Riding Down Under - Tropical Cairns Australia | Page 54 | GTAMotorcycle.com

Riding Down Under - Tropical Cairns Australia

Would be great as we are heading there next May June for 4 weeks chasing hobbit hole.


We were in South Australia for a few weeks last year - around the Flinders area they are riding. We chased the silo art trail

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Well damn, forecast shows rain, radar says otherwise. Fkit I'll go ride a bit.
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Got suckered by the misleading radar image and rode up to Skybury just in time for the rain.
Had scones and coffee ...was not very wet at all sitting there waiting for the shower to pass.

Looked at the radar again and saw the only break due up so got as far as the range road then I got wet, even lost the rear end a little bit on a shallow curve on the range road.... bit surprised at that - not due for tires yet.

So bedraggled puppy getting into the door.

Like coming home to many presents.... Amazon had dropped off several orders and partner had fetched the mattress topper I'd been longing for.

Sennheiser wired headphones came in - finally get some decent bass AND a crisp top end.....half price deal. They sound good on some HQ reference material and they fold up for travel tho not much of that in the wind except New Zealand. Do not work with my current phone but will with the older ones.
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and my replacement remote for the Samsung 4k 👏
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plus our yogurt kit which came in with a dented lid but no package damage and so far impossible to open the stainless steel jar ...that jar is pretty heavy gauge so it took a solid hit to dent it. :(
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sigh...Yogurt Maker dented to the point of not opening. Remote semij-useless...headphones work the charm tho. Returns started.
Glad I did not wait.Screen Shot 2023-01-03 at Jan, 3    2023    4.16.52 PM.jpg Mareeba getting hammered.
 
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Teasing me again .....lovely sun - I suspect will give it a rest today ....tho sun is very nice to dry the gear.
Playing with the Yamaha Sound Bar - nice addition.
 
Soggy morning tho not raining just now. 27 feels like 32 at 7am....- might get an early ride in. 🍿
Little concern about that rear tire slip the other day ....have to do some research.
I had lubed the chain and possible some got on the tire ....was a shallow sweeper and certainly was not pushing it and bike recovered instantly.
:unsure:

Meanwhile enjoying Morgan Freeman's lovely voice narrating a 4k video. The 4k FireStick is a treat to use with ALexa voice control....pause movie, search for a movie, switch streams, change volume, turn TV on and off all with voice. 👍
 
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Soggy morning tho not raining just now. 27 feels like 32 at 7am....- might get an early ride in. 🍿
Little concern about that rear tire slip the other day ....have to do some research.
I had lubed the chain and possible some got on the tire ....was a shallow sweeper and certainly was not pushing it and bike recovered instantly.
:unsure:

Meanwhile enjoying Morgan Freeman's lovely voice narrating a 4k video. The 4k FireStick is a treat to use with ALexa voice control....pause movie, search for a movie, switch streams, change volume, turn TV on and off all with voice. 👍

Getting our prints framed

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Where There's Water There's Life - Peter Jarver Fine Art Photography

Local photog but world famous. Nice gallery in Kuranda.

The acrylic framing with keep it safe.
https://portdouglaspictureframing.com.a ... ic-prints/

We have the 3 NASA prints as well we just unwrapped from their plane carrier --- had them all gorgeously framed but $$$ to ship them that way plus wood not allowed
$900 or so to get the four of them framed here ......= no win :oops:
Half of that for Jarver which is limited edition and likely has a value increase.

Cape Winds
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Lightship
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A Night Journey
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We really like these and I actually thought a pencil signed copy would have some value. He died of natural causes at age 52....quite a loss
Turns out I might have been better off to replace on line framed and shipped but it was a close call..

At least we get the mounting we want - will look like the one just above on the wall with no frame visible.
 
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Today will be a write off for riding as was yesterday - some truly torrential deluges mixed with super humid sunny periods.
Tomorrow tho looks good.
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Rev'It pants due on the 10th.
Been thinking on Noraly "another continent" comment.....I think Australia as NZ is not a continent but Aus is.
mmmm toasted cheese samich and flat white on a rainy day. Lovely temp tho. 24 feels like 28 tho with the rain it's quite cool (y)

Great day to start getting some of the travel photos uploaded. It's a real trip back in time for me and since we got chased out of Chile by covid there was not the usual post trip routine.

Pretty pleased with some
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This one is a bit soft but love the layering.
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Lots more
 
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Our first attempt at Anzac biscuits ( cookies ) with what we had on hand was just "okay".


Tired of paying $3 for something to munch with tea and coffee ....and the insane amount of packaging.
Home baking it is....
Lots of oats in them and we'll use some maple syrup I brought from Canada instead of golden syrup ( corn syrup ) and we want to try low sugar or a sweetener.
I really like them.
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Tomorrow looks okay for a ride ....(y)
 
Been thinking on Noraly "another continent" comment.....I think Australia as NZ is not a continent but Aus is.

She has recently stated it won't be Australia.

"I am sure that one day I will explore Australia by motorcycle, but not now. I've lived there, I've worked there and I've traveled there, so Australia is not high on my 'never-been-and-dying-to-go-list'."


New Zealand is out, too.
 
Jayell dispelled Oz and she speaks the language so Oz is out.

