Phillip Island MotoGP 2009

Tickets were bought, accommodation paid for… and I decide I want to sell my house *roll eyes*.  My original plan had been to leave either straight from work Wednesday arvo and try and catch the Sydney Crew at Orbost, or up early on Thursday for a straight run down to the island… a shiteful weather forecast decided me… I stayed home Thursday and got underway early Friday morning.

It was a cold but otherwise uneventful run out to Bombala and then down to Cann River.  I looked at the Mobil where I usually fill up and I think there was about 300 bikes there so I headed up the road to the Caltex and got straight onto a pump (hurrah for Ms Impatience).  I was filling up and noticed a maroon 4WD pulling in very close to me… “don’t hit my bike you fucker” I was thinking… and then there was Skip grinning at me… hi Skip!  Met his lovely bride Allison, a bit of a chat before they were on their way, a little snacky for me and it was time to head south. 

Being on the A1 now I was taking it very easy (it was a little damp as well) and was soon overtaken by a chick on a ducati and a dude on a sportsbike.  Awesome I thought, radar fodder so after I bit I worked my way past all the slower moving traffic… and all too soon caught up to those two… which was great until it came to corners, fark me she could have walked around them faster I think.  Anyway eventually they pulled over and I kept going.  Stopped here and there for fuel, got absolutely drenched around Morwell and pulled into Mirboo North dripping wet.  And then the sun came out :o)

Got into Cowes and checked in at Boomerang… only to find out that in fact the KSRC bookings were NOT altogether :S.  So I set up my tent on my patch of grass and went in search of the others - nope they weren’t back from the track yet so I set off for some supplies and poured myself a bourbon and then they were all there :o)  Pizza for dinner and a reasonably early night.

Out to the track Sunday morning and it was just awesome to watch all these dudes I’d been watching on the telly all year whizzing round in front of me!  Caught up with heaps of people and a good day was had.  Over on the side of the expo they had Rossi’s 100 wins banner!  Wooohoooo!

Rossi's banner part 1

Rossi's banner part 2

Rossi's banner part 3

Rossi's banner part 4

Rossi's banner part 5

Rossi's banner part 6

These photos were taken with my phone camera and it was kinda hard to match it all up 

Caught up with Alli which was AWESOME been far too long between drinks! 

We met these dudes who offered me a pillage

But I politely declined… I think they were secretly pleased…

Wonder what would have happened if I had of accepted…

Eventually the day was over and Team Kawasaki headed into town for pizza for dinner again :o)  While we were waiting for the pizza Gig and I went into a handy bar to have a look (Gig is awesome at picking out the hot boys  for me hehe) and we made some new friends.

This dude had a shirt with Valentino Rossi’s signature on it

He assured me that he was a close and personal friend of Valentino Rossi’s, who had just signed his shirt that morning

In any event, he was very cute and had a totally hot accent (Irish) but I felt him up, I mean I felt the signature and it was printed on so I gave him a kuda for the camera and left

The pizza was worth the wait and we all traipsed back to the caravan park to sit around talking more and having a few bourbons.

We eventually decided that we were all old and boring and to make up for that we must, absolutely must go into town.  So we did.  Got down to the end of the main street where the band was playing and OMG they were utter crap.  Absolutely murdered Enter Sandman while we were arriving and didn’t improve.  Luckily they only did two more songs and then we called it a night and headed back to the caravan park.

Stace tried to do black murder upon me in the night with his silent but deadly farts (I thought I’d be safe with him safely sealed within his sleeping bag) but I managed to survive somehow and it was up and out to the track :o)  Gig managed to talk me into walking around the entire circuit and didn’t I bitch and moan the whole way!  But we had lots of rest breaks where we admired the view

Eventually everyone got really excited cuz some dudes in cars were driving past

And I didn’t really see what the big deal was until Rossi came past and then I got really excited too <3

Gig and I eventually completed our circuit, and I fell down and died for a bit.  Dad came over and watched the race with me which was kinda cool - he was backing Stoner and I Rossi so it was fairly competitive commentating from our little spot :o)  After the race Dad left and I caught up with Alli for a bit, before packing up and heading back to the car.

The queues to get out were huge and not moving so we set up camp around the car and had some bourbons while waiting for the queue to start moving…

How's the serenity

And before long we were rolling back into Boomerang.  Into the bourbons and off to town for pizza… again.  Eventually everyone wanted to go to bed and I didn’t and nobody would come into town with me and they made me promise not to go into town on my own so I wandered back to my little tent and crawled inside with my bourbon in hand and thought that was really boring so I crawled back out and thought if I went and stood out on the mainstreet and watched the world go by for a bit that would be OK.  So I was just crawling out through the fence when some dudes were coming back into the park - they advised me that nothing was happening in town, but they were the party! So I collected what remained of my bourbon and followed them to their camp.  I was pretty pissed by that stage and think I managed to insult every single one of them so eventually I left them in peace and went to bed.

