Shane's travel blog - The Long Way Across - A journey from Perth to the East Coast. To view photos:

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Day One - Perth to Norseman

We departed for the big trip from Midvale at around 7.00am.  It would have had to be one of the windiest days I have ridden on, Tom said that he and Robyn had wind worse than this when they went across.  We did the Norseman and was here at around 3.30pm just before the rain.

Day Two - Norseman to Border Village

It was a long day but could have pushed it for another 200k's if we needed to.  Camped at Border Village for the night and plan to be gone by 7.00am and into Port Augusta by nightfall - approximately 850k's.  Weather has been good although we heard on the news that Adelaide was ripped to bits by the wind.

We saw a roll over, a road train had rolled on a bend about half way between Ciaguna and Madura pass.  We boiled the billy for the first time in between Madura and Mundrabilla....it all works!! We should survive!!

Plenty of roadkill if we break down and get really hungry.

Day Three - Border Village to Port Augusta

Day three saw us head out at 7.00am with a 950k ride ahead, excellent riding weather and the road was great, no bugs, no wildlife except in paddocks.  Arrived in Port Augusta at around 5.30pm just in time to set up before dark...sore butts but at least we made it..

Spotted a spiny ant eater, snakes, bob tails and one truckie having a sleep, some Harley riders stopped and chatted for a minutes, they were off to Perth.  Tom swears he saw the Nullarbor Nymph but it was only me in my striped top!

Day Four - Port Augusta to Broken Hill

Today was a shorter ride as we were suffering from saddle soreness after our 959 k's and 11 hours on the bike.  We arrived at Broken Hill at around 3.00pm and took our time setting up camp, looked at the map and decided that we should make a decision in the morning about whether we go all the way to Nyngan or stop at Cobar,both places look very dull, really but you never know.

Started off in the hills outside of Port Augusta unitl we crossed them then flat and bare until we stopped at Yunta for a burger and a fuel up.  This left us only 160k's to Broken Hill, casual ride through another tree less plain and some Mallee scrub.

Big cook up tonight.....it's the Reilly secret recipe handed down from generation to generation via Mr Heinz who taught me how to use a can opener. 

 Day Five - Broken Hill to Nyngan

Today was OK a little boring except for the Goats every 5 ks, half a dozen emus and an eagle or two, no trees just like the Nullarbor but more boring.

Roads are starting to get a little rougher out here and we bottomed out our suspension a few times as we are loaded up.

Had the swag out and ready in 15mins,  Tom was on record time to have his tent up but I knocked his hammer off ( or so he says).  Not much news for now but we are going to Tamworth so should send a picture of us and the bikes at the BIG guitar (WOW) and then we are  through to Glen Innes tomorrow.

Bikes are going well I seem to use about half a litre more than Tom every two hundred clicks might be the lack of horses as I am the old 1500 while Tom has the 1600.

 Day Six - Nyngan to Armidale

Day six was pretty good we left Nyngan at around 7am and headed off towards Glen Innes via Tamworth, we stopped and had lunch at Tamworth so we didn't make it to Glen Innes..... ( Who cares really :-) we have the time). We stopped at Armidale (580ks) and thought that will do us.  Set up camp and headed into town to Coles for some shopping. We went through some really good country and saw a koala hanging in the tree , ( My first wild Koala ever. ) We had a short stop at a look out and took a few photos.

We are planning to head off to Glen Innes tomorrow but Via Grafton as the road on the map looks really windy and I think it will be interesting, it puts us behind a day but who cares... behind ?? we only have to be in Sydney by the 6th.

Day Seven - Armidale to Glen Innis 

Fantastic start to the day with me taking a wrong turn and ignoring the GPS But the little voice soon sorted us out and we were off to Grafton from Armidale the "short Way". Well what a nightmare road, the bitumen was torn and huge pot holes, up mountains and around 20Kmh corners with gravel bits.

Road kill every where. It was really hard work and the 198 ks took us more than 3hrs. From Grafton to Glen innes was better even though we crossed the same mountain range it was a much better road.  The weather was hot around

35 degrees,

Glen Innes is not what you would call a big town but it is the finish line for a push bike race from Grafton and we happened to be travelling on the same day. But the crowd cheered us as we arrived they do like their beer in Glen Innes..Nice country and great views from the road when you got a chance to look. We followed the course of a river for a while and that was great.

We set up camp in Glen innes at around 3pm and now having a nice cold beer.

Day Eight - Glen Innis to Tweed Heads

Ride from Glen Innes where we camped, to Tweed Heads were we can do some washing ...finally. Robyn's mum and Graham, greeted us with beer and a place to park the bikes. We will sleep in a bed Yahoooo !!!  Only rode 360 K's today but looked forward to the rest.  We stopped at Casino and had a salad roll for lunch beautiful.

