Riding Down Under - Tropical Cairns Australia
- Thread starter MacDoc
- Start date
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Day 3 - lot more confidence on the KLR tho my *** is still sore - partly from the long flight and partly from a new ride.
Decided to tackle one of the legends.
Went up to Mareeba for coffee - lovely area
http://www.mareebawetlands.org/gallery.html
Fueled up with a lovely latte and some tasty pastry
Decided to check how much fuel I had used - 7.5 litres for 170 km....he that give me around 500 km range..... ?
Now I have to add something to the Burgman grin......The Gillies Grin....OMG!!!!!
have a look
http://motorcycleparadise.blogspot.com/2007/03/best-motorcycle-roads-in-australia-10.html
29 km of heaven ( the core of the ride ) - did it downhill and can't wait til I get a shot at the uphill. Sure glad the previous owner put new brake and a disc on the front.
Gorgeous pavement and turn upon turn - some full 180s and many linked sinuous to keep you on your toes.
Hey the ride up to Kuranda is terrific but the Gillies is out of this world.
The best of PA but soooooo continuous.
It would be quite a challenge on a high powered bike as there are few places to accelerate - you are simply in turns all the time...
Fortunately the combination of engine braking and the comfortable speed being in the KLR sweet spot ( 40-70 ) meant not a lot of shifting tho it was down to second gear on a couple of the tight ones. Even with the ample engine braking the brakes got a work out and I had to remember to use the rear a bit - couple of times I caught myself before I grabbed the left lever.
Likely a cruiser nightmare as bits would be scraping......really challenged the concentration....and of course downhill on the opposite side of the road really made me focus.
Very little traffic - got by one truck in a less than legal sprint and just wore an ear to ear grin all the way down...had to remind myself to keep the speed down as the turns came up so quick and did I say ....downhill.
Glad it finally eased off as I was near my concentration limit.
Mostly great dry pavement, couple of wetish spots and one set of ripples on a corner that got the heartbeat up a bit.
Was glad I had a year on the KLR previously - that was a workout. Never felt any traction issues
Uphill tho on a sportbike or on the Burgman would be just flat out a ball. Yu just jink back and forth turn to turn to turn - the linked s turns almost look designed for a motorcycle instead of a sensible road. :cheers:
Sick boy
sick boy intensive care. More later
Some agressive infection
Felt fine at six am. Ambulance at 9
Woke Monday feeling fine a 6 am had brekkie and by 9am was in ambo into intensive care
Been very long time since I’ve been that six and it hit like freight train
Walked to bedroom. Could not get warm gasping for breath teeth chattering like hypothermia
Could barely get a message to partner to fetch. She arrived from dog sitting in ten min. And ambo close behind
Finally found out have blood septis
Scary shite. About as miserable as I’ve ever been
Still not out of it but out of intensive care and into regular care. Goes in and out of feeling okay then miserable
Been very long time since I’ve been that six and it hit like freight train
Walked to bedroom. Could not get warm gasping for breath teeth chattering like hypothermia
Could barely get a message to partner to fetch. She arrived from dog sitting in ten min. And ambo close behind
Finally found out have blood septis
Scary shite. About as miserable as I’ve ever been
Still not out of it but out of intensive care and into regular care. Goes in and out of feeling okay then miserable
Scary stuff. Get well soon.
bp coming near normal. Hb rock steady 02 reasonable still boosted
but tasted grrrrreat as Tony used to say
