Warning I have discovered how good apple cider is here.....so as I write me drivel...my eyes seem to be crossed.....and take no responsibility for what I ramble on about....

So again I had a great sleep.....and awoke in a bit of a puddle of drool. Feel bad for the clean up crew. I was hosed off and packed up in about 20 mins. Sad thing is that its cloudy and that it may rain. Hate days like that....never know if to put on rain gear or not. With that decided to just wear normal gear and find a cafe for a quick bite before I hit the road. After a Flat White and breaky I was good to go. I put the route in the GPS and off I went, destination Falls Gap...in Grampian park. I only had a couple of hundred kms to cover so was in no rush. According to the write up....I should see Kangaroos today....not dead ones.

The ride was pretty good through rolling plains....with trees on the sides of the roads..not much too crazy. Stopped in a small town Katongatongawollybewotten... least I think that's what it was called. Found a bakery and was talked into the vanilla slice. I have seen them everywhere....so they must be good. I liked it a bit .....but could not cut through the crust .... I tried. With that off I went and rolled into Halls gap fairly early. This is where it got good. I also had another gps route to explore the park. I found the hotel....decide I'd check in later and explore the area, on the way to the interpretive center a few emus ran across the road in front of me. k....that is wild...they are one odd looking....bird and they are big. Hitting one on the road would be a nasty bounce. 

So basically the route is up a mountain.....to a look out and then to Mackenzie falls...then a back track to another look out to the east...off I went.  

Holy crap...awesome road. Was dry and fun....tires were okay too. My neck was getting rubbed raw from swiveling in the switchbacks. Great run up ... no one in front of me either. I think it was about 30 kms up and I eventually ended up in a look out. Hopped off....and holy crap what a view. This country is spectacular..... Hopped the safety fence to sit on the rocks close to the edge of the drop of...was a ways down, was a much better view from here. Just took it in for a while taking in the view....time to go to the next spot. Hopped the fence and off I went.  

Was having way too much fun and soon enough I was at Mackenzie falls. Decided to go for a hike to check em out. Totally worth the hike....sort of... I ended up taking a trail that took me to a view point wayyyyyy above the falls...but I could see people down there. So back tracked....should have went left instead of right....after a bit of a hike down hill and a bunch of steps down....tada.....the Falls. Quite cool....a few others were there so we all took turns taking each others pictures with the falls in the background. I sat in the myst for a while was totally refreshing. Time to hike back....well think I almost had a heart attack ...was a tough slog back up but I made it....was able to say hi to the folks going the other way...did it just to prove I could still talk....this is the most I challenged my legs since the accident and have to say...they is working fine......the lungs....not so much. Was glad to see the bike.....hopped on.....one lung on each side of the tank...looked like saddle bags..chilled for a few mins....then a few more. Finally no longer felt the need to dial 911.....or 111.....or 9999 whatever the panic number is here and put me lid on ....grinned....sparked er up and hit the road again. This time down hill......on a road I had already ridden.....was a much quicker ride down. The turned to the last lookout....on the other side...on Difficult road....yup, that was the roads name...he he he. Was a blast and no one on it.

I got to the look out and it was a wicked view of the plains below. Took it in for a while and decided time to head back. Ripped down the mountain, and popped out at the town. I just noticed that the police station was right there.... I am sure they could here me coming down with the way the bike echoed downshifting....and reving up. Seemed quiet...so just idled by like I was just riding for the first time to play it safe.  

About here I decided I have got to find me some Kangaroos. I figured I could find a few ..... so I went back to the interpretive center. they had trails everywhere. I picked a trail and off I went. Really cool walking in the woods here....very different than home. Then a couple emus popped out of nowhere in front of me....off they trotted. Cool. Then I really do not know why but felt I should just get off the trail....I wandered of.....was just walking in the brush....then BOING.....two kangaroos popped up and were staring at me. Scared the crap out of me. The were cool looking....and they didn't seem to mind me...so I just just edged closer till i got about 15 feet away. It was a mom and her Joey....he was still feeding off her milk in the bag. Toooooo cool... They were about 4 feet tall I think...and joey bounced around every once in a while. I watched them for a bout half an hour. Kangaroos are cool.....Mom was yawning and coughing once in a while. I thanked them for letting me hang with them and wandered back to the trail.....with a grin on.

Decided to hop on the bike and find me hotel. That only took a few minutes, and the owners bent my ear for a while and made me stick a pin in the map they had to show where everyone who had stayed there was from. I also got me bottle of milk. Not sure if you know but the norm here is to get a bottle of milk when you check into your room....kinda wild....but when in Rome.....I told them about my kangaroo experience and the kinda laughed. It seems they are everywhere here. The owners apologized that my room didn't back on to the field behind the motel. I asked why....they said the field is full of kangaroos in the eve and morning. Wow.... 

So with that I unpacked...and headed for a walkabout the town. Found a bar....and then a bunch of cockatoos...just eating in a field across the street.....and some Kookaburras.....very funny looking bird and with that....to the bistro for some chicken schnitzel...that is a big thing here I am finding also. Tastes great....this is also where I discovered how good the cider is here. Very refreshing...and with a kick. Dusk had arrived and I was staggering back to me hotel....and there on the way was about half a dozen kangaroos...just nibbling on the grass. I was able to get about 10 feet and they didn't seem to mind at all. Watched em for a while until a couple showed up at that point I decided to go. Got back to the motel....and remembered they said the field behind had roos in it in the eves. I wandered to the back...holy crap....I lost count at 50 ..... roos everywhere just hanging around nibbling. How cool is that?

With that decide to hit the room and the hay.....great day!