Woke up fairly early, surprisingly not too hungover, packed up my gear and by that time none of the other KSRC crew had surfaced so I hit the road (after bidding a somewhat sheepish goodbye to my party friends from the night before who it turned out were camped straight across from me).

Headed up to Inverloch and fuelled up and was debating whether to try a new road home or just go through Mirboo North… the latter prevailed and as I went through the roundabout I got caught up in a group of riders and at the last minute recognised Jet Pilot!  Took me ages to realise I was actually in the KSRC group… they all pulled in at Traralgon so I did too - maccas breaky and a bit of a catch up - but I had a lot of kays to go (and they were all going for Moussaka bastards) so I left them too it… only to catch up with them at Bairnsdale.  Rode through to Bruthen with them and waved them goodbye as they turned for the good roads and I continued on the slab.

A quick lunch at Cann River then headed for home.  I was debating whether or not to go to coffee but seeing as I was riding past there at the right time I pulled in but didn’t stay for all that long and then home and to bed :o)

Got’M Girls Weekend 26/27 September 2009

For something different I signed up for the Got’M Girls Only weekend away to Goulburn.  Figured it’s always good to get away with the girls, even if it was only to Goulburn (approx 100km up the road).  I roped Tess into coming along and the plan had been to ride out via Gunning and Crookwell, undoubtedly with lots of coffee stops/breaks along the way :o)

So Friday rolled around and the  weather forecast was truly awful.  Cold, rainy, sleety, hail, gale force winds, storms, etc.  Tess and I reviewed the matter and decided to try and pick a clear window in the afternoon to make the mad dash up the freeway to Goulburn and we’d meet the girls there.

So after a sleep in, I packed up, then headed over Tess’s under a grim sky… we suited up, and hit the road, with a storm hot on our tail.  We managed to avoid most of the rain until Goulburn :)  The wind picked up around Collector and was pretty rough but we made it.  Got into the pub around 3pm, no bikes in sight, so we found a little undercover hidey hole for our bikes and checked in.  Turned out the girls had already been there and had lunch, no idea where they had gone to though!  So we got our room and noted there was only a vacant double bed…. hmmmmm.

Noodles across the road from the pub were a good late lunch and then off to the shops for supplies (coke and junk food) and we chilled out in the room, listening to the rain/hail come down and being grateful for getting into Goulburn when we did!  Still no sign of the rest of the girls… we had a good laugh at some really old video clips and eventually it was bourbon o’clock.

We started drinking, and Mrs Doubtfire came on the telly… hilarious with a bellyful of bourbon!  A sad bit came up and Tess and I are looking at the screen in horror - right smoke time.  At some point I finally phoned the girls, they were up at the Workers Club for dinner, having spent the afternoon there - we decided we would see them when they got back, which turned out to be not long before Mrs Doubtfire finished.

So, bourbon consumed, movie finished, it was time to check out the band that the pub had told us would be playing.  We donned the dancing shoes and headed over… and the band, while they were quite good, was definitely not dancing material.  We watched the band for a bit before giving that up and taking over the pool table.

The place was pretty dead and we tried to determine where the action in Goulburn was (where are all the cowboys?????) and were advised that either the Workers Club or a night club called Flamingos (affectionately known by the locals as “Dingos”) were the places to be.  We were then advised that Dingos was the place to be if you liked drugs and fights :O

We eventually wondered up the street to the workers club.  Scary.  Shit.  We didn’t hang around, decided “Dingos” just wasn’t going to cut it and headed over to the RSL club where we could hear the band.  The band was quite good and there was a total of 5 people rocking on the dance floor… they might have had a full set of teeth between them…. of course we got there when the band had two songs to go…

So back to our room, where Tess and I got to share a very dodgy double bed. 

Sunday… was much like Saturday.  But windier.  We jumped in Becsta’s car for the journey up for breakfast and then when the girls all headed home in their cars, Tess and I went back to bed.  We finally got up around lunchtime, lunch in the pub and then packed up and headed for home.

What followed was probably my worst experience on a motorcycle ever.

We left goulburn and the wind was terrible.  Truly fucking awful.  Out onto the freeway and we passed this poor learner on his little naked 250 being blown all over the place. 

