

Late January....and STINKING hot.:kna
Into the 40s and things weren't too much fun to kick off a planned 2200km Long Weekend.


Karel (carver)...Tim on the Gixx...Guenther, Goodie and I....and John on the FJR had left the day before and had a rear tyre blow-out at some sub-sonic cruising speed near Heyfield but kept it upright.

Took the backroads to Stratford for the first night.

http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/06/Bonang/GunnerCrash_01.JPG

http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/06/Bonang/GunnerCrash_02.JPG

East Gippy getting hotter and hotter, the hot wind searing the throat under the helmet.

Tried to get into the cooler climes of the High Country after a stop in Orbost, then Guenther ploughed the Strom into a clay-embankmant ~60k's up the Bonang.

http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/06/Bonang/GunnerCrash_04.JPG

http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/06/Bonang/GunnerCrash_05.JPG


In hindsight, that turned into the sad end of Guenther's riding...:(

http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/06/Bonang/GunnerCrash_06.JPG

....and the bike was written off the second time around in it's short life.


Only one way to cool down, John's got the right idea.

http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/06/Bonang/GunnerCrash_07.JPG


The Daytona boot that saved Guenther's right foot...

http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/06/Bonang/GunnerCrash_08.JPG

Cracked plastic wedge, but the typical Daytona construction (extended steel shank etc) held the pieces in place.

http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/06/Bonang/GunnerCrash_09.JPG

A little bruising was all....and the boot mailed to the factory in Germany for repairs. They kept this one as a show-piece and sent out a new boot for the price of their standard repair. Yo, stuff like that still exists!!:eek::eek:


Aborted the trip , went home and watched the cricket (or crickets...or whatever)

:D

[glitch_oz]

March '06


Goodie's off for the first ride on a postie...
Tim's there....and so are 4 of the Balla-Rats, the suicidal CT-punters.

Make one of them Stewart Crumpler, owner and founder of Crumpler Bagz (http://www.crumpler.com/AU/) and most likely the craziest of the 4.
Give him a postie...and you'll be out of breath just staying within 10k's all day long.


http://www.austouring.net/glitch/AAAA/postie_1.jpg








More:

http://www.austouring.com/forum/showthread.php?t=821

[glitch_oz]

Late April/ early May...the sequel of the BananaRama rolled along with another 2 weeks of corner-carving bliss.
All the usual suspects were there, Bikes Only trucked the bikes up to Brissie again.

Loz and Matt 232 missed out, but stayed in Brissie for the weekend anyway (since they'd bought the flights initially).

The blues....

http://www.austouring.net/glitch/Troppo/011.jpg


First night in Esk and the bullshit's flying thick'n fast...as usual.


http://www.austouring.net/glitch/Troppo/021.jpg

You'll never see another one like it....Moira's custom-DR, complete with a leather Harley-seat and lots of home-made bracketry and bits by Double-Esky Nigel.

Did she ride the wheels off that thing or what?

http://www.austouring.net/glitch/Troppo/032.jpg

We got drenched...
http://www.austouring.net/glitch/Troppo/041.jpg

...tried to find Nimbin...


http://www.austouring.net/glitch/Troppo/064.jpg

...rode the Lions Rd. and more of the Border Ranges....
had a near mass-exodus at 100kmh+ in a lefthander just above Tabulam...
...froze our butts off in Tenterfield and saw the morning-fairy (some are still seeing their shrink about it now :doh:)

http://www.austouring.net/glitch/Troppo/079.jpg

Got an impromptu guided, private tour from Keith at the Dorrigo Railway Museum


http://www.austouring.net/glitch/Troppo/111.jpg

This time, there was enough fuel on the Oxley :chug:


http://www.austouring.net/glitch/Troppo/153.jpg

Nigel pulled yet another one out of his double-Esky of tricks...

http://www.austouring.net/glitch/Troppo/196.jpg


...rode the whoopsies of the Taralga road

http://www.austouring.net/glitch/Troppo/219.jpg

Elliott Way and Cabramurra...WITH snow!...

http://www.austouring.net/glitch/Troppo/236.jpg

Latte-Dave joined up for a few days....

http://www.austouring.net/glitch/Troppo/249.jpg


Frosty mornings in Khancoban

http://www.austouring.net/glitch/Troppo/254.jpg


Another morning-fairy in Whitfield...

http://www.austouring.net/glitch/Troppo/261.jpg


...and with another ~5000k's under the belt, it all ends in Yea... where Nigel and Moira keep going straight towards Ballarat while the rest tacks south for the last few k's.

Tim on the Gixx...and Garry on the Peg.

Sasha with the Guzzi , Moira on the DR650....Double-Esky Nige...Marty on the Shark-VEE and Goodie on the Peg... Karel (carver, VEE) and I...and for the last few days, Latte-Dave on the FZ1 this time around.


I think, that's also the last big ride for "Goodie and the Pegs"...


The full, 2-part yarn and 250+ pics are here :chug:


http://www.austouring.com/forum/showthread.php?t=971

[glitch_oz]

Sometime in Sept, I think...and the last time we went.

Dave was taken by the Tiger...

http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/06/BikeShow06/BikeShow04a.JPG
...while Marty's finally seeing the light :rofl:


http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/06/BikeShow06/BikeShow06.JPG

Or not?


http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/06/BikeShow06/BikeShow05.JPG







T.B.C

[glitch_oz]

Late September.

Man, 2006 was starting to look like a race.
Remember Guenther's Strom, bent on the Bonang? (just flip back a page)

Yo, it was written off after I'd repaired it the first time around with 2 boxes of parts I'd bought in Canada...
Bought it again after Guenther's little prang and turned it into the first of the WTF's.

Goodie took it for its maiden ride on a sunny Sunday....

Tanjil Bren

http://www.austouring.net/glitch/RidePark_bawbaw/bawbaw04.jpg



Mt. Baw Baw

http://www.austouring.net/glitch/RidePark_bawbaw/bawbaw11.jpg



http://www.austouring.net/glitch/RidePark_bawbaw/bawbaw14.jpg




More pics here:


http://www.austouring.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1122

[glitch_oz]

Late October


The Balla-Rats were back for more!!
This one was for real and it was on for young and old.

http://www.austouring.net/glitch/AAAA/PostieRide/postie01.jpg


Tim was there...and Young Will from the CBD on his L-plates and hell, was he up for some educational paint-swapping!


Busted chains, this and that falling off, some towing....and laughs 'til the tears came. In hindsight, much of what I saw that day would prove a huge bonus lateron.


http://www.austouring.net/glitch/AAAA/PostieRide/postie07.jpg



Go for a giggle and some more pics:

http://www.austouring.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1166

[glitch_oz]

November 2006

The first AT-Rally


Great weather, plenty of warm sunshine, plenty of good miles and best of all....GREAT company and loads of laughs.
Graham (whitey) from Sydney, Dave(dmtl15) from Nowra and the bunch of clowns from down south.

The burn up the Alpine Way was a cracker....like the day before when a Strom and a DR went mental across the top from Kiandra in an effort to "shake the old fart" ....it nearly made the Postie-ride a few weeks ago pale in comparison

Couldn't say it much better.

Goodie

http://www.austouring.net/glitch/ATRally06/21.jpg


Jo on the Scarver (red helmet) and Moira on the DR650


Graham (whitey)

http://www.austouring.net/glitch/ATRally06/08.jpg




http://www.austouring.net/glitch/ATRally06/11a.jpg


http://www.austouring.net/glitch/ATRally06/12.jpg

Tim on the DR

http://www.austouring.net/glitch/ATRally06/18.jpg

Tim squirting it up Tallangatta Lookout


http://www.austouring.net/glitch/ATRally06/16.jpg


Nev on the Budgie

http://www.austouring.net/glitch/ATRally06/22.jpg



http://www.austouring.net/glitch/ATRally06/28.jpg

Yours truly

http://www.austouring.net/glitch/ATRally06/47.jpg


Big Thanks to Marty for some of the pics.


More here:
http://www.austouring.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1193

[glitch_oz]

2007....was the start of an UNBELIEVABLE string of rides which are still roaring along at full tilt right now.
Beyond rides.... a tour-de-force that's turned into a lifestyle-choice.



