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The Cormanus Chronicles: The Dolt Report
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Cormanus Offline
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Queensland, Australia
Posts: 20,659
Joined: Dec 2013
Post: #1
The Cormanus Chronicles: The Dolt Report
9 of 2017

Introduction

One of the many reasons I hung around on this forum was because some people seemed to appreciate what started out as modest little ride reports. Of course, they became larger and larger and larger, although I hope they retained their essential modesty. Of course it was purely selfish on my part: there was some need in me to write. But, with something to write about, fuelled by positive feedback, there was no stopping me.

Time goes by, though, and, while the enjoyment both of riding and writing continues, life's circumstances have conspired to leave me with less time for both activities. More than that, though, I've found it a bit hard to get motivated to write about roads traversed and described before. And how many lanyard-cam photos of bits of road does a person want to see?

That's why this report's been a-while coming. It's also why it will be abbreviated as I'm not going to spend too much time talking about roads already ridden a number of times.

The other reason for abbreviation is that the dastardly Pterodactyl scooped many of the interesting bits of the ride.

Which brings me to the title of the report.

Australia, some say, is blessed by the gift of an immigrant reporter, employed by the global empire of the former Australian, now US citizen, Rupert Murdoch. The reporter's name is Andrew Bolt and he hosts a television program called The Bolt Report. Not being a Foxtel subscriber, I have no access to cable TV, can't watch The Bolt Report and make no comment on it. I will say only that Bolt is a darling of the political left, curiously not because they agree with a word he says, but more because they'd lose another whipping boy if he were silenced. As with all successful agents provocateur, Bolt's opponents have failed to realise the wisdom of ignoring him.

Anyway, as Pterodactyl was kind enough to refer to me as a 'dolt' in his essay, the Dolt Report this shall be.

Day 1: 16 October 2017, Brisbane to Walcha (598 kms)


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Link to Day 1 map

The forecast was for rain until late in the day. It was overcast as I left home and I was ready for a quick stop to put on the wets. After the Ride Down Under, when I spent days with boots full of water, I'd bought some new over-boots. I was faced with one of the motorcyclist's dilemmas: do I want it to rain so I can see if my new kit works, or would I rather never know? I now don't remember how long it was before I stopped and put on all my waterproof gear; I do know I was over the border into New South Wales before I got showered on.

That was to be the pattern for the rest of the day: dry patches then showers. I kept my wets on all the way to Walcha where I checked into the local pub for the night.

The waterproof over-boots worked well.

My route for the day took me along the Mt Lindsay Highway over the border; down the Summerland Way to Grafton and then up the glorious Grafton-Armidale Road to the top of the Great Dividing Range. There's a description in this ride report.

Other blokes on their way to the GP and staying at Walcha invited me to join them and we made a reasonable evening of it.
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The CB outside Fusspots Tea House at Ebor, a welcome oasis in an otherwise rather bleak and chilly spot

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A milestone passed somewhere between Ebor and Armidale

There are no other photos. It was too miserable.

Day 2: 17 October 2017, Walcha to Sydney (649 kms)

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Link to Day 2 Map

Although perhaps not in showroom condition, I was up early and on the way. The forecast was better, but it was overcast and I wondered how long it would be before the wets came out again. I recall the mist closing in as I rode down Thunderbolts Way, but I didn't put them on and from Gloucester on the weather got better and better.

I've written often about Thunderbolts Way. There's one report here.

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Just outside Walcha at the start of Day 2

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The flat, quick northern part of Thunderbolts Way with slightly ominous weather to the south

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Heading into the mist

At Gloucester I stopped for fuel and then found a quiet spot where I could haul the bike on to the centre stand and give the chain a good lube. It had been making an occasional clunking noise during the morning and I hoped it was pretty dry from the rain day before. I say 'hoped' because it had actually started clunking on the Ride Down Under-where it got seriously wet and pretty muddy as well-but I'd kept it well lubed and it had been OK in the succeeding months.

I also took the luggage off the bike and put the AirHawk cushion on under my newly acquired sheepskin seat cover which, while a great improvement on the stock seat, was not quite enough for my apparently over-sensitive backside.

After a cup of coffee, it was off to Singleton via Dungog along a road I enjoy more every time I ride it. It's covered briefly in the report linked to above, including telling of an uncomfortable period following a cattle truck.

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Climbing onto the ridge between Gloucester and Singleton

From Singleton, I headed for the Putty Road, a favourite of Sydney motorcyclists. Boring as bat guano when you first join it, it is not too long before you leave the plain and make your way into a long valley. This section-the '10 Mile'-towards the northern end is famed for its twisties. The surface is excellent; so too the scenery. Pterodactyl, Tezza and I rode it on the way South to the Ride Down Under-see here.

I stopped for Lunch at the Grey Gum International Café somewhere south of the 10 Mile.

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A Grey Gum burger for lunch

A bleat: Australians like their bread and in recent decades more and more speciality bakers have appeared offering tasty and interesting bread. So, why do fast food shops continue to install otherwise excellent burgers with equally excellent trimmings in tasteless rolls (buns) made of unhealthy white flour?

Fortified by the burger, I decided it was such a glorious day that I had time to ride the 10 Mile the other way and then make my way down the Wollombi Road to the Old Pacific Highway. The remaining stretch of the Putty Road is a good ride, but the 10 Mile is better and the stretch of the Wollombi Road from Wollombi to Central Mangrove is quick and really enjoyable.