And then we hit the Federal.  We tried the usual “pick up the pace” and it did not help.  I’m leaning the bike so far into the wind, just wondering how long my front tyre is gonna hold it for.  We managed to pull up, what can we do?  Just continue on.  We set off again and the wind got worse.  I’m sitting behind Tess, at a ridiculous lean angle fighting so hard just to keep going in a straightish line… and watching Tess lose her battle as she gets pushed closer and closer to the edge of the road.  We managed to wobble off to the side of the road again and decided fuck it, we’ll have to go slow.  At times we were sitting on 50km/h.  Which is interesting with cars coming up behind you at 110km/h+.  We made it though.  And if I ever see a forecast for gale force winds again, fuck the riding I’m staying home.

FarRide #11 - in memory of Davo

I had signed up a long time ago for FarRide #11 to Tottenham.  And then Davo’s funeral was set down for the same day.  So no FarRide and I was going to head up to Cooroy for the final send off for an inspirational man… but finances and time didn’t allow so it was back to the FarRide.

After some thought, I decided I would do an SS1600 in memory of Davo.  I sorted out a black armband and headed off to the local servo at midday to get my start receipt.  The usual guy I see in there was serving so he signed my witness form, I told him what I was doing and why, and he shouted me my first tank of fuel.  So I headed off, slabbed it to Yass then jumped off the Doom and headed through Binalong, and onto Cootamundra and down the Olympic Highway.  This is much preferable to the Doom!  I went through The Rock (I have always been intrigued when I see the signs to “The Rock”) and there is a rock there… a totally appropriately named town!  No time for pics though, so I kept going, had a quick bite to eat at Albury and then I hit the Murray Valley Highway through to Cobram. 

After adding some layers and switching to the clear visor I headed up the road a little further before joining the Newell Highway and heading back up into NSW.  It got colder and colder as I went on, but I had found a little van setting a very nice pace so as much as I wanted to stop I didn’t, until I had to for fuel at Narranderra.  Another layer went on and I continued on with the road pretty much to myself.  For once there was no full moon on a FarRide and the stars were spectacular… had to keep reminding myself to watch the road.

By the time I got into West Wyalong I was freezing… usually I’d pull up at a local park or in town but being about 11pm(?) and there being a few dodgy looking people about I decided to find somewhere else, and ended up pulling up outside a motel which still had its lights on.  I was wriggling into my wet weather gear when a bike pulled up… it was another FarRider!  We confirmed that I was in fact OK (and later I had to explain that I don’t usually hang out in gutters!) and eventually I’d wriggled into that damned one piece suit and was underway again.

Peak Hill, NSW

I got into Dubbo and was feeling OK - I am comfortable with getting to Coonabarabran in the dark but after there I was heading into unknown places… so I decided that I’d probably be best to grab a motel in Dubbo rather than continue on.  After many laps of Dubbo I finally found a room, more expensive than I wanted to pay but hey… it was 2am!  Took me a while to wind down but eventually I fell asleep…

…. and woke up to full daylight…. faaaaaark, I dont know what happened to my alarm!  I looked at how far I had to go, I had like 500km to do in three hours or something.  Dammit.  There goes the SS1600.  I had plenty of kays up my sleeve for the FarRide though so I went back to bed for a bit before making my way out to Tottenham in a leisurely fashion. 

We all gathered in the pub and we had a minutes silence for Davo as well as Nico reading out the FarRider One poem.  very emotional.

Skip and I stocked up on supplies before heading out to the rally site where we were to have lunch.  Set up camp and then Skip went off to visit the Cairn and I wussed out at the thought of all the dirt roads.  So I hung around chatting heaps, talked to some people I had met last year and had some awesome discussions with Ken from Very Far Away and he gave me  a photo that he had taken of me and Jimmy last year.

Camp Mel

The sun goes down on an emotional day

Eventually it was dark and the rally got underway properly.  Had a really nice time chatting with Nico and the others, I won the longest distance female again (1300km this year) and eventually crawled into my little swag amongst the chorus of snorers and was quickly asleep. 

I woke up pretty early and found Ken scamming an early cup of coffee so I convinced them to let me have coffee early too :o)  I function better on coffee.  Packed up and was underway in good time…

Tottenham, NSW

 I pulled up at Bogan Gate for a photo and realised that I had about 300km to go home and all day to do it… stuff it, I decided to head west instead. 

Bogan Gate

I looked at my little map and decided to go to Condobolin as I had never been there.  It was very pretty. 

It's just a road...