January brought along the "We Deliver" postie ride....2 weeks of backroads, and sometimes footpaths/ tracks, of the High Country and Snowies.

Been there often enough, heh??....but this was different!!


Copped thunderstorms and hail in Tumut on New Years Eve

http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/07/DELIVER/Del031.jpg

Saw some superb countryside

http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/07/DELIVER/Del016.jpg


Roamed the backtracks of Cabramurra (and there's quite a few of them).



http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/07/DELIVER/Del100.jpg

The old Cabramurra Airfield that was used in the '50s through the construction period, since abandoned.


http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/07/DELIVER/Del109.jpg

Tawonga Gap after the fires

http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/07/DELIVER/Del118.jpg

Hotham, the Blue Duck twisties and the Bogong High Plains Rd. before is was rooted by getting sealed.

http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/07/DELIVER/Del149.jpg


Found some alternative ways along the Trappers Track

http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/07/DELIVER/Del156.jpg

Had a pearler of a time jumping cattle gids near Lake Eucumbene

http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/07/DELIVER/Del057.jpg

...then sweating blood and water crossing the ridge between Eskdale and Dederang.

http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/07/DELIVER/Del179.jpg


Man, it was grouse!!!

:lao



More here:

http://www.austouring.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1271

[glitch_oz]

Only a few weeks later...Australia Day Long Weekend, late January.

3 days and nearly a 1000k's on the little CT's, fully packed with camping gear and pots/ pans.

Tim was along for that one :chug:


Donna Buang... Toolangi State Forest...the roundabout way into the Strathbogies...

http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/07/AusDay/004.jpg



...flats...some paddock-bashing when the tracks peetered out...


http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/07/AusDay/007.jpg

Mt. Wombat

http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/07/AusDay/014.jpg

http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/07/AusDay/019.jpg


Found some obstructions....

http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/07/AusDay/018.jpg

...found some memorials in the bush


http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/07/AusDay/021.jpg


Some playing around

http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/07/AusDay/036.jpg



The whole box'n dice:

http://www.austouring.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1293

[glitch_oz]

February

Just a little tootle around the Acheron Way, Murrundindi Stat Park, Donnellys Weir and a few waterfalls in between.

http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/07/PostieTootleFeb/IMG_8309.JPG


http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/07/PostieTootleFeb/IMG_8306.JPG


http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/07/PostieTootleFeb/IMG_8307.JPG


http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/07/PostieTootleFeb/IMG_8310.JPG


\http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/07/PostieTootleFeb/IMG_8312.JPG




http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/07/PostieTootleFeb/IMG_8330.JPG

[glitch_oz]

April Fools Day....and the raving-mad basterds from Ballarat were back with their gaggle of posties.

Mayhem in the Bunyip State Forest
This quote pretty much set the tune for the day:


The 2 L-platers Will and James (only 3 months on L’s), the bunch of Ballarat rednecks.... Stoo, Jeremy, Paul and Jeff (sp?) and some local drop-ins/-outs :-P Tim, Goodie and I.

A sedate start only saw a couple of 360s and an attempted burnout….and we weren’t even off the car park!! CHRIIIST!!


http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/AAAA/april1postie/02.JPG

The video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U2XPT0uonc0






And the full yarn here:

http://www.austouring.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1350

[glitch_oz]

Damn those itchy feet!!
A glorious Indian Summer in Australia's South stoked the fires for another 9 days of Tassie....as always, it was easy enough to find a bunch of mates to come along.

With the Tornanti-Ride (Euro-Alps) only a few months down the track, this also got the crew together for a chance to bed-in and get used to eachother's little quirks and general flow.

The smallish troupe of 7 (or rather 8 with TimTim the only local) turned out to be the best and smoothest bunch I've ever ridden with!!

Moike (100RS) was on again...Tim on the DR....and Marty on the Strom.
Another 3 Stroms with Karel (carver), Goodie and Yours Truly.
Steve (from BikesandScooters forum) on the FJR....and TimTim from Hobart on the Capo joined us for most of the time.





Started off with the youngest AT-member having a dribble...


http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/07/TasGem2/TasGem2_007.JPG



Smoking up the A5 to the Great Lakes


http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/07/TasGem2/TasGem2_012.JPG

Checking out the Ida Bay Railway

http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/07/TasGem2/TasGem2_038.JPG


Seeing the rest of the world in Adventure Bay, South Bruny Island


http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/07/TasGem2/TasGem2_053.JPG


Spending a night at Joe's Garage and having a chat, a beer and a laugh with Matt (RIP, mate!!) (http://www.themercury.com.au/article/2011/11/09/275221_tasmania-news.html)



http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/07/TasGem2/TasGem2_074.JPG



The Western Explorer, Cradle Mtn and the backroads of the North Coast...what a humdinger of a trip!! :glu:glu


http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/07/TasGem2/TasGem2_113.JPG






More here:

http://www.austouring.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1390

[glitch_oz]

September/ October 2007

Nearly 3 years of planning, scheming, dreaming, yearning and saving were coming to a close as early September rolled along.

We'd had our own saving scheme for over 2 years... we'd planned, checked, double-checked and written a million emails.
There was a 67 page itinerary... accom-list.. contact addresses and phone numbers...and a 1000 other details and bits.

This was it!!
THE BIIIG MOMMA!!
6 (SIX!!) weeks of carving the European Alps

Anything and everything from the gorges in the south of France, the Mediterranean Coast, Route Napoleon through the French Alps, Switzerland inside-out and upside-down, Southern Austria, the Dolomites, the Alto Adige and the little-known Friuli in Italy... Northern Slovenia, Liechtenstein and various little tax-havens...100s of passes, 9000km of twisties without end....and literally, carve-'til-ya-barf.

Until you just can't take it anymore, can't get to sleep bacause the head is spinning, the callousses on the right hand are hurting from working twister and brake til they melt...and you start to howl and squeeze your eyes shut at the sight of more and more white-capped mountains just up the valley, or yet another 15meter breakfast-buffet.

Starting with the bikes we DIDN'T book and pay for, to finishing up in a brothel in Milano/ Italy.

From 2ft. of overnight snow on the Stelvio to sharing the "Roof of Europe" with a fashion model on the glaciers above Grindelwald, Switzerland. From a meet with the Alpenbikers near Neuschwanstein Castle in southern Germany and Hitlers Eagle's Nest at Berchtesgaden/ Germany to the tiniest single-laner dirt roads above Martigny in the Rhone Valley (Switzerland/ French border), the list is endless.

The ride-report has turned into a reference-works even for the locals (it was also translated)...and has had over 200.000 hits through the various forums around the globe.
The pics are scattered around everywhere, from Brasil to South Africa, Sweden to Canada. It's certainly one of the biggest (at least in volume) ride-reports ever published on the WWW .




http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/07/Tornanti/Tor0089.jpg



http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/07/Tornanti/Tor0228.jpg



http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/07/Tornanti/Tor0253.jpg


http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/07/Tornanti/Tor0425.jpg


http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/07/Tornanti/Tor0451.jpg


Where you shouldn't go, definitely not on a hire-tourer :bs Col de Tende/ Italian/French border


http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/07/Tornanti/tor0547.jpg



Col d'Izoard, France OMG!!! :glu:glu:glu


http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/07/Tornanti/Tor0734.jpg



On the Stelvio



http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/07/Tornanti/2/Tor2009a.jpg


http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/07/Tornanti/2/Tor2009f.jpg



http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/07/Tornanti/2/Tor2010.jpg

The tiny Mortirolo Pass/ Italy...with all the Giro d'Italia Bike Race markings


http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/07/Tornanti/2/Tor2014b.jpg


Dolomites

http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/07/Tornanti/3/Tor2306a.jpg


Check the road through the trees...Mangart/ Slovenia


http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/07/Tornanti/3/Tor2753.jpg



Segantini Hut, St. Moritz and lake at our feet


http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/07/Tornanti/4/Tor3226.jpg



Riding Skilifts...bloody dangerous, I tells ya!!


http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/07/Tornanti/4/Tor3262.jpg



http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/07/Tornanti/4/Tor3282.jpg






And here's the full yarn with over TWO-THOUSAND-FIVE-HUNDRED gobsmacking pics.:drool:
Lock the door to your office, arrange hourly coffee-infusions, and....
have a nice fortnight :thumbs:

Don't mind the shakes and that terrible yearning in yer belly at the other end....it's just part of that sort of thing :so
http://www.austouring.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1506

[glitch_oz]

December

Still chewing on that incredible HIGH of the Tornanti ride, nothing local would really cut it.
No offence, but after those 6 weeks, our perceptions had somewhat shifted.

