June 2009

Picking up the Bikes

The flight to Brisbane was uneventful, and the team took a cab to a nearby hotel, where the Donkey and Mission Control waited outside in the bushes while the Mule checked into a small 2 person room.

Five minutes later they were quietly ushered in by the Mule and established the sleeping arrangements for the trip.

Donkey and Mule on the beds.  Mission Control on the floor.

Driving into Dalby the Donkey and the Mule were initially in high spirits, when it dawned on them that they had paid an awful lot of money for 2 bikes that they had never even seen...  Was this about to be a big mistake??

But the guys at Dalby Moto were friendly and professional, and most importantly the bikes looked great.

 

 They returned the car hire car to the local drop off point, strapped on the tank bags and headed off.  

First Impressions of the bikes: 

They were ENORMOUS , but somehow rode just like a normal bike. 

Nothing like the BMW’s they tried a couple of months ago. 

The Donkey and the Mule were pleased :-) 

  

Meanwhile mission control was having the time of his life, and had taken to uttering the words... 

“ They’re enormous...“  Over and over again in his sleep while sucking on his thumb and intermittently crying like a school girl. 

  

On the way home they stopped in Inverell, Goulburn and Rutherglen. 

The Highlights: 

·  the run through Putty Forest. 

·  treacherous conditions on the Hume heading into Goulburn, where the Mule managed to drop his brand new bike, albeit at walking pace.  Very Unhappy Mule. 

·  the ride in and out of Canberra which was awfully cold, even with heated grips and full winter mits they had to stop every hour to thaw their hooves. 

·  the run from Cooma to Albury via the Alpine Rd was amazing fun, sunny and warm after the bitter cold earlier that day. 

  

Arriving home the Mule was wearing 2 long sleeved thermals, 3 t shirts, a tank top, a roll of newspaper across his chest, a full set of leathers, waterproof coveralls, waterproof gloves and inner liners (i.e. Everything he had brought with him). 

 

 
 

The Donkey and the Mule on the Murray Valley Hwy, near Huon  

  

 

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