From there I decided to go to Lake Cargellio (sp?)

Lake Cargelligo

and then I headed for West Wyalong where I stopped for some fuel and bought a pie at the servo and headed to the park to eat it… it wasn’t until I headed back to the bike that I spotted this through the trees:

West Wyalong

Yes, I managed to walk past a big arse plane without noticing it…

From here I just headed home, through some pretty little towns and I had a nice chat with a truckie at a rest area as well, the name of that town escapes me now.  I still got home pretty early but it was a good days ride!  I am sure Davo was riding with me this weekend.

KSRC Gingers Creek run September 2009

It was on again… with much anticipation 4pm Friday arvo finally rolled around… I geared up and found MickC waiting downstairs for me… now where is Gos??  Eventually Gos turned up and we were ready to roll.  Just a straight slab up the Doom and on to northern Sydney to the wonderful hospitality of Dave#3 and Cath.  After some confusion we eventually found their place… what a shed they have! *drool*  Pizza and a couple of drinks and it was off to bed…

Saturday morning dawned beautifully and before long we were all kitted up and ready to roll the short distance to the meet point… what a sight!  So many beautiful bikes :o)  After much chatting we got underway and headed up the Old Pacific Highway.  I hadn’t been up there since they’d re-opened it the full way so it was a bit of an adventure!  Through to Wollumbi for the first regroup/stop and then onto Singleton for fuel and smoko.  The sun was shining and it was WARM!  From Singleton we bumped our way through to East Gresford (I think it is called) and onto Gloucester before heading up Thunderbolts… I don’t know where my mojo was but it definitely wasn’t with me this trip, so I was just hanging out at the back… come around a corner and OH NO bike down! Rooster had been distracted by the pretty river he was about to cross and gone off the side.  His bike was righted and perfectly good to go… he wasn’t so bad either so we headed off… only to stop again very shortly when a heap of our group was pulled over… another dude had left the road and done some hill climbing LOL.  He was OK too so then we continued on our merry way, stopping in Walcha for fuel and a relax before heading off to Gingers Creek. 

After a shower I felt human again, the bourbon was opened though we were a little short on coke… luckily Birdman was itching for a run down the Oxley so he fetched us some coke… good man :)  Much talking and laughing and then a totally awesome dinner and back to the fire for more beer (bourbon) and bullshit :o)  Eventually into bed in the Chamber of Snorers… now usually snoring doesn’t bother me too much but this was even too much for me!  And then the phantom chunderer started up and I eventually went for my MP3 player… I really need some “sleeping” music instead of my usual rocking stuff!

Sunday morning also dawned bright and sunny… hurrah!  A breakfast that was once again superb and then it was off down the Oxley… Robyn had said she’d missed riding with me the day before so we headed off down the hill with her in the lead… and we came back up with me in the lead… love love love that road.  Wish it was a little closer to home!  We chilled at Gingers for a bit more before heading into Walcha for fuel and then back the way we came, down Thunderbolts, into Gloucester for lunch and it was stinking hot by this time! 

There was a bit of a mix up from here - I thought a bunch of us were heading for the Putty Road and so would have turned off to go to Singleton but everybody went straight and we ended up on the Freeway!!! Freeway into Newcastle and then five of us got separated at some lights… the plan had been to go to Cessnock so we headed there… and no crew so we headed to Wollumbi and still no crew, WTF???? The leader of the first pack had thought there was a Cessnock turnoff from the freeway… of course there isn’t!  So we headed down Wollumbi Road and were to meet them at Mt White.  We were all running a little short on fuel so stopped *somewhere* to top up… Pinchy headed off first and then I headed off… got to the corner, Pinchy saw me coming and headed off so I decided to wait for the other two… and waited… and waited… Pinchy came back, where’s the other two?  NFI.  So I stayed put, he went looking, came back, no sign of them.  Meanwhile Dave and Cath were on their way to find us… and then the other two had turned up at the right spot so we waited for Dave and Cath, then headed off to Mt White to see the rest of the group… by this stage it was already getting dark so it was a hurried goodbye before the Canberra crew took back to the freeway and made a mad dash for home, stopping for some dinner at Pheasants Nest, getting in stupid late!!  I was so tired on the way back I had to keep pushing my visor up to help me stay awake… scary.

Another good weekend, though I missed the crew who were all in Bright!!

(I didn’t take a single pic either)

CanberraRiders Birthday Weekend

Canberra Riders turned two in early August… so a birthday weekend was arranged for late August and off we went….

