rolling with the punches
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Day 2 – 2/03/2015
Start – Rest stop 24km south of Biloela Finish – Emerald Distance traveled – 393km Words by - Johnny Bang |
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Planning a trip of this nature is like hitting a moving target. While juggling. On a boat. Drunk.
I knew this and expected this. But honestly didn’t think this first leg – just getting out of Australia – was going to throw us so many curve balls.
After banking a measly handful of KM’s today we stopped to see Dan’s mum in Emerald and logistically, our trip has taken a dramatic turn to the south (literally). I’ll try to summarise the situation as best I can:
Plan A – Boat - Ride to Darwin and load bikes onto a ship to travel to Dili – now cancelled
Plan B - BOAT – as above but the ship now leaves a week later – A good option but too long for Visas
Plan C - PLANE – Ride to Darwin and load bikes into a plane and send as air freight to Denpasar – This would put us on track
Here is the kicker – The bikes actually get transported on road from Darwin to Adelaide, to be put on a plane in there. So the main delay is the bikes waiting for freight from Darwin to Adelaide.
So why not ride straight to Adelaide? Enter option D:
Plan D - PLANE – Ride to Adelaide - The best option?
We’ll give it a crack. Adelaide is about the same distance from Emerald to Darwin (2,200km) - and the flights to meet our bikes are about the same. So just like that – instead of riding to the top, we are riding to the bottom.
In other news - Dan brought too much stuff, and spent the day lightening his load. Shaun doesn’t like riding his Sherpa over 110km/hr (but won’t admit it's slow), and its hot in the desert in leathers at midday.
Things we fixed today include a speedo cable, a loose chain, a front light, a windscreen, an indicator, and replaced some
Also the road has been kind to me – delivering me a timely and free ‘road cushion’ to increase my comfort levels. It made the world of difference on today’s ride.
Here we come Radelaide…
I knew this and expected this. But honestly didn’t think this first leg – just getting out of Australia – was going to throw us so many curve balls.
After banking a measly handful of KM’s today we stopped to see Dan’s mum in Emerald and logistically, our trip has taken a dramatic turn to the south (literally). I’ll try to summarise the situation as best I can:
Plan A – Boat - Ride to Darwin and load bikes onto a ship to travel to Dili – now cancelled
Plan B - BOAT – as above but the ship now leaves a week later – A good option but too long for Visas
Plan C - PLANE – Ride to Darwin and load bikes into a plane and send as air freight to Denpasar – This would put us on track
Here is the kicker – The bikes actually get transported on road from Darwin to Adelaide, to be put on a plane in there. So the main delay is the bikes waiting for freight from Darwin to Adelaide.
So why not ride straight to Adelaide? Enter option D:
Plan D - PLANE – Ride to Adelaide - The best option?
We’ll give it a crack. Adelaide is about the same distance from Emerald to Darwin (2,200km) - and the flights to meet our bikes are about the same. So just like that – instead of riding to the top, we are riding to the bottom.
In other news - Dan brought too much stuff, and spent the day lightening his load. Shaun doesn’t like riding his Sherpa over 110km/hr (but won’t admit it's slow), and its hot in the desert in leathers at midday.
Things we fixed today include a speedo cable, a loose chain, a front light, a windscreen, an indicator, and replaced some
Also the road has been kind to me – delivering me a timely and free ‘road cushion’ to increase my comfort levels. It made the world of difference on today’s ride.
Here we come Radelaide…
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