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On the 10 Mile

Leaving the hamlet of Wollombi, the road takes one through a valley and gradually uphill until you come to Lemming Corner, famous as a decreasing-radius corner on which motorcyclists come to grief. Its approaches are set about with dire warnings to slow down. Apparently they're not very effective as people keep falling off there.

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Warnings on the approach to Lemming Corner. It's a relief to get through it without coming off!

The Old Pacific Highway would be a glorious ride if it were not ridiculously speed limited; even so, it's much more enjoyable than the slab and there's a couple of OK cafés where it's good to stop for a late afternoon cup of tea. This time I stopped at the Old Road Café where I made one of those gender-based assumptions of which modern man should be ashamed. There was a middle-aged bloke in a well-worn leather jacket and an attractive young woman in smart black leathers sitting at a table chatting and drinking tea. A beautiful red Firebird and an older smaller bike were clearly theirs and I made the assumption that the older bloke was taking the younger woman out for some practice. When the woman got on the Firebird, I realised the error of my assumption.

From there I rode a little further before joining the slab for the run into Sydney where I spent an agreeable evening with my son and his fiancée.

Day 3: 18 October 2017, Sydney to Moss Vale (234 kms)

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Link to Day 3 Map

After breakfast with my son, I set off across Sydney for a cup of coffee with Pterodactyl. We hatched a plan for the following day and tightened and lubed my chain in the hope that it would cure the noise it was making.

I then set out for the very pretty Royal National Park. For all that it's heavily speed limited and over trafficked, it's a great ride and, on a good day, deposits you pretty much on Stanwell Tops.
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Views of the Royal National Park. I followed the bloke on the cruiser all the way through as there are very few places to pass and, anyway, there's little point. I had occasion to reflect, not for the first time, that, from the rear, the riders of that style of bike look more than a little odd.

I stopped at Stanwell Tops for lunch. Last time I was there-on the Ride Down Under with Pterodactyl and Inhouse Bob-it was a hideous day- (see Pterodactyl's report).
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This is part of the view Inhouse Bob would have seen if the weather hadn't been quite so vile on the day we passed through

I then followed the route Pterodactyl was to take the next day, although my ascent of the Macquarie Pass was completely the opposite of his as there'd been accident.
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The approach to Macquarie Pass

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But it was a slow ascent

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I had time to kill so I treated myself to a sneak preview of Kangaroo Valley

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The bridge at Kangaroo Valley

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The Great Dividing Range from Kangaroo Valley

I had a hilarious night with my relatives in Moss Vale during which I uncovered this remarkable piece of research.
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Day 4: 19 October 2017, Moss Vale to Braidwood (356 kms)
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Link to Day 4 map

Feeling slightly second hand, I left the relatives early-ish in the morning and treated myself to another ride down Kangaroo Valley and then via a beautiful road to Berry. It was not in spectacular condition, but, hey, it was lovely.

After a healthy romp back up the escarpment via the beautiful Jamberoo road, I met Pterodactyl at the Robertson Pie Shop.

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On the road between Kangaroo Valley and Berry

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it was a glorious day! On the slab heading north to meet Pterodactyl

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Heading up the Jamberoo road to the Robertson Pie Shop

From this point, things get a bit complicated from a narrative point of view as the Pterodactyl scoop covers the ensuing events.
(This post was last modified: 01-24-2018 01:43 AM by Cormanus.)
01-24-2018 01:11 AM
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use2b Offline
High Mileage

Perdido Key Florida
Posts: 1,040
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RE: The Cormanus Chronicles: The Dolt Report
Cormanus i so much enjoy your post but most of all the photo's as i almost got to see these things in my life time and still dream of a vacation which i very much can afford.

Australia is the one Nation I most wanted to see and sailed to the coast as i told you before but was not allowed in. I never told you why but we were having riots on board the US Navy Ship at the time and Australia wanted nothing to do with us. the " rioters " took over the chow hall and all food supplies leaving the ship to starve.
I was a young US Marine Sgt and ordered to retake the chow hall. the way we went about it was we cut off the air supply and induced tear gas which caused the " rioters " to open the water tight hatch and we did not hit below the shoulders with the steel butt plates of our M16's while retaking control of the ship with maximum force. causing significant casualties !!!!!!!!!!

hope this is not TMI but i really wanted to visit Australia and feel robbed i came so close

The best part about growing up in Florida is i didn't have to move here when i got old.
former owner of the baddest 2013 CB1100 ever ;] now a plush ride -2014 Goldwing Valkyrie GL1800C
01-24-2018 01:43 AM
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Cormanus Offline
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Queensland, Australia
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RE: The Cormanus Chronicles: The Dolt Report
use2be, thanks for the kind words. At least your exclusion was nothing personal, so you'd be welcome here any time. Talk to Inhouse Bob about the joys of riding in Australia. Or maybe wait for the next instalment of this post when there'll be a reference to Bob's experience.

The solution I've hit on is to quote the ride report section of Pterodactyl's earlier post in full, except that I'll break it into sections so I can insert maps and photos in vaguely relevant places. Quoting it will allow those of you who've read it to skip over it; alternatively, it can stand another read.

