The Trip to the 2013 Aussie MotoGP - Phillip Island - Day 2 heading down

So you have read so far that the trip has been all about storms, roadkill and fucking wind. Well Day 2 heading down was not any better.

Day 2 - Coonabarabran to Wagga Wagga - Monday 14/10/2013 - 6hrs in the saddle

Well as mentioned earlier the morning started out freezing cold - heaps of clothing on and the wet weather gear. I had done a small clean of Betty to get the majority of the muddy sandy grimey shit off her. It was very overcast with a slight mist and rain falling in the distance where I was to be heading. Yea more fucking rain. And the wind was still about 30-40kms/hr. The road out of Coonabarabran was rough as guts and bumpy - with pot holes semi filled in. About 20kms out it the road improved but the rain started - and the wind was constant - especially when there was an on coming truck - fuck you know it's windy when a fully loaded Blackbird is buffeted around on the road. The rain was not heavy just enough that you had to wipe the helmet visor every 10 minutes - so more annoying at this stage. Coming into Gilgandra another bikie gang passed with about 30 riders. The rest of the way into Dubbo was uneventful - other than a fair amount of "fresh" roadkill.

I stopped just outside of Gilgandra for a piss and smoke and was lucky enough to have coffee with the Dick Johnson Racing Team folks fresh from Bathurst - no Dickie just the transport guys and the big truck. Also filled Betty at $1.66 a litre.....ouch!

DJR Truck - ass end

DJR Truck - front end :)

I had a good chat to them and another truckie that had come Wagga Wagga and he let me know there was plenty of road works I would be hitting - fucking great. The temp was around 9 now so I was keeping the wet weather gear on still. And I also had plastic bags around my socks in the riding boots to keep my tooties dry (thanks Carol) but my toes were fucking frozen. So ready to set off - at least the rain had gone for a bit - the wind was still there though. Next stop around Dubbo.

Just on the other side of Dubbo

Betty is kinda clean still

Let's go to the Zoo.....NOT

Sexy Betty

So came though Dubbo and had to put up with the country drivers doing 10 in a 50 zone - great. Lucky it was cold so I didn't start sweating in my many layers of clothing :) I stop just outside of Dubbo for a smoke and coffee break (near the golf course). The wind was still blowing badly and my neck was starting to feel the pain. The rest of me was fine. In fact I was amazed at how many different types of stretches, exercise, relaxing poses you can do on a big sports bike while travelling at 120 :) And the little throttle assist device I got was amazing - no pins and needles in my throttle hand yet at all. So the next part was to Parkes - and as I started out again leaving Dubbo a mild misty rain started - great.

The road from Dubbo to Parkes was fairly well sealed and straight except for a few mild corners - so on the excitometer it was about a 2. I was tempted to turn off and visit the Parkes Observatory but decided I couldn't be assed lol. So finally got into Parkes and the rain had cleared and there was puffy white clouds and blue sky - yet is was still very cold and the wind was still very strong. Doing my on bike exercise helped the neck pain - it was about this time coming into Parkes that I started to get the butt bone ass ache. I found standing on the front pegs for about 2 minutes helped sort this little ache issue out. The only problem was that doing that at speed in the windy conditions proved to be fucking tricky :) So I topped Betty up in Parkes and paid $1.72 a litre - the price of fuel was slowly getting higher each town I went through. I had a nice chicken schnitzel burger at the servo and got a fresh batch of coffee in my thermos. Right, ready to rumble onto West Wyalong.

Just outside West Wyalong

Last leg for Day 2 - Wagga here I come

Betty looking clean...ish

So the wind was still strong which was shit. As I come thru Forbes I noticed another one of those stupid Average Speed things so I decided to take it easy along this stretch from Forbes to the West Wyalong turn off. The country side was very much farming with fields either full of growing stuff or getting ready to be planted. Heaps of tractors and windmills lol. I stopped just outside West Wyalong for a smoke and coffee. Seems lots of trucks were coming from West Wyalong but not along the road I was now about to take leading into Wagga. My neck was starting to really give me the shits - due to the bloody wind still. The rest of me was not to bad - was looking forward to a shower though. Stopped here was the first time I saw a cop. He drove very very very slowly pass me and had a real good captain cook then drove off. Oh well. So from here it was it was the longest leg in k's for any part of the trip - roughly 150kms (or 147kms if you read the sign above lol). The stretch from West Wyalong to Temora.....BOOOOORRRRIIING. Straight and narrow road but well surfaced. The weather was clearing up nicely but the wind still remained. And of course what day would not be complete without roadworks just outside of Old Junee - yippee. Waiting......waiting.....waiting....