The usual crew of Stevo, Tess, Esther and I with the addition of Fox (hi Todd!) set off from Watson around 10amish and we just slabbed it up to Goulburn (well they slabbed it, I rocked out! LOL) where it was a splash and dash and off to Taralga for lunch.

We pulled up at the first pub and there were two bikes parked out the front… Thrashers Rally (it has more T’s but I can’t remember what they mean now) was on the same weekend so had a bit of a chat to those dudes… think they were from Narooma and had never missed one of Thrashers Rallies (about 23 of them so far!).  Lunch was fantastic.  Really nice burger and I was so full afterwards…

Before long we were underway again, heading for the Abercrombie River and Black Springs.  We cruised along, Stevo in the lead with Tess in hot pursuit (for cruise mode) then Todd and me and Esther behind us… We regrouped at the river then onto Black Springs for a brief rest and another regroup.   We rolled straight through Oberon and then while we were regrouping at the Great Western Highway just out of Lithgow we noticed Tess’s tyre… it’s farked!  So we got fuel in Lithgow and Tess went off in search of a tyre (there are two bike shops in Lithgow).  We couldn’t find her at the first one so went to the second one - then we got a call - she was heading for Bathurst as there were no tyres for her in Lithgow.  Stevo and Todd set off to accompany her to Bathurst and Esther and I headed straight for Wallerawang and our accommodations.

We checked in and did a quick shuffle of the sleeping arrangements so we would end up in the same cabin… I left Esther remaking beds while I ducked up the road for supplies (lots of coke, orange juice, milk and coffeeeeeeeeeee and some munchies).  We got back… and waited… and waited… and then Liane turned up… where are the others?  Oh nooooooo! Riicho (not Ricko) and Mick Patten had come down :o(((((( Not what we wanted to hear!  Eventually everyone else turned up and found their beds (after I ordered them to where they were to go! hehe) and then it was bourbon o’clock.

We all hung around chatting for a while then it was time for dinner, so we trundled off down the street for some chinese… not very impressive but you get that…  they ran out of glasses and then they nearly ran out of bourbon!!!!!!!! but luckily they procured another bottle from somewhere so the riots were avoided…

Then it was time to go to the pub… and it was karaoke night!  Started off with a game of pool (dreadful as usual) and then ChrisMac and I did a perfect rendition of Under the Bridge this time with accompanying music etc.  Had a bit of a dance, bit of a chat, ummmm… I remember lots of people giving me drinks… ermmm then I sat at the bar and drank some water… then Mick C kindly escorted a rather weary me back to the cabins where I seem to recall talking to some people and Esther gave me a scare to get rid of my hiccups then I crawled into my top bunk and tried to sleep (not very successfully).

I awoke far too early on Saturday morning… and fark but my cabin mates were loud!  LOL I eventually crawled out of bed and made my way back to ground level to go out and tell them that.  A shower and I felt a bit better but then bed again seemed like a better option (the weather was absolute shitehouse as well).  A few brave souls set off towards Bathurst and we eventually got sorted to go and meet them at Tarana for lunch.

We were told to meet at the servo so we all rolled up and waited and waited and them I was appointed TEC and we waited some more then we were on our way.  The group quickly split up until it was Liane, Wendy and I riding at the back (we got delayed by traffic getting onto the Great Western Highway).  We trundled along for a bit and then Liane’s indicator came on… but I couldn’t see the corner marker… well I figured they must have seen me and taken off (turns out later that the corner marker gave up on waiting for us and just left!!!!!!!!! Lucky Liane knew where she was going or we would have ended up in Bathurst).  It was a lovely little  road down to Tarana.  We pulled in and for a very fearful minute thought we would have to wait over an hour for lunch (hangover had abated enough to be ready to eat by now though I still had a killer headache - most unusual) but before long they started bringing out our meals (hurrah!).

And the meals were strange.  I have never had watermelon served with my hamburger before!  (Tess got a strawberry with hers as well…)  anyway it was okay, but nothing on the burgers at Taralga!  Was just about finished when the rest of the crew turned up - including Disco on his shiny new Monster Energy ZX6R.  (well it wasn’t so shiny but I went and gave it a little snuggle anyway).  Hot as. 

After lunch we were sitting round talking and Disco held the keys out to me… don’t need to ask me twice!  I geared up and got on this bike that I was willing to sell my soul for (or a kidney or whatever else might be of value)… damn the brakes work good!  Was a bit worried about turning around on a slopey gravelly part of the road but it was all good (I didn’t tell Disco that part) then set off… damn that thing is niiiiiiiice.  Just went up the road we came down on for a bit, it was a bit wetter than when we had come in… and being on someone else shiny pride and joy I took it *very* easy but damn!  I’m in love (sorry Niney)  Took it back a little weak at the knees and gave the keys back (I do know how to give keys back!!). 

