National Park : American Adventurist

March 18th, 2019December 3rd, 2023

American Adventurist Down Under

A seven day solo motorcycle adventure touring Australia’s Grampians National Park, Great Ocean Road, and Blue Mountains National Park with resources and advice on what to bring, what not to bring, and suggestions for what to do when you get there.

Day 1: Arrival and Picking Up the Bike

I had reserved a BMW R1200GS with BikeRoundOz since I currently own and ride the same bike. I wouldn’t be dealing with becoming familiar with it or how it handles while at the same time getting learning to ride on the left. What I didn’t know was that they had set me up with a Rallye. This is a sweet bike.

One reason why I brought a JetBoil was that I knew Anaconda in Melton had the fuel. I would have to leave the fuel behind when I flew home, but the stove itself would be free of fuel residue and I could bring it back. I spent some time in the hotel checking everything again before repacking it on the bike.

After the bike was packed I needed to pick up the few things I could not bring with me. Isobutane fuel for my JetBoil, etc.. After that I’d head back to the hotel. Get something to eat. The next day I hit the road early.

Anaconda is a relatively small store and I wasn’t expecting the gold mine I found inside. A far cry from the average sporting goods store back home in the states.

Anaconda Watergardens — Dometic. Dometic everywhere!

Day 2 & 3: Grampians National Park

Habits and Grampians National Park — Something wrong? Yes. I’m on the right (wrong) side of the road.

Finally! After months of planning and waiting, after endless mundane logistical details, I’m on the open road in search of Adventure in Australia!

This was the first area that I set out to explore. Dirt roads in every direction beckoned me and tempted me to explore further. I did some exploring, but I had to remind myself that I was there riding solo, that even though I did have a Spot 3 satellite GPS messenger with me that I wasn’t invulnerable. Alone in a foreign country it’s always wise to use the KISS principle and stick to your plan as much as possible.

I camped at Smiths Mill Campground in Grampians National Park. Very close to the MacKenzie Falls which requires a reservation. Plenty of trees for the hammock and providing shade. There’s even a bush shower.

The second day was a hike down to the base of MacKenzie Falls is about 1.6 miles (2.6 km) round trip. It’s an in and out trail with narrow steps that will allow only one person to pass at a time in either direction. The total descent is approximately 270 feet. After my day hike it was time for packing up and heading out.

MacKenzie Falls Grampians National Park, Victoria, Australia

On my way out of Grampians National Park I encountered an Emu wandering down the middle of the road. One piece of advice given to me was avoid traveling at night because Kangaroos and these guys like to hang out on the road and can ruin your night.

Grampians National Park Mount William, Victoria, Australia

You’ll also notice the black fire scars on almost all the tree trunks here. Late evening on 19 January 2006 a lightning strike on Mount Lubra (later renamed to Mount Warrinaburb) started a bush fire. By the time it was extinguished it had burned for approximately two weeks and covered approximately 130,000 hectares of land.

Day 4: The Great Ocean Road, Rain, and a Malfunction

Of the two days I encountered rain I would compare both to the spin/rinse cycle of a washing machine. It would pour. Then the sun would come out and I would quickly dry off. Then it would pour again. Rinse. Repeat. Thankfully, I did get a chance to visit the ocean again later and in much better weather.

I camped at Parker Hill in Great Otway National Park. This is an awesome campsite overlooking the beach and reservations are required. Given the inclement weather I had arrived cold and wet and it took me a while to dry out. Thankfully, the hill is protected by substantial tree cover that helps shield against ocean winds.

Being Prepared

In my previous article Choosing the Right Tent The First Time, I stressed anticipating dramatic changes in the weather and this is why. Seasons are reversed in the Southern Hemisphere so January and February are Melbourne’s hottest months with the interior seeing temps of 110° F. Given that I have limited carrying capacity on a motorcycle, I had contemplated bringing just the Klim mesh suit but that left me without rain protection so that thought was immediately dismissed. The BMW Rallye suit would be hotter and uncomfortable at times but I would have to deal. This decision paid off with the unseasonably cold and wet weather. After putting the rain liners into the jacket and pants I was warm again and drying out.

