Day 2
Monday 27 August 2012
Day 2 Byrock - Burke - Fords Bridge - Yantabulla -
Hungerford. 282 km
Ron G had been told to arise later and be on the road
by 9am, so he was really surprised whilst having breakfast
at 7.30 to hear the bikes start and disappear, so for
him another hurried departure, destination Burke.
Cookie 2 was feeling better so he took to the road
on his bike.
Us bikies decided to have breakfast at Burke, and
this time Ron G was not going to be last, so being
told our next stop would be Fords Bridge, he left,
first off the rank.
Good idea actually, as gravel roads in the dry are
very dusty !
Once out of Bourke it is all gravel road, and like
all gravel roads in the outback, the road conditions
vary dramatically, from excellent (like bitumen) to
absolutely abysmal, deep bull dust, ruts, corrugations,
holes and humps, rocks, boulders, dead animals, (we
all saw the sleeping pig), plus more, enough to wreck
the most ruggedly built machines.
Reminded us of the Dakar Rally at times.
After refueling at Fords Bridge, and a bit of lunch
at the pub, it was onto Yantabulla, for another refueling.
There were a few minor mishaps on this leg. Benjamin
lost his muffler due to a failed bit Thailand welding.
A small modification and the muffler was back on, just
a bit shorter, and just as noisy.
And Ron got caught in a rut and hit the dirt, the only
damage a sore ankle. He arrived at Hungerford with
a bee stuck in his helmet - good protection in more
ways than one.
On the last leg of the day to Hungerford, the road
was mostly the best so far.
On this last leg, both Jason and Brad's aftermarket
Uniparts carburetor air filters broke, and possibly
let the evil road dust into their engines.
Sure enough soon after Jason's throttle cable jammed,
caused by dust seizing the carburetor slide, so he
was carried the last 50 km's to Hungerford.
Cookie 1's trailer had suffered severe metal fatigue
due to the vibrations from the road, and there were
around a dozen cracks and parts broken. The end of
its life was in sight, until a local offered the use
of his welder and Benjamin came to the rescue.
His professionalism was in no doubt in the end, as
the trailer is now like new.
In front of the pub, with beers in one hand to wash
down the dust, and spanners in the other, the bikes
were re-tuned, carburetor air filters cleaned, oil
and fuel filled, and then off to the camping ground
across the road to set up the marquee. It never did
get set up.
Hungerford is on the Parroo River and is just across
the border into Queensland. The gate in the dingo fence
had to be opened to enter the town. The local COP had
a chat with us and not finding an faults took off to
stop someone going through the town a bit too fast.
We all went back to the pub to have dinner and then
retired to a star lit night out in the open.
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