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Woke up a bit early as I wanted to try to get a timelapse set of pictures of the sunrise. Bit of a waste of time however as clouds kinda ruined the sunrise. Either way I was up and packed and went to get some breakfast. Sat on the house's main deck and munched away and sipped another great cappichino. So today I am off to the capital ....Canberra...not Sydney as some may think. It seems the ride is not to be too awe inspiring today. Either way its all new turn to me to see.
Packed up and put the route in me gps and off I went. Well....little lesson in how not to just blindly follow a gps.....again As I exited the weird road that got me to the hotel the directiosn werre simple, she said follow the road to the hiway and turn right. Well it turned into a gravel trail....and it did run into the highway....but....there was no intersection....and I was about 15 feet above the highway on a gravel burm......I saw some 4x4 tracks to get up and down....and it was a straight curb. So took a look to the left and a goat path was there that the bike would fit through and I ended up wandering down it to the hiway....hopped the curb and was on terra highway firma.....and off I went.
Canberra is inland....so I am pretty much turning north west now. Great roads....the landscape is quite diverse. I started off going through windy forest roads...quite fun and of course would pop out into a town after a lil bit...time for a latte of course. Great way to chillax. The weather was great for riding...not too hot and not to cold. As I did a quick bike check....yup.....yet again.....me tires wearing out fast. kinda weird too....the right side is almost completely worn out.....the left not so much....the middle....is flattening. this could explain me sliding about in the back end. So I got a few days of riding left....must not twist the wrist too much coming out of the corners ....sigh, just hope it lasts.
Now the landscape turns into rolling hills....with grassland...and the odd big tree. Can't find a kangaroo for the life of me...but sheep...everywhere...some cows...but sheep...lotsa sheep....and exited Victoria into New South Whales. Saw the sign......else I don't think I would of noticed. Another indicator...photo radar...everywhere seems to be more enforced here. Seems they have averaging radar too.....sigh....you enter at point A and exit some 40 km down the road at B.....the systems times how long it took you.....if your average is too fast....ticket. I think I might be getting a ticket....cuz I didn't realize until I was under the averaging exit. If I was paying better attention I could have stopped and eaten a granola bar just before the exit for a bit...kick some dirt....look for Kangaroos....that woud have brought the average down. I did notice that no one went more than a couple of km's past the speed limit....all 100, 60 and 40 km zones...and great roads. Yet another nanny state that found a great way to collect revenue at the excuse of safety.
While on the subject...they seem paranoid about you falling asleep here at the wheel. Everywhere are signs..."Time for a power nap", "Nap Zone 300 m ahead", Signs everywhere to remind you that you can not stop yourself from falling asleep. All these signs about napping caused me to get drowsy in the helmet I think as me blinks were getting long. So next town....cappachino.....I think it was Wadonkadinkakangadonk or something like that. Was not far from my destination so off I went again.....for a slow ride into the city.
Weird kinda city..can't really see the downtown area....its very parkish... my hotel was on the northern outskirts....drove right by it as it was in a residential area, kinda buried in between houses. I was on the road for a while and was dozy...and a bit stiff....and it took forever to check in...some elderly couple was asking thousands of questions as I stood quitely staring....when they started to ask about where they got the food for the meals in the restaurants.....I did start to tap me boots on the flooring...it did make a distinctive noise....and they seemed to run out of questions to my relief.
Got me room....and was walking up and there was a google map car...complete with camera on the roof put away for the night. Kinda neat...never seen on one the road. Threw me stuff in the room and went to the d*** on area to find a pub. I didn't feel like exploring the city this time. Was kinda beat, just wanted a cool beer. Found the area with the pubs its not far from the hotel and there was a pub on the corner. I backed the bike into a spot and a guy was standing there. He didn't even wait for me to get me helmet off and was blabbing away about what a nice bike. I got the lid off and turns out Adal is from Germany. He insisted that I join him and his friend for some drinks. Really cool bunch, Fjoiuziooeziue....from Finland...not sure I got that spelt right...and Nancy 100% aboriginal gal so I was told, and Andy....and Irish Auzzie. Well I got me some education about life in Aussieland.
First thing is don't swim here unless its a pool.. Adal was a surfer until one day he was at Bondi beach in the waves staring at a tiger shark eye to eye....he was begging to not miss the next wave. They all explained the shark thing...seems they don't like people food. The tiger shark would bite you....spit out the chunk of leg cuz it does not taste like seal and move on...you might survive. The great white....chomps off a leg....spits it out saying...oops my bad...your not a seal are you....you might survive...chances slim cuz its a big chunk missing.... the bull shark...eats you.....burps ....then thinks crap...that sucked....what a waste of chewing...crappiest tasting seeal I've eever had. But sharks are not the big killer here...no its spiders...and snakes. They got some nasty ones....just remember if it bites you...catch it....and bring it with you to the hospital...if you make it that far. They were tellng all sorts of stories of friends and such getting bit by things. About here I started swatting my legs...even with riding pants on....kept looking at the sidewalk....for movement.
Then we got to talking about kangaroos. Well.....I learned that the ones around here are pretty small. The western Kangaroos...they be bigggg. Six feet or more....sitting. They can hop..get this.....36 feet....and should you annoy them....they simply lean back on their tail....and with their back paws which have rather long nails and with a few kicks...."gut you like a fish". Hmmmp....I seem to have learned something....then they showed me some pics of some of the big roos...holy crap....muscles with fur....and hop very large distances. Oh...seems if your a gal and its that time that kinda happens every thirty or so days.....stay away from kangaroos...seems they don't like that...at all. The ones I bumped into seemed cute...and pretty easy going....but I did notice they had long nails on the front paws.
Then they collectively told me....but mate.....the one you do not want to get anywhere near is the Cassowary...serious...google it...OMG.....they described it like a velacitor from Jurrasic park...but more colorful, bigger than an emu...ohhh its a bird by the way....yup a bird....apparently it can kick the living crap out of you ohh and it has a 5 inch long dagger claw to finish the job. Should you decide to run for it...it can run over 30 mph for hours...if you cross path with one...it will seriously mess you up, you are screwed....seriously ....google it. They do not show that in the brochures......and apparently do not tick off an Ostrich either....I learned a lot over a few pints.
Seems they had a rugby match to go to and with that they trotted off. Great bunch. I finished me pint...and decided to head back to the hotel....for a chicken snitzel and to crash. Tomorrow....I'm off to the Blue Mountains.....
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