Going on a Mural Hunt

I love it out here, open road, big sky, and just the road for company interrupted by the occasional car, truck, or road train. This isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, and I’m not sure whether I can explain it. So, when the chance to take a four-day weekend came up to ride, I jumped at the chance.

The Flying Boats of Lake Boga

Back in the 40s during World War II a secret base was built at Lake Boga in heart of Victoria to service and repair Catalina flying boats. When Ed suggested a ride to Lake Boga to check out the Catalina Museum I had to look up what a Catalina was, and where Lake Boga was as I really hadn’t heard of either. And although I’m not a plane buff I am always interested in checking out interesting history.

1,000km Loop

Some days you just need a ride. A day in the saddle. A day to sit and let the world wash over you. A day to just decompress.
Today’s ride will take me to Bathurst, along the Bylong Valley Way where I will bid Russell farewell and I head home via the Putty into Sydney and then durge home the last 300km in the dark on the Freeway.

ZX14R repairs on the road - replacing the fuel filter

Replacing ZX14/R Fuel Filter

I’ve had this post sitting in draft for a few months and then a friend asked about changing the fuel filter in a ZX14R today (or 1400GTR), so it was time to put everything together from my experience and publish it.

Weekend Escape to FNQ

As we exit the airport my sunnies fog up instantly as we hit the wall of heat and humidity. Welcome to Far North Queensland. I don’t often fly domestically as I usually ride or drive, so it’s a bit disorienting as I don’t quite have a sense of how far north we really are. Cairns is 2,500km north of Canberra via the most direct route, or 2,900km if you follow the coast.
This is a quick weekend trip to visit friends who recently relocated to Cairns for work and to pinch one of his bikes to see some of the sights and ride some of the roads I’ve heard so much about.

An appropriate sign on a Saddlesore 1600 ride with 1400GTR and ZX14R

Saddle Sore 1600

While I’ve completed a few of these rides now, I wouldn’t say they are easy, just that our approach to them is more casual. We know what it takes. A ride like this is not about speed it’s about consistency. It’s spending time in the saddle not in the cafe sipping your latte.

The Saddle Sore 1600, or 1600km in 24 hours. The minimum endurance ride certified by the Iron Butt Association (IBA).

Camping with zx14r

Camping in the Snowies

This weekend wasn’t about a big ride. It was a chance to simply get out for a ride in the mountains, do some camping, and just hang out with a couple of mates. A chance to escape the city and just be in the moment. Enjoy the scenery, the road, and the angry growl of a 14 echoing off mountain walls. Just enjoying being alive.