Day 5: A Pit Stop to Change Bikes then on to Wagga Wagga

Parker Hill camp the next day. The bike wasn’t liking the weather either. In the morning the bike’s throttle was sluggish and the check engine light came on. After breaking camp and packing I let the bike idle for a bit. A few miles later things were back to normal but the code wasn’t clearing. Nothing but guesses as to the cause. As I rode on I had an internal debate about the merits of heading back to Melton to swap out bikes and losing a day, or continuing on as-is with a check engine light on. The entire time the debate raged in my head I was heading back to Melton. I will miss the Loch Ard Gorge and the day I had planned to tour the coast.

The Melton Pit Stop

BikeRoundOz had me back on the road pretty quick. From rolling into the depot on the R1200GS Rallye, to moving panniers and everything over to an F800GS, to rolling out was only an hour and 30 minutes. The trip back to Melton itself had cost me most of the day. I’m quite familiar with marathon miles on a bike. 500-700 miles in a day is my typical ride in the states. I could make up the lost time if I hustled and that was my plan. I made reservations at the Prince of Wales Motor Inn over in Wagga Wagga New South Wales and hit the road. The weather had turned for the better and I was feeling good with the wheels turning and the miles stacking up behind me.

F800GS on the A41, Evans Plains New South Wales

(At this point I also decided to swap the helmet camera to time lapse. The SD card was filling quickly. Battery drain for video was also an issue.)

I rolled into hotel’s parking lot at 9:40 pm with about a half gallon of fuel in the tank. I was on fumes as well. The proprietor had stashed the key to my room and told me where he hid it. There was even milk for tea. Every battery was in need of a full charge, and I was in need of a hot shower and sleep so I wasted no time.

Day 6: Blue Mountains National Park

Boroka Lookout Grampians National Park, Victoria, Australia

The small part of Grand Canyon track lays ahead of me. The Blue Mountains are a hiker’s paradise. The trails date back to 1825 and features one of the most extensive trail systems in Australia. What little exposure I give it here does not do it justice!

Blue Mountains National Park, Evans Lookout, New South Wales Australia

Evans Lookout Sundial Blue Mountains National Park — Blue Mountains National Park Grand Canyon Walking Track, Victoria, Australia

This night I stayed at Murphys Glen campground in Blue Mountains National Park. It’s a free primitive campground reachable only by 2 track or 4WD.

Day 7: Wagga Wagga Again

Packing up at the Blue Mountain campsite, it was time to head back. When I get back in to Melton I will have covered 1764 miles, but first I had one more night. I decided to spend that night at the Prince of Wales Motor Inn again. Making sure I had a room when I rolled in late the first time was appreciated. I felt choosing to stay there again was a good way to show that appreciation. And perhaps showing up at a reasonable time too.

But I can’t say my motives were entirely altruistic. The first time I stayed there I noticed a brewery was right next door. When in Australia one must do as the Australians!

A celebratory conclusion at the Prince of Wales Motor Inn

Logistics Again

The gear — MSR, JetBoil,Hennessy, and BMW Motorrad gear

Back at Melton and BikeRoundOz it’s time to get back into street clothing and unpack the bike. Time to deal with the explosion of gear everywhere and then the repacking for the trip home. Cheers to BikeRoundOz for tolerating the use of your garage and office space for this. I also found out what happened to the Rallye. They had brought the bike to a dealer and had it serviced. After the code was cleared they couldn’t find anything wrong with the bike. Damn the luck.

An Epilogue to an Adventure

The first half of this adventure ends here. The second half of my trip was for the wedding of my Brother and his Fiancée. I’ll skip the wedding photos but there are parts that are relevant and would fit in well with any adventure tour of Australia.

Healesville Sanctuary

Formally known as the Sir Colin MacKenzie Sanctuary, it is located in Badger Creek, Victoria, Australia. About an hour’s drive east north east of Melbourne. Healesville Sanctuary specializes in native Australian animals. Keeper talks offer an opportunity to hear about the animals, their care, and the conservation work being done for various species in Australia.

