Day 53: Hurry hurry up and wait wait wait.....

A good morning in Adelaide today. D & I went nextdoor to the cheap and cheerful for breakfast (did I tell you that he had arrived?) and then went riding on the free bus around Adelaide until 10 am which is when the spare part for Olga was supposed to arrive. Inevitably the courier was late but once the sightglass had arrived and been fitted we were quick to pack up and get on the road south out of Adelaide by about 1pm.

We had a good ride down to Kingston SE (why the SE I have still not quite worked out!) going past the famous Giant Lobster (or is it a crayfish?)

and booked into the local faded lady hotel for the night. It was all good - $35 each for our own room, a cheap but good dinner and several beers later and we were all done.

Off tomorrow to make the Great Ocean Road and start our run to the end.

Day 52: Getting the NEW news in Adelaide

Greetings all.
Well I arrived in Adelaide yesterday at 11.15 all set to pick up the bikes and get organised to complete our trip. Dick has had some business issues with Hubbards Foods so isnot due to arrive until today. More on that later.

I had a great flight with Qantas. Had a row of three seats all to myself so stretched out and had a snooze. As the morning had started at 4am that was most welcome. Arrived in Sydney to find that due to some peculiarity in Orstrlian systems I was not yet in Orstralia. I had to remain in transit and board an internation flight that was going to Singapore via Adelaide and then check through customs there. All very confusing. But good flights nonetheless.

Went to our Adelaide hotel in Gouger St (apparently NOT pronounced as you might when cutting a groove in a piece of wood but in a much more Orstralian refined way!) to drop off my little bag and then round to BMW Adelaide to checkout the girls. Found there was some confusion! To say the least. The bikes have been serviced but they were not sure whther the parts ordered from Germany 17 days ago had arrived. The computer said one had, one had not. If they had, certainly no work had been started on fitting the new starter motor, the new sensor or the new brake lines which apparently are part of a BMW recall. Why these parts were not available in Orstalia or why they took so long to be delivered I do not know. My brother has a theory but I won't mention it here.

Anyway the parts were eventually located - in Adelaide - and a start was made to finish the bikes ... if you know what I mean. Just as well because the BMW staff were beginning to tread very warily around this strange Kiwi bloke with steam coming from his ears.

This morning we had some good news and some bad news. The good news was that the parts had been fitted to Helga. The bad news was that it has made no difference whatsoever to the clatter. When you start the motor there is still this brief clatter which appears to be coming from the region of the starter motor. The only thing for it - apparently - is to pull the motor completely apart (in half were their words) and see what is making the noise. So I have decided to risk it and will carry on. If the starter system packs up then I will cope with that when - and if - it happens.

The next bit of bad news is that Olga (Dick's bike remember? Keep up with the play now!) is leaking oil from the oil-level sightglass. This is the little round glass that BMW have kindly fitted so you can see how much oil is in the motor. Which, if the sightglass is leaking, is not very much. There is a spare avaialable in Melbourne which will be (we hope) in Adelaide by 10am tomorrow. It will be fitted by 10.30am and, hopefully we will then be able to get on our way. If not, we will be speaking sternly to some BMW PR people.

Meantime Dick is winging his way to Adelaide. As we know there is a direct AirNZ flight from Auckland to Adelaide. Dick however decided to save some dollars (as you do) by flying Qantas to Sydney and then getting the connecting flight to Adelaide. Unfortunately there were problems at Sydeney and Dick missed the connection so will arrive here late this afternoon. So the boys will have a night on the town and get on our way South tomorrow late morning. I hope! It all seems a long time ago now since we were last on the road and I can't wait.
Cheers,
Ken

Day 51: Getting the news in Adelaide.

We had a good night in Port Augusta. We went to a local community club for a beer and a meal which was ok although not great. Reasonably early to bed and to rise and we were on the road to Adelaide by 7.15am. We pushed it a bit far I think and didn't stop for breakfast until after 9am so we were a bit cold and miserable when we went in to Pimba. Then on the Adelaide, getting there just on noon.

It was a long slow ride in heavy traffic through to Mr BMW and just as we were in sight of the BMW centre, Helga suddenly died - a return to the problem I had been having after Darwin. We parked in a cycle lane on the rhs of the road and waited the obligatory 5 minutes and then fired her up again and went across the interesction to Mr BMW.

The staff at BMW were great. They took Helga away and put her on the computer. Then came back with the sad news. She needs ANOTHER new starter motor (she had a new one in Darwin so wtf?) and a fault in the temperature sensor. This makes the computer think she is overheating so shuts the bike down. The really sad news was that it will take up to 2 weeks for the spare parts to be delivered.

Dick and I made the snap decision to leave the bikes here and come home. We checked out the flights and then got a rental car and headed east for Melbourne. We will (hopefully) fly out of Melbourne tomorrow for EnZud!
Cheers - will pick this up again later.
Me

Day 50: Coober Pedy to Port Augusta.

Up early in the morning because I couldn't find my phone and the alarm was set for 6am. I found it at 6am! :-) We had weetbix and milk on the verandah and were packed up and on the road by 8.15. An uneventful ride south to Port Augusta, encountering more cops in the one day than I think we have seen all trip. Meet a large group of Harley riders when we stopped for lunch at Pimba but they ignored us so we ignored us as well. They seem to be suffering from insufferable superiority complexes. Silly really.

