Off Centre Ride 2002

Day 1, Monday August 5

We all met at Rto's favourite Caltex at Gympie at 9.30pm, six GS's and two Africa Twins. With a compulsory U turn we took the dirt roads, or as many as we could, to overnight at Cracow. Rick Trenaman met us there and opted to stay in the pub while we camped on the pleasant area opposite. A great night was had by all with the first of many beers consumed and stories told. Cracow would make a great club GS weekend location.

Day 2

A slow start, with a Berocca breakfast, then an amble around what is mainly a ghost town. On the way out of town we had a look through the old hospital that is open to look around. Despite the fact that it has been closed ten years there was a lot of interesting stuff to look at. A great place for a rally with a room for everyone! Ron our “Claytons” leader took us to the beautiful palm plantation nearby on the Dawson River, amazing to see the strong flowing river in an area of drought. We took the back roads to a lunch stop at Baralaba, then off for our overnight at Blackdown Tableland National Park. The road is now sealed to the base of the mountain with an interesting corrugated, somewhat loose steep climb to the top. An excellent site for camping, with toilets, but no showers.

Day 3

An early start with a stop at the lookout, a couple of the party then departed for tracks south, their leave passes running out. Some of us stopped in to Emerald for last minute provisions, that being our last major town for the next five or so days. It was then the tar to Muttaburra as the day had got away from us. The “Swiss” Manfred and Reggi had a speedo “check” on the way and complimented Ron on his repair job as they agreed with the man in blue that they were in fact doing 117kph, unfortunately just out of the 110 speed zone! Most arrived before dusk with a keen lookout for wildlife. We were greeted by a old club member Gabe who now resides in Townsville. For those of you who haven't experienced the Exchange Hotel ($17/night) run by ex Kiwi shearers, then do so. Excellent meals, cold beer and a reasonable red were had.

Day 4

A not so early start, must have had something to do with the liquid refreshments of the night before. We set off for Morala on the Longreach Winton Road, an interesting sandy road. With only the Cameron Corner Off Centre to compare and with little experience I found it terrifying under 80kph and much better at 100kph+. Stopping down the track I was somewhat comforted to find that the more experienced riders were having a few problems with it. I arrived at the seal to find Peter Allan rearranging his 80GS as it had got tired and lain down. We caught up with Chris McCardle from Melbourne with wife Sally in their outfit while stopped at the junction. After filling up at Winton we stopped at he Middleton Hotel for a cold beer and then rode off for the Hamilton Hotel where Gabe was going to shout a beer, we were late by thirty years a fireplace was all that remained, a cheap Kiwi trick that! Tents were erected at the caravan park, I upgraded to a motel, we (by now probably twenty in all) met for dinner at the Australian Hotel. An early night was wisely taken.

Day 5

The previous night there was a lot of talk, nervous on my behalf, about the road/track choices to Urandangi. West to Tobermorey then north up the NT border, west then up through Roxborough Downs, or north on the dirt via Chatsworth then Dajarra. In the end most went straight up to Dajarra on the narrow tar and took the North road in. The Roxborough road was very sandy and took an extra three hours allowing for sidecar repairs, the Chatworth road was interesting with a new unmapped road for Rto to take. The “South” road in was very sandy but ok. Leaving the north road, which most of us took. It was initially very sandy and corrugated but only to the lunch spot at the dry Moonah Creek some 6k's. Once again 100kph with some to 120kph at the hint of sand or bull dust and I starting to come to terms with it, it was almost fun!

Urandangi is famous for its huge dust storms with photos at the pub showing some in recent times as well as floods, you can't win out there it seems. We arrived around 2pm, Jack & Jill had taken the only real shaded spot, it pays to be early, with Rosco already in residence for two days. There were showers with a donkey boiler and the Dangi Pub only a 100 metres away, bliss. A few dust cleansing ales were had on the verandah that afternoon as we watched others ride in. Being a Friday night what else do you do in the outback but go to the pub, a lot of fun was had by all. We heard tales of carnage from non arrivals down the track, including Charlie Brown (broken frame), a side car had also come to grief after hitting an emu, its rider taken out by the RFD etc etc.

Day 6, “The Off Centre Night”

A late start this morning as we were going nowhere, will maybe to the pub! Yet another Berocca breakfast. Lots more arrivals were greeted from the pub verandah shade. More tales of woe and heroics. A trek to the Georgina River turned out to be only 500 metres, very little water, almost didn't need the GPS Ron! The river was only in pools, and deep cracks in the ground on the way, glad I am not a farmer. Most of the early arrivals took to a bit of bike maintenance tightening up bits rattled loose, while the side car boys were doing much more major stuff. Rob Turton provided intertainment changing his tyres as he would. He also had his usual bag of crackers which he used to great effect that night.

That night it was beers in the pub or around the fire in the camping area where a carton of VB turned out to be half price of buying single beers at the pub. For wine drinkers it was byo! I like some turned in before midnight leaving the very excitable Rto and mates up to 2am or later telling and re-telling tales of prior Off Centres .

Day 7

An early start or that was the intention for me needing to be back Tuesday night and 2100k to travel. I was all packed up and was just having an “Ohlins Wank' with a fellow rider when I noticed to my dismay that the bolt holding the bottom of the rear shock had sheared off at the thread. Panic! With a bolt from the side car boys and great help from Al G including a spacer shim made from the remains of an old VCR machine I was ready to go. When Steve from The BM Shop arrived back with out pillion telling of the crash that Rick Trenaman had taken in the sand and bull dust some 30k out on the road to Mt Isa. The publican took his F250 ute out with mattress in the back to bring him back in to wait the arrival of the RFD. With all this happening my ride to the tar was most uneventful. Filling up in Mt Isa I was resigned to a lone ride home probably getting to Kynuna that night, but a chance meeting with two of the group and then a further in Cloncurry changed my mind. So it was Sunday night in the “Curry” with a value $8.80 BBQ all you can eat at the Post Office Hotel, sure was a welcome change from all the self cooked noodles.

Day 8 – 9

A very boring ride down the “black snake” home, huge numbers of roos and emus to contend with late afternoon and early morning. Bike performed well with no further problems except for running out of petrol going in to Longreach, the old trick of the leaning the bike onto the RH cylinder found the reserve supply once again. Arrived home at 5pm with 4500k on the trip meter and not much left of the Conti back knobby left.

All in all a great ride with plans in hand for the BMW Safari in SA next March and Innaminka in 2004 for the next Off Centre. See you in the dirt!

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