(12-07-2017 04:23 AM)Pterodactyl Wrote:  The Very Abbreviated Seat Time Bit

Earlier in the year Cormanus and I hatched a plan to ride to the Australian MotoGP and then, after the GP, take the car ferry to Tasmania and spend a week riding the great motorcycle roads the Island State has to offer. Cormanus also had some family business to attend to while there. I won't attempt to describe in detail the trip but I will say, without hesitation, if you ever intend to take a motorcycle tour of Tasmania, and you surely should, then for a guide choose Cormanus. In the week we were there we got around most of Tasmania, rode the best roads and had a great time. Thanks Mate. Recommended.

However, back to the MotoGP ride. I met Cormanus, who had bypassed Sydney on his ride down from Brisbane, at the Robertson Pie Shop, about 100kms to the south-west of Sydney. After a pie and a coffee we rode through Kangaroo Valley to Nowra and then on to the Braidwood Hotel for the night. Over a few refreshing beers, a little red wine, and some good pub grub we pondered the next day ride options and decided we would take a generally coastal route to Phillip Island. We planned to deviate from the coast road to ride a couple of the roads that link the coast to the mountains and plateaus of the Great Dividing Range. All these are lightly trafficked, lightly monitored by the law (not that we would ever break any laws) and very heavily twisted.

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Back down Kangaroo Valley for the third time in two days. What could be better?

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Approaching Braidwood. Pterodactyl sporting new riding kit and freshly painted side covers

Day 5: 20 October 2017, Braidwood to Cann River (531 kms)

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Link to Day 5 Map

(12-07-2017 04:23 AM)Pterodactyl Wrote:  We left Braidwood next morning to effect the "plan". The weather was overcast and cool. As we proceeded eastward and came to the downhill run to the coast the overcast lowered. During the next hour we experienced, in my opinion at least, one of those rides that are memorable for their nightmare qualities; up there with thunderstorm rides, heavy rain rides or falling over on dirt kind of rides. The problem? Just fog, that's all. But dense fog, a thick pea soup that reduces visibility to around 30 meters at best and makes everything, including the road, very, very, wet. The kind of, well, let's say, cussed stuff that makes a mat of small beads that cling to the visor like pooh to a blanket and will not be removed except by a glove wipe, and then only for a millisecond. The kind of stuff that produces internal fogging of the visor that needs one to crack the same to clear but also lets cold, moisture laden air into the helmet. All this on a downhill section of twisties that, on a good day, would be motorcycle Nirvana but on this day was replete with hard-driven, tail-gating, windscreen wipered and air-conditioned four wheel drives that seemed intent on terrifying two CB riders relying on engine braking alone to negotiate corners that would give no indication of what, or who, was more than a few meters ahead. Couldn't slow down (who wants to be rear ended), couldn't speed up (poor adhesion and can't see) and with no shoulder to stop and get some respite, forty minutes of this felt like an eternity. At one stage, on a nasty bend, I thought Cormanus was going to over-run me and then he slid back and disappeared from view for the next twenty minutes until I could find a place to safely stop and wait. Later, on comparing notes with Cormanus, I believe that I had it a little better than him as my helmet is equipped with a Pinlock Visor System that gave some measure of relief from internal fogging. Recommended.

Down on the coastal strip the weather cleared and all was good. Our spirits soared and our hearts were filled with joy as we rolled the throttles on. In the nature of motorcyclists our travails were quickly forgotten, at least for the moment. We also managed to howl past those who had given us such a hard time coming down the mountain. Revenge is sweet, even if only imagined.

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After the ghastly descent from Braidwood, it turned into a pretty decent sort of day

Day 6: 21 October 2017, Cann River to Fish Creek (388 kms)
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Link to Day 6 Map

(12-07-2017 04:23 AM)Pterodactyl Wrote:  After spending the night at Cann River, and doing some pondering in a similar manner to the previous night we headed for the Fish Creek Hotel, which at about 60kms from Phillip Island, was to be our base for the weekend (no camping for us this year). This would normally entail riding a particularly boring piece of the Princess Highway between Bairnsdale and Sale, about 100kms of straight, heavily policed road that despite the amount of revenue raised along its length still seems to produce some notable accident statistics. The main cause is almost certainly sheer boredom leading to inattention. However, some years ago, our good friend and forum member, Noroomtomove, had pointed us in the direction of a pleasant country road that bypasses this piece of highway and, in his honour, Cormanus and I now refer to this road as the "Eijnar Highway". Previously Mr and Mrs Noroomtomove had invited us to lunch with them and so around midday we pulled into their property in a rural setting, which, curiously enough, has plenty of room to move. It was good to be welcomed by the Noroomtomoves (and again many thanks to them). After a great lunch of excellent sandwiches and many cups of tea to wash down the chatter we set out for Fish Creek. We were disappointed that due to family commitments Noroomtomove was not able to accompany us to the GP as he has done in the past. His white CB was in the garage and looking good.