Mount Martha Victoria, Australia

The town dates back to the 1840s and today it’s a vacationer’s beach town. If you are planning on following the Australian coastline on your Oz adventure it’s a good place to swap things up from camping and still put your toes in the sand and get your feet wet (far better than a cold and wet rain storm too).

Highway Travel in Australia

I stayed on the backroads as much as I could. I found it refreshing. The temptation to get from point A to B the fastest possible way to maximize your time is really strong. As a result you can make your way across the entire United States on our interstate system isolated from the local communities stopping only at gas stations, hotels, motels, and dining on fast food and chain restaurants. Honestly, you miss a lot of the U.S. that way. An Adventure isn’t just full throttle point A to B. It’s about exploring the spaces in between as well. Take the main streets of small towns.

Speeding

Don’t. There isn’t the leeway you will find here in the U.S., and there is no such thing as going 5 or 10 over the speed limit and being “ok”. The police are extremely rigorous when it comes to speeding, and speed cameras are used in cities and on the major highways. So keep to the limits and obey all traffic laws.

Dangerous Environments

You’ll hear the phrase “everything in Australia can kill you” before you go. Yes. It can happen but it’s rare. There are some simple things you can do to keep yourself out of trouble when in the wild. Most importantly if you see a sign warning you to avoid an area then don’t ignore it.

Wear appropriate boots that protect your ankles and toes from snakes when walking in the bush. Armored ADV boots are perfect. Snakes usually avoid being out in the open and are often hiding underneath bushes, stacks of leaves, or other ground debris. Keep your body parts off, out, and away from these areas and always look before you sit anywhere. If you are not a meal snakes will prefer to leave an area and avoid the encounter. Announce your presence by walking heavily.

Make it a habit to always keep mosquito net zipped up by closing it behind you as soon as you exit/enter. Don’t leave your gear outside your tent at night. Spiders or other critters may make a home out of them. If keeping your gear inside a tent isn’t an option then check the gear before putting it on or stowing it. Don’t place a hand inside or underneath. Flip and shake out your boots. Grab a camp chair by the back and flip it over to expose the underside before folding it up.

Getting There

There is simply too much for me to cover every item and situation when traveling to Australia. What’s included here is the information that I needed for my trip, some general advice, and a list of basic resources to give you a head start for your Australian Adventure.

AU Government

AU Parks

AU Camping

AU Gear

US Government

Traveling With Medication

You must declare medication on your Incoming Passenger Card (IPC). Don’t bring someone else’s medication. Ensure the medication remains in its original packaging with the dispensing label intact. All medications containing codeine will require you to bring the prescription from your Doctor. Just to be on the safe side it is advisable to have a letter or a prescription from your doctor or practitioner. You will need special permission to bring more than a 3 months’ supply of medicine into Australia.

Backpacks

This was my carry-on. Why not? Right? In it I had placed my spare (uninstalled) lithium batteries. Spare lithium batteries (both lithium metal and lithium ion/polymer) are prohibited in checked baggage. My personal hygiene kit. My Spot and Garmin GPS electronic devices. Contact your airline in advance. Ensure the backpack conforms to their carry-on size restrictions. I don’t recommend it but if checking your backpack then ask if it can be placed in a container or use heavy duty wrapping plastic to secure the straps to keep them from getting caught in the conveyor belts and to deter theft of opportunity. Also consider how you will accomplish this if checking your backpack on the return trip as well.

Camp Stoves

Camp Stoves must be free from fuel fumes emitting from the stove. Camping fuel, burning paste, etc. are prohibited for obvious reasons. These items must be obtained at a camp store after you arrive.

Insect Repellent

It’s a must-have. The liquid limits apply when carrying these in your carry-on bags so pack it in your checked baggage.

Australian Biosecurity

Australian biosecurity laws are very strict. This is to protect agriculture and unique wildlife from invasive species and diseases. Check with the Australia Department of Agriculture and Water Resources for what you need to declare. When in doubt just declare it. Also make note that you must declare on your Incoming Passenger Card (IPC) if you have visited a rural area or been in contact with, or near, farm animals in the past 30 days. Clean your tent spikes before you pack!