So we took the cage for a few days, threw a tent in the back and went for the hills.

Acheron Way

http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/07/FPXmas/FPXmas06.jpg



Mt. Buffalo from Powers Lookout

http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/07/FPXmas/FPXmas08.jpg




http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/07/FPXmas/FPXmas09.jpg




Mt. Buffalo



http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/07/FPXmas/FPXmas17.jpg


At Mt. Hotham

http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/07/FPXmas/FPXmas23.jpg



More pics etc here:
http://www.austouring.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1582

[glitch_oz]

Early May 2008

2 weeks

After plenty of talk, it was time to either shit or get off the pot.
Which left Goodie and Yours Truly.

http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/08/Cape/CapeShape0299.jpg


Freighted the 2 little CT's to Brisbane, then rode them up the coast to Cains....via Cooloola....and Fraser Island...and...and...

A quick quote from the ride report says it best:

It’s a tale of deep joy, of desperate situations, of lots of warmth and the best of human interactions.
A tale of making mistakes (and learning from them)…of “impossible” routes and nearly getting beaten by the circumstances.

Of busted engines, T-shirt-riding along 90km beaches and cruising the twisties through the sugar-cane fields and banana-plantations of Northern Queensland.

Of getting bogged… running against incoming tides and ferry-departure-times….of saving the precious camera while sinking rapidly into sandy creeks, arse first.
Of shivering into the sinking sun on the washed-over decks of the barge to Hervey Bay in a half-meter swell…and of meeting lots and lots of wonderful people along the way.

Best-Of-All??
Doing all this as an early celebration of our 30th anniversary with my best mate in life


http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/08/Cape/CapeShape0057.jpg


http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/08/Cape/CapeShape0082.jpg


http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/08/Cape/CapeShape0125.jpg


http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/08/Cape/CapeShape0140.jpg


http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/08/Cape/CapeShape0194.jpg



Bowen, Yacht Harbour

http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/08/Cape/CapeShape0237.jpg


Dunk Island from Mission Beach

http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/08/Cape/CapeShape0279.jpg


Lake Tinaroo, Atherton Tablelands

http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/08/Cape/CapeShape0329.jpg



Stored the bikes with Heath from Gilders Transport in Cairns...ready for part 2 of the tale.
If you thought this was crazy...just wait for the sequel!! BWAHHAAAHHA



For all of the yarns and pics:
http://www.austouring.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1734

[glitch_oz]

August/ September saw the 2. part of this stoopid caper :doh:

The Run To The Cape:

Glen from Brissie and Rowan from Hobart had come good pretty much at the last minute...no time for details, just get the bikes ready as best you can, get a seat on a winger to Cairns and ....let it rip.
No backup, no 4WD coming along for spares or supplies, just carry everything and hope for the best.

Cape York and ~3000km of dirt, dust and 4WD tracks in 3 weeks....


...on a dinkytoy.


http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/08/Cape2/wrap/CYP025.JPG


Oops....

http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/08/Cape2/wrap/CYP061.JPG

The day after it was out turn...



http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/08/Cape2/wrap/CYP085.JPG


Another local

http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/08/Cape2/wrap/CYP076.JPG

A "shower" on the Cape


http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/08/Cape2/wrap/CYP132b.JPG


http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/08/Cape2/wrap/CYP150a.JPG


http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/08/Cape2/wrap/CYP157.JPG


http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/08/Cape2/wrap/CYP162b.JPG


The mighty "recovery-CT"...just helping out :rofl:


http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/08/Cape2/wrap/CYP175.JPG

Punsand Bay, The Cape


http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/08/Cape2/wrap/CYP216.JPG


http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/08/Cape2/wrap/CYP227.JPG



Whaddaya mean, Bulldust??


http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/08/Cape2/wrap/CYP253.JPG



RAW Postie-POWER!! :guff


http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/08/Cape2/wrap/CYP255a.JPG



It's still a bloody long way home...


http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/08/Cape2/wrap/CYP263.JPG



This...THIS....was one trip, I'll never forget!!


For all the pics, the yarns and little chinks:

http://www.austouring.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1925

[glitch_oz]

Another Cup Weekend (November), might as well make a week of it.

Only Nev (on the Buell Uly now).... Jo on the new BM650GS twin just after an offroad-course... Marty on the "Toothy"-Strom and the 2 WTFs with Goodie and I signed in for this one.

Things got a bit dusty sometimes

http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/08/BeefReef2/bnr2_001.jpg


Busted belt on the Buell in the bush around Tolmie


http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/08/BeefReef2/bnr2_008.jpg

Rode the Whitfield-Lake Buffalo Rd, Trappers across to Mitta Mitta and enjoyed the hospitality, bumfluff included


http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/08/BeefReef2/bnr2_013f.jpg


Crunchy mornings before hitting the Namadgi National Park and some old Apollo13 tracking stations in the ACT


http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/08/BeefReef2/bnr2_015.jpg



Captains Flat area...looking towards the coast

http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/08/BeefReef2/bnr2_018.jpg


Bermagui...Tathra and cutting back via some choice tracks to Jindabyne


http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/08/BeefReef2/bnr2_035.jpg


The Bonang, The Barry Way, Mc Killops and the Dargo High Plains....

http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/08/BeefReef2/bnr2_060.jpg

....whoohoo, what a cracker of a week!!


http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/08/BeefReef2/bnr2_064.jpg



C'mon....go and have a look at the whole lot!!
http://www.austouring.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1975





http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/08/BeefReef2/bnr2_022.jpg



T.B.C.

[Quasi]

Am just loving these images. A picture says a thousand words and this is the most incredible story I am reading. Thanks for sharing and keep it coming. We still got five years to read about!

[glitch_oz]

Am just loving these images. A picture says a thousand words and this is the most incredible story I am reading. Thanks for sharing and keep it coming. We still got five years to read about!


Thanks...great to see someone's having a look in.
Actually, the pics are getting better as the years roll by and the equipment got better....but the guys behind the lens have remained the same.
There's some really nice stuff coming...

Thanks again ;)

[glitch_oz]

January

The new year kicked off with an overnighter in late January.

7 Stroms showed up.
Richard (K1W1) ...Doug (Dougman1)...Jeremy (aussieflicker)...Marty...Adrian....Goodie and yours-truly pounded the tar+ dust from Mt. Baw Baw, across Mt. Skene, some backroads to Merrijig and up Mt. Buller, cruising home via an east-west crossing of the Strathbogies to Highland.


Marty cracked a sump

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3130/3211634437_9b973b17c0_b.jpg


Somebody lost a chain....and some chasing down was done to catch a couple of wayward pilots



http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/09/Merrijig/HCJan09.01b.JPG



Goodie was still punting the 1000 around

http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/09/Merrijig/HCJan09.03b.JPG


Doug had a lot of fun


http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/09/Merrijig/HCJan09.10.JPG


...and some locals just watched the show at Highlands, where the Primary School still had a row of all, old pines in front.

http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/09/Merrijig/HCJan09.27.JPG




More?? :chug:

Here !!

http://www.austouring.com/forum/showthread.php?t=2075

[glitch_oz]

March...
....and we just had to re-run that Strathbogies crossing from January.

Only Adrian (Adrianox) and Pete (Vtwin) showed up for this one...Goodie giving the Shrek its maiden-run...and oneself.