We stopped at the ocean at Byron Bay just to say we had been there took a picture of the light house and the beach, then headed up to Tweed heads where we could get a beer While I was in Byron Bay I let my bike fall over and Tom had to help me stand it up again.

Absolutely fantastic riding country and we are thinking of heading up to Nimbin tomorrow for lunch in the Rainbow Cafe.

 Day Nine - Tweed Heads

Today was a short trip kilometre wise but we spent all day out and about, Starting from Barbara and Graham's place in Tweed heads we decided to head off to Byron Bay via Nimbim through the Tweed Valley way, Excellent trip right past Mt Warning and along some great roads.

Turned off to Nimbin and saw the end result of what looked like a police chase with the cops just putting a guy in the wagon while his car was off the road.  We had coffee at the Rainbow Cafe in Nimbin and was offered some "herbs" while Tom was asked if he wanted a smoke.  Coffee was great, but some real losers there along with the real people. From Nimbin down to Byron Bay via Lismore and then off to Coolangatta and Surfers Paradise, then back to Tweed Heads.

Was a good day especially with out all our gear on the bikes made the winding roads a lot more enjoyable.

 Day Ten - Tweed Heads

Today was a saddle free day, we were chauffeured around the mountains on the Gold Coast by our hosts Graham and Barbara. We left Banora Point at around 9 to look for a pair of gloves for Tom, ( he wants a pair like Shagga's).  We had a very good guided tour and had lunch at Chillingham great Pies and even better coffee. Then  headed off to finish the loop via the Natural bridge in the rain forest and National Park.

Magnificent country and we know where we can ride our bikes for lunch if we want some where to go.  Saw a 6 foot Carpet Python just before the photo it actually had a go at Tom while he was trying to set the camera.

Day Eleven - Tweed Heads and surrounding districts

Went for a relaxing 200k ride today up to Tambourine Mountain via Chillingham just because the weather looked like it would be nice and cool up there today, We had a  couple of drops of rain but nothing really. The ride was great, just cruising at around 70-80kph in the rain forest covered mountains.

No snake today but we had the pie AGAIN.  View from Mt Tambourine was great across to the coast and Surfers, I cant believe with that view they haven't built a look out for people to stop and photograph it. We had to stop on the side of the road to the abuse of the locals (we stopped along with all the other tourists) to take the photo attached.

The road up the Mountain is very very steep it was probably the steepest piece of road I have ever been on.

PS do not ask Tom to sing, the drivers around him were looking scared as he belted out Creedence Clear Water into his helmet as loud as he could. It was NOT funny.

 Day Twelve

Very quiet went for tour of a Tea plantation in the morning then off on t he bikes for a ride only a 130 k ride for us, then back for dinner and to do the washing, We plan to be off in the morning to Warwick and camp there make up our mind where to gp from there. Probably head down to Dorrigo and Coffs harbour.

Day Thirteen

Big Day for the bike riders, Up early to the sound of the Cabana Court Caravan Park awakening, then off to a game of golf. After 18 holes of agony, ( being flogged by one 76 year old and one late 60's female.) we really felt like we were tough and rough bikers.

Any way we did manage to take off around 1:30  for Warwick around 230k's over some really really nice country and mountains that are quite spectacular. It was a very nice ride though the hills with the road being in pretty good condition.

We went and shopped, bought the traditional Stagg Chilli and some Rice, a six pack and now looking to get to bed.

Day Fourteen

 Well we got up reasonably early this morning even though it was our first day back camping after a week in a real bed. Left Warwick and headed out to Toowoomba and then of to Esk, no real reason except it looked good on the map. On the way we  passed our Southern Cross factory at Withcott.  Looked brand new so might look at getting a tour on Monday when we head back South, Hopefully we will be heading North tomorrow.

Went through Dad and Daves original Place ( only Aussies will know).

Shannon was Ok with it he was right at home in his Oilskin coat.

Went up to ESK and had lunch and headed back a different way where we met a truck going the other way, a little tight but we managed to get around him with out falling off the side of the mountain. I was luckier than Tom I got some warning.

Went and bought a few beers and a steak each, watched the last few minutes of the AFL grand Final.

Day Fifteen

Today was Tom's ( I wasn't quite ready t condemn it ) worst day of the trip, my GPS sent us all around Brisbane and we must have spent 2hrs going through back streets when we could have had a brilliant ride via Toowoomba or some where out in the country. BUT NO we ended up after 2 hrs in Brisbane's smallest streets we ended up on the Bruce Hwy with the bumper to bumper traffic. Very impressed....Tom and I decided we were sacrificing the

GPS to the GPS GOD !!   408 K's but hard ones.