Finally get off again and on the last stretch towards Wagga. The roads had widened now and the surface was pretty smooth. Now stupid me didn't check the GPS before loading this route so it took me some dickless back way into Wagga - but that's ok it woke me up and made me alert coming into town. I was quite shocked that I didn't come over the old steel bridge - there is a new cement bridge now - well it has been 23 years since I was last in Wagga - apparently things change lol. The next change I noticed is the big shinny steel and glass cop shop on the corner across from my old school. Interesting.....down the end of the street next to the other half of my old school was the camp grounds. So I unload Betty, stretch and yawn, have a smoke, and setup the tent. Betty has not skipped a beat all the way down so far and the GPS has been perfect all the way. See my OCD in planning sometimes pays off :)

Betty all covered up at camp in Wagga



Tent action in Wagga - no wind finally



Camp grounds in Wagga

Camp all set and Betty all covered up. About 20 metres from me is this massive Winnebago with an elderly couple sitting outside having a coffee so I went over and asked if they could watch my stuff while I go and do some dinner shopping. They introduced themselves and said that would be fine. Howard and Faye and the little doggie Mitts. So when I left the camp grounds I decided to have a look at my old school. Was looking forward to this part of the trip for some strange reason. The school had been expanded and had a facelift but the massive cathedral style church on the corner was still the same :) So here I was standing outside the church having a look and remembering old times, dressed in my camo pants, riding boots, leather jacket and bandana on my head. From behind me I hear in a rather rude voice "You right mate?". I turn to see 4........count it 1....2.....3........4 young police constable's standing there starring at me not 5 metres away. Hmmmmmm where did they come from I was thinking....ahhhhh the shinny new cop shop on the corner across the road from the school. Interesting :) So I turn around and say "I'm right mate". The so called "leader" of this little band of pimple faced bad boys takes a step closer and says in his best intimidating voice "What are you doing?". I put on my most amazing smile and flick over to my you're a fuckwit nightclub manager voice and reply "Looking at the church.....mate". He does the evil stare and in an even more intimidating voice says back "How about you move on". I'm like thinking what the fuck - are kidding me. So I calmly reply "Last time I checked a member of the public can go and do what they like. I use to go to school here so I was having a look at the church. I'm passing staying overnight and passing through Wagga on my way to Melbourne". He stares at me and quick as you like says "Are you giving me attitude?". So I reply with "I don't know.....am I?". This is when his three musketeer colleagues straighten up and place hands on their holsters. I'm like you have to be kidding me. I look the "leader" right in the eyes and say "Do you have a problem with me looking at the church?". He replies with "You have been given a direction to move on, so move. We have had enough of your kind around here over the past few months". This is when I do two things. One, I click - they think I am a bad ass bikie. And two, I lose the plot and go off my nut at all four of them for harassment. I am saying the F word and the C word and lets just say I am not a happy little camper. Finally, with none of them getting a word in edge ways I hold my hands up and say "Let's go over to the cop shop so I can talk to your supervisor about you're fucking attitude and how you have treated me shall we". And without waiting for a response proceeded to the cop shop on the corner. All I hear behind me is "No.....mate wait up....lets talk about this hey". As I am still walking across the road I yell "Fuck you buddy lets see what the sup has to say. I am pressing harassment and you four are fucked". I was a little pissed off, tired from the ride today, sore, hungry, and did I mention PISSED OFF.  Anyways I get to speak to the supervisor who recognised me and the name - he was ahead of me at the school in Wagga by two years. I explain what happened and he lets me know that they have had heaps of OMC's through Wagga over the past few months - some causing trouble. I couldn't believe these four young cops thought I was a big bad bikie. Anyways, the supervisor (Darren I think) said if I was offered an apology would I not pursue this matter any further. I said that would be fine. So we go out to the entry where these four dimwits were standing and the sup explains what is going to happen - they were not impressed by the sour looks on their faces lol. So the leader cop in this group apologises to me. I stopped him right away and said "What are you sorry about?" - he looks at me and says "What?". So I explain to him "If you cannot tell me why you are apologising to me then there is no conviction in your apology and I will not accept it". Of course I had a massive grin on my face saying this. Fuck em lol. So he repeats his apology with "I am very sorry for treating you the way I did and speaking to you the way I did. I am truly sorry". Well that was all I wanted - and the other three did exactly the same. I even shook each of their hands. I shock the sup's hand and said that I was happy now. BUT, as I was leaving I made sure they understood something "Your sup is going to have a rather stern word to each of you about the attitude you have displayed today AND I would like to point out that next time you decide to harass a motorbike rider think twice - next time it may well be a 1%er bikie and the ending might be entirely different than it was today. Have a nice afternoon". I was smiling from ear to ear when I left :)

So I proceeded to the shops and got some dinner and breakfast stuff and returned back to the camp site. Howard and Faye said all was good with my stuff and Howard offered me a cuppa which I gladly accepted. I told them about me little adventure and they laughed. There story was great too - they have two grown up boys with families of their own so Howard and Faye retired about 2 months ago and sold everything....I mean EVERYTHING and bought this massive Winnebago and put the rest of their money in the bank. They are travelling all around Australia and have decided when they are over it they will build a new house when they like. Magic :) And I say best of luck to them :)