She's done S Africa which is also native language for her.
I guess "another continent " is vague enough to cover a continent which she's done part of.
I was wondering about Indonesia. 🍿

•••

Today however I am going for a longer ride. It's 5 am, well rested and my right leg has stopped being sore for reasons unknown and reinforced with a Celebrex this morning.
Weather forecast "looks" okay but radar is iffy ....it was sooooo humid yesterday ...typical after a big rain then a sunny day. Was just drenched sitting at computer even with the fans on high tho temps not that high.
Air mass feels drier this morning.

Still a tad concerned about that rear tire stepping out on a wet range road, it was not the kind of gentle sweeper I would expect that.
I've noticed that the police often leave damaged vehicles that are well off the road in plain sight for sometimes weeks....where Ontario clears vehicles quickly. Maybe as a deterent.

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There are always accidents on this road which is much heavier travelled than the Gillies.
....of course I've been mostly avoiding rain .....it took me a year to determing the HWK was not waterproof....just had a few sun showers to deal with ...being retired and in no hurry helps. :D
Researching best rain tires tho tire size may not give me a lot of choice.
I have these on now and they are highly rated for rain on the CB300 forums.
Michelin Pilot Street Radial Rear Tyre 140/70-17 (66H)
Will try the Gillies today early and be home before the rain starts in the afternoon.
Do not like doing the Gillies both ways within a short period.....even taking it easy 260 turns in 19km is tiring and I have not ridden regularly. :(
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Very little wind forecast so will be nice riding and I'm newly enamoured with the C3 helmet....thinking the Shark EVO 3 going up for sale.

Rev'it mesh pants arriving tomorrow (y)
 
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If you can find this ...
It's where I live ...east coast Australia tropics. Section on the rainforest is in my riding zone across the Daintree.

It is on Netflix here but not sure about elsewhere
Netflix in their neverending quest to be helpful, does not have "Australia's Ocean Odyssey" but they do provide a single related title "Roald Dahl's Matilda The Musical". I think their AI needs some help.
 
You could try a VPN for Netflix or for iView.

 
Dog was trying to eat this baby mantis....rescued
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Finally got out for a ride around noon. Just went up as far a Port Douglas and it started to sprinkle and was hungry so cut into Port and saw a sign for an interesting cafe....followed the signs around through a "work in progress" construction site figuring on a low budget hippy coffee shop and came on this complete with french speaking staff.
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clearly part of a golf course development and lots of elegant people eating lunch and menu was above my pay grade

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You can see the sprinkes on the water so did not want to move on and debated just a flat white and a muffin but figured the muffin would be $10 and a large flat white $7 and no protein so opted for the chicken sandwich at $27 with fries and nothing to drink tho the water was welcome as it was a muggy high 20s.Screen Shot 2023-01-10 at Jan, 10    2023    6.27.47 PM.jpg
The chicken sandwich was undercooked a bit ( likely a rush as they close at 2 ) tho the manager was grateful for the feedback.
It was presented nicely and the crispy bits were very tasty ...just the larger chunks of chicken breast just a tad underdone instead of juicy.
Fries were okay but should actually taken half the sandwich home for later and some of the fries for the pooch.

Very nice ride home in sunny skies and just about zero wind so Pacific near quiet as a mill pond.
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28 real at 6.30 pm but feels like 34....nother muggy evening on the way.
Got home and my REV'it pants had arrived ..

Good match for my HWK jacket which now looks shabby after 9 months of tropical riding a few times a week. Lots of red dust in the air. Considering a wash but might wait and change some armour.
 
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Quick ride up to Herberton
Nice ride up the Gillies tho a very nasty looking patch of green moss near the top ready to topple the unwary rider. Glad I'm not going down that way.
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....almost got wiped out by pickup - there was a detour and they had the right of way ...goosed the 300 :rolleyes: and made it across in front....did not hear squealing of brakes so perhaps not as close as it felt....

Got a new go to destination in Herberton...Gallery Coffe Shop.... proprietor lady is a rider - rides a BMW310. must be in her 60s - has the cafe done up - only been riding for 10 years. Late start but loves it. Selling the place so she can retire and do more riding.
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Very similar to Yesterdays in Renovo which I noticed was up for sale. Anyone been lately?
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I'll be back for sure as Herberton is a bit further out and can do longer triangles plus her prices are excellent. Absolutely brilliant day - not humid and was actually chilly on the ride up ...20 degrees.
It's just a jump from Hasties Swamp where I do bird photography and need to get out early for that.
Just over 200 km today....√
 
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Rain days ....catching up on the Dakar.

RevIt pants worked out except they tend to fall down and pretty sure the strap system to tighten the waste is simply stiff. It's a better system than the HWK but not as easy to use.
Fall back is go to suspenders which fortunately I threw in at the last moment. The pants have reinforcements at the waist band specifically for suspender.
In some ways the suspenders are more comfortable ...just a pain to put on in some ways but it has been a while since I tried. Want to get the regular tightener at the waist sorted first...other wise fit and finish are excellent ....sizing was spot on both length and waist.
Pants are not as cool as the HWK but better protection and the white is useful in the tropical sun. Hitching the knee armor when riding is tougher with the heavier material but suspect that will break in.

What's next ...white boots??
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nah ;)
 

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