The Cormanus Chronicles: Carnarvon Gorge

[Cormanus]

Day 1

Map of Day 1. As usual, a map of the entire ride can be found [url=https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?mid=1YPdFl_mvKBKzDOjC1qPJKOqvhs6Fs--r&usp=sharing]here. Those interested in maps and things can toggle days, zoom in and out and play with all the other fun gadgets Google has given us.

Not being a morning person makes the idea of getting up early for a long day’s ride decidedly unappealing. Perversely, though, when I actually do it, I enjoy it. When, early in September just after 0600, I found myself heading south on the motorway out of Brisbane, looking at the traffic on the other side of the road starting to bank up, my spirits lifted. Perhaps it has more to do with setting out on the prepared-for ride then being up early. Who knows?

After 40 minutes or so, I pulled into a service station, filled the bike and met my riding companions. There was even time for a quick cup of coffee before the scheduled stand raising at 0700.



Mandatory bike inspection before stands-up. JoshKTM has acquired a KTM1290 sinc last we rode together

The tour leader was again the redoubtable Valvoline (previously encountered in [url=http://cb1100forum.com/forum/showthread.php?tid=13943]a 2019 chronicle). My other companion was JoshKTM, similarly a participant in the earlier escapade. We would be joined late in the day by Valvoline’s partner, Captain Coleman or CC. He had been off into the wilds of the Australian desert doing serious riding on sand and dirt a long, long way from anywhere.

Valvoline quickly made clear that we had better than 700 kms to travel and, even though the roads would mostly be flat and straight, we needed to get our skates on and maintain a solid cruising speed. On her KTM 390 (known fondly as The Lawnmower), Valvoline sets a cracking pace. We were duly under way at 0700. Within minutes we were on the motorway heading west.

The feature of the early part of the day was the relatively new Toowoomba by-pass which makes the climb up the Great Dividing Range much easier and quicker. It also avoids a large town.

There was one memorable sight. I’m pleased I photographed it. Who’d believe me if I just said I’d seen a pink elephant?



How good is the electronic cruise control on the KTM?

After that, we were into flat country.


We stopped in Chincilla to inspect the Big Watermelon.

See [url=https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Australia%27s_big_things]Australia’s Big Things

And I saw a truck big enough to delight my grandson.


On the other side of the road, it’s pretty flat too.


We stopped to inspect Roma’s Largest Bottle Tree.


After lunch at Roma we turned north for the final leg that would take us to Carnarvon Gorge. The last petrol stop is at a place called Injune, some 150 kms from the gorge. My CB might—just might—make 300 kms on a very good day. If I left Takarakka (the place we stayed) and headed north to Rolleston, I’d have another 102 kms to travel. With daily rides (albeit only about 3 kms) from Takarakka to the entrance to the gorge, I was not prepared to risk not being able to get to either Injune or Rolleston and so, for the first time, packed an old 5-litre jerry can.

As I started to fill it in Injune, I realised fuel was leaking from a small hole in the bottom. Luckily the service station had another and I was safe to carry on.

After that we found a bottle tree in Injune. I liked it better than the one in Roma because it was in the garden of the bottle shop.


We added CC to the team at the entrance to the road into Takarakka and Carnarvon Gorge. The road in had corners, pretty much the first motorcycling excitement for the day. We arrived shortly before 5 pm and were able to set up camp in time for darkness to fall.


3 KTMs and a solitary Honda

[emptysea]

It’s 0600 as I read this chapter of the Cor-Chro. I enjoy waking early and particularly so on riding mornings. Today would be a riding morning were it not for the lack of a ride as my CB1100 is probably sitting on a lift awaiting a service technician to resume his task of isolating and repairing the high idle problem it has. Your account of your recent trip could not have been posted at a better time as it has raised my own spirits in what might be described as the opposite way yours were as you headed out.

About that pink elephant...

“ One morning, I shot an elephant in my pajamas. How he got in my pajamas, I don't know.” - Captain Spaulding

[Rocky_imp]

I always love reading these reports. Great stuff

[Blockhead_imp]

It’s the highlight of my day when I see these, Cormanus. Love the pics, that truck has to be 160 feet long?

[Rocky_imp]

It’s the highlight of my day when I see these, Cormanus. Love the pics, that truck has to be 160 feet long?

Down under they call those "road trains."

[GoldOxide_imp]

Always a delight to absorb your documented journeys Cormanus.

[the Ferret]

3 KTMs on one trip led by a 390? Amazing.

[pdedse]

Very fun! That bottle tree looks crazy.

[bflint]

Impressed... a real CB1100 Travel Blogger. I need to take you on my next cross country trip. You can train me. Thanks for sharing your Australian journey

[j3gq_imp]

Great that you always use that same subject line, Cormanus.
This way all your chronicles are always just when 'search' away.

Does anybody (I thing ferret/GO, etc.) do similar write-ups in the U.S., and I just haven't seen it yet ?