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Thread: Jatz's travels

  1. #571
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    I made it to Pemberton without incident and found my diggs for the night, funnily enough the same place I'd stayed at last time, about 10 yrs ago, I'm still a cheap c#*t It was much the same, still run down
    Grabbed a burger in town ('kin Yumm) and retired to the room. Where I spent the evening cruising websites, making notes on flight numbers and days/dates from all available departures in Oz. I even checked out flights through other countries with arrival dates that might line up.
    Reason being.... there was going to be a MIQ room release the next day. I've been checking the MIQ website almost daily, since the bubble burst, looking for spots but with the pause and everything it was a lost cause, so I wanted to be prepared
    I duly got up next morning at 3:30am, made sure everything was working through the cell, no WiFi in my room. and entered the "lobby" then got my spot in the "Que" #865
    While waiting I was flicking back to a Facebook group and I could see tens of thousands of people behind me.
    Anyhooooo.... I got a shot at getting a spot, consulted my list of options and picked one that suited Flicked over to Air NZ and grabbed a flight and returned to MIQ to finalize it.....
    GODDAM it was tense. You've probably all seen the news items about those who missed out. While the system worked for me, it is definitely broken. It should be so much better considering how long the Government has had to streamline it. It should be sooooo much easier.

    I could go on..... but.....

    I tried to get back to sleep after the event, but was to amped about getting a spot, and full of guilt for taking one from someone else who may have been waiting for months and months for one, or had sick or dying family/relatives.
    The whole process was quite an eye opener, and I think I'm a better person for it.

    Normal programming will resume next post...

  2. #572
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    So with no chance of any shuteye I loaded the bike, dropped of my key and hit the road, briefly. Only a couple of k's out of town is a tree. It's a lookout tree I had noted it last trip but the stars didn't align, so I made sure to visit it this time. It looked a bit sketchy to me



    Steel rods, bashed into the trunk, which you use to get to a viewing platform about 5 miles up . 10 yrs ago I would've made the climb, but on this day I declined
    So I went for a nice elderly walk through the trees



    then rode back to town...



    Where I felt I'd earn't a decent breakfast



    Once again..... 'kin Yummmm
    I didn't get a good vibe from Pemberton last time, but I was warming to the place
    After that I made my way to Augusta. took a couple of back roads and got there in time to score another cheap room. I couldn't be arsed setting up camp. It'd been a long day and I was worn out.
    After a good nights sleep I packed up again and headed down to the light house



    Once again I was to early to get in. so I had another look at the water wheel that pumped water to the light house during construction





    Then I just wobbled my way north. not really stopping for pics. Popped up to Cape Naturaliste. Bustled through Bussleton, only stopping for groceries, gave the pier a miss this trip and headed for a free camp inland at a spot called Glen Mervyn dam





    Wikicamps sortof said NO FIRES !! but someone had left a pile of wood there, so what's a fellah to do....



    Gave me something to do waiting for the moon to come up and it kept any mozzies at bay.
    I slowly packed up next morning. I just felt like lingering there. and made my way north some more, through some small towns and locality's, and made my way to Taopin weir





    I found a spot of ground suitable for a tent and set up. Knowing this would be my last night under nylon for a bit.
    No fire and the mozzies from the dam were relentless so I turned in early.
    Once again I packed up at a leisurely pace and made my way to Perth. Only stopping at York for a brekky burger (NZ really needs to adopt those ) and a call to my Air BnB host to let her know I was on my way...
    The following day was D-day ( D being drop off)
    I found my way to the drop zone, and met the owner of the hire company. Nice guy.
    Now... I never felt like I'd "bonded" with the farm bike, but there was almost a tear as I opened the gate to drop it off. It may be undersprung, under powered, ill fitting and lacking decent brakes and 6th gear but it had carried my fat arse and all my gear for 20k+ k's and never missed a beat, would always start when I pushed the button and had always been a constant over the past 3+ months.
    Would I own one ? Depends.... But probably not.
    Aaaanyhoooo.... Mark from https://www.bikeroundoz.com/ (look them up if you're thinking of heading this way) dropped me at the airport so I could pick up this



    crappy pic, I know so I can hang out till my flight in a few weeks.
    Not sure what I'll do now. I've turned down an irrigation install job already, so I can check out some things I missed.....but who knows??? Might just take that job....



  3. #573
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    Wow, lucky with the miq, real lucky by the sounds.

    Trip near the end but what a trip. Thanks for sharing so we can live vicariously. And no doubt you can skip through in a few months time to rekindle memories.

    Cheers dude.
    Don't you look at my accountant.
    He's the only one I've got.

  4. #574
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    As F5 Dave said, Thanks for taking us along on your trip, vicariously of course.