Penny's Pinch above Lake Eildon

http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/09/Bogies_March/Bogies06.JPG


Pete going AWOL at Polly McQuinns


http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/09/Bogies_March/Bogies11.JPG



Between Ruffy and Highlands


http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/09/Bogies_March/Bogies15.JPG


GREAT DAY!!!:glu


http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/09/Bogies_March/Bogies17.JPG




Thread and pics:
http://www.austouring.com/forum/showthread.php?t=2256

[glitch_oz]

Some Classics-Racing in Broadford/ April

Upper King Parrot Road/ Flowerdale

http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/09/Broadford/Broadford01.JPG


http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/09/Broadford/Broadford02.JPG


http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/09/Broadford/Broadford03.JPG


http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/09/Broadford/Broadford04.JPG


http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/09/Broadford/Broadford05.JPG


http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/09/Broadford/Broadford06.JPG


http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/09/Broadford/Broadford07.JPG


http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/09/Broadford/Broadford08.JPG

[glitch_oz]

!! THE !! Sunday in May!!

Bike-Mekka for restorers, ratbags and freaks....

Where the hell is Bayles? Google for it...and try to keep it near KooWeeRup :wink:


http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/09/Bayles/Bayles_01.jpg



http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/09/Bayles/Bayles_13.jpg



http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/09/Bayles/Bayles_16.jpg



http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/09/Bayles/Bayles_27.jpg



More:

http://www.austouring.com/forum/showthread.php?t=2344

[glitch_oz]

Late May


When flights are cheap and a camper even cheaper....


A snap decision to get out of the cold to join the rest of the southern clan counting stingers in North Queensland.



http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/09/Cairns/Cairns_037.JPG



Granite Gorge/ Atherton Tablelands


http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/09/Cairns/Cairns_049.JPG



http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/09/Cairns/Cairns_041.JPG


Undara Lava Tubes


http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/09/Cairns/Cairns_072.JPG




Inland route to Cooktown, 20k's south of Lakeland...crossing the Great Divide.


http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/09/Cairns/Cairns_010.JPG


Cooktown Estuary



http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/09/Cairns/Cairns_015.JPG








Nothing much about bikes but some usable info about places to go and things to see....and some nice shots :chug:

http://www.austouring.com/forum/showthread.php?t=2364

[glitch_oz]

September/ October

3 weeks and a bit.

The one, the only!

T1 had turned things from bad to worse...there was a yearning for those alpine roads and places that'll just never let us go for the rest of our lives, the hook was in.

And had been in good and solid ever since the very first Euro-Alps ride back in 2001, damnit!!

Same time of year again.... the only time of year the real addict will ride the Alps. Temps are down, tourists are out, autumn colours and low-season prices are in, roads are empty.
Lots of blue skies and occasionally some fresh snow overnight for the perfect dream-finish of the whole package.


This time the bikes came from Switzerland, the main targets were any roads and tracks of the Eastern Alps that didn't exceed a lane-and-a-half in width.
Or had gravel.... and/or led to some spectacular places waaaayyyy up there.

Marty was in...and so was Moike.
TimTim from Hobart again and Tassie-Dave.
Goodie and I ....

Met some of the Alpenbikers in southern Austria and "the Flying Dutchmen" in Arraba/ Dolomites for some unforgettable scratching up and down the passes.

From the Old Town of Aarau/ Switzerland....

http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/09/T2/T2_0069.jpg

...to the cobblestones of the Grossglockner/ Austria...


....meeting up with Hans (Asphalt), Elisabeth and Michael (Castle-of-Teck)

http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/09/T2/T2_0192.jpg



Rode the Vrsic Saddle and Mangart in Slovenia


http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/09/T2/T2_0248.jpg


Dined like kings


http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/09/T2/T2_0308.jpg


Rode the Radovna Rd., gawked at Lake Bohinjsko

Took the Slovenian Border Ridge Rd.

http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/09/T2/T2_0368.jpg


http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/09/T2/T2_0395b.jpg

Casson di Lanza, a night at Granny's at Paularo in the Friuli



http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/09/T2/T2_0422.jpg


Saw wild horses on The Panoramica delle Vette


http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/09/T2/T2_0472.jpg


Many others in between that brought tears of pleasure to minds and souls, before the quirky San Boldo appeared from no where

http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/09/T2/T2_0552.jpg


Spent a day climbing around the Piz Laguzoi and WW1 trenches and dug-outs before getting jelly-kneed on the descent to the Falzarego-Saddle


http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/09/T2/T2_0671.jpg


Passo de Manghen on the way south


http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/09/T2/T2_0717.jpg

The Kaiserjaegerstrasse above Lake Caldonazzo makes you stammer and stutter


http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/09/T2/T2_0739a.jpg


The little town of Storo at night

http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/09/T2/T2_0756.jpg

Passo Maniva, Vivione..

http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/09/T2/T2_0788.jpg

....the Gavia

http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/09/T2/T2_0742.jpg




I better quit here, I'm gettin' the shakes again...


For the whole yarn and the rest of the ~1600 pics, most of it quite exceptional:

http://www.austouring.com/forum/showthread.php?t=2645

[glitch_oz]

Back home after Europe and it was another major effort to find our home-feet again.

A December Day-Ride.

Nev and Jo turned up, so did Dave (farawayman)
Stewy skidded the SVthou around on road-tyres all day, Steve and Linda did the same on the old Waterbottle...
Doug (dougman1), Tracey (canary) and Pete (Vtwin) were there on their Stroms, adding Goodie and I to that corner as well.

Some great gravel roads, brilliant views from Mt. Wombat and a bucketload of laughs.

http://www.thisstupidurl.com/2009/Strathbogie/slides/IMG_1287.JPG


http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c259/farawayman/Glitch%20ride%2009/IMG_295293.jpg


http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics//09/Bogies_Dec/BogiesBw_10.JPG

All the bits and yarns:
http://www.austouring.com/forum/showthread.php?t=2753

[glitch_oz]

December

5 days, 1500k's,

With only a few days on our hands, it was yet again back to the High Country and hopefully cooler temps than staying along the coast.

Gippsland fog...from the South Face Rd.


http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/09/xmas09/xmas09_010.jpg


The Walhalla-Cowwarr Rd. through the plantations...the lesser-travelled parallel-roads to Briagolong...a brilliant Dargo-morning promising a great day to come...


http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/09/xmas09/xmas09_024.jpg



Meeting Nev and Jo along the Dargo High Plains Rd.,

http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/09/xmas09/xmas09_037.jpg



http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/09/xmas09/xmas09_055.jpg



Omeo Hwy

http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/09/xmas09/xmas09_068.jpg

Also met Tim and his mate in Myrtleford...

Lookout above Myrrhee

http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/09/xmas09/xmas09_073.jpg


The steep descent from Mt. Samaria

http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/09/xmas09/xmas09_083.jpg




All of it, pics and story:
http://www.austouring.com/forum/showthread.php?t=2779

[glitch_oz]

January
Australia Day weekend saw the 2010 AusTouring Rally in Khancoban and boy, they came from everywhere.

Don (Donunder) was there from Qld, lots of folks from down south....and half the Victorian Vstromers. The Choccoloco-tribe with the babs from Canberra....Senfiddy and the 3 Musketeers from South Australia...Stewy, Farawayman, Mr Farkles, Marty this time on a KLE...I've got no hope to get ALL the names together!

Around 35 all up, all with their own pics and stories in the ride-report (check for link below!)


Rode the hills and high loops, went past Dogs Grave, dipped into Dargo, the WTF's jumped with joy

http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/10/ATRally/ATRally_074a.jpg

The way it ought to be

http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/10/ATRally/ATRally_000.jpg


Steel-belt-Stewy on day1!

http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/10/ATRally/ATRally_002.jpg

Seldom Seen, the Barry Way...

http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/10/ATRally/ATRally_026.jpg

Michael, as always swarmed by the girls

http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/10/ATRally/ATRally_039.jpg


Jindy

http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/10/ATRally/ATRally_066.jpg

Some "Dirty Money" around, too

http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/10/ATRally/ATRally_075.jpg





Man, what a party!! :clap::clap:


http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/10/ATRally/ATRally_080.jpg



All the goss and all the pics here:
http://www.austouring.com/forum/showthread.php?t=2812

[glitch_oz]

Early April.... just a tootle through the neighbourhood.

