Tuesday 8th September

I left Tannum Sands Saturday about mid day, I must admit it was nice having a day off. I soon rode into some dark clouds, but it only showerd a little. The Bruce Hwy was alright apart from a lot of traffic. At Childers I turned inland and the road to Biggenden was great fun. Spent a cold night in a caravan park and continued next morning to Ban Ban Springs where I turned south onto the Burnett Hwy. The day started out sunny and I thought it would warm up but 3 hours later I stopped for breakfast and I put the lining back in my jacket. This road is popular with motorbikes as I encounted a lot of them heading the other way. I have to admit that at this point I was starting to just think about getting home, possibly because it was fathers day. Soon after entering NSW (New South Wales) the roads improved noticably. Spent the next night at another caravan park in Glen Innes, that was a very cold night. I was dressed in tracky pants, T shirt and windcheater and I even had to place my riding jacket over me. The next morning was over cast and I packed up a wet tent. The weather held off until I arrived at the Powerhouse Motorcycle Museum in Tamworth and then the hevens opened up and it poured down. So I spent about an hour or so looking at the private collection of motor bikes, it was well worth the stop. I rode into continous rain for about 130 km but it cleared as I got to Singleton so I continued on and rode the 167 km along the Putty Rd to Windsor. I would have to say Putty Rd is as good as the Black Spur is in Victoria, but with far greater views, the  few photos I took do not do it justice. I got to Windsor about 6 pm cold and still wet, so I spent the night in a Motel room. The next morning was fine and sunny but it didn't last. The road to Lithgow was spectaculer for both the road and the views, but it was freezing cold. At many places along here you are at 1,000 metres above sea level. The great roads just kept on going to Oberon until an incredible, almost sceary, decent down into Taralga. The temperture incressed a couple of degrees thank goodness. I then headed to Goulburn and then to Canberra where I am spending the night with Glenn, one of our God's Squad members, and his family. Tomorrow I head to Cooma, Bombala and then back into Victoria where I should be home Thursday afternoon / night.