The Fish Creek Hotel - sometimes called "The Fishy"
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Day 7: 22 October 2017, Fish Creek to Phillip Island and back (181 kms)

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Link to Day 7 Map

(12-07-2017 04:23 AM)Pterodactyl Wrote:  Those who are interested would have seen what transpired at the Australian MotoGP as Marquez continued his march to another World Championship while the Moto3 World Champion, Mir, cemented his place in motorcycle history so I will leave that alone. While at the track I met up with a group of friends that I have accompanied on rides to previous GPs. Cormanus and I joined them and we watched the race from turn 6 (Siberia). Younger, and mostly much more adept and faster riders than I, they are a great group of blokes and have always made me feel welcome both on the ride and camping with them. I had developed a friendship with one of the lads' father, a lifelong and very keen motorcyclist. I was saddened to learn that earlier in the year he had developed a cancer and, perhaps mercifully, quickly passed away. After the race and the crowd had dispersed Cormanus and I joined them as we scattered his ashes on the grass inside of turn 3. A few words were spoken and a beer or two consumed. Dusk had fallen and we were in prime skippy time for the last of the run back to Fish Creek. Fortunately none were sighted.

There are some MotoGP photos here.
(This post was last modified: 01-24-2018 02:42 AM by Cormanus.)
01-24-2018 01:54 AM
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Cormanus Offline
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RE: The Cormanus Chronicles: The Dolt Report
Day 8: 23 October 2017, Fish Creek to Melbourne (212 kms)

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Link to Day 8 Map

(12-07-2017 04:23 AM)Pterodactyl Wrote:  On the Monday evening, we pulled up in Melbourne Docklands to board The Spirit of Tasmania. We had some time to spare as Cormanus had arranged for us to meet with another forum member, Aussieflyer, at the Station Pier. We heard him before we saw him. Not overloud, but a very distinctive, and some would say perfect, note from the exhausts. And the bike? Well, a real tribute to Aussieflyer's imagination, workmanship and attention to detail. A true café racer and in absolutely concourse condition. In a word, superb. And his mate Mick's Suzuki was not bad either. I don't have photos but am hoping Cormanus will bulk up this thread with photos and comments, or even give us another chapter of the Cormanus Chronicles to help me out.

Not a bad opportunity again to show AussieFlyer's bike and say thanks again for the fish and chips!
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And Mick's Suzuki.
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Day 9: 24 October 2017, Devonport to Strahan (457 kms)

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Link to Day 9 Map

(12-07-2017 04:23 AM)Pterodactyl Wrote:  Next morning, leaving the Spirit, we started our Tasmania ride. On day one we explored Cradle Mountain, rode to Burnie on the north coast and then down the west coast to Strahan. The west coast is exposed to the frequent low pressure systems that march unhindered from the Antarctic across and up from the Southern Ocean. West coast weather conditions can often and for long periods be very motorcycle unfriendly. Heavy rain, snow and ice are common all year round. Average rainfall is about 80ins a year, producing a wilderness area noted for its isolation, rainforests, wild rivers and lakes. But we struck it lucky. The weather was cool and generally fine making great riding conditions to match some really good roads.

Cradle Mountain, summer but still with some snow and ice
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Cormanus atop the same
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Strahan at dusk
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A couple of things about Day 9. This is the third time I've ridden the CB1100 to Tasmania and each time I've intended to ride the west coast but the weather has always been appalling. This time, although we had a couple of showers to contend with, it mostly fine and beautiful. It's a great place to ride.

Secondly, for those following the map, after leaving Cradle Mountain, we visited Waratah and then rode anti-clockwise (or counter-clockwise in American) around the loop to the north. That was purely for the benefit of riding south through the Hellyer Gorge.

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Wildflower at Dove Lake, Cradle Mountain

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Australians seem to have a fascination with 'big things'. I've talked about this before. This blow-up treasure is the Big Thylacine on the awning of the Waratah Roadhouse. It differs from other big things by not being made of fibreglass or concrete or something more enduring. The thylacine, or Tasmanian Tiger is almost certainly extinct. The last one died in the Hobart zoo in 1936 or thereabouts, but there are those who keep searching for it and those who swear black and blue that it still lurks in the forests of the west coast of Tasmania. But then so does the Yeti.

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The Waratah Roadhouse also sported this sign on the door of the loo. I include it because I like and because it seems to me to pose one of those mildly philosophical questions that amuse members of this forum in the winter months. I look forward to views on the question in due course.

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Roads on the west coast contain a fair bit of quartz

Day 10: 25 October 2017, Strahan to Hobart (328 kms)
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Link to Day 10 Map

(12-07-2017 04:23 AM)Pterodactyl Wrote:  After a night at Strahan (pronounced "Strawn") we rode on to Hobart. On the way we passed Derwent Bridge where, thirty years ago, I introduced Darling to the joys of bushwalking in the Tasmanian wilderness. We had three glorious days of trekking, trout fishing and camping around Lake Petrach. Steep terrain, flats covered with difficult to traverse button grass, constant rain, some sleet, mud and midges with the odd snake sighting. Oh, I nearly forgot the leeches. I loved it. Since then Darling has held fast to: "Spending the night under the stars is fine. It just has to be five stars". Hasn't stopped me though.

What a glorious day it was for a ride across a road that can be wet, snow covered, slippery and in every way treacherous. My camera seized up shortly after leaving Queenstown so there are no photos of the prettiest section of road between there and Lake St Clair.

