Still in Longreach - Grrrrrr!

A beautiful sunny morning, no tent to pack up and only 178km to ride, what could go wrong? 47km out of Longreach and we had just overtaken a very long Road Train with Trish leading when she started flapping her arm in the air in frustration and slowed dramatically. With the Road train looming up behind we managed to get most of the way off the road before the Road Train thundered past. By this stage I had worked out that all the arm flapping was because she was having bike trouble yet again!!! Her bike had shut down with all the lights lighting up the instrument panel.

The bike wouldn't go and the key was off but there were still lights flashing and carrying on. The only way I could stop them and in an effort to conserve battery power was to disconnect the negative terminal of the battery. With that done the brain was going in overdrive as to what to do next. First decision when it was obvious that the low battery was not going to allow a restart was to get out the phone and check for mobile coverage. A few pirouettes and holding the tongue in just the right place I had a couple of bars on the phone. Plan A was to get out the laptop and Google tow trucks in Longreach. All the bars came up on the mobile broadband as did the smile on my face but that was short lived when it would not connect to the network. Plan B use the GPS to get the phone number of the Longreach Police and ask them for a contact number for a tow truck. A few pirouettes and holding the tongue in just the right place I dialled the Police ( on a Sunday ) only to get a recording of no help.

Plan C after investigation of the road verge was to push the bike off the road and behind some trees then cover it with some more branches while we rode back on the Honda to get some help. That was short lived when Trish insisted she stay with her bike and that I go back. Knowing she had mobile coverage, shady hat, cool day, no rain and water I headed back into town. Trish's parting words to me "watch out for the emus we saw earlier." The only trouble my brain was on getting back as soon as possible, what we would be able to do, how long we would be stuck in Longreach, would anybody be able to help with the Guzzi . . . . . . until the two emus were right on the side of the road and almost level with me. Luckily they stayed there as I grabbed a heap of throttle to get past before they moved. I should have listened and knew I would regret it when I would tell Trish about the emus - "I told you so" would be ringing in my head for some time.

The 47km back gave me time to think and also now to look for emus, so I went straight back to the caravan park and booked back into the cabin for another two nights. They had a phone number for a tow truck which turned out to be very helpful. A quick call to Trish to update her and I realized I hadn't taught her to pirouettes and hold her tongue in just the right place and just got 101. A second call later while I waited for the tow truck and still 101. Third call as the tow truck appeared at the end of the street and I got through, luckily she realized she did not have bars on the phone and did her own manoeuvrers to get some.

Finally we arrived back in the truck, loaded the bike on the back, tied it down securely and head back to Longreach. Being Sunday the bike was left on the back of the truck until Monday morning and we decided to use the rest of the day to get our washing done.

Resigned to our fate we went off to watch a Bird and Snake show put on by a cute slow moving old guy, in the grounds of the Caravan Park. It was light hearted fun and helped take our minds off getting the bike fixed.

"I should have listened" - Dave

PS: Just picked up Trish's bike - a wiring harness from the alternator had fused out. Found a mechanic who was prepared to have a go at a Guzzi. The thought scares a lot of them. New battery, a bit of labour and price not too bad.