Jaime (Mr. Farkles) was there....Steve and Linda... Jeremy (aussieflicker)... The Shrek and yours truly.

Melbourne CBD from the Memorial Tower at Kangaroo Ground

http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/10/Easter/Easter2010_6.JPG


It still had the old, STEEEP, worn-out timber staircase and platforms then.

http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/10/Easter/Easter2010_8.JPG



A few more pics over here:

http://www.austouring.com/forum/showthread.php?t=2920

[glitch_oz]

Mid April.....and the Spyder Demo-mob was in town.

Gotta give this a whirl!! Some other well-known faces showed up...



http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/10/Spyder/Spyder35.JPG

Jo thought it worth a giggle


http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/10/Spyder/Spyder30.JPG



More here....pics and links in the 2. half of the thread:
http://www.austouring.com/forum/showthread.php?t=2887

[glitch_oz]

Early June.....and the ride that never happened.
Southern Australia's drought finally broke and things washed away.

Only Steve (SteveGT738) showed up on the bike, we'd swapped to the cage.

A miserable morning....

http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/10/Kirwans/Kirwans_01.JPG

...turned into a surprising day.....


http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/10/Kirwans/Kirwans_07.JPG

....and made us finish in the old gold-diggings somewhere around Whroo, north of Nagambie.

http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/10/Kirwans/Kirwans_16.JPG

http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/10/Kirwans/Kirwans_18.JPG



More pics near the end of this thread:

http://www.austouring.com/forum/showthread.php?t=2985

[glitch_oz]

Early August

For once, no takers for this one, so I went solo.
Just a tootle through the backblocks

http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/10/Gembrook/Gembrook05.jpg


http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/10/Gembrook/Gembrook19.jpg



More pics:

http://www.austouring.com/forum/showthread.php?t=3096

[glitch_oz]

Late August....and a perfect winter day!!

Derek (Crustyvarmint) was there....Tracey (canary) and Pete (Vtwin)....Doug (dougman1)....Andrew (Hayesy) on the blue SV...Goodie and I....Guy (GuyM) on the TDM...who else?
And did Pete (Vtwin) show us some of Gippy, or what?:slobb


http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/10/gippy/gippy16.JPG


http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/10/gippy/gippy30.JPG


http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/10/gippy/gippy34.JPG


http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/10/gippy/gippy46.JPG




http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/10/gippy/gippy51.JPG




More juicy goss and some sweet pics :
http://www.austouring.com/forum/showthread.php?t=3132

[glitch_oz]

September ....
Fall, man!!...not autumn!
That's for the Northern Half of the globe, and that's where we're heading again.


Not Switzerland or Slovenia this time around...

....nor the Route 66 for us...not even the Highways.

But the byways of the Great NorthWest, the National Parks and Natural Reserves and wonders of Southern Oregon and Northern California.

There's also a V-Strom to fix after I tried to skirt the issue for years...the bike's proven a basket case...shunted quickly out the backdoor of various dealers ...for years!

Those 3 weeks would turn out fatefull...and throw a lot of misconceptions out the window.

California, here we come....dusk creeping up the slopes of Mt. Ashland, views into Northern California

http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/10/US/US2010_022.jpg

Giant coastal Redwoods

http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/10/US/US2010_034.jpg


http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/10/US/US2010_061.jpg


http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/10/US/US2010_070.jpg


Mt. Shasta, NorCal, late summer, 4300m/ 14.000+ft, one of the highest peaks of the Cascades.

http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/10/US/US2010_097.jpg



http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/10/US/US2010_105.jpg


Rogue River near Hellgate Canyon


http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/10/US/US2010_114.jpg

Oh man.....
the Bear Camp Rd., a crappy single-laner through the coastal mountains....
the rugged, rock-strewn Oregon Coast...
an old bridge across the Smith River




http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/10/US/US2010_155.jpg


Mt. Hood near the Washington border

http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/10/US/US2010_190.jpg


Stunning Lava fields in the Willamette NP

http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/10/US/US2010_254.jpg


Some stunning local hospitality

http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/10/US/US2010_279.jpg

Heated pear-orchards


http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/10/US/US2010_310.jpg



http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/10/US/US2010_331.jpg



Gobsmacking Crater Lake


http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/10/US/US2010_334a.jpg


Sawyers Bar, Salmon River and BigFoot in the NorCal forests


http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/10/US/US2010_410.jpg



What a ripper of a place....and...what a screamer of a ride
WHOOHOOO!!!


For another bible-sized yarn with a lousy 550 pics, clickety-here
Oh....better get a box of tissues, yer dribbling already !:so

http://www.austouring.com/forum/showthread.php?t=3211

[glitch_oz]

Just back from Oregon, we couldn't let this one slide.

2 Steves (KaptainKaos) and (SteveGT738), Goodie and I...perfect day!



The Loch Valley out of Noojee, cutting through to the Woods Point Rd.

http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/10/10102010/10102010_01.JPG


http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/10/10102010/10102010_19.JPG


http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/10/10102010/10102010_29.JPG


http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/10/10102010/10102010_31.JPG






More....pics near the end of the thread.
http://www.austouring.com/forum/showthread.php?t=3214

[glitch_oz]

The usual Cup-Day weekend fitted perfectly and made a 4-day weekend.
The previous heavy rain had flooded the High Country and the weatherfrog promised more of the same across the whole weekend.

Everyone quit, we got weak-kneed as well...and took the cage.


Still turned out a GREAT weekend!!

Let the pics tell the story.

http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/10/VicHiCountry/vhc2010_003.jpg


Discovered the "other Ensay Pub"

http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/10/VicHiCountry/vhc2010_011.jpg




http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/10/VicHiCountry/vhc2010_016.jpg




http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/10/VicHiCountry/vhc2010_029.jpg




http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/10/VicHiCountry/vhc2010_034.jpg




More pics, some nice stuff
http://www.austouring.com/forum/showthread.php?t=3285

[glitch_oz]

Early December....and Richard (K1W1) has called around for a Sunday at the Trials.

Those guys are UN_BE_LIEVABLE!!


http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/10/OakleighTrials/OakleighTrials_04.jpg




http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/10/OakleighTrials/OakleighTrials_09.jpg






For some brilliant pics here:
http://www.austouring.com/forum/showthread.php?t=3304

[glitch_oz]

More rain and flood damage everywhere in Victoria made us lock up the bikes and grab the cage and walking boots.

Having the use of a ski-lodge at Mt. Buller made it an easy choice.

This one's mainly a pictorial then.

http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/10/Buller/Xmas2010_Buller04.JPG

http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/10/Buller/Xmas2010_Buller10.JPG


http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/10/Buller/Xmas2010_Buller22.JPG


http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/10/Buller/Xmas2010_Buller31.JPG


http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/10/Buller/Xmas2010_Buller44b.JPG



http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/10/Buller/Xmas2010_Buller44i.JPG


http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/10/Buller/Xmas2010_Buller47.JPG




What a pearler of a week to close the year!!


More alpine pics (incl. the whole series of that sunset):
http://www.austouring.com/forum/showthread.php?t=3350

[glitch_oz]

Late February

Another Gippy-Sunday and again Pete (Vtwin) led us through a maze of tiny Gippsland backroads, dirt and tar.

I can't find anything posted, but strangely got the pics sorted and ready to link on the server.

I'll pop a few more in here then.

Pete (Vtwin) and Tracey (canary)....Richard (K1W1) was there as well as Goodie, myself and Bernie (bjay), Steve (stevegt738) and Andrew (Hayesy) made it an all-Strom affair.

Where the hell was Doug?...he hadn't stuffed his back at the time yet, I think...


http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/11/Gippy_Feb/Gippy%20Feb11_005.JPG


http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/11/Gippy_Feb/Gippy%20Feb11_003.JPG


http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/11/Gippy_Feb/Gippy%20Feb11_007.JPG


http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/11/Gippy_Feb/Gippy%20Feb11_012.JPG


ANYTHING for THAT shot! K1W1 getting comfy...

http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/11/Gippy_Feb/Gippy%20Feb11_017.JPG



http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/11/Gippy_Feb/Gippy%20Feb11_019.JPG



http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/11/Gippy_Feb/Gippy%20Feb11_021.JPG

[glitch_oz]

Early March saw the Strommers Annual Bash in Bright.
It turned out a sorry affair as a meet... but the getting-to and getting-from more than made up for things.
A 3-day weekend looked after the time-slot, some great dirt and twisties looked after the entertainment .