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Another Big Thing: Tuts the Wooden Kangaroo at Strahan

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The road up the hill out of the old mining town of Queenstown is known locally as 'the thousand bends'. It's good fun, but requires you to keep your wits about you as there's no telling at all what will be around the next corner

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At a look out on the thousand bends

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Having reached the top of the thousand bends, the road takes you down through the largely abandoned town of Gormanston and on to a fast road around the side of Lake Burbury. After that, it's a feast of winding Tasmanian road and spectacular scenery until you reach Lake St Clair

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Lake St Clair
(This post was last modified: 01-24-2018 03:11 AM by Cormanus.)
01-24-2018 03:05 AM
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use2b Offline
High Mileage

Perdido Key Florida
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RE: The Cormanus Chronicles: The Dolt Report
the views are incredible and that one looks like deals gap on pillions
AussieFlyer's bike looks amazing but the first thing I notice is that huge silver engine on a light looking frame.
would love to be there so much it makes me want to break something


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The best part about growing up in Florida is i didn't have to move here when i got old.
former owner of the baddest 2013 CB1100 ever ;] now a plush ride -2014 Goldwing Valkyrie GL1800C
01-24-2018 03:31 AM
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Rocky Offline
Been There

Nova Scotia, Canada
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RE: The Cormanus Chronicles: The Dolt Report
Wow, another excellent ride report with great pictures and entertaining narrative. I love reading your reports. Fantastic stuff Thumbs Up Thumbs Up

Still rockin', rollin', and ridin' after all these years
'67 BSA 441 VR, '70 Triumph Tiger 100, '02 Honda CB900F, '06 Triumph T100 Bonneville, '14 Honda CB1100A
01-24-2018 04:07 AM
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peterbaron Online
Lives On Two Wheels

ON, Canada
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RE: The Cormanus Chronicles: The Dolt Report
EXCELLENT read, report and pics...no wonder we have one of our moderators from AustraliaThumbs Up.
For sure I'll bring back to Canada a mini kangarooTongue
Well done Cormanus,
Worship

pb

"Drop a gear and disappear"®
'14 CB1100 DLX-#170 ® 26K kms (FOX - pleasure horse)
'14 CB1100/ABS ® 113K kms (MYSHOL - white draft horse)
'13 CB1100/c-ABS - 56K kms - sold
*Grand Chancellor*
(This post was last modified: 01-24-2018 04:34 AM by peterbaron.)
01-24-2018 04:32 AM
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Cormanus Offline
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RE: The Cormanus Chronicles: The Dolt Report
Days 11-13: 26-28 October 2017, Hobart and environs

(12-07-2017 04:23 AM)Pterodactyl Wrote:  There followed three days of great day rides out from Hobart. A day with Cormanus and his mate Richard and wife (on a very nice BMW) to Port Arthur; a day by myself (Cormanus doing family duty) riding to the top of Mt Wellington and then to the south west of Hobart and, finally, a day ride with Cormanus where he showed me a couple of very scenic and motorcycle challenging roads that I had missed the previous day. All very, very, good stuff.

Cormanus and BMW K1200 riding friends
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Hobart from Mt Wellington
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Day 11: 26 October 2017, Hobart to Tasman Peninsula and return (216 kms)
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Link to map Day 11

Back when I was in my late teens my father, who was not a rich man, used a modest inheritance to buy a 36 foot Huon Pine motor-sailer. The family had some fantastic times on this boat. In 1974 I recall going away with my father, a mate of his and a mate of mine. After dinner we were chewing the fat and my father and his mate were talking about the nascent Tasmanian wine industry and predicting great things for it. Broadly speaking, 40 years later those things have come to pass. My father, an enthusiastic consumer of Scotch whiskey, was also fond of saying that very good whiskey could be made in Tasmania, largely due to the quality of the water. As it turns out, that has also come to pass and, in around 2014, a Tasmanian whiskey won a prestigious award for the world's best single malt.

On the ferry between the mainland and Tasmania, Pterodactyl and I met a man called William McHenry who went to Tasmania not so long ago to join the whiskey producers. He continues to work at that. However, realising that good whiskey takes a good few years to mature, he decided to dabble in gin as a way of earning a quid while the whiskey developed and is now producing some very fine gin in Tasmania, including one for Australia's Parliament House in Canberra. Pterodactyl and I sampled a couple on the ferry, both of which were excellent. Later I was to try a McHenry's sloe gin which was also very good.

I tell you all this because Mr McHenry's distillery is on the Tasman Peninsula and it turned out he is also a motorcyclist. He told us we should reverse the way I planned to ride around the peninsula from anti-clockwise to clockwise so as to be stunned by the magnificent view back to Hobart as we descended the hill into Premaydena. He was right. And we rode past his distillery.

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One of the treats of riding to the Tasman Peninsula in warmer weather is that the Cubed Coffee Caravan is open for business. Offering really good coffee and exquisite sweet things, there is also a spectacular view of Pirates Bay and the eastern side of the peninsula.

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Everywhere we went in Tasmania we saw old Triumph sports cars

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McHenry's Marvellous Medicine

Day 12: 27 October 2017, Pterodactyl's solo ride (153 kms)

I sat this one out. The persistent noise in my chain was a worry and I'd rung the Honda dealer in Hobart to order a new chain and sprockets in the event that was the problem. It was and they were replaced in the morning. I spent the rest of the day attending to some family business while Pterodactyl went riding. I'm pretty sure the map below represents his route.

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Link to Map of Day 12

We met up late in the afternoon and decided to take a walk to Hobart's historic Salamanca Place where, amongst the Friday evening after-work revellers, we found a beer or two and something passable to eat. Blowed if I can remember where or what we ate now.

