Bonneville America Forums Forums General Motorcycle Forums Rides, Rallies, & Events 14 days to Ozbam

In another 14 days the hills and valleys of NSW and Queensland will reverberate to the sound of finely tuned British iron as members make their way to Bulahdelah. The feeling of adventure when the America turns the first wheel out of the garage. The pungent smell of long dead roos and wallabies on the side of the road. The stinging cold rain blasting into the open face. The sinking feeling one gets when you realise the rain has gone through the wet weather gear to your crotch and your testicles are floating like 2 decoys in a duck shooting pond. The heart stopping moment when going into a corner at speed you realise that the mishapen stump on the roadside is not a stump at all but a very large roo poised to take flight. The distant faraway look in the eyes of the sixties something stop-go guy at the roadworks as the bikes remind him of happier days and a BSA Goldstar. The relief when you find the sudden roaring is not a silencer that has fallen off but merely a empty road train about 2 feet off your butt out to prove his rig can pass any motorcycle. The despondent look on the face of the Hyabusa rider who passed you 2 kilometres before as he tries to explain to a cop that his throttle had jammed. The first pothole that sends a jarring up the spine that appears from nowhere. And all this before leaving the Island! Bring it on!!!!!!!!!
Ride safe and see you there guys!

I don't own wet weather gear.

That's some great and colourful writing there, Kent! Have a good time and stay safe!

Have consulted the long range weather forecast Stevie and looks like the gods may be smiling on us-no rain forecast.
If all else fails you can always tuck in behind John and let him take the worst of it!!!

I am going to PM everyone that has said they are coming to give them my mobile number and to get theirs (if they want to give it to me). That way if someone has a breakdown or a change of plans enroute they can let us know so we don't worry if you don't turn up as expected. It may also be useful in locating each other as everyone is turning up at various times and days.

Hey Kent, really enjoyed your few words on what's to be expected enroute to the 1st OzBam. So real I could almost smell and taste it. You've got a knack there my friend. Keep it up and we'll start calling you Banjo.

As it turns out, I'll be reading from the sidelines the exploits of the Ozbammers from inside our shores and not the Philippines after all. Not wanting to explain to much here but suffice to say " Stacka" can't do the fireman gig anymore using prescription opiates for the chronic nerve pain I've had since surgery in 2006. I've even been in Hospital since Monday being infused with a drug called ketemine so as to settle my nervous system down. Seems I underestimated a few things and the impact they would have as I got older. Not a big deal and of course i'll be back bigger and stronger. Just need some time to get things together so I can focus on getting better. I'm thinking a year or two for the 2nd Ozbam should be about the right timing too. Time will tell.

This isn't a poor Stacka thing either. Just a realization the time has come for me to focus on getting myself as good a result as possible without the need for pain Meds. It's a hard one to explain unless anyone has been down the same track.

What I do know is, I can't get myself sorted whilst working a normal job, let alone as a firie.

So the toofiepegs have turned out to be a bit of a saga and now will only get a minor cosmetic fix here in Aus (another long story) for the wedding now as I try to get my head right for the next chapter of my life.

Anyway, what I'm hoping to hear are the "Tales from the Road" cos I the can feel the excitement building as you guys get closer to the ride. Just hope you all have thermals and waterproofs and the rest will be fine.

Hi Stacka. Sorry to hear about your health issues. You've been in hospital and on some heavy drugs! Wow! Are you on the improve or is this a long term recovery? Sounds serious if you've had to quit your job. Mate, that's really tough. We know you're not on a self-pity trip and you just want to let your Brothers In Bonneville know what's going down without sounding too heavy.

We all hope you recover fast and it's not too long before you're riding again. I'll send you a little get-well gift next week that you can stitch onto your pyjamas and it will become a conversation starter with the prettier nurses.

