Return To Mt Glorious

This roster sees me working every weekend which generally sorta sucks. However, to put a positive spin on it, it sees me with weekdays off and six-ish hours each of those week days between family commitments. That can only mean one thing....well, two actually......solo mountain bike rides AND solo motorcycle rides. Yep, working weekends sure does suk!!

Before I go too far though, here is an update on the farkles I have seen fit to fit to the F800. Some of them were listed a few weeks back. My Wunderlich deflector screen has been fitted and is doing what it is meant to do, perfectly.

Deflector complete with bug splats.

The Tutoro chain oiler was taking a little longer to fit up as there isn't a lot of spare space within the frame on a F800GSA. The fuel tank takes up all of the options compared to a regular F800GS so I had to sit and scratch my head for a while about where to mount it. The fact that it needs to sit within 12 degrees of vertical makes it harder than say a Scottoiler which can be mounted in any orientation. I finally settled on mounting it right at the rear of the bike, inside the pannier rack as the supplied tubing would reach all the way around to the rear sprocket, via Timbuktoo.

I will fold up a small tinplate guard to protect it from tyre "fling" at some point.

Routing via a rear subframe rail to......

the swingarm pivot point, then......

via the single outlet onto the rear sprocket.

Priming the system. All I need now is a test ride!

I also installed some RAM balls so that I could mount my phone and the GoPro. Easily done!

Balls.....

I came up with another circuitous ride route that would take in an aviation related theme and also take me back to somewhere I have not ridden a motorcycle in over 10 years. Mt Glorious.

Mt Glorious is a no, THE iconic motorcycling road in Brisbane. Sydney has it's Old Road, Melbourne has it's Black Spur, Adelaide has Gorge Road, Canberra has Cotter Road.....you know them, the roads where sensible riders can have enormous fun but roads that are too close and too easy for idiots, newbies and wanna-be's to completely crash their brains out, thereby attracting draconian policing levels.
Despite my insistence on the bike being in absolutely mint condition with nothing less than perfect running gear and rubber, I had completely avoided this particular road since I got back into motor-bicycling as my R1 has a slip on pipe and a rear fender eliminator, unfortunately making it's technical roadworthy state a possible bone of contention if I should be invited to a roadside chat with the previously mentioned draconians.....

Pipe and fender eliminator.

But I am jumping ahead of myself. The route for today's ride would be out to Amberley, then up to Esk, around the dam, then over Northbrook Parkway to Mt Glorious then home.

I motored out the freeway enjoying the still cool winter weather. I had been an unseasonably warm day the last time I got the Beemer out for a ride but today was mid to high teens. Perfect!

My first stop was just past Amberley air force base at Willowbank. Here on the side of the road is one of Amberley's former pride of place machines. She probably saw action in Vietnam but is not looking so heroic any more...well, who would when you are covered in half a tonne of guano.....?

Canberra bomber

As with the small township of Rathdowny last week, this Canberra bomber is just too close to Brisbane and I have always driven past as it is too soon to stop or too close to home to stop. Not today though. She is looking pretty tired with pigeons infiltrating every orifice and guano dripping out everywhere. The perspex is all shattered through a combination of UV rays with a helping hand from vandals and there was a fair amount of corrosion evident in the wing skins. Perhaps the only thing holding it together is the guano....

Backtracking just slightly I entered the perimeter fence to Amberley and was pleased to be able to get to check out this gate guard. While it was on operation service until just recently (2010) it entered service waaay back in 1973, when the Canberra above was still probably on the RAAF roster (actually, the RAAF leased some McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantoms to fill the gap). Talk about chalk and cheese!

General Dynamics F-111

I was hoping to be able to access the Base memorial garden which looked like it was near the gate but I think with the recent expansion that has gone on at Amberley the boundary fences may have crept out somewhat. I will look into it a bit more as I have heard they have an aviation heritage centre with several restored aircraft on display. I will work on that one....

From Amberley I motored north, through the tiny township of Walloon up the Brisane valley highway to Fernvale and Esk. I have been here plenty of times on my mountain bike over the last 10 years. Search BVRT in the search box above to find more.

Just north of Esk I turned right and proceeded around the north of  Lake Wivenhoe which is one half of Brisbane's water supply system. The road twists and turns it's way through mostly open countryside here. Nothing spectacular, just pleasant riding.

As soon as I turned left into Northbrook Parkway I was in motorcycle traffic! Bikes were coming out of the turnoff, turning in behind me and cruising past! Wow, this was a popular bike road as it was only a Thursday!
I was very soon reminded of why there were so many bikes. This bit of road is effin' brilliant! It reminds me of a cross between Gorge Road in the Adelaide hills and the Oxley highway near Gingers creek. It is that good! Of course, I was on an underpowered adventure bike fitted with dual purpose tyres so I took it pretty easy, just trying to hold my speed without braking hard or accelerating hard(who am I kidding? You can't accelerate hard on an F800 anyway!) Still, I caught up to a guy on a Fireblade and he waved me past after I had sat there for a few minutes.
Passed by an F800? Some people have no self respect!! ;)



I was soon at the Mt Glorious Cafe' and as it was lunch time, I joined the 20-30 other riders already there for a bite to eat.

Mt Glorious Cafe'

It was interesting to see that at least 50% of the bikes there were adventure bikes and that at 47, I was probably the youngest rider in attendance!! Maybe the Geezer with a Grudge has it right? Kids aren't interested in riding bikes?

I wandered into the cafe' and was pleasantly surprised to see that it had been remodeled and greatly  improved since my last visit. (which sadly was probably here. That bub now looks like this...)

I sat out in the sun with a fish, chips and salad meal plus a coffee and can safely proclaim all was right with the world! The food was good, coffee was great and the array of bikes on display was awesome! I really do like the KTM 1190 Adventure......(yes, that is a 1290 above but they all (1090/1190/1290) look alike and the 1190 is cheaper a.t.m.)

Cafe' rest room reminder.

Back on the bike and I rode down the PEI road, then turned right and headed for some dirt via The Goat Track to keep Andrew happy. It wasn't mud today but last time I rode it, it was a virtual river! I had the GoPro running here so as to capture the tar/dirt/tar section of fun but as happens with this particular brand of "action" cam, it failed to record the action......

Down the PEI road. It is a great little section of road.

Down the PEI again, as going up the Goat Track made that a loop ride and I moseyed my way home via the Team Moto store at Virginia. I almost bought their last pair of TCX Track adventure boots but the runout price simply wasn't sharp enough. (Watch this space on adventure boots).

Arriving home the fuel guage indicated that I hadn't even used half a tank for the ride. I think this puts me at about 600km range for this kind of riding. A very handy endurance indeed!!

Being the weekend again it was time to head back to earning some fun coupons so that I can play next week. I have an idea for a ride up onto the range. I am not sure if I can pull it off as a day ride but if not who cares? I now have heated grips and plenty of storage for my undies.......

Cheers.