Before long some of us started gearing up to head back to the cabins (it was still pretty miserable…) and we set off with I can’t remember who in the lead but I was behind Karl and Kimmie.  Karl stopped to mark the turn back onto the GWH and Kimmie waved us all past… and people started going everywhere LOL I thought about following them but then thought stuff it I’m going back the way I came so I did, with (I think) Dids and Disco behind me). 

Out of the bike gear, back into the ‘comfy’ gear and we settled down to pass a few wet hours… I went out for a smoke at some stage and was hailed by Riicho (not Ricko) so went up to their cabin… and damn they have the comfortable chairs up there!  So I settled in for a bit of a chat and stayed until it was dark LOL.

Then Mamma Leen started rounding up the assistants for dinner and we got the show on the road… food was awesome and then there was speeches - happy birthday canberra riders!  The bourbon once again started to flow (not that I had much) and Dids got a fire going and we all sat around talking shit (as you do…)  Eventually I decided it was time for bed and I slept much better.  Apparently I missed out on quite a bit of excitement… actually I’m glad to have slept through that! LOL

Sunday morning dawned sunny but very, very windy and it was a cold wind.  I made coffee and everyone got up in dribs and drabs… packed up and lined the bikes up for a group photo and then the main group set off - I was just going back to Canberra the way I had come and Mick C wasn’t feeling very good so he came with me. 

Waved goodbye to the main group and pretty much set off straight after them.  Cruised through Lithgow then turned off towards Oberon and goddam it was windy!  Battled the wind into Oberon where we stopped for fuel and then Mick C took the lead and we battled the wind some more through Taralga and onto Goulburn where we topped up and Mick wanted a coffee so we went to the bakery near the big sheep and they had a fire and good pies and good coffee so that was nice :)  I got too hot standing in front of the fire so before long it was time to get back on the road and I managed to stay warm for the trip home (just slabbed it from here) and was home about 1:15pm.

I have some photos but they aren’t on photobucket yet so they are still to come…

OK so I haven’t written a blog for a couple of weeks (though I guess the Border Run one was long enough to make up for a month’s worth of blogs…) anyway… I got to thinking about Jimmy.  So I thought I would write a little story about Jimmy.

For those of you who might be reading this and haven’t known me all that well Jimmy is (was) an ‘03 ZX6R.

My ‘95 ZX6R (Miss Ninja) was getting a little long in the tooth and I had decided that the ZX9R was to be my next bike.  I found the “perfect” one out at CMC in Fyshwick - in the mica colour with green stickers… actually the same as Robyn’s (the black one featuring in the border run photos).  I had already been to the bank and due to refinancing my existing personal loan and a stuff up on the banks part meant that I had about an extra $2,000 in my pocket than I had thought…

Anyway so I had arranged with Frank of CMC to have a test ride of this ZX9R.  I got out there, found it in the line of bikes and was checking it out.  A dude came out and I said I had arranged to have a ride of the 9.  As he went back in to fetch a sales guy, I started wandering up the line of bikes.  And came to a halt in front of a thing of pure beauty… a bright green ZX6R. Frank came out and I said to him ”I’m here to ride the ZX9R”.  He looked at me, looked at the ZX6R and said “OK but you are also taking the ZX6R out”. 

So I signed my life away, gave them the keys to Miss Ninja so they could work out a trade in price for me and I set off on the ZX9R.  I was a little disappointed to be honest.  It didn’t really feel much different from my 6.  Anyway did a bit of a ride and got back.  Right, now it’s time to ride the ZX6R.

Took off out of Fyshwick and the grin just grew and grew… I didn’t want to get off!  Had an absolute ball.  Got back and it was sold.  Well I pretended that I didn’t want it all that bad and got a ventura rack and heated grips thrown in or something like that. 

The following Monday I attended at CMC Fyshwick, paid by EFTPOS!! and then the beautiful green machine was mine.  I tentatively rode it home as I hadn’t arranged insurance yet and took a couple of happy snaps.

Newly arrived!

Newly arrived!

Here “she” is!  Had a Leo Vince slip on, and otherwise was bog stock.  Had 12,800km on the clock.  I couldn’t stop staring at this bike!!

I promptly hit eBay to start looking for “bling”.

