Starting off!

Getting ready to leave.



















Saying goodby to family and friends.

















And off down the Greensborough bypass.

Thank you

A very big thank you to all who may have donated to Oxfam Australia. I have no idea who or how much has been donated. But I know some of my friends have, and again I thank you all. It is a very worthy cause and if you take the time to check the links to their web site I think you will agree.
Well it's the day before I leave and I'm now going threw all the stuff again making sure I have everything and trying of anything else I may need. (if I can fit it in, or on)
My next door neighbor and good friend Ishaaq will be joining me for a couple of hours on his Triumph Tiger and one our God's Squad members Paul Conway from Torquay will join us for a while along the Great Ocean Road.
I'm happy for anyone else to join us for a couple of hours or a couple of weeks. It's difficult to say exactly where I will be at any given time but if you follow this blog that should give you an idea of my progress. And if you click on the poster in the top right hand corner you can view photos that I'll be uploading.

The preparations continue. Last week I had fitted new tyres front and rear, and after some alignment, I took it for a ride. The bike handles so much better with the new tyres; you don't notice the change over a long period, but when their both new it makes a huge improvement. Today I did the last of the servicing that should be required; that was changing the engine and gearbox oils.
With only 7 days to go I'll now be concentrating on packing and hopefully I'll remember everything. Since I'm riding by myself (but I hope to meet some riders along the way) and have no backup vehicle I'm having to take some tools, just in case.

Things are progressing and the time is coming.

The time is ticking by, and the fact I will be departing soon is now really starting to sink in. I find my feelings swinging from anticipation and excitement, to nervous and worrying.
I'm slowly getting things together and have packed a number of things into what I'll being carrying them in, just to see how much I can take. Surprisingly I have a fair amount of room, I think that's because I am not taking a lot of clothing.
I have also bought a few things that I know I'll need. For example a compact torch with LED globes, a steel frame for toasting bread, since I plan to cook most of my meals and I've wired a plug into the bike so I can charge AA batteries and my mobile phone while riding.

The last word on the departure date!.

As I have stated before I currently work for Qantas. I say currently for as you may have heard in the news their planning on cutting 1750 staff. In light of this and the effect it may have on my position I have decided to delay the departure of my trip. I have chosen to leave home on Sunday the 9th August, not for any special reason. The only things stopping me leaving on this date, hospitalization, death, an accident that damages my bike or lose of my job. So in light of none of these things happening I hope to see a lot of Australia in August and September.

Preparation for the trip

In preparation for the trip I've started doing some maintenance on the bike. I've started at the front and have repacked the head-stem bearings, changed the front fork oil and added some spacers to the front springs, as I found they were a bit soft. I also lubricated the clutch cable and throttle cables. In doing this I found the plastic part of the throttle grip was cracked about 70% around. I've glued it for now, Super Glue, which may be as strong as new, but I'll replace it anyway.
Next I'll do the back end, re-grease the swing arm bearings and check the brakes. A couple of weeks before leaving I'll have to fit new tyres front and rear.
I also bought a new helmet, after 6 years the old one was a bit loose.

A bit of an idea of where and when I might be there

To give you an idea where I'm planning to be and when. I'm departing Sunday 10 May sometime in the morning and heading to Geelong. Then the Great Ocean Road, hoping to spend the 1st night at Narrawong, just east of Portland. Only about 470 km, thought I'd take it easy the first day, since I have no idea what the weather is going to be like, maybe the draught will have broken and it'll be raining.
Next night hope to get to Kapunda Tourist and Leisure Park, northeast of Adelaide. 3rd night Minnipa Caravan Park, 4th night Nullarbor Roadhouse or Border Village. From here on it depends on how far I got the day before, so the 5th night (thursday) could be Caiguna, Balladonia or hopefully camping at Fraser Range in WA.
The weather will play a large part on how far I get each day, but by Saturday 17th I hope to be at Leeuwin National Park in Western Australia and I want to checkout the Lake Cave. Then it's around the coast to Perth and from here I think I'll have to update as I go, but plan to stop in on Exmouth, might do some snorkling.