I think Robyn will be happy Tom does not want a GPS now.

Some of the roads we went through were great , in fact when we left the bumper traffic and headed out west for two hours we actually got back to the Bruce Hwy we actually passed the same car we were behind so who was the winner ?? at least we had a ride through some great country.

Day Sixteen

Well we arrived in Bundaberg this morning and booked in for Two days, that should give us aplenty of time to get to Sydney to catch up with Robyn and then off to my brothers place in the Blue Mountains. We cruised out to the coast today about 20 k's and had lunch looking out on the Coral Sea towards the Great Barrier Reef. Nice weather about 30 today so plenty of Sunscreen as you will see.

Tom has chickened out and had a shave but not me when your as ugly as me shaving doesn't make any difference,

We are heading off to the Bundy Factory Tour tomorrow and then a look around, sugar cane everywhere

 Day Seventeen

Well it was our second day in Bundaberg and we decided to do the Bundy Factory Tour, Was OK we got two free drinks so we decided to try the Dark and Stormy not bad in the hot weather so we bought a six pack for this evening. Went for a ride out to Gin Gin ( yep that's right Gin Gin) about 60 k's from Bundaberg.

The place is famous for the turtles that lay their eggs on the beaches.

Beautiful weather 30deg and nice sea breeze. My old leather vest finally gave up the ghost and fell apart, it will be sacrificed to the God of Motorcycle vests tonight while we consume the bundy.

Another first I will probably let Tom cook up the Stag and Rice !!!!

 Davy Eighteen and Nineteen

Two days in one here , sorry about not sending our progress report through yesterday but we were just too damn tired after our ride down from Bundaberg to Tweed Heads, and when we got to Tweed we had to go straight out to the RSL for dinner ($9.90 Special) !! Was pretty good as well.

Put the washing on and then packed up first thing this morning and headed South.

NSW well we know we are here, $42 for a tent site PLUS if there is more than two add $15 we saw about 25 cop cars that's more than we have seen all trip till now !!. PLUS we have to pay for the Barbecue after we paid $42 ?? NSW gotta love it.

Any way we are off inland tomorrow as I suspect Nambucca heads is all about Tourist people during the school holidays and we should try and move on. 

The Harley group is having an 18year anniversary at Lennox heads on the weekend so we saw around 400 bikes head up that way today. we being the only people on bikes heading South.

 Day Twenty

Not many K's today as we just went up to the top of the mountain range to Dorrigo and booked into a campsite. Decided to go for a tourist's walk etc as it was still early and ended up doing 2.5k's down Hill and 2.5 k's up steep as ever. not good for old blokes. I am feeling it now and so is Tom.

We saw a Black Snake and a Monitor Lizard, and a huge amount of Birds just too many to note. It was a walk in the World heritage dry Rain Forest very good really if it wasn't so hard.

Tomorrow we are heading for Maitland just out of Sydney so Sunday we can go into the city and drop Tom Off with Robyn........ ( I don't know how the blogg will be posted during Robyns time riding around NSW with us).

Day Twenty One

 Day Twenty one was a 400k ride from Dorrigo to Raymond Terrace started off so hot it wasnt funny then went to over cast and cold stopped at a driver reviver for a coffee put on the jackets  took off and ..... it was just too wet to travel further so we pulled up. Stopped at the National Motorcycle Museum on the way and had a few pics. Not very eventful day really unless you call forgetting stuff every time we went to take off eventful.

Twenty Two and Twenty Three

Slightly overcast, off into the city with all the Manly supporters for the grand final.  Dropped Tom off at the hotel to wait for Robyn and I headed off to my brothers place for the night, we talk about Tom and Robyn's night but I went to the karaoke with Daniel and Janette. It was definitely entertaining with some real characters. Had a few beers and sleep and then headed back to Sydney City to pick up Tom and Robyn at around 6:30 am they were ready to rock and roll around at around 10am. (The bike shop was a pain in the butt).

Daniel lead us all the way back to Leura via Richmond air-base and other places, we picked up Janette and headed off to the Megalong Valley where we had some lunch and Coffee, the road down to the valley floor was definitely a good ride, winding and steep through the rain forest. On the way back we stopped to take a picture but it doesn't seem to capture just how great the spot was.

Day Twenty Four

Well today we did some real sight seeing Daniel acted as guide and took us to all the usual spots including the Three Sisters and down the cable rail and up via the cable car. Tom and I got our pins and then we headed off to Janolen Caves on a really great ride through and over the hills to the caves. we literally did ride "through" a hill when we arrived at the caves as you drive straight through the hill to the other side via  the Arch way.

