Before leaving Sydney I had checked the weather forecast. Sunny, but rain showers coming from the north. As I was going north I knew what I was facing. There is no way to avoid them unless they travel in the same direction; in that case you can position yourself between the showers and enjoy a mostly dry day. Today it was not the case though. I had to adjust my route north by avoiding twisty mountain roads and staying at the flatter well used roads. Rain is normally not a problem; I rather have rain than showers. With rain you put on your waterproof suit and make sure you don't get wet. With showers it is different. You need to put on all you wet weather gear, face the shower and then possibly ride for a while under a clear and sunny sky in 30 degree heat. After 30 minutes it gets too hot, you find a place to stop and take op all the rain gear. Now you find you are very wet inside but that comes from perspiration. You get on the road and 30 minutes later there are the black clouds again and the whole thing start over once more.

I took a few detours along the smaller coastal roads riding north To Port Macquarie and Coffs Harbour where I stopped off to say hello to my friend John who runs the Dutch Clog Barn Holiday Park.

John owns the park and runs the tourist shop and conducts clog making demonstrations. At the back of the store there is a miniature Dutch town all made by John’s father. Just down the road is another Dutch icon the "Big Windmill". During travels in Australia you can’t miss out on riding/driving past “Big” things. Thus far I have come past the Big Guitar in Tamworth and the “Big Banana” here in Coffs Harbour. (The Big Banana started it all, 50 years ago). We had the “Big Merino” Sheep a few days ago in Goulburn and later I will zoom past the Big Prawn in Ballina further north. Also there is the Big Orange, Pineapple, Apple, Axe, Avocado etc. I zoomed past the “Big Potato” in a place called Robertson and there is even a “Big Mosquito” where it probably best not to stop.

The next morning, before leaving Coffs Harbour I checked out the fishing harbour were some men approached me with” how much does a bike like that cost?” Question. One of the many times this has happened. I asked them if they referred to this bike or a new one. Of course, as expected the next comment was; “you can buy a good car for that.” Pointless to go into explanations about quality, values and the thrill and pleasure of riding.

I took some pictures of the fish and started my journey for the day. After leaving “Coffs” I rode back 25 km to Urunga and made a right hand turn to Bellingen and Dorrigo along the “Waterfall Way”. From Bellingen up to the small town of Thora and crossing over the river, the roads takes you past all sorts of fascinating nut trees, planted in military rows. This is Macadamia Nut territory with many road side stalls advertising and selling their wares. After Thora it begins... the road rises sharply, at first making long sweeping curves but soon that changes into the odd hairpin bend and hundreds of tight corners. You really need to remind yourself that you should stop and check out the waterfalls. Many of them are right by the roadside! In Dorrigo I stopped at “the world’s smallest motorcycle museum”, which is actually a nice place for lunch and coffee and owned by a motorcycle lover who uses his hobby as a backdrop for his coffee shop.

There is another attraction in Dorrigo that puzzles me. It is not advertised anywhere; I just stumble across it when I took a shortcut to reach the road leading to Grafton. I came upon a “parking area” of more than a hundred old steam locomotives and railway cars plus some old building with a lot of “old Steam” stuff. No signs nothing- all just sitting there. I have checked on the internet and it is actually called Dorrigo Steam Railway Museum –not open to the public- well...

At first the road continues another 30 plus km through green valleys filled with the smell of freshly cut grass and where the farmers places mail boxes in groups along the road.

At the Armidale to Grafton road, near the small hamlet of Ebor (another large waterfall) I turned right and whizzed up to Grafton via undulation roads through a hilly landscape.

Then it was on to Ballina (hello Big Prawn) and via the narrow road which hugs the coast to Byron Bay which besides being one large party place is famous for its lighthouse which stands on the most easterly point of Australia. A fast and new road system leads from here to the Gold coast and on to Brisbane; however the old roads is much nicer and runs to the small towns of Pottsville to Tweed heads

Now Tweedheads has something interesting to offer. Right through the middle of the street runs the border of Queensland/New South Wales. These two states have 1 hour time difference. So you arrive at say 5 past 3 and leave at 6 past 2. On the picture you see the main street. When it is 2 pm on the left it will be 1 pm on the right. Very interesting on New Year’s Eve.

From here to home is just over an hour, halfway I came through the town of Nerang and had coffee with the BMW dealer/salesman who sold me the bike- excellent I said- and the warranty clause- forget it mate!

I explained the real reason for this trip but meanwhile wanted to make it as pleasurable as possible getting to and around the destination. A publication is available called Motorcycle Atlas +200 top rides, describing the most scenic routes in the country especially for motorcycles. There are two booklets (A5 size) one with a description of the numbered/advised routes and one with the maps and colour coded routes. These rides are taking out of various m/c magazines or the years.

I have come to the end of this journey and hoped you liked it. I have had comments from many readers. I would like to mention here that these comments come to me via a “do not reply” message on this site so I can’t answer them, but rest assured read them all. Several comments asked me to do a short blog of the area I am living in – meaning in and around Brisbane. I have to admit that when in foreign places I look at many things but here in my own city I hardly take notice of things. So I will work on that and will do a page or two on my home city

Anyway watch this space and I look forward to your comments about this blog

Cheerio Richard