Mt. Hotham

http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics//11/Stroms_Bright/StromBright03.JPG


http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics//11/Stroms_Bright/StromBright09.JPG

Pete got adventurous, taking a dip in a creek in Bright....and squirted through the eye of a needle from 10ft away for the next few days.


http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics//11/Stroms_Bright/StromBright17.JPG


Cheers girlz...Mrs. CeeBee13 and Mrs. Hayesy on the right

http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics//11/Stroms_Bright/StromBright20.JPG




More:
http://www.austouring.com/forum/showthread.php?t=3452

[glitch_oz]

Late March, 2 weeks

What a cracker of a time!!

First the meet at Wynyard with a couple of rides together...then roaming the northern half of the Apple Isle for the best of the gravel spiced with the tightest and curliest of the tar.


Caught up with Annette and family, Jim (Iffy) was there to escort us out of Devonport, Rob (Robbieb) and Indie and Tassie Dave from Hobart, another 3 locals....MickG and Chris (5footnothing)...Kenny (Kenlow)...Pete + Tracey...Feff (Chally) and better half from Maryborough in Queensland....Ian from Bingara, northern NSW....the list goes on and on....


Awesome breakfast BBQ's with all the trimmings.

http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/11/Tassie/2011Tas005.jpg

Punctures, busted tyres..... and cracked chains (Andy/ DonQX) on day1..... to cruising the backroads near Interlaken

http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/11/Tassie/2011Tas031.jpg


Some rough and rocky stuff, running into the dark and thunderstorms without a headlight

http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/11/Tassie/2011Tas052.jpg

Lighting fires under someone's bum

http://i379.photobucket.com/albums/oo231/robbieb83/Tassie%202011%20Motorbike%20Tour/DSC_0507.jpg


Beachriding at Musselroe Point and lateron at Strahan...


Mt. William National Park


http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/11/Tassie/2011Tas084.jpg


Rode some lonely roads in the West

http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/11/Tassie/2011Tas133.jpg



http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/11/Tassie/2011Tas155a.jpg



Watched a Steam-loco pushed by hand


http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/11/Tassie/2011Tas127.jpg



Discovered the story behind this one

http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/11/Tassie/2011Tas191.jpg

Carved more twisties


http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/11/Tassie/2011Tas202.jpg



...and finished up in Wynyard again



http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/11/Tassie/2011Tas222.jpg



WOO-BLOODY-HOO!!!
http://www.austouring.com/forum/images/smilies/laola.gifhttp://www.austouring.com/forum/images/smilies/laola.gif




For the whole package of words and pics: :glu:glu


http://www.austouring.com/forum/showthread.php?t=3494

[glitch_oz]

Mid-April

A Sunday out in the Yarra Valley

Going for a spin on the Yarra Valley Railway from Healesville.


http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/11/HvilleBBQ/Hvilleppouri01.JPG

MickG and Chris (5footnothing) came from down the Peninsula for this one... Richard (K1W1), ....Goodie and yours truly...and...and wotshisnameagain? Steve, that's it!!

The guy who bought the brandnew bike, tore it all down and built a "skinny" version before the first 1000k's were on the clock....then took it around Oz!!


http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/11/HvilleBBQ/Hvilleppouri10.JPG


And a bit of a bath before lunch:D


http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/11/HvilleBBQ/Hvilleppouri13.JPG




http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5022/5630405225_19cdc50b33_z.jpg



More:

http://www.austouring.com/forum/showthread.php?t=3443

[glitch_oz]

Can't remember how this one came up...but man, it was a heap of fun...FUN!!

A Sunday in mid-May....followed by a week of muscle-pain that wasn't funny and just stopped short of calling for help when trying to wipe the bum, Jeezaz!

Trent and Cass from Trails Experience in Ballarat turned on a screamer of a show....and heaps were learned!


MickG and Chris (5footnothing) had started the whole thing somehow....Andrew (Haysey), Nev, Rob from Mirboo (a86) and yours truly.

Rob getting the goss from Trent

http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/11/Trials/TrailExp14052011_007.JPG



http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/11/Trials/TrailExp14052011_008.JPG

Andrew

http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/11/Trials/TrailExp14052011_012.JPG


Mick in the front, Chris in the back

http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/11/Trials/TrailExp14052011_018.JPG


Chris


http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/11/Trials/TrailExp14052011_026.JPG




http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/11/Trials/TrailExp14052011_042.JPG

Nev


http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/11/Trials/TrailExp14052011_044.JPG


Here's a bit of a thread...no more pics though.
http://www.austouring.com/forum/showthread.php?t=3526

[glitch_oz]

Mid-July....9 days

Melbourne to Rainbow Beach/ Qld via the backroads.
Then flying home...Fergusson Transport took care of the bikes.

A bit of a sentimental affair, as this was going to be last "Big 'Un" for the WTF1000...."The Dishrack" was waiting to get put on the road and take over.

And it wasn't just bikes...we rode a ferry across the Murray River


http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/11/MelSEQ/MelSeq_009.JPG


Discovered some (new to us) roads

http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/11/MelSEQ/MelSeq_041.JPG


Found a cricket game where nobody had moved for years

http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/11/MelSEQ/MelSeq_057.JPG


Bombed on the Bridle Track, then took the "Scenic Tour"

http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/11/MelSEQ/MelSeq_083.JPG


Rediscovered the Bylong Valley


http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/11/MelSEQ/MelSeq_095.JPG

Ran the Old Grafton Road and along the Clarence River for a while


http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/11/MelSEQ/MelSeq_126.JPG


The Paddys Flat Rd. to the Qld border.... and were enchanted by the Spring Creek Rd.


http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/11/MelSEQ/MelSeq_144.JPG


http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/11/MelSEQ/MelSeq_152.JPG

Met Christo and Brian (bb63)

...and rode the Cooloola Beach from Noosa to Rainbow

http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/11/MelSEQ/MelSeq_168.JPG


What a great ride! :clap::clap:

For the whole yarn in words and another ~200 pictures:
http://www.austouring.com/forum/showthread.php?t=3679

[glitch_oz]

Late August...and spring's early this year.
Just a little pootle not far from home.



Near Glenburn, Toolangi State Park

http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/11/YarraVlySpring/try05.JPG



http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/11/YarraVlySpring/try12.JPG


http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/11/YarraVlySpring/try13.JPG






More here:
http://www.austouring.com/forum/showthread.php?t=3720

[glitch_oz]

September

Jimbo had sweet-talked us into another 3 weeks, this time for more dirt, more out of the way places, brilliant weather, lots of laughs, lots of backroads, some wild'n whacky places and some smooth cruising wrapped in the STUMPING!! ~7000km loop.


As all good things...it started with a BANG.
Of Jimbo's brandnew TKC80 rear hoop, that is.


http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/11/US/US2011_0010b.jpg


We skimmed the South Oregon border through the Klamath Muntains



http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/11/US/US2011_0016.jpg



Trusted some shady characters :-)



http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/11/US/US2011_0033a.jpg


Checked out the "Painted Hills" of the John Day Fossil Beds




http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/11/US/US2011_0053.jpg



Cruised many of the endless South Fork, or was it a North Fork?, roads, this one in the Malheur National Forest


http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/11/US/US2011_0089.jpg


Had the most bizarre overnight stay EVER...at the (now in receivership) BearCat lodge in Seneca


http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/11/US/US2011_0100.jpg


The "Little Dragon" produced tears of joy ...and one HELL of a DR650 v. KLR650 paint-swapper. http://www.austouring.com/forum/images/smilies/icon_doh_.gif


http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/11/US/US2011_0121.jpg


Frequented classy neighbourhoods


http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/11/US/US2011_0134.jpg

Met Wyatt Earp in the tiny hamlet of Ola, loaded 6-shooter in the waitband, Stetson and all.