    Had a short stay in WA a few years ago, mainly to catch up with a friend who now lives in York - it's a pretty wee town. One day, hopefully, will be able to get back and see some more.

    Cheers.

  5. #575
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    7th January 2007 - 18:47
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    Great Adventure Tale......

    Hi Jatz,
    It's been many years since I posted on here but I still lurk and keep up with some of the adventure being had.....
    ( Yes, I still ride and yes, still the trusty Red KLR 650 )
    Pleased to see you've managed a space in MIQ and will soon be winging your way home
    I'm not quite sure what your field of expertise was/is but you mention irrigation work
    A couple of weeks ago we had some extreme winds on the Canterbury Plains and a whole lot of irrigators are currently on their backs awaiting repair ( and parts probably - due to supply issues )
    So there's plenty of work in Canty when you get out of MIQ :-)
    By the way, from someone who's been a fulltime photographer for the last 34 years, I must say, you have some EXCEPTIONAL imagery on your blog, you should look at putting some of it up for stock and perhaps earning a $$ or 2 to fund the next trip
    Look me up upon your return, it's bike riding weather here again.....
    Cheers, Stu
    0274 342 372
    www.photographs.co.nz
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    My KLR thinks it's a Hyundai - running happily at the red-line hour after hour.....

  6. #576
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    Quote Originally Posted by F5 Dave View Post
    Wow, lucky with the miq, real lucky by the sounds.

    Trip near the end but what a trip. Thanks for sharing so we can live vicariously. And no doubt you can skip through in a few months time to rekindle memories.

    Cheers dude.
    Cheers.
    I consider myself very very lucky to have got a spot, ahead of others waaaaay more deserving.
    The whole thing had consumed me for about a week or more before hand, lord knows what people who have been living with it for months go through.
    And yeah... I'll skip back through once the dust has settled

    Quote Originally Posted by Moi View Post
    As F5 Dave said, Thanks for taking us along on your trip, vicariously of course.

    Had a short stay in WA a few years ago, mainly to catch up with a friend who now lives in York - it's a pretty wee town. One day, hopefully, will be able to get back and see some more.

    Cheers.
    No worries Moi. glad you enjoyed it.
    You're right, York is a pretty town, as is much of SW WA. We just blasted through it last time hence the reason I wanted to slow down a bit and savor it this time. Still a couple of things I want to see though

  7. #577
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    Quote Originally Posted by RedKLR650 View Post
    Hi Jatz,
    It's been many years since I posted on here but I still lurk and keep up with some of the adventure being had.....
    ( Yes, I still ride and yes, still the trusty Red KLR 650 )
    Pleased to see you've managed a space in MIQ and will soon be winging your way home
    I'm not quite sure what your field of expertise was/is but you mention irrigation work
    A couple of weeks ago we had some extreme winds on the Canterbury Plains and a whole lot of irrigators are currently on their backs awaiting repair ( and parts probably - due to supply issues )
    So there's plenty of work in Canty when you get out of MIQ :-)
    By the way, from someone who's been a fulltime photographer for the last 34 years, I must say, you have some EXCEPTIONAL imagery on your blog, you should look at putting some of it up for stock and perhaps earning a $$ or 2 to fund the next trip
    Look me up upon your return, it's bike riding weather here again.....
    Cheers, Stu
    0274 342 372
    www.photographs.co.nz
    G'day Stu. Funny who turns up, out of the woodwork...
    Isn't about time you retired that old Kawasaki dinosaur ? Surely a museum would like it for an exhibit
    Re. the center pivots. If they're on dairy farms on the Canterbury Plains, I'm not interested, on principle
    I looked up stock photos after you mentioned it. Seems like a bit of mucking around for not much return. I'll give it a miss. They're public photos, if someone wants to use them, it's fine by me. If they made good coin from doing so I'd hope they'd share.
    Thanks for the compliment re some of the pics, coming from a professional that's quite a compliment

  8. #578
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    Thanks for the pics mate. Where you going next? Haha!
    Only a Rat can win a Rat Race!

  9. #579
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    The photos on this thread look so cool. It seems like everyone is having fun and they get to see great things along the way.

  10. #580
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    Quote Originally Posted by Laava View Post
    Thanks for the pics mate. Where you going next? Haha!
    I've maybe got something lined up. Not fully confirmed yet though. However I've had discussions with Vancouver, and the Strom has been given a run in preparation.... nek year

    Quote Originally Posted by Calix Lee View Post
    The photos on this thread look so cool. It seems like everyone is having fun and they get to see great things along the way.
    Yeah, there's a few bods out and about enjoying life.

  11. #581
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    I've cleared my schedule so I can wrap this up...

