Sanity on Two Wheels: 03/01/2013

Well its been almost two weeks since I got home and there has been the usual washing etc to be done. The last two days of the trip I couldn't think of something witty to write to accompany the photographs and to be entirely honest, most of the photographs speak for themselves.

In the last two weeks I have fixed a range of small issues on the V-Star, including finding the extra pieces of something in the fuel tank that were rattling away. I've also changed my kit based on what I learned on the shakedown trip, including a bigger tent. The Suzuki DR800 is now working well. I found the electrical fault and all the work that my friend Rob did on it for me has paid off. Yesterday I took the DR on a 250 kilometre round trip to Bellbird Cafe at Kenilworth and I had a big grin on may face for 230 kilometres. The 20 kilometres I wasn't smiling was the 10 kays each way of negotiating traffic in and out of Redcliffe.

So now I need to plan my next trip, or find a job, or go back to university.

I'll think I'll do all three!

First, my next trip should be to western Queensland, perhaps Longreach. Just a short one; two days up, two or three days there and two days back might work. So any readers who want a week off, send me a message.

I'm still hopeful of a job coming with a company based across Queensland. If it doesn't eventuate, time to start registering with job agencies and in the meantime I am thinking that I will apply to do a Bachelor of Social Work with CQ University. That should keep me amused ... seriously, I think that would be pretty interesting and my age should not present a barrier to employment when I graduate.

So for now, a bit more housework to do, need to drop into the Church office in the next few days and then a family re-union in Oakey on Saturday. Now that the Suzuki is working well, I think some helmet camera videos of the Lockyer Valley rides next week will be in order too.

Today I left the home of Mark and Bron, a couple I have met through Horizons Unlimited and they are the most hospitable couple. I particurlarly enjoyed the time chatting with Mark and feel that I have made another real friend.

Just before Castlemaine is the tiny town of Guildford. Karen and I stayed here when it was a one-room Bed & Breakfast in the 1990's. Dan and I also rode through here when we did the Great Ocean Road in 2007. The place has grown slightly since then and has had some recent rain. Great fruitcake.