Food Items

I brought freeze dried camping food and declared it on my Incoming Passenger Card (IPC) and had no issues. I could have gone through customs faster though so just leave food items at home. Plan on stopping by a camping store like Anaconda and/or a market after you arrive to get fuel, insect repellent and camp food.

Camping equipment, including backpacks

To protect Australia’s livestock industries from foot-and-mouth disease and African swine fever the biosecurity officer will be inspecting items for soil and/or manure that is being carried with them. Thoroughly clean and dry your equipment before you travel to Australia. Don’t forget to clean your tent pegs.

Freshwater recreational and water sport equipment

Didymo (Didymosphenia geminata) is a cool, freshwater algae that forms thick mats which smother river beds. It is almost impossible to eradicate and takes just a single live cell to establish and spread. While not present in Australia, it has invaded rivers and lakes in Europe, Asia, North America and New Zealand. Special care is therefore required when bringing equipment into Australia that has been used in fresh water overseas. You must declare freshwater equipment on your Incoming Passenger Card (IPC). It must be thoroughly cleaned to remove any algal clumps, and be completely dried for inspection in Australia.

January 14th, 2019January 22nd, 2019

Utah Winter Adventure – Part II of III

It was a seriously cold morning when we woke up, the dog water bowls had frozen overnight and I found a surprise ice bowl sitting on my stove thanks to Andy. At some point, Brett’s kids had found a few random skeletons of long deceased animals and had relocated them next to their tent as a joke. Jacki seemed to find it particularly ~~disturbing~~ amusing. We had some laughs and enjoyed a nice leisurely morning, packing up and getting Brian settled in and updated on the trip.

Day 05: Coffee in Kanab and Breaking Down

The group decided to hit the town of Kanab again for some breakfast and coffee and get some tips from the local coffee shop/supply store: Willow Canyon Outdoor. It’s a pretty cool shop considering they had your essentials outdoor gear and also had a coffee shop with some very knowledgeable staff. We asked for their recommendation on potential routes and campsites on our route and they gave us a nice road in which we should hit on our way up to Capitol Reef NP.

(If you’re just catching up, part I of III can be found HERE )

After our short visit, we decided to run some last-minute stops before we hit the road. We hit Highway 89 eastbound and hunkered down for the haul to our offshoot to Cottonwood Canyon Road. We were on the highway with Cris at point and myself as tailgunner. Next thing I know every vehicle swerved to avoid something on the road, with Cris on comms stating he’s lost power steering. The convoy pulled off the road and Cris mentioning he had probably lost his power steering belt. Dodge problems. Being tail-gunner, I reversed to retrieve the belt but doing so, I didn’t notice the roadside reflector markers. One of them took out my passenger side mirror as I reversed but I was able to retrieve the belt successfully. The group gathered around Cris’s wounded Power Wagon as we began to troubleshoot the problem. After some pointing and grunting, we all agreed he needed a new ~~truck~~ idler pulley.

We were a little skeptical in terms of finding a part way out here but we did find an auto parts store in Kanab. It was just a matter of if they had it in stock or not. So Brian jumped in his Taco and jammed over to the store to find the part Cris needed to get his rig up and running again. In the meantime, the group made lunch and awaited Brian’s return. While waiting, I utilized some of Andy’s engineering tape to get my mirror back onto the Xterra. It was done in a very expedient and professional manner. About an hour later, Brian returned with the pulley in hand, and in a matter of minutes, we had the part installed and the Power Wagon roared back to life. We were back on the road.

We hit Cottonwood Canyon Road, which turns out is an entrance to the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument. It is a nicely graded road with some turnoffs that branch off into other fireroads into the canyon. It winds itself along the Paria River, and then transitions to wind along Cottonwood Creek.

It was along Cottonwood Creek in which we found a perfect campsite: lots of tree cover, lots of flat clear ground, and right next to a creek. We arrived in the afternoon, with enough time to setup and relax before the sun began to set. We relaxed the remainder of the day until night fell and we hit the sack.