On the walk home we passed an interesting looking bar and stepped inside to take a look. It specialised in spirits, particularly Tasmanian produced spirits. Liquor, I think it would be called in North America. Anyway, after meeting William McHenry we felt we should sample one or two. This was where I drank the McHenry Sloe Gin as well as the Sullivan's Cove Single Malt that won the world prize. It was very good indeed.

There may have been a cleansing ale consumed at the hotel before bed.

Day 13: 28 October 2017, A reprise of Pterodactyl's solo ride (163 kms)
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Given the dilapidated state of the two pathetic old men who sat beside Sandy Bay Road eating greasy food late on Saturday morning, it is slightly surprising this ride occurred at all.

We went anti-clockwise around the route to point G, then E, F and then Back over the mountain giving spectacular views south. The back to Hobart via Cygnet.

We might even have made it back to the pub to see some of the final qualifying races for the Sepang MotoGP on the TV.

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The nineteenth century shot tower at Taroona, still one of Tasmania's tallest buildings. It's a hideous climb to the top.

Posting this photo made me look to the history of this building. See here[/u for detail. I was interested to learn that the details of the process were a Big Secret. So this excerpt from the web page was of interest:

Quote:Moir's process was probably as follows:
  • Lead was prepared in a furnace at the south-eastern corner of the property. Moir added 900g of arsenic (to decrease surface tension) and 6.35kg of antimony (to harden the shot) to every 45.35 kg of lead.
  • The resultant 'poisoned lead' was cast into 7.7 kg ingots, conveyed to the factory, then remelted in cauldrons on the upper level of the factory for small shot and the top of the tower for larger shot. Firewood had to be winched to the upper cauldron. The molten lead was then poured through colanders, forming droplets which became spherical as they dropped. They fell into a tub of water at the base of the tower. The size of the shot depended on the amount of arsenic, the size of the holes in the colander and the height of the fall. Watts' patent stipulated that large sized shot required a fall of 45.75m (150 feet), hence the height of Moir's shot tower at 48m with the colander 46.36m above the base.
  • The lead cooled partly while falling, then completely in the water. The antinomy hardener ensured that it maintained shape under the impact of the water.
  • The cooled shot, green in colour, was winched to the factory's upper floor where it was dried and run over inclined glass planes to separate out defective shot (which did not roll true). Imperfect shot was remelted and the process repeated.
  • The shot was polished in a revolving drum (likened to a farmer's barrel churn) using plumbago (graphite) then lowered through a trapdoor to the ground floor where it passed through ten sieves for grading into sizes ranging from fine birdshot to large balls. The graded shot was bagged into 12.7kg (28lb) handsewn linen bags stencilled with the manufacturer's name and sent to market. At its peak the factory produced 100 tons of shot per annum.
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Looking south from the top of the hill between Woodbridge and Cygnet

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On the road around Mt Wellington

Day 14: 29 October 2017, Hobart to St Helens (339 kms)

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[u]

(12-07-2017 04:23 AM)Pterodactyl Wrote:  Leaving Hobart we rode up the east coast. Most of the moisture pushed onto Tasmania's west coast remains there making the east coast a different country. Scenic but dryer and more akin to the east coast of the mainland. We had a good run up to St Helens for the night. Highlight of the ride was some "spirited" riding amongst a group of bikes on the Lake Leake Rd up to Campbelltown (some twisties and brilliant sweepers). While in Hobart, Cormanus had a dealer change his CB's chain and sprockets and the chain needed some adjustment by St Helens, probably from piling on the torque on the Lake Leake Rd.

I can't remember why, but I took not a single photo this day.

We arrived in St Helens in time to check into our room, buy a 6-pack of beer and watch the Sepang MotoGP live on the TV. I forget what happened now, but it was exciting and we drank all the beer.

Day 15: 30 October 2017, St Helens to Devonport (288 kms)
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Link to Day 15 map

(12-07-2017 04:23 AM)Pterodactyl Wrote:  Next morning we did find a motorcycle workshop on the outskirts of St Helens, East Coast Motorcycles. As we rolled into the driveway I couldn't help but be reminded of Billy Bob Thornton's workshop in the movie U Turn, a 1997 neo-western neo-noir crime thriller film directed by Oliver Stone. But, in fact, the truth couldn't have been further from that. This bloke knew as much about motorcycles, and maybe more, as anyone I've known. Racing bikes to home made rat bikes, all there. And all showed the signs of someone who knew what they were doing. Cormanus' chain was adjusted very smartly and in the true Aussie tradition of helping out a bloke on the road, no charge, with the laconic "She'll be right, mate". Highly Recommended.

There were showers in the morning so I left the camera packed away for the day, although I managed a couple of shots with the phone camera.
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Pterodactyl in Beaconsfield getting ready for the final leg to the ferry

The bikes were a bit grotty from days of riding and a few wet roads. However, they were completely messed up by some roadworks just before as we got to Devonport. They were filthy beyond belief; even ride4now's wildest fantasy couldn't approach the level of grot on these bikes. The surface being repaired was wet and slippery and we were lucky to have ridden through it without falling off. To say made a complete mess of the bikes is an understatement. I mean … even I thought they were dirty!

In light of a recent thread about dirty bikes, my failure to get pictures of the bikes before the wash is a fail of epic proportions.