The next day, Tuesday, I wasn’t so sure that I had done the right thing.  My wrists were hurting just on the commute to work and I was finding it very uncomfortable.  I was missing Miss Ninja!  I thought perhaps a proper ride would sort us out, so I contacted James and Wedge and we arranged to go for a ride to Malua Bay on the Saturday.  I was working Saturday morning so I arranged to meet them at Bungendore at whatever time.

The ride out to Queanbeyan was painful.  I hurt.  But then once I got out the otherside of Queanbeyan it was like the bike morphed.  At a bit of a higher speed it was just awesome and I remembered why I liked it to much in the first place.  Got to Bungendore grinning from ear to ear.  Had a ball down the Clyde and even felt like I had to wait for ages for the boys to catch up (now that doesn’t happen often!).  

First coast trip

Ok so now I was in luuuuuuuuurve!

A couple of weeks after I was on MSN one evening and had cracked a can of Jimmy and was really enjoying it, so I changed my display name to “Mel <3 Jimmy”.  A friend (Dan) came up and says “Oh is Jimmy the name of your new bike?”.  It is now!  So now to lose the habit of referring to him as a “she” which I eventually mastered.

I had grand plans of all these blingy things to get for the bike… I started off with covering up the CMC logo on the tank protector

First bling!

My first “big” trip on the bike (and which I was a little unsure of given the much more sportier nature of this bike) was Mel & Leen’s Excellent Adventure (or the long way to the GP).   I can’t remember now the dates we left, but we had two weeks of going through Victoria and into South Australia then back through Victoria and to the GP.  We did some 5,000km in those two weeks and had an absolute ball! 

Jimmy goes to SA

I had never been to SA before so this was a bit exciting (even if this sign was actually on the return to Victoria LOL)

The next bling was a fender eliminator, rego tube and green lensed integrated tail lights.

Bling

This wasn’t a very successful mod - on a ride shortly after the fender eliminator snapped, and the number plate and rego tube holder got wedged between the tyre and the hugger… at a bit in excess of the speed limit… some dude behind me made me pull over and it wasn’t until I started slowing down that I could smell the rubber (I had felt a kind of thunk but when it felt fine after that I just kept going, thinking it was something on the road).  OK so then I was riding around Victoria with no number plate one… woo!  at least I didn’t lose it.  The indicators ended up only working sporadically as well.

I had also planned to get the flush-mount front indicators, some fancy mirrors, a dark double bubble screen and a seat cowl.  I did end up getting a seat cowl but in blue and never got around to getting it painted, and the rest all got forgotten about as I started spending all my money on riding it instead of blinging it.

Over the 2007/2008 summer there were many trips through the Alpine areas of NSW and Victoria.  It seemed like every second weekend we were in Bright. 

Near Mt Selwyn, November 07

That picture was taken on our way to the 4M’s ride (I was with Tess, MStevo and Andy on his R1).  The fog was so thick in places that I could barely see Tess’s tail lights in front of me.  The bourbon at Tintaldra was so worth it though (why does bourbon taste better at Tintaldra?)

Mt Buffalo

Took this photo on one of the many Bright weekends when I went up Mt Buffalo with Daniel.

I also fit in a camping trip up to Coonabarabran for a few days over the xmas break and the Swim Ride.

On the Australia Day long weekend Tess and I were to meet up with Skuffy and Co. at Mt Hotham for a night of fun.  Unfortunately Stevo couldn’t join us as he and his bike were a bit broken.  This was when the ignition played up - filled up at Hume, got to Adaminiby and couldn’t get the key out of the ignition, it wouldn’t turn from “on” to “off”.  Eeek!  The dude at the servo tried to pick the fuel lock but failed so we turned around and went back to the bike shop in Cooma where the dude diagnosed the problem as a worn key, and pointed out that I could get the key out by turning it to “park” (which unfortunately left my tail lights on…)  anyway we made good time to Hotham, only about half an hour behind scheduled time and to be honest, I’m glad we were running late…

Mt Hotham

The Victorians had ridden through this hailstorm (it looked like snow on the road).   Jimmy spent the weekend with the key in the ignition turned halfway between “on” and “park” so as not to run down my battery by leaving the tail lights on.  Got home, the spare key didn’t make any difference whatsoever so I took to leaving the seat a bit loose-ish and just disconnecting the battery every time I parked up. 

Shortly after James (being a locksmith) offered to take a look, so we attended at his workshop and we pulled Jimmy to bits to get to the ignition - pulled it off and the steering lock mechanism was stuffed - that was my problem.  Basically it needed to be replaced - we removed a spring and it would be somewhat problematic but usuable once again.  Awesome.