Hi Stacka,
Sorry to hear that you have medical issues. Hope they get to sort it out quickly. Fact of life that as we get older the body starts to play tricks on us and most times mechanical things are a lot easier to fix. Keep the spirits up and hope it will not be too long before you are out and about on the Trump again. Richard and I will be able to give you a full report on the Ozbam meet which I will embellish a tad of course.
Get well and all the best
Kent

Hi Richard and Kent. Thanks very much guys for your sentiments. It does mean more than you could imagine cos next to the fire bridge, this mob of no hopers has been like a second family to me. I also know that as soon as I've left my job as a firie, the family I worked with will divorce me.

Hey, it's a fact of life I've seen and realised for years. People's lives just move on. The beauty of riding bikes though is and particularly our trumps is, we have a family of our own that is pretty strong and here in Aus, getting strong I believe.

Ozbam will cement that I'm sure and from then on I'm hoping more meets will be happening where we only strengthen our bonds.

Anyway, tmw I fly to Brisbane and then my daughter, son in law to be and me drive up to Kingfisher Bay resort on Fraser Island to stay for the the weekend. Looking forward to the warmth of that place which I never get sick of. I'm extremely fortunate to have such a caring daughter and son in law, and we just always have a great time together.

So maybe back on Bribie when you guys return from Ozbam, you might want to meet for a couple at the Bribie pub. Not a big deal if you don't cos the timing might be out but I'll email one of you's in a couple of weeks or so. Btw, is Benny still going to Ozbam. Haven't heard from him in a while. Ya there Benny ha ha.

Better go boys. Thanks again my friends. Really looking forward to having a beer or two sometime not too far away.

Ride safe

stacka

ps: I just wanted to mention this. I know you have your own thoughts on the route for your trip north after Ozbam but I can guarantee you would not be disappointed if you chose the Oxley Hwy west of Port Macquarie through the Cotton Bimbang National Park to Walcha.

I rode this with a mate in 07 and the experience through the twisties and then onto Walch, Armidale, The Waterfall Way to Dorrigo etc and then north was something I'll never forget.

In fact there is a brilliant and cheap backpackers at Bellingen which is a pretty simple ride home to Brisbane from there. The first part of the trip was a bit longer for us buy hey, you can always vary it to you own riding style.

Of course, not a big deal if you choose differently cos there are so many good rides it doesn't really matter but I just wanted to mention it as I know I would be remiss not to. The thing is, any of those rides that cross the dividing range between the Pacific Hwy and the New England hwy all up the East coast are winners. Simply superb.

Hi Stacka,

Kent and I indeed plan to do the "mountains to the sea" route - probably the Thunderbolt Way on the southerly trip and Oxley Way on the return north. Trying to work out how to fit in Waterfall Way as well but it's probably one or the other (not all three). Kent is just going along with my suggestions atm but it's all pretty flexible depending on the weather, how we're feeling and who's riding with us. We are staying at the Nymboida Coaching Station on both the southern and northern trips so that location gives us some flexibility.

I look forward to catching up with you on Bribie. Enjoy your time with your daughter.

Hey guy's and girls not so long now
yes Stacker in 7 days time i'll either have or be working on 1 of then biggest hang overs i've ever had
i was a little concerned about how well the "Report" of the first offical Ozbam was to be written,since you and your flair for writting wont be attenting ....till i read the opening post to this thread.....very nice indeed Kent,i'm so looking forward to your write up buddy
anyway my friend you take care of your self and yes we'll have to catch up

I second that vote (for Kent as the official Ozbasm reporter).

I third Kent (aka Banjo) as Ozbam's official reporter come wordsmith and I'm not even going. Which is all the more reason he has my vote cos to be honest, I'm thinking writing may well have been his true vocation in life.

Ride safe and don't forget your riding a cruiser meaning, enjoy the scenery and not just the road's centre line.

5 more sleeps....

To those leaving tomorrow ride safe and we'll catch up soon

Thanks Terry.

The weather is looking great through to Saturday. May be the odd shower on Sunday but I've been monitoring the weather for a few days now and it keeps looking better as we get closer. So I reckon we won't see much rain at all - if any.

See you on Friday.

Back home after a brilliant weekend. I await Kents review with much anticipation

Feel the pressure Kent? I'm awaiting in anticipation as well.