Folks enjoying Hot Springs at the side of the road


http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/11/US/US2011_0171.jpg


From Idaho, into Montana and quickly through Yellowstone into Wyoming
....ohhh man, LOVE that place!

Jackson Lake, Grand Tetons N.P. in the late afternoon


http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/11/US/US2011_0250.jpg


The backroads into Capitol Reef N.P....bloody speechless, what nature can come up with.


http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/11/US/US2011_0391.jpg



http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/11/US/US2011_0410.jpg


http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/11/US/US2011_0427.jpg


Bryce Canyon

http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/11/US/US2011_0470.jpg


...and the red roads of Zion N.P.


http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/11/US/US2011_0562.jpg


No ride around here without some mystery


http://www.rachel-nevada.com/et_hwy.jpg



http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/11/US/US2011_0579.jpg


Fixed this 'n that

http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/11/US/US2011_0606.jpg



Back into California, Bear Gully and Sonora Pass, Ebbett's Pass....and into the Sierra Nevada proper.


http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/11/US/US2011_0652.jpg



http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/11/US/US2011_0659.jpg



Lost our hearts at Lassen Volcanic Park


http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/11/US/US2011_0693.jpg



Had enough bends??
For a while!! Wore the glove to shreds, bugga!


http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/11/US/US2011_0747.jpg




For another tour-de-force ride report and around 800 pics (oh yeah, it's a blockbuster) :

http://www.austouring.com/forum/showthread.php?t=3787

[glitch_oz]

The forecast sounded crappy for this late November Sunday.

And boy, how well did it turn out in the end??


As always, discovered a few new stretches

http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/11/NovSunday/Nov20_2011_03.JPG


http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/11/NovSunday/Nov20_2011_05.JPG


Doug (dougman1) was there....and Tim (TimC)....Jeremy (aussieflicker)...and Steve (stevegt738)....more?


http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/11/NovSunday/Nov20_2011_12.JPG


http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/11/NovSunday/Nov20_2011_15.JPG


http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/11/NovSunday/Nov20_2011_18.JPG


T'was a bloody good day! :glu



More here:

http://www.austouring.com/forum/showthread.php?t=3826

[glitch_oz]

Yet another "inofficial" Australia Day Long Weekend, late January.

Off into the hills with tents and gear...


Starting off into the Strathbogies

http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/12/AUSday/AUSday2012_004.JPG

The first proper trip for "The Dishrack"


http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/12/AUSday/AUSday2012_016.JPG


Dave (Jafu) came along...Tim (TimC)...Steve and Linda (Stevegt738) for the first day...Michael (Williamson) and Helen joined in with the red ute....Goodie and I.


Dave, knackered after The Paps steep and loose, rocky climb in temperatures around the 40.


http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/12/AUSday/AUSday2012_024.JPG


Rode the byways of Tolmie

http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/12/AUSday/AUSday2012_031.JPG


...went up Mt. Buller...


http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/12/AUSday/AUSday2012_038a.JPG


...had guests at the camp...


http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/12/AUSday/AUSday2012_040.JPG


....checked out the thick redgum slab as counter top at the Tatong Pub, had a long dip at Lake William Hovell.



http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/12/AUSday/AUSday2012_051.JPG



....and watched the blackbellies roll into Swanpool....and out again.


http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/12/AUSday/AUSday2012_055.JPG


Brilliant weekend....with quite a few surprises...and a ton of laughs.



Lots more here:

http://www.austouring.com/forum/showthread.php?t=3899

[glitch_oz]

Early February and the heat had subsided for a few days...

Richard (K1W1) and I went for a short gawk at those guys who can get bikes up sheer roackwalls and across 4 foot logs.

Just a quick run through the backblocks of Kurth Kiln and Gladysdale before we dove into the apple-orchard, onto which the Trials terrain borders.


Those guys are just incredible !!


http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/12/3Bridges/Trials_3Bridges03.JPG

And that includes the kids!!



http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/12/3Bridges/Trials_3Bridges16.JPG



http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/12/3Bridges/Trials_3Bridges17.JPG


...and some of the visitors


http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/12/3Bridges/Trials_3Bridges11.JPG




More pics, at far better quality, here:
http://www.austouring.com/forum/showthread.php?t=3907

[glitch_oz]

Rob (a86) and later Pete (Vtwin) led us along some new roads on another Gippsland Sunday....mid February.

Richard (K1W1)...Goodie...Chris (chriswill) on the GS12...and yours truly met up with Rob (a86) and Pete (Vtwin) in Yarragon.

http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/12/GippyFeb/Gippy_Feb12.01a.JPG


Discovered some beautiful backroads between Yarragon and Mirboo Nth...then lots more from Boolara onto the Grand Ridge and back through.....I don't know...zigzagging our ways without towns or anything but hills, cows and bends, bends, bends.


http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/12/GippyFeb/Gippy_Feb12.13.JPG


http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/12/GippyFeb/Gippy_Feb12.18.JPG



http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/12/GippyFeb/Gippy_Feb12.20.JPG



http://www.austouring.com/forum/images/smilies/laola.gif


All the pics and more:

http://www.austouring.com/forum/showthread.php?t=3929

[glitch_oz]

Late February

It had gathered steam very slowly... and then they came from all around Australia.
What a meet up, what a show....GREAT STUFF!!
Fantastic to see so many new and old faces, see the travel-passion in those glowing eyes, the crowds on the grass of the river banks watching the movies late into the night....this was old-school "Good Time" stuff....BRILLIANT!!

http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/12/BrightFilmFest/BrightFilmFest01.JPG


Even getting there and getting back wasn't shabby...the Sat morning ride a bit of a rush along main roads, but the return trip was fun with a capital F.

Chasing a bunch of roadies up Mt. Hotham and getting them so involved that they wanted to turn onto the Dargo High Plains dirt with us http://www.austouring.com/forum/images/smilies/bs2.gif

Then the re-discovery of a long-forgotten pearler of a road through Gippsland.

Richard (K1W1) was along....and Rowan (Row1) on the Tiger

http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/12/BrightFilmFest/BrightFilmFest02.JPG


One of Richards shots

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7181/6788244154_8f0cd12e37_b.jpg





More:

http://www.austouring.com/forum/showthread.php?t=3943

[glitch_oz]

March
2 weeks....which felt like 2 months. Yes, there was that much packed into it, despite the fairly short distances travelled each day.


What an absolute RIPPER of a trip!

http://www.austouring.com/forum/images/smilies/slobber.gifhttp://www.austouring.com/forum/images/smilies/slobber.gifhttp://www.austouring.com/forum/images/smilies/slobber.gif


Things had taken a while, there was so much to do and dig up. Info wasn't too thick out there and in the end it was a bag of bits which had to be cobbled together into a 2-week ride on the spot and on the fly.


Nev and Jo came along....Tassie-Dave from Hobart...and Rob (RobbieB) from Launceston....Bernard (platypus121) lives on the North Island anyway and had just bought a brandnew, little XT250....having Latte-Dave along was a real boon (and hoon :wink:)....Goodie and myself, of course.

