[katrina ratcliffMember]

KING BOLLOCKS wrote:

Well done Kat and Flying Fish :cheer:
Mamoth effort that :cheer:
I hope you both got a well deserved bum massage when you got home

Gutsy stuff :cheer:

Bol :woohoo:

Bol you never surprise me with your one liners….. the butt handled the punishment but both hands are numb from too much vibrations on the bars running at high speed. This injury presents other challenges but yes the massaging is helping…. its good sometimes I can’t feel my finger tips…HAHAHHAHAH :silly:

[katrina ratcliffMember]

Gave the XR a good wash yesterday after 15 days of torture it needed it….. today I’m just happy to look at it and walk away….. Maybe the BMW will get a work out over the next couple of weeks doing some Latte riding rather than getting dirty.

[katrina ratcliffMember]

What a way to finish an epic ride with our mates supporting us both on and off the road. It was special seeing TB, DJ and Smick400 make the effort thru freezing and ice conditions to be there for us. Oberon was where we parted company with our other support team Clubby, Steve (advmoto) and Glen in the support vehicle. I definitely wouldn’t have been able to limp home without them and their oil. the ride to Wiseman’s Ferry was easy going but when your tied and hurting it feels like hard work. The ultimate was seeing Eagle yelling on our arrival into the car park at the pub.

the celebrations were on and TB presented Amy and I with a special commoration that will be a mandatory pack for every future adventure ride. More will be revealed in the ride report. We slept at the retreat that night and gladly woke up late and enjoyed a breakfast without having to woof it down.

smick400 left the route option back to his place (Tuggerah) to me and couldn’t help myself so we did some more dirt to Buckerty but slowly as the front tyre was shot.

It was amazing going into this ride with Amy, sharing the good, bad and sometimes ugly aspects that always occur on challenges like this. Our goal was to start this together and finish it together …..that was achieved …… Thanks to the tremendous support from OBT’ers, the Yamaha team, and the many friends we had the opportunity to meet and ride with.

detailed ride report to come.

[katrina ratcliffMember]

Heading to start line

At the start line for girlie shot

Amy in action

Kat going thru causeway

[katrina ratcliffMember]

Like TB we will post photo’s shortly.

Tit bits for today:

Cracker start with the weather perfect. Unbelievable support from TB, smick400, Mike and Dan. We did lots of u-turns that caused a blonde to get dizzy. Lots of causeway crossings. Amy found a special one and decided to stop mid way to enjoy the view. Neither blokes would get their feet wet. Found some slippery mud between Rouchel and Stewart’s Brook that slowed the pace down. TB took a short cut but we stuck to the pink line. That hill is known as Eagles deadly down hill. We went around it but I dropped my bike 5 times as I couldn’t paddle thru the mud. Got to Glouster at 5pm and found the pub. all up 370km and still in one piece….

[katrina ratcliffMember]

Doing last minute preparation at wiseman ferry pub …………calming the butterflies with a can of bundy and coke with smick400.

On our way here we noticed oil dripping out of the oil filter cover……omg…..

So after the bike having a little rest on its side some silastic was applied to the offending o-ring. Looks like the o-ring I was given may not be the right one for the xr 400m. But alas all fixed and will get it sorted out at home on my return.

Kat

[katrina ratcliffMember]

EAGLE`02 wrote:

Well, I have spoken to both of the “Little Do`ers” this evening to wish them well & safe travels bla bla bla

Cheers & Best Wishes from Me :kiss: :kiss: :kiss:

Thanks Eagle for your call. I needed your witty one liners to crack a laugh.

Well tonight’s preparations included a 1hr torture session with a Chinese massage man. The tension has caused my back and neck to stiffen up and I wasn’t going to resort to rum to fix it as being pickled at the start wasn’t a good move…. Might make me ride faster but a crash is almost certain.

Spoke to Amy tonight and she got a cortisone injection to help the tennis elbow problem. Ouch.

Anyway our bodies won’t have an option but to put up with the pain. We are loaded up with pills and I’m sure that a nip of rum etc will kill the pain sensors.

Heading off now to TRY and sleep.

[katrina ratcliffMember]

Wow Brenda. That looks like one epic adventure. Can wait to read your ride report and see the photo’s. Don’t worry about Big Red. If a blonde with 12 months motor biking experience can get up it on a crf 230 then anyone can. Ride safe and enjoy the adventure.

Looking forward to hooking up somewhere after our rides to share our experiences.

Kat

[katrina ratcliffMember]

Thanks for your comments guy’s…..

Here is a photo of the bike – ready to ROCK and ROLL. Packing completed. With new tyres on I can only JUST get my tippy toes on the ground….

Count down Chris is 5 Sleeps to go.

Got a call from TB this morning confirming that our preparations have been right on the mark and we should feel very confident that our bikes will see us through the 7500km….. :woohoo:

Great news is that TB, SMick400 and Dan will join us for the first day to ensure we are settled into the Rally. What a way to commence an adventure of a life time with my mate Flying Fish.