We had time to spare before boarding the ferry and a Google search threw up a car wash place around the corner. Turned out the bloke was a detailer who gave the bikes a quick going over with anonymous bottles of wonder gunge. My rims have not been that clean since I bought the bike! They still look OK.
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Clean bikes


Day 16: 31 October 2017, Melbourne to Mt Beauty (478 kms)

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Link to Day 16 map

(12-07-2017 04:23 AM)Pterodactyl Wrote:  That evening we boarded the Spirit at Devonport and next morning arrived in Melbourne. The weather had turned to wet and cool, cold in the mountains. We rode northward from Melbourne over some interesting roads in the Healesville to Marysville area. Mind you, in the dry they would have been a whole lot more interesting. The area itself is heavily forested so wet bark and leaf litter made for a cautious but enjoyable ride. Reaching Marysville we then skirted the Snowy Mountains region and rode to Mt Beauty for the night. Once again, we did some serious pondering regarding the next day's ride.

Marysville Tavern (Victoria), Rhododendrons, CBs and
Cormanus
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There's two other things to say: first, thanks, AussieFlyer, for the recommendation about the Reefton Spur road. It was spectacular, although rain and leaf and tree litter necessitated careful progress. Peversely, that was a bonus as hurtling through there would have meant missing the scenery.

Secondly, I do not recall an earlier night on the trip.

Day 17: 1 November 2017, Mt Beauty to Boorowa (571 kms)

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Link to Day 17 map


(12-07-2017 04:23 AM)Pterodactyl Wrote:  Leaving Bright* we headed north west to Ebden on the banks of the Hume Reservoir, formed in 1936 by the damming of the mighty Murray River. After some good seasons (thanks Bob, you helped) it was brimming and surrounded by lush green countryside. After breakfast at Ebden and a short stop at the dam itself, we rode the delightful Murray River Road^, well described by Cormanus in previous Seat Time threads.

Hume Dam, Victoria
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Our initial plan was to ride to Corryong then, due to the uncertain weather, skirt the Snowy Mountains and head north towards Sydney. While having lunch in Corryong both Cormanus and I kept casting glances to the east towards the Snowy Mountains and tried to convince ourselves that the weather over the mountains was improving. Surely it was. Wasn't it? Surely that cloud looks as though it is lifting. Doesn't it? Well, to quote young Oscar, "The only way to get rid of temptation is to yield to it." So we did. Thirty minutes later we were blasting up Swampy Plains Road climbing into the Jagungal Wilderness. The clouds had indeed parted and the road surface was dry. Talk about Twist and Shout. This was serious fun. Concentrating on the road ahead took the mind away from the cold and we were elated when we stopped at Cabramurra, Australia's highest town, for a self serve refuel and a little sight seeing from a nearby lookout. Another hour on we had descended to Gundagai and were headed for the Boorowa Hotel where Mike, the Kiwi Irish publican, helped us wash the dust from our throats. Several times. Later we played darts with Mick and a couple of friendly locals. The rules of the game I never did comprehend but apparently everyone has a chance until the last few throws, I think. I slept well.

Boorowa - from the hotel verandah
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* It was actually Mt Beauty. But who cares?
^ Nope. I've only ever ridden a bit of it before. But, again, who cares?


There are days when the riding is special. This was one of them. It just got better and better and better. And the stretch of fast sweeping corners from Jugiong to Harden was sublime.
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En route to Ebden

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Lake Hume at Ebden

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Bridge across the Murray River leading to that road
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Murray River Road

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That's the snowy mountains to the left of Pterodactyl. If you blow up the picture, you can see touches of snow

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Approaching Boorowa

This last photo is for Inhouse Bob. We took him to Boorowa. On this section of the road you could barely see the headlight bucket in front of you it was raining so hard. This is what it should have looked like, Bob.

Day 18: 2 November 2017, Boorowa to Denman (532 kms)

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Link to Day 18 map

(12-07-2017 04:23 AM)Pterodactyl Wrote:  Well, good readers, if you have stuck with me to here I thank you. But all good things must come to an end. We rode out of Boorowa through Crookwell and the Abercrombie Gorge, all good riding, to the Tarana Hotel. After a killer burger for lunch, it was time for Cormanus and I to go our separate ways. For Cormanus another 1000kms to Brisbane and home; for me a mere 180kms to home for a total of about 5150kms for the ride.

It is always a privilege to ride with Cormanus and I have to thank this forum for introducing us. We have ridden many tens of thousands of kilometres together since June 2014 and I do hope that we have a few more rides left in us. Just in case you think I am being too kind to him, remember he was the dolt who accidentally deleted my Milestone thread and then replaced it with his own. I have therefore, by Pterodactylian decree, declared his Milestone thread unauthorised, even provocative. I have taken offence and thus sought a safe space in the General Discussion section for my Milestone post.

That just might be the end of a once beautiful friendship. We'll see. 'Dolt' indeed!



From Tarago I rode north through Bathurst and Sofala and found my way on to the Bylong Valley Road. Last time I rode it was north-south with Pterodactyl a year or so ago and it pelted with rain all the way down. This was the other way and the weather was glorious and hot.