Fantastic country and views, riding on roads that literally fall away for a thousand feet ( 300 metres for those younger than I ). The old Honda 750 Shadow that Robyn Hired isn't really up to scratch unlike the 800 Kawasaki
she owns.

Please have a look at the photos and understand we cant really convey how good the country is to ride through even if there is ten times as much traffic and stressful.
Vulcan riders competition for the Vulcan rider financial members prize is a bottle of Red wine for the person who correctly names the Ass in the attached picture.

Twenty Five

Day twenty five was spent coming from the Blue Mountains to the town of Nowra ready for a trip to Fitzroy Falls and through Kangaroo Valley and Berry.  Todays trip was good out along the ridge and down to Wollongong
then onto Kiama where the famous blow hole was working BUT we didn't take a single photo for the day.  So you will just have to believe we did see the blow hole, Mount Ouzly and had a great ride. We are planning to be Canberra for a couple of Tours and hopefully we can get to see some snow over that way too.

Twenty Six

Day Twenty six was taken up with a visit to Tyco head office in Nowra and then off to Canberra and Queanbeyan via Ulladulla and Batemans Bay. Total of 290 k's but as usual its up hill down dale and all over the place with
roadworks etc so 290 k's is not too bad a day.

Of course as we are in the city of our leaders we decided to visit Parliament House and to see where all those guys actually work. ( or try to). Had coffee at Ulladulla and managed to get a  van for the night at Queanbeyan ( totally booked out as the film and arts show is on in the Nations Capital).

 Twenty Seven

We spent the day sightseeing thru Canberra and surrounding districts.  We took a scenic ride to the outskirts of the city and visited the nature reserve and stopped for lunch at the Space Station, which was very interesting.  The roads where great, long and winding with lots of thngs to look at, incuding plenty of kangaroo's.  Also a couple of those great single lane bridges over lots of water.

In the afternoon, we visited the National War Museum which is a must for all Aussies.  Lot's to look at there and the boy's also managed to buy a badge for their vests.

As we still had plenty of daylight left, we decided to go for another ride out into the country side, this time the opposite direction to the way we had already been, it was just as good and actually discovered a couple of other great roads.

For dinner that night, the boys took me out to the local hotel, where we enjoyed each others company on our last night together.  Tomorrow, I rode solo back to Sydney and the boys ride down to Victoria.  Robyn

Twenty Eight/Nine

We arrived in Melbourne today after a long ride to Bairnsdale from Canberra stayed in a motel so we could get away early, caught up with Kimbo and Sue and we are off for dinner tonight. Not much to report except we rode the Snowy Mountains and I tripped over going into a garage to pay for the fuel. Apparently that has been the high light of the trip for Tom.

See the attached phots today we just went over the Westgate bridge to say we have done it and I am catching up with my brother tomorrow.

 Day Thirty

Today we rode out of Melbourne to Marysville in the Dandenong's and back 191k's , via Healesville the road was good and we had a great time.  Big sleep in for us after nine!! We all went out for dinner at the Crown with Kimbo and her mates.

Staying at my brothers place tonight before heading off to the Great Ocean Road and South Australia on our way back home.

 Day Thirty One

Day thirty one was a good trip from Greensborough down through Geelong and onto the Great Ocean Road. We stopped and saw the 12 Apostles then decided to stay at Port Campbell as it was raining lightly and cold.

300 K's was enough as most of that was at less than 60 kph on the Great Ocean Road.

It was a great ride we are now heading West and this is the home run !!!

Day Thirty Two

Today started off drizzly and cold from Port Campbell but it didn't take long for us to fall into the bike rider mode and it turned out great. We travelled through the coastal road to Kingston SE in South Australia through Mt Gambier and Portland. Stopped at Portland and took the photo and again at Mt Gambier. ( Blue Lake). 

We did 473 k's and we only gained 1/2 hr....we could have done more but the next stop was Miningie at around 150k's not worth the risk.

Once again we cooked up the steaks and people around came to see what the fantastic smell was. Camping again after some soft times in motels and hotels.

Day Thirty Three

Well we got away at about 9am for day thirty three but had in mind to camp at Clare ( dont bother if your going to do a trip) 

Anyway we decided to cross the mighty Murray twice, once on the very first bridge built in SA at Murray Bridge and then we went the original way through to Mannum and crossed it on the Ferry. It was a short ferry trip but Shannon and the Pony loved it.

 We stopped at the Birdwood museum ( National Motor Museum).  It was a really nice ride through the valley and over the hills without being too twisty and tight .

 The final days