    I generally just mooched around Perth for a few days. trying to find things to keep me occupied, and getting a routine going. Checking out some parks... some with wildlife, like Koala bears



    A reptile park, where I had my hands on snake experience. No pic though Lots of snakes and lizards
    This little beggar wouldn't put on a show for me.



    And a Dingo. I sooooo wanted to give him a fuss



    When I was getting the new tyre in Geraldton the guy at the shop recommended a place called New Norcia to check out. I went the other way after I left Geraldton so missed it. It was only a day trip from Perth so I went for a look.
    It is a very cool place. Very tranquil







    The town is a Benedictine community. Wiki link >> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_No...tern_Australia
    worth the drive, and the toasted sammy was pretty good too
    I was getting a mite sick of the city by this stage, so threw some gear in the appliance and took of east, back through York.



    I love these old brick buildings.

    through some other small towns and locality's. I'd seen this little church when I'd been making my way to Perth on the bike, so stopped this time. There is pretty much nothing around it, quite random really



    Past the rabbit proof fence



    Through Corrigin, a town that holds the record for the most dogs in utes. From Google...
    "10 years ago Corrigin WA took the world record of the most dogs in utes from Victoria. Corrigin still holds the record with it's total of 1527 set during the 2002 event." and they don't want you forget...



    I stopped at the Corrigin Dog cemetery. Quite moving. You get a sense of what "mans best friend" means to some people.



    And made my way out to Hyden. Wiki camps wasn't coming up with anything suitable in the area, and trying to find a stealth camp was to much like hard work, so I grabbed a room at the inn, and made my way out to Hyden rock. Also called Wave Rock



    I wandered around on top of the rock for a bit



    There's a reservoir there and they've built these walls along one side to channel the run off into the dam



    I gave Hippo's yawn a miss as it was getting on, so headed back to town and a smorgasboard at the inn. It was not what I expected, the place was punching well above it's weight with the food. and went to bed with a tooo full belly
    Next morning I cruised out to check out the Hippo's yawn, another rock formation



    Then beetled off to have a look at Mulkas cave. There's a bit of an Aboriginal legend about the place. I'll leave yous to take a look If interested



    Then I just noodled my way back to Perth.

  12. #582
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    More muckin about in Perth followed. I tried to get out every day to check something out and go for a wander.
    Cape Peron....





    Out to Hillarys Boat harbour



    I couldn't find a park anywhere so gave the aquarium a miss this trip. I did go back though, quite a cool place



    there is a fish here...



    there was a couple of large groups of excitable primary kids there so you can imagine the noise in a confined space
    I gave the zoo a miss too, much as I would've like to see the new baby giraffes there was long lines to get in and more school groups. God I'm sounding like an intolerant grumpy old goat
    Took a trip north to have a look at the Pinnacles desert... another cool spot





    Here's a random sculpture near where I was stayin. Just thought I'd chuck it in here.



    Once again I was startin to get restless.... I'd missed out on Windy Harbour when on the bike so decided to shoot down for a look. It was worth the drive





    and I finally figured out how to turn off the steering correction thingy that'd been pissing me off . It's quite un nerving when you don't feel in complete control of the wheel and I could only get a maximum of 4 consecutive beeps out of the lane departure warning. Small things, small minds...
    Anyway, it's a harbour, so there was a boat...



    naturally... some water



    and this could be a little challenging after leaving a beach party



    The rain drove me indoors early, so it was a long night.
    But it had stopped by the a.m. so I went to have a look at Point D'Entrecasteaux.





    Some interesting flora



    Then I made my way back to Perth. I had a snout test to undergo and I needed to try and get proof of a jab I'd had compliments of the WA govt. No luck on the proof of vax thing, despite hours on the phone and websites, and visits to a few chemists to see if they could access it. I guess it never happened
    Test done... confirmation received and printed out. then it was just a waiting game... I've never been so nervous before a flight in my life and to top it off a low tyre pressure warning light showed up on the way to the airport, like I wasn't stressed enough.
    All went with out a hitch though. Got into Auck and had the most bizarre entry ever. before getting bussed to my home for the next 2 weeks
    Quite a shock, from this...



    to this....



    Foods good though and I get to walk in circles outside for 1/2 an hour a day

  13. #583
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    Wave a baby in front of the dingo.

    There's usually one about.

    Sorry ma'am, just doing some scientific study.
    Don't you look at my accountant.
    He's the only one I've got.

  14. #584
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    Thank you for the photos and the commentary.

  15. #585
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    Quote Originally Posted by F5 Dave View Post
    Wave a baby in front of the dingo.

    There's usually one about.

    Sorry ma'am, just doing some scientific study.
    LoL... I wasn't going to mention it

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