[katrina ratcliffMember]

Well we are only a week away from the start of the Rally and Amy and I had this weekend to do the final preparations. Firstly Friday night was at the Watson Bay Hotel to participate in the briefing. We got to meet other guy’s who will also be starting at Wiseman’s Ferry. Both our GPS’s were checked and confirmed the configuration necessary to NOT get lost!! and we received some helpful tips

John Hudson uploading the route and giving directions on the Garmin

Amy loving her Garmin

Amy stayed over at my place Friday night and we were up till 11pm doing what girls do best “yapping and yapping” until my eyelids couldn’t stay open.

Next day we headed to Adventure Moto to do our last bit of work on the bikes.

Kat’s things to do list included:
New chain and sprockets (15/40)
New rear tyre, brake pads (no need to replace wheel bearings as they got changed over about 500km ago)
New front tyre, brake pads and wheel bearings
Oil change
Mount the 2 way radio
Install new battery

Amy will update this thread to list the work that was done on her bike

The day was spent with other fellow riders Steve and Andrew.

We were greatly supported by our pit crew TB, Mick (smick400) and Steve Adventure Moto who provided the facilities and popped in with some tubes and weights to balance tyres. KTM Steve was responsible for ensuring our tummy’s were full with bacon/egg rolls and coffee in order to get us through the day…. BIG THANK YOU :kiss: :kiss: :kiss:

Amy working on the front tyre

Andrew working on his rim.

TB helping Amy with the front wheel bearing

Mick working on the brake pads

Kat getting in some tyre changing practice. Note: 3 blokes using a tyre changing machine and me doing it old school on the ground.. :whistle:

Kat getting some help from Mick… need some more weight on me to brake the bead.

The workshop thanks to Steve

Doing the rear sprocket change

Left this job to Mick – girls and angle grinders don’t mix well. Cut the new chain to size

KTM Steve working on the his bike – also known as ‘FLOG DOG’

TB under a bike (this is his favorite position!! :laugh:

Amy putting the front tyre back on the bike

Amy getting some instructions from TB how to drill holes into the front mud guard to lock in the tyre changing tool kit TB was lubing his throat at the same time :whistle:

When it came time to packing up all my tools …. I was missing a few…….mmmm…. where did they go. TB got so busted ….. thanks Amy for looking after my tools….. that’s what girls do for each other

This is the team at the end of a successful day – from left to right (TB, Mick, Kat, Andrew, Amy and KTM Steve).

This is a photo taken at the end of the day.

Note: poor TB had trouble listening to our girly talk … his ears were burning…..anyway TB what is said in the shed stays in the shed.

[katrina ratcliffMember]

Just had dinner with a close mate and had to be the designated passenger so bit happy. Got a call from TB on his way home from his big adventure. He is already planning next weekend in supporting Amy and I for APC. What a legend. He enjoyed my husky slurred voice only cause he speaks the same lingo. Anyway life is bloody fantastic. I’m up early with possible hangover at 4 am. Getting BMW ready for a solo ride down south coast to camp near bateman’s bay. Let’s see what mischief I can get into !!!!. Might even do a ride report.

[katrina ratcliffMember]

Well Mick may have done a belly laugh with the family ……. I just bought up my dinner. OMG . .
You guy’s are setting the bar on an interesting ride report. The titty photo took me over the edge.

It’s great to see that it’s not all about riding but also about the wacky things off the bike and sharing with mates.

[katrina ratcliffMember]

Chris,

Was using the Search option and getting “Internal Error”. Not sure if it’s just me or if it’s happening to others??

Kat

[katrina ratcliffMember]

Jeffro – bloody hell is an understatement. . . . Thank God I’m blonde . . . Not sure what Amy’s excuse is.

Teza . . . That’s right average 500 km per day and no rest days…….

Kat

[katrina ratcliffMember]

For your salivation here is the rough route we will try and navigate round…..

Wisemans Ferry to Singleton
Singleton to Moonan Flat
Moonan Flat to Gloucester
Gloucester to Gingers creek (Barrington top)
Gingers creek to Taylors arms
Taylors Arms to Dorrigo
Dorrigo to Jackadgery .
Jackadgery to Urbenville
Urbenville to Tenterfield
Tenterfield – Ashford
Ashford to Goondiwindi
Goondiwindi to Nindi Gully
Nindi Gully to Dirrambandi
Dirrambandi to Bollon
Bollon to Charleville
Charleville to Adavale
Adavale to Quilpie
Quilpie to Toompine
Toompine to Thargomindah
Thargomindah to Cameron’s corner
Cameron’s Corner to Innamincka
Innaminka to Remote fuel
Remote fuel to Birdsville
Simpson Desert Leg
Birdsville to Mungeranie
Mungeranie to Marree
Marree to Lyndhurst
Lyndhurst to Leigh creek
Leigh Creek to Parachilna
Parachilna to Hawker
Hawker to Yunta
Yunta to Renmark
Renmark to Hattah
Hattah to Ouyen
Ouyen to Swan Hill
Swan Hill to Barham
Barham to Barmah
Barmah to Wodonga
Wodonga to Jingellic
Jingellic to Tooma
Tooma- Talbingo
Talbingo to Tumut
Tumut to Murrumbateman
Murrumbateman- Crookwell (High Country)
Crookwell-Wombeyan caves
Wombeyan Caves to Jenolan caves
Jenolan Caves to Mt Victoria
Mt Victoria to Wisemans ferry

Phew….. all up approx 7233km in 14 days!!

[Author]

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