One of the perks of my job is that I get the occasional call to fill a seat on a magazine jaunt. This time I was asked to help out Australian Motorcycle News. The annual Adventure issue (on the newsstands right now) sees the crew gather a swag of the latest bikes on offer and try to give readers a feeling for them and how they fit into the broad definition of that segment.
Behind the scenes of a magazine 'shoot' is always interesting. It consists of lots of hurry-up-and-wait, pushing bikes around and standing about. Whenever a bunch of riders are lobbed together the usual banter and hijinks occur. As it's all about the photos, it's a nice change to be chilled and hang around, not the usual frantic rush from stop to stop. When it's all over we tend to tuck our heads down and smash the return leg home.
This year we had a mad dash to and from the banks of the Murrumbidgee with a day's play on the tracks that wander up, down and along the riverside reserve. Two of us rode up from Melbourne, the rest of the contingent through appalling weather from Sydney.
Next morning, with eyes on that nasty-looking rain system continuing to head south from Queensland, a narrow window separated us from a world of slippery mud, the waft of Dettol and the all-important photos.
Across the road from our accommodation we found miles and miles of tracks that wound in and around the banks of the spectacularly beautiful, swiftly flowing river. What a buzz it was to hoon about these tracks. As we hightailed it back to camp the heavens opened, job done, just in the nick of time. Even in the short trip out of our playground it was very quickly apparent we'd be in a world of pain should we tarry.
As expected, Kel was keen to get home the next day so we hit the tar at 'Sparra Fart'. After a late breakfast stop at Tocumwal, we'd out-run the rain by Seymour and had a clear run through Chum Creek Rd and the back way around the east of Melbourne. In bang on eight hours we rolled into our respective homes. The poor Sydney crew didn't fair as well, but that's for them to tell.
My son has found the 'round-tuit' and got his bike learners, what better way to get settled in than on Dr Z.
Like many an old fella, I'm petty good at stashing stuff and never finding it again. I'm sure you can empathize with me. Struth, I can put down a spanner and take 20 minutes to find it again.
The day he took it home I combed the shed for an hour looking for the Seat Concepts low seat I initially bought for it. I re-errr... foamed and covered the original in the end and popped the other away.
After another three hours of stripping the shed to the bare walls, it dawned on me that I think I loaned it to someone and never got it back.
So, help out a dazed and confused bloke will yer. If you or someone you know has my seat, touch base. My son needs a little more purchase on Terra Firma.
Puffed Up
Last month I mentioned the new Mac in a Sac, winter hadn't fully set in then, by jingos it has now. BTW, it's also the 100th anniversary of the puffer jacket. Yes folks, another Aussie invention.
Descending Everest, that's George at the back (photo - Wikipedia)
"... in 1922, Finch's bright green coat — made from the skin of a hot air balloon and stuffed with eiderdown — drew sneers from the English climbers in his group."
Wearing anything other than jumpers, scarves and Tweed was seen as unfair and un-British.
"They have contrived the most wonderful apparatus that will make you die of laughing," wrote one.
"I always knew the fellow was a sh1t," remarked another.
Later on, high in the Himalayas when everyone else was freezing in their Tweed, Finch wrote: "Everybody now envying … my eiderdown coat, and it is no longer laughed at."
I love my Mac in a Sac, it's so, so light yet warm and... amazingly packable. I am rarely without it.
We've had our web team create a new seamless Gift Voucher system to replace our clunky old one. Set it up and get it delivered to your bestie, easy as.
Ol' mate asked me if I wanted to buy it. Yep, the hand guards are plumbing pipe.
I'm not sure if you've ever noticed that we never have the dodgy $NUMBER.99 in our price lists. I reckon it's inherently dishonest.
"Dear Shop Keeper, if you can't give me change don't advertise that price!"
Every trip to the Stupidmarket or Veg shop has me seeing red, everything is $3.99, $6.99, $99.99 or something similarly iffy. Bikes and cars for sale at say $17,990 are not far off but at least there's a 'standard drinking voucher' left over, not that that gets much these days.
$19.99 is $20, $99.99 is $100 ya pack a...
Next Gen Full Monty Pants
Over the last year I've been working with the head honcho of Held Oz to come up with what we hope will turn out to be world-leading wet weather pants. Held Germany wasn't interested in combining the fabulous Rainblock fabric with the clever Cloudburst full-side zip concept.
The fabric we used is a flash new tech layer stuff with breathability, stretch and a bit of wind-blocking. They pack down to 70% of bugger all. I'm looking for an excuse to go for a ride and put them through their paces.
The first batch is just landing as this lobs into your inbox.