Saw two groups of emu as we rode down. They look so graceful as they walk across the desert - the environment they are made for I guess. I stopped to take photos and they moved unhurriedly off looking back with avian disdain. Just lovely.

Arrived in Port August around 3pm and booked into a faded lady pub in the middle of town. $70 for a box with two beds, a shower and a loo but it will do. Will update this later.
Cheers,
Me

Day 49: A social grenade?

Greetings all. A gentle day today. We left Marla at around 8.30 and pootled our way south without incident some 270km to Cooper Pedy (the opal capital of the world.) Unfortunately for Shirley and Diana, all the opal shops were shut on a Thursday. What a shame.

We found a cheapo cabin in the caravan park - $40 for a box with a light and two single bunks! It was ok. I had a snooze and did some shopping while Dick went off to do a mine's tour. This place is unbelievable - just mounds of tailings everywhere. It is hideous in a interesting kind of a way. I took some photos and will post them when I find a computer that will let me. Here ....

There was a guy in the cabin next door who was waiting for a replacement radiator for his Land Cruiser. He was an ex-bike-racer who had lost his arm in some bike accident which we didn't really discuss. I was interested in how he was going to fit the new radiator when it arrived. I could however have been more thoughtful about how I asked! I said "Do you think you will need a hand to fit the new radiator?" It was not until some 10 minutes later that I suddently thought - goodness!! I could have phrased that better. According to Frank that is a social grenade!

All good though - went out to a pizza restaurant for dinner and off to bed by 9.30.

A gentle day huh!

Day 48: Come to Alice they said. It never rains in Alice!!

Dick took me out for a belated birthday dinner last night. At his suggestion I tried the game medley: grilled camel, roast emu, pan-fried barramundi and a nice pie stuffed with little Skippy. It was delicious as was the bottle of Margaret River Shiraz.

We had planned to get up early and go up a local hill to look over Alice Springs at sunrise but in the event it was raining so we stayed in bed! Then went down the mall for a cafe breakfast. We went round to the Flying Doctor museum for a look and went inside leaving our jackets, helmets and gloves on the bikes. While we were in there the heavens opened and there was a huge deluge. The sky just opened and emptied water. Bugger. Dashed through the rain and rescued our gear as best we could and then dripped our way around the rest of the display and tour.

Back on the road at about 11am heading for Marla. Still wet so we were pretty soggy as we pootled down the Stuart Highway. Up in the distance I could see two road trains heading towards me. Then I noticed a silver band between me and the trains. Too late I realised it was a band of water right across the road. I hammered on the brakes but too late! The road trains and Helga and I all hit the puddle at the same time. Each road train had three units so six drenchings later I was up and out the other side. At least I could see the funny side of it!

Then a few k's later on we were getting flashed by traffic coming towards us. We soon found out why. A long line of cars stopped at either side of a 80 metre stretch of water across the road. According to the markers it was 40cm deep. We went up to the front of the line and had a go. Dick went first, got 2/3 of the way across and Olga died. He stayed on the bike pushing with his legs as I took Helga in. At almost the same place, she died too. I got off in thigh deep water, put her on the side stand and pushed Helga to the other side. Man I was stuffed by the time I got there.


Pushed her to the side of the road and had a go at starting her. Tried again and the motor turned over but didn't fire. Tried again and then again. Then got a whole bunch of kids to stand around the bike with their fingers and legs crossed and bingo! Away she went. Phew.

A bit of a marathon then into Marla with a really strong side wind (which gaves us both sore necks) and organised our accommodation.

I think there is something amiss in Helga's starting mechanism. When she fires up there is this terrible brief clatter. Will see how it goes tomorrow. May be a direct trip to Mr BMW in Adelaide.
Cheers all.

Day 47: Uluru to Alice

Hi all
We had a great time in Uluru. Walked around the base (10kms) then walked into the Olgas (another 5kms) This was supposed to be a rest day!

We decided to go to Alice via King Canyon and the back road. We knew this included 200kms of dirt road but it was suppposed to be open for 2wd vehicles so we gave it a go. By the time we got to the gravel it was 1pm but we pushed on. Immediately we went into 10kms of road works followed by mud and mudholes. By 6pm we had done 80kms.

Nothing for it but to drive up into the desert a short way and put up the tent. We had a pack of pasta, four broken eggs and just a little water but we made do. A great birthday bash for kennif!

Unfortunately it was a cloudy night so we didnt get to see the stars. But we did see a camel, horses, wild asses and dingos. It was great but we were exhausted.

We slept ok despite the dingo chorus at midnight and then in the morning packed up and slithered off down the grease trap again. Just on noon we got to Hemansburg - an old Lutheran mission station and then on towards Alice. Just a little way along the road we were stopped by a police block. A car had crashed during the night and the road was closed for the major crash investigation team. However we were allowed to take to the desert again and ride a big loop through the sand to the other side of the closed area and back down onto the road.

Then a sealed road blast through to Alice where we have found a bed in a tavern (??) and got the bikes locked away in the booze compound. We are now discussing how we will get to Adelaide. Have to be there by Sunday for a early monday appointment with Mr BMW for servicing. Helga now has 22,500kms on the clock. Not bad when you consider that on the 1st of March she had 800!