2 stumping weeks, that still get me into instant dreaming the second some NZ image flits past my eyes...it's all back there, right in front of me.

http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/12/NZ/NZ_SI_2012_0244a.JPG


The laughs, the valleys...the mountain ridges and endless water, clear as glass...the dodgy Clarks Junction Pub after the day on the Danseys Pass and the rivetting, boggy High Plains of the Old Dunstan Road.
That pub...and THAT sunrise!!

http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/12/NZ/NZ_SI_2012_0595.JPG



The backroads into Waiau


http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/12/NZ/NZ_SI_2012_0050.JPG

The stunning Port Underwood

http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/12/NZ/NZ_SI_2012_0082.JPG



The "Molesworth"


http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/12/NZ/NZ_SI_2012_0166.JPG


http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/12/NZ/NZ_SI_2012_0172.JPG


The one that wraps it all into one

http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/12/NZ/NZ_SI_2012_0201.JPG


Until the next one comes around and leaves you gobsmacked again!

http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/12/NZ/NZ_SI_2012_0301.JPG

The Maruia Saddle was a gem


http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/12/NZ/NZ_SI_2012_0372.JPG



THe crew got me a new bike

http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/12/NZ/NZ_SI_2012_0404.JPG


Up the McKenzies, the Haka, the Meyers....


http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/12/NZ/NZ_SI_2012_0411.JPG


Big Sky Country

http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/12/NZ/NZ_SI_2012_0446.JPG

The morning at Milford


http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/12/NZ/NZ_SI_2012_0710.JPG


...and nature's most stunning at the Mavora Lakes


http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/12/NZ/NZ_SI_2012_0790.JPG


...and riding past the brumbies into paradise near Walter Peak, to ship the bikes to Queenstown across the lake on the old Lady Earnslow steamer.
Christ, what a superb day!!


http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/12/NZ/NZ_SI_2012_0816.JPG

http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/12/NZ/NZ_SI_2012_0868.JPG


Breathtaking stuff on the way back up north

http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/12/NZ/NZ_SI_2012_0943.JPG


http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/12/NZ/NZ_SI_2012_0977.JPG



Nearly ran "the ton" on the Haldon Rd.


http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/12/NZ/NZ_SI_2012_0998.JPG


Skimmed above the fog of the Canterbury PLains at Mt. Hutt


http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/12/NZ/NZ_SI_2012_1012.JPG


...and yours truly nearly threw it into the Okuku River on the last day.


http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/12/NZ/NZ_SI_2012_1056.JPG


Reckon, we all have one thing in common: we LOVED IT....every bloody second of it!!

http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/12/NZ/NZ_SI_2012_0882.JPG

http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/12/NZ/NZ_SI_2012_0883.JPG


http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/12/NZ/NZ_SI_2012_0884.JPG







All the juicy bits and ALL OF THE ~1600 PICS
TO LEAVE YOU STUMPED!!


http://www.austouring.com/forum/showthread.php?t=3990

[glitch_oz]

Another Bayles meet on the first Sunday in May...


http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/12/Bayles/Bayles_12_01.JPG


http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/12/Bayles/Bayles_12_04.JPG



http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/12/Bayles/Bayles_12_10.JPG


http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/12/Bayles/Bayles_12_24.JPG


Some outstanding shots in this thread:
http://www.austouring.com/forum/showthread.php?t=4039

[glitch_oz]

A late-May Sunday


Michael (Williamson) rocked up...and Steve (stevegt738)...Tim (Sir Francis) with his Tiger...and Doug (dougman1) on the comeback-trail !....Tim (TimC) and Rob (a86)...Pete (Vtwin) and Andrew (Hayesy) both on their DR's now...Goodie for the start until she was "quietly ditched" .....and "The Dishrack".


Damn nippy in the morning, but things cleared up.

http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/12/BogiesMay/BogiesMay03.JPG


http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/12/BogiesMay/BogiesMay04.JPG



http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/12/BogiesMay/BogiesMay09.JPG


http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/12/BogiesMay/BogiesMay10.JPG




The yarns and more pics from everyone

http://www.austouring.com/forum/showthread.php?t=4069

[glitch_oz]

Early June saw this one kicking off, hopefully, a series of local rides, discovering the smallest and narrowest thoroughfares of the local neighbourhood.

Richard (K1W1) and Ian (squizzy) showed up for this one....and Derek(Crustyvarmint) and Michael (Williamson) and Peter on the 650 Dakar (doonap)....another Pete (Vtwin) and Steve (stevegt738) ...and Tim (SF) on the Scrambler....Cam (camstrom) ...and "the Dishrack".

The numbers were certainly a surprise.

Cold and grey turned into a great day.
Rode all day and were never more than 40km from home.
And barely knew half of it :glu

http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/12/Hood_1/June2_2012_01.jpg.JPG


http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/12/Hood_1/June2_2012_07.jpg.JPG


http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/12/Hood_1/June2_2012_11.jpg.JPG



http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/12/Hood_1/June2_2012_20.jpg.JPG



http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/12/Hood_1/June2_2012_23.jpg.JPG





Lots more here:
http://www.austouring.com/forum/showthread.php?t=4082

[glitch_oz]

Only a few weeks after the first 'Hood ride, this late-June ride started off even colder, then also turned into a beautiful day as long as we stayed south of the northern hills.

Tim (SF) on the Scrambler, Steve (stevegt738), Derek (Crustyvarmint) and Tim (TimC), before adding the "Dishrack".

Not a bad start....

http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/12/Hood_2/Hood_2_02.JPG


....through a convoluted maze of backroads, tar and dirt, spectacular views and fantastic scenery under, sometimes, dramatic skies.



http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/12/Hood_2/Hood_2_07.JPG



http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/12/Hood_2/Hood_2_12.JPG


A late lunch on a wind-blown ridge...


http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/12/Hood_2/Hood_2_14.JPG


...before Derek led us astray, sliding down some muddy hills sideways :bs


http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/12/Hood_2/Hood_2_19.JPG


Yeeha!!



More pics and tidbits:

http://www.austouring.com/forum/showthread.php?t=4136

[glitch_oz]

Due to the previous bad weather flood-warnings alore, but also being one bike short for technical reasons, this early-July bash turned into a "recce-drive", scouting for new roads and through-routes for a later-in-the-year ride.

Certainly found enough "new material" for at least one day- ride!

Combined with some other "goodies", there's easily enough exciting stuff in the bag for a weekend, not far from home.



http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/12/recce_drive/recce_001.JPG


http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/12/recce_drive/recce_007.JPG


http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/12/recce_drive/recce_014.JPG


http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/12/recce_drive/recce_023.JPG







More pics and route info:

http://www.austouring.com/forum/showthread.php?t=4121

[glitch_oz]

Late July....
....and what a weekend this turned out to be. An overnighter to Yarram, where "roadies" and "muddies" would merge again to bullshit the night away.

A whopping 20 rocked up for the weekend, pretty much a forum record for a weekend ride.



http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/12/Yarram/Yarram_001.JPG

The bleak skies abscured the views, but it was all hands on deck anyway as the slipping and sliding was pretty intense. To say the least.

Derek showed up on the "Tripod".....there was the Tiger Squad of Matt, Tim, and famous Rog....Big Rod on the GS pairing TimC... and a glitch-in-a-ditch-on-the-ridge, this time the lonely Strom in the pack.

http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/12/Yarram/Yarram_006.JPG


http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/12/Yarram/Yarram_009.JPG




Discovered some brilliant road, doged and weaved to stay on the Grand Ridge and enjoyed the Sunday morning stretch immensely.
We'll certainly run this one again when things are a little drier through Spring/ early summer.



http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/12/Yarram/Yarram_013.JPG


http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/12/Yarram/Yarram_017.JPG


http://www.glitch-oz.com/pics/12/Yarram/GoodieYarram-0002.JPG


Pinching Matt's shot here....he didn't really have to hurry to take the pic.... it was just about impossible to stand up straight, never mind lifting the "The Dishrack" back on its legs. :muahaha:

http://i1257.photobucket.com/albums/ii518/Tiger995/Yarram%20ride%2021-22%20July%202012/DSCN3853.jpg



More here:


http://www.austouring.com/forum/showthread.php?t=4168

[glitch_oz]

And this is it.. caught up with the latest.
The yarns for next week's ride have to wait a few days. :-)

Might see some of the North Islanders in November when we're across for the NI loop.

Cheers'n beers

and thanks to whoever might've looked in and possibly found some bit of interest.

[Quasi]

And again - thanks Pete for sharing. Some awesome inspiring pics. I have thoroughly enjoyed following your adventures!

[glitch_oz]

And again - thanks Pete for sharing. Some awesome inspiring pics. I have thoroughly enjoyed following your adventures!


And thanks for looking in! http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/images/smilies/clap.gif
Guess, that'll be it for a while, gotta get out there and collect material for the next decade worth of pics 'n stories.

See'yas around.

[glitch_oz]

500+ clicks and...one... single response?

Ah well...

Farewell KB

[glitch_oz]

8 months later....nearly 3000 page hits....and still dead-silence?
Folks are right out there, this is one weird-arse forum. :confused::confused:
No surprise nobody's putting up any RR's and are rather frequenting ADV and other groups.
shrug
Not worth posting any more then....