Friday 20th Feb26.
Why is it that FriYAY mornings when you are waiting for a start time seem to take forever. Guess, it’s just one of life’s mysteries that maybe one day I’ll solve…or maybe not.
With a start docket in hand at 12:35pm Friday I head off towards Culairn in a nice summery 28 degrees. Still working things out on Fergus and the camelback will be the pain of this ride. Pulled up under some trees to fix the catastrophic failure of the tubing connections with electrical tape then off again.
Hunting down more silo or silo art on this ride and the first to be captured was Yerong Creek Water Tower. You cannot get closer to the art these days as they build garden or put fences up around them. The temp is climbing!!
Back out and onto the next stop for some more art at Uranquinty Water Tower. This one is over the train line and in the middle of another garden so parked up under a tree….sweat dripping down under my helmet….have I mentioned it’s hot.
Geez, how hot is it getting, continue to hydrate through the troublesome camelback. The same method doesn’t work as well on Fergus as it did on Dudley, need to do some more thinking on this subject. Heading towards the outskirts of Wagga, Ashmont and turn towards Collingullie for the next Water Tower Art. Alas this art was not to be found unless it is located down a private road on private property. Ut’s too darn hot to be bothered looking so skip this one and head onto Lockhart instead for its Water Tower Art.
Back out into the sun, and onto the Sturt Hway that I’ve ridden many many times before pulling into the Ampol at Gillenbah/Narrandera. I’d forgotten how much I enjoy riding but I have to wonder how crazy I am for getting out in this heat as the temp is now at a constant 38 degrees. Fergus’ fuel range is heaps more than Dudley’s ever was and it takes a little getting used to NOT getting off as frequently. Here I decide to sit in the aircon and have an early dinner and hydrate for a bit before tackling the most “concentrating” section of todays ride.
It’s so dry everywhere and I’ve been lucky enough thus far to not encounter any wildlife. That’s all about to change.
I know this road but in the back of my mind is fear, understandable I hear you say and something I’m continually working though each time I get on Fergus. The road is straight, the sun is high and hot, there’s nothing much between me and them. The eyes are wide, peeled, trying to relax but that went out the window at Darlington Point when I saw the first “feather duster”….for those playing along Kimmie’s dictionary meaning = Emu. It was in a field a long way off but it didn’t stop the heart pounding.
Rolled into South Hay and stopped at the Shearers museum to fix the cambelbak again and get a good drink in before tackling the Hay Plain. Look I know this stretch of road at this time of the day or later is not ideal or recommended by those of you who are sane but I figured let’s get all the demons out of the way in one go. Try to relax, but be super focused as the sun starts to dip its head and become a little difficult to see. Along here is a place that long distance motorcyclists stop at everytime and it’s been a long time since I’ve been here so was determined NOT to miss it…..I just couldn’t remember how far along it was.
53km east of Balranald is the spot – Hells Gate…..but I ride past it and had to do a uey….LOL. They have improved the driveway since my last visit many years ago but the extra area that was there has vegetation growing over it, so I tippy toed over the gravel to get THE shot!! Looking stunning Fergus!!
The sun is well and truly at THAT level that makes it so darn hard to see. Another 20kays down the road and OMG, the sun was blinding my vision until the last minute of 2x massive standing tall Feather Dusters standing right on the roads edge, YIKES!! My heart nearly broke out of my chest and I had to refocus myself. But it wasn’t the last. For the rest of the way into Balranald there were roos, feather dusters and a couple of rabbits. I was very glad to pull into the Club Motel just after 8pm after an extremely hot and tiring day. A total of 640.4km for today. Cold shower and fall into bed.
Saturday 21st Feb26.
Up early to grab breaky at the Swanton Café (the only place open at 6:30am) before heading off into the morning light. There are fields and fields of feather dusters for the next 50km which had me on high alert but all a fair way off, thankfully. Through Euston, then Mildura before turning left and heading to Werrimull for some more Silo Art.
It’s already hot again, have I mentioned yet that this ride is hot….its already in the 30’s…sheezz. Another new road but easy riding as I join the Sturt Hway again and roll into Yamba Inspection Station. There’s a cue, of course there is, I’m dying in the heat. Mate says you going to Paringa, yep, well I still need to check your top box…ok. Need the loo but there are too many people at the servo so a quick stop for another iconic photo and off we go.
Through Paringa, wave to Hackle as I go past then Renmark, into OTR Berri for fuel then onto grab the last artwork for today. This one is on private property and I’m not sure you are allowed into the property for more photos of the other side.
Turn around and head back to Paringa for check-in and complete my SCDR Paringa SA.
Done and dusted at 1018km.
Big THANKS to Hackle for check-in. We are a well oiled check-in machine.
Was fabulous to see old friends and make a new one Mark Langman (Langers), who proceeded to advise me that I cost him a LOT of money. Hang about, I just met you, how can that be. He says “I read your story about the Emu and what you went through” he then went out and bought this inflatable crash vest…..story for Langers to tell. I had to have a giggle.
You’re welcome NEW friend, glad I could help you spend some $$
We were spoiled with the aircon inside and came out to 38 degrees….yikes. Nobody mucks around and we are all gone in a flash back to wherever we are going today. For me it’s back to Balranald and it’s an easy road back but the heat is horrid. The camelbak tubing is doing my head in still and by Buronga, I have to pull into the servo get more drinks and douse my head in cold water before getting back out in the heat.
Reach Gol Gol and it’s 39.5 degrees and from there all the way to Balranald it bounces between 39 and 40 degrees all the way back, thankfully the sun is behind me today. Into the motel at 4:30pm, cold shower, the pub for beer and dinner, then in bed by 8pm….absolutely knackered.
Sunday 22nd Feb 26.
Ah, a good nights sleep and a later start, say good-bye to Balranald and head towards Moulamein. These back roads are roo territory and I’m alert but trying to relax at the same time. Left onto Kyalite road and just out of town there’s ball-bearing gravel for about a kilometre before the new surface starts but doesn’t go for long. The road to Moulamein is not in the best of condition so it’s nice and steady and have the road to myself.
A surprise silo art in Moulemein before continuing onto Deniliquin.
So when I left this morning it was straight up 30 degrees and overcast so not unpleasant. By the time I pulled into Deniliquin for fuel and breakfast it was 32 degrees and threatening rain. Quick chat to some locals have breaky and then for the last leg.
Finley comes and goes with a few spots of rain and the camelbak is a caught up again, darn thing is giving me the willies. Another stop, more modifications and off we go again. Corowa, Howlong, Barnawatha and the rain finally decides it’s going to happen. It starts hard, like shards of glass hitting me. The last push from Wodonga down the Murray Valley Highway (B400) and the rain doesn’t let up. This is the first time in rain on Fergus so we sit on a steady 90kph on the wet roads all the way and pull up very wet into the driveway at 2pm, with a total of 1860.5 km for 3 days…not bad.
Thanks for reading.