In February I did my first FarRide on Jimmy - with James and the Fuelstorm as well.  The lunch was at Nambucca Heads and we rode up to Taree after work on the Friday night through some truly atrocious weather and then did the Oxley Highway and Waterfall Way to get into Nambucca Heads having done 1097km to get to lunch.  I got very sore in the right wrist on the way back (we were due in Sydney at 9am on Sunday morning so kept going after lunch) but some Panadol fixed that.

Jimmy & The Fuelstorm at Walcha

We went to the Superbikes and one of the days Mick C dinked me out to the track on Jimmy and he took this awesome photo of Jimmy with his namesake

Jimmy & Jimmy

In late February I was in Sydney with my sisters and had ridden up and on my way home I had my first experience with someone on the back fo Jimmy… just out of Sydney there was a bike pulled over on the side of the road - I started to slow down to pull over and they waved me down - they were out of fuel (it was a dude with his partner on the back).  He left his girlfriend with their bike and hopped on the back of Jimmy - and this just reinforced how much I dislike pillioning!  Especially dudes who are a lot bigger than I am…. anyway dinked him down to Pheasant’s Nest and then he asked if I could take him back up to his bike… sure… but how about YOU ride and I’ll hold the petrol LOL yes I let a complete stranger ride Jimmy.  Anyway got them sorted and headed home. 

We did lots of riding together over the next few months - the annual Tintaldra/Bright ride, Halls Gap with KSRC, the Failed Moree FarRide, Putty Road and the CR Girls Weekend.  In late June KSRC had a Gingers Creek ride so I went along with Gos and Carl (who was on a ZX9R then) and James came along as well on the Suzuki… which shat itself at Long Flat (well just Long Flat but he managed to limp it back into Long Flat).  With my dislike of having someone on the back and James’ dislike of being on the back it made more sense for him to ride Jimmy with me on the back and that is what we did.  It was… interesting.  I had never done any real distance on the back of a bike so it was a bit of a learning experience for me as well as for James, who had barely any pillioning experience AND he was on a strange bike… he did really well though, even in the dark up the Oxley.  The next morning we all headed back down to Long Flat and put a different battery in the Suzuki and it ran OK but we couldn’t locate a battery for it so we stashed it in a shed there and back to Canberra, me still on the back.  OK I loved you Jimmy, but NOT from the back.  That trip was hell. 

The whole reason James had bought that bloody Suzuki was to do the longer trips on - especially the Border Run which was on 2 August.  A few factors all contributed to James not being able to do the run… “next year we’ll do it” he says.  Then he says “well you could always do it by yourself…”  So I did.

I left Canberra on Thursday 31 July and headed over to the SA/WA Border.  I then took the long way home, I went to Uluru and up just past Tennant Creek to Threeways and then east to Mt Isa and making my way back to Canberra through QLD and NSW.  Jimmy performed faultlessly throughout this trip. 

Jimmy at Uluru

I love it out there!

Got back to Canberra and battled a bit - I really didn’t want to be back.  Perhaps I could blame that for my decisions?  I started to think that maybe it was time for a new bike…

Jimmy and I still had a few rides and milestones left together… there was another Putty Ride and then my Iron Butt ride - I did the SS1600 on Jimmy on 12/13 September 2008 ending up at the Tottenham FarRide/Far Cairn Rally.  And I took out longest distance ridden by a female too! 

I only just realised that that was really my last real ride with Jimmy 

I got a really nice photo at that rally - a dude was walking around taking photos of people with their bikes (actually I had a few people wanting to take my photo with the bike that weekend… “you rode what?  How far??”) but then this dude printed them out and laminated them and sold them back to the riders for $20 - all proceeds going to MARI which the rally was fundraising for…

I really started thinking about an upgrade and I finally settled on either a ZX7R or an SP2.  There was an SP2 out at CMC Fyshwick which I ultimately ended up buying, so Jimmy was sharing the car port with the SP2 for a little while (and not being ridden a whole lot - though the few times I did ride him before he was sold I was very sad - he always felt like coming home).

In October I listed him on eBay and he was sold to a very nice young man called Gavin who was upgrading from an F model ZX6.  He gave me $5,000 and I gave him Jimmy.  It was a very sad day.  I think I managed not to cry but I feel like crying now just thinking about it!!!

So Jimmy was gone. 

And that was the tale of Jimmy.  I have thought about trying to get in contact with Gavin and trying to buy Jimmy back… but I think it’s best to let him go… and just keep him in my heart LOL

Mel <3 Jimmy