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I recently took a recce out to the Grampians in Western Victoria. Flat country with long straight roads thru dry sheep country, little traffic on the network of backroads that siri led us on. Then eventually in the distance, the blue outline of the Grampians, the ancient tail of the Great Divide, a massive uplifting of earth from some ancient cataclysm that creates a landscape that is full of mystery and enigma....with a well-sealed road winding its way through the guts of it.

Victorians do roads well and this one is another beauty. From the northern Horsham approach the country was dry, almost arid, emus,  as the road winds up the fire scared mountain to the gorges and lakes and then into lush forest, and panoramic views, and finally over the top and the winding always winding descent into Halls Gap, full of coffee shops, b&b's, grey nomads and tourist busses.

From Halls Gap the road continues along a valley floor with twisted ridges rising on either side before spitting you back out onto the plains. It's not that far south  to Warrnambool  and onto the Great Ocean Road, another stunning route along that famous coast. Beautiful riding country, pity I was in a Ford, but beautiful all the same.

I later caught an exhibition at the Geelong gallery of some iconic paintings by Streeton of the same landscape in the 1920's. 

Great Mayday ride with the girls today. Started off wet with a rainfront passing over the Sydney area and it looked like a no ride but once we checked the radar app it was obvious that it was going to pass over and we kitted up. As Eccles once stated, "If there's the slightest chance of it clearing we ride!"

So on wet roads we picked up Jenshore on his BMW C650 and headed out to Richmond and joined a motley crew of die hards who had also braved the elements. After a late start we rode around the back of Kurrajong and out to Lower Portland Ferry, Maroota and onto Wiseman's Ferry for lunch. I had a white Piaggio X10 350 that Scootersales had lent us for a review. I was a bit hesitant about riding an underpowered maxi barge but was keen to get the gang to have a squirt on it and give me their considered opinion, but more of that later.

After lunch the CWC crew headed back via the Spencer goat track which is one of the bumpiest c roads about but a great way to test a scooters suspension and build quality. I was smart enough to swap scooters with Tony and was on Ian's old Burgman 400 which I know has good suspension.

Got up Mangrove Mountain and out to Jerry's at Kulnura for afternoon tea. Swapped the X10 for Peter E's Ducati Monster which is a beautiful bike to ride, naked, red, throbbing.... (enough of that sort of talk Mr Gailey!) After that I swapped with Tamzan for a ride on her monster.. a beautiful bike to ride....naked, white, etc

We finally pulled into the pie at dusk, sat around comparing notes on the X10, rings, and pings before saying our goodbyes. Then followed Eccles taking the back door into town in the dark. 280 ks great riding, great crew, it was so good to catch up with me tragic mates after a sojourn away from the back roads of Sydney. Why? Coz we Can.

Looking like a fair weather weekend, so we'll meet up with the Northern Beaches Scooter Club this Sunday at the Inch Cafe on Pittwater Rd, MonaVale at 9am.

Route and destination decided over coffee and brekky at the meet.

Lovely fresh morning up the Mid North Coast, so I set off on the Nexus to join a Ulysses run down to Comboyne via Beechwood, then lunch at Long Flat on the Oxley west of Wauchope. The roads around these parts are either brilliant or atrocious but the scenery is always beautiful.

After lunch the rest headed home but being a two wheeled tragic, I had to keep on going another 60ks up the mountain to Gingers Creek because this is one of my all time favourite roads anywhere. I mean really, who can resist the Oxley when its dry? There was next to no traffic, had a great burger for lunch at Gingers Creek, and had the best ride out. The Nexus was perfect for the job and I got home just before dusk with 390ks on the clock. Why? Coz I did!

Sorry if I keep on posting pics of the Oxley, but its just so beautiful. Is it just me or do others like pics of roads too?

I like to see the pix of the Scooters and bikes in action on the roads, 

And you take some great shots Pete. 

fluffy:

This is why I didn't post pix of my ride down the Oxley: Coz Pete has better ones

fluffy:

Must say though, the Gwydir is equally good. Not as well engineered, but the landscape is more spectacular.

Go up the Oxley, down the Gwydir, up the Summerland Way, across the Mount Lindesay Hwy (alternate route is the Lions Road after Kyogle, follows the railway, narrow and rough but spectacular) and into Brisvegas via Beaudesert. Avoids nearly all the freeway.

Linked up with the Ulysses boys on their sports bikes and we headed 100ks north to Coffs, mainly on the congested Hwy, roadworks. The idea was to explore the hinterland and have lunch up the mountain at Ulong.

Once off the Highway the Coramba road wound through very pretty valleys before heading off to Grafton, we turned left toward Ulong twisting up into the forest and onto the plateau with its lush cattle fattening paddocks and rolling hills. The road was very pretty and well maintained, which is the case with nearly every valley around these parts. The problem is that all these roads eventually turn into dirt which road bikes with their fat tyres dont really like. These dirt roads become the links over the ridges to the next set of tarmac.

During lunch I was checking the map on my phone and figured out that a 20k run on the dirt road between Ulong and Megan would eventually take me into Dorrigo and back to the coast down Waterfall Way. The rest of the riders went back via Coffs but I decided to chance the 20ks of dirt solo. The quality of the dirt turned out to be pretty good for 90% of it as I slowly rode along in second gear looking at the beautiful forest and being very aware that I didn't want to have to pick a heavy bike up, if I even could on my own, and thinking of a more suitable dirt bike for riding on such fantastic roads. A light trail bike? 250/300? Put knobblies on the Bonne? I stopped to take some pretty pics on a bridge when 20ks along a gravel road appears a Vespa GTS. "You OK?" he asked? "Yeah" I replied, "just taking some pics." then with a wave of his arm off he flew at speed.I couldn't believe it, a Vespa!

I eventually made it through to Megan and onto some great riding roads west of Dorrigo, managed to overtake a couple of slow moving trucks before the Mountain and had a clear run down, no time for pics, and home before dark. 300ks. Why? Coz I Did.

Magic

How about a Royal Enfield Himalayan

Ha , what nice stuff!! what good pix !

I remember years ago when I was in that area the toughest league team was the Comboyne Cowboys and the Long Flat cricket team didn't have grass: they played on a kind of mat system......many years ago.

Where is the town that rents out those electric scooters? that could be fun!

I only ever drove that road out through Coramba and over to Dorrigo once about 20 years ago  

martindemo:

Where is the town that rents out those electric scooters? that could be fun!

Rod; I saw a sign to a Goldmine but was too focused on getting the orange beastie along the dirt to turn off.

Planning a run up to Brisvegas tomorrow. Dont know the back routes aroud there so Im planning Dorrigo to Grafton via the Armidale Rd then up to Casino, Kyogle on the Summerland Hwy and into Bris through Mt Lindsay Hwy. Might try the New England and Gwyder on the way home. Should be about a week when I'll post a ride report.

Not another chook chaser Pete the last one you needed a ladder. 

O THAT THING. ! 

The Orange Beasty reminds me of Bill the cat.