(with apologies to Graeme Connors)
Well, here I am in beautiful Port Macquarie. Every time I come back here I am reminded of why I like the place so much. My wife and I spent our honeymoon here 35 years ago so that might have something to do with it!
Got on the road around 0630 this morning and ground through Sydney, making it to Hornsby in about 2 hours (not bad). Then it was onto the Old Road and anticipation of a cuppa at PITS, but no go. I got there before 0900 and they weren’t open yet! So, on to RWC where a cold drink refreshed me and then back on the road. They’re making the road much better, but the 60km/h speed limit irks, as does having to tail along behind a LEO on an FJ1300 after I left RWC. Onto the Freeway for just a little while and then back onto the backroads through Morriset and Toronto.
Can’t avoid the freeway these days, but it does make it much easier to get to Hexham. Up the highway to Karuah where I stopped for lunch. While I was there a guy towing a caravan told me that the roadworks north of there were pretty bad. He wasn’t kidding. Just after Karuah, and all the way to Buladelah, the traffic was either stopped or crawling. Didn’t worry me too much as I just tootled down the “Honda Highway.” I must have passed hundreds or cars and trucks..
Ducked out at Buladelah and exercised the Viffer on O’Sullivan’s Gap, the twisties that used to be the old highway and used to be heavily trafficed and policed. Not now. Clean run all the way and not a traffic to be seen. The road was covered with leaves and the surface is deteriorating because it’s a “B” road now, but it’s still a fabulous ride, and it meant that I could avoid the F3 for a while as well.
Coming back out onto the F3 and it was wall-to-wall traffic and roadworks all the way through to Nabiac where I stopped for coffee and a break. No relief from the roadworks until nearly the Port Macquarie turnoff, but by then it didn’t matter.
It was hot out on the slab, but my new Joe Rocket summer jacket is super and, by the time I was heading east to Port Mac, the cool breeze had sprung up and it made the last part of the journey very pleasant indeed.
Booked into the Hotel, shower and change of clothes and a wander down to the waterfront where a wedding party was having photographs taken. What an idyllic spot! Just about to head back to the hotel for tea and an early night before I tackle the Oxley and all points south tomorrow.
543kms today and BBII is just feeling better and better. What a superb touring bike the VFR is.
Oh, and I rang Skipp to just let him know that I’m here. Just like me to share the joy.
No photos, unfortunately, as I took 2 and then the camera said “Memory Full” What the hell? Opened it up and someone at home has souvenired the SD card for some other purpose..grr.
More tomorrow. Tea, bed and the Oxley beckons..