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Some Bylong Valley scenes

I spent the night at the Denman pub which is nothing to get excited about, in spite of the good-looking beer and the sunset in the photograph below. I booked a room and headed upstairs to find a room with no windows (what do you want when it's cheap) facing onto a foyer with a TV set and tea and coffee making facilities. I had a welcome shower and went downstairs for dinner.
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The beer and the sunset may well have been the best thing about the Denman pub

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I really didn't need the chips with this very average lasagne

Eventually I decided to retire upstairs to find four or five blokes watching the television. A couple of them were slightly dull of eye and I wondered how long I'd have to endure the television before they went to bed. Noise cancelling ear buds helped until they eventually turned it off and went to bed.

I was asleep when the fire alarm went off. It was one of those old, mechanical things about 6-8 inches in diameter with a clapper that beats the stuffing out of the bell itself. Of course it was mounted high on the wall above my door.

Eventually the fire people turned up: huge young men fully suited and quite daunting in appearance. One of them knocked on my door. When I opened it, he mumbled something about checking detectors and then wandered off again to talk to the fellow in the room opposite who had, it appeared brilliantly set off the alarm in the first place. After a couple of minutes I got sick of standing at the door and asked the firemen whether there was anything else they needed. 'Nah, mate, yer right,' they said so it was back to bed.

Day 19: 3 November 2017, Denman to Armidale (515 kms)

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Link to Map of day 19

My uninspiring companions from the night before were up and away incredibly early and, of course, woke me in the process. That was OK because I got an early start and was soon on my way to Singleton and the lovely road between there and Dungog.
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Passing through Singleton

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On a ridge between Singleton and Dungog. The surface isn't always great, but it's a fantastic ride.

I stopped at Dungog for a cup of coffee and a brief meditation about whether I was really up for some gravel riding. My step daughter and her family had driven down for a wedding to be held in the Barrington Tops National Park. In the end I decided it was worth a look and, if the gravel were too alarming, I'd come back.

It was a glorious ride up. Reasonable gravel, pretty forest and farm land and my granddaughter was very surprised to see me turn up there. I had a cup of tea and a chat, looked about and then confronted the less-appealing gravel on the different route out. I didn't fall off and I was soon back on to Thunderbolts Way on my way north.

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Some pretty scenes from my gravelly detour

I've now ridden on Thunderbolt's Way a number of times and I've always promised myself I'd take a detour into the town of Nowendoc just to see what was there. I can't now think why I bothered except that I got some petrol and a cool drink. The grandly named Maxims of Nowendoc turned out to be a grease shop with bowser.

So I pushed on and decided to ride down the Port Stephens Cutting to Tamworth because I've done it only once before, it was a pretty ride and the stretch of the New England Highway from Tamworth to Uralla is an agreeable ride.
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Port Stephens Cutting

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Pretty eucalypts beside the New England Highway

I spent the night in Armidale at a motel. I know I bought petrol and walked over the road for dinner where I sat in rather splendid isolation in a large dining room with not many other people. I can't remember what I ate.

Day 20: 4 November 2017, Armidale to Brisbane (548 kms)

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Link to day 20 map

I was again under way early on my way down the oft-reported but ever lovely run to Grafton. It was cold and there are no photos until I got to Grafton where I stopped for a late breakfast.
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I rode past this on the relatively quiet road from Armidale to Grafton and then realised I should have stopped to make sure no one was left inside. I went back and of course there wasn't. Trying to take a sharp left-hander way too fast, the driver had lost it

Not long after this I came across a large carpet python lying most of the way across the road. I pulled over to try to take a photo, but I was pointing downhill, a car came along which I persuaded to drive around it, and it all got too hard. I suspect the poor was there because it had been run over.

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A milestone reached in Grafton

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Grafton is famous for its jacarandas. Students hate them as their flowering says it's time for exams

From Grafton it's a straight, reasonably flat and not vey interesting ride to Kyogle where I turned off along the road to Murwillumbah, also written of often in these chronicles. It's now excessively speed limited but a lovely ride nevertheless.
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First view of the border ranges and Mt Warning

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It's such an unassuming border marker on this quiet back road much loved by motorcycle riders

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First sight of Brisbane from the slab

Then I was home. There were another 7,647 kilometres on the odometer, memories of some more great times with Pterodactyl, noroomtomove, AussieFlyer and other folk met along the way.
(This post was last modified: 01-24-2018 05:23 AM by Cormanus.)
01-24-2018 05:14 AM
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EmptySea Offline
Lives On Two Wheels

Chicagoland, USA
Posts: 7,004
Joined: Jun 2013
Post: #9
RE: The Cormanus Chronicles: The Dolt Report
Woke to find this expansive report. As I have only slept a few hours, I am too bleary-eyed to finish this delight in one gulp, but I will return for a bite here and there throughout the morning. A great yarn once again, Cormanus. Welcome back to the pen.

MTC

"If you can’t go home again, at least you can enjoy the ride” — Peter Egan


2013 CB1100 non-abs
2013 CB1100 abs
01-24-2018 05:29 AM
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Inhouse Bob Offline
Road Warrior

NoVA
Posts: 1,955
Joined: Jun 2015
Post: #10
RE: The Cormanus Chronicles: The Dolt Report
Another excellent ride report from the Down Under Twins. And thanks for the photos. It's nice to actually see all that I "saw" while I was there.
And it's great to see Tony back in one piece, and with pretty new side panels, too!
01-24-2018 05:48 AM
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