Day 06

Making Time To Make The Ferry

The next morning as we’re packing up and getting ready to roll out, we get an early morning buzz by two F-35’s slicing through the canyon at low altitude. Quite the sight and a deafening roar as they screamed by.

Today’s route involved continuing up Cottonwood Canyon Road northbound all the way to Cannonville. The road was well-maintained, quite scenic, and a blast to drive on. We did stop at a turnout to regroup as the convoy began to separate over the long distance of fireroads. There we snapped some photos, Jaxx found a leg of a deer to chew on, we got some stretching in, and then hit the road to Cannonville, where we’d air-up and hit the pavement. Once aired up, the group pointed east and took Highway 12 all the way north to Capitol Reef NP.

Highway 12 is quite the scenic drive, with gains and drops in elevation, but mostly, the views do not disappoint even though we were on pavement the entire time. As we traveled along, we hit Escalante and decided to do a logistics and lunch stop. We filled up our gas tanks, restocked our fridges and coolers, made some lunch and then decided what our route would be taking from there.

Our dilemma was that we had a specific time to be at the ferry crossing from Bullfrog to Halls Crossing and we needed to figure out a route that would get us to that location. We opted for additional travel and exploration, so we picked a route that shot us straight up to Capitol Reef NP on hardball, and then shoot south on the Norton Bullfrog Basin Road, camp somewhere along the road, and then the following morning continue the rest of the way down to Bullfrog to catch our ferry.

After a few quick stops to take in the beautiful scenery along the road, we barreled down on Capitol Reef NP and we decided to check out Goosenecks Overlook where the Sulphur Creek zig-zags along the canyon. It was nearing sunset as we took in this awesome point. The way the sun hit the canyon walls, displaying dynamic shadows really made for a stunning sight. A few of the group had split off to the Visitor Center just down the road to snag some patches and swag. We regrouped on Highway 24 and continued on to Norton Bullfrog Basin Road.

The sun was almost set as we hit the dirt. I had stopped at Orientation Pullout at the intersection of the Norton Bullfrog Basin Road to snap a few shots. The group continued on as we’d be on that road for quite a while, but I had taken a few stops for photo ops as the sun set and became distanced from the group. I booked it down the well maintained and very wide dirt road to catch up. With all my LED lights on, it was easy blasting down the dark, chilly 25 degree road solo. It wasn’t until the main group had stopped to find a campsite that I finally caught up. At this point it was already dark and we needed to find camp as soon as possible. The group had decided to find a spot at an offshoot to Halls Overlook. It was a nice flat spot with 180 degree cover with small rocky hills. With the tents set up, fire going, dinner cooked and eaten, we then enjoyed the full moon and slight cloud covered night until we turned in for the night.

Day 07

Ferry to the Moki and Camping Among the Gods

Another beautiful sunrise greeted the rested convoy as we got coffee and breakfast rolling. I had gotten up a bit earlier to do my usual roaming and sniping around the campsite. The views and lighting from the rising sun with the slight cloud cover were amazing. With the group up and ready to roll, we convened to decide the days’ route and schedule since we had a ferry to catch. There was some time to spare and also some spectacular places to visit before we found out campsite for the night.

We hit the dirt yet again, but before we made the haul to the ferry, we stopped at Halls Creek Overlook to take in the sights. It was a very deep canyon in which a dried riverbed passes through, but held a dramatic view of what was literally right over the next ridgeline from where we camped the previous night. Saddling up, we hit the dirt again towards Highway 276 south to Bullfrog.

The convoy arrived at the Charles Hall Ferry crossing with some time to spare. We staged up at the slipway and awaited the ferry to arrive to pick us up. Once the ferry arrived, we loaded up and enjoyed the short ferry ride to Halls Crossing. It was a pretty cool experience since we literally had the ferry all to ourselves.

Once the ferry deposited us on the other side of the shore, we continued on Highway 276 to Highway 95 East. Stuart had brought up that he’d really like to drive the Moki Dugway, and being that I’ve never been on it, nor had others of the group had, we voted to take this route instead of remaining on pure highway. Our consensus of the night’s campsite was Valley of the Gods, so we hit Highway 261 South to the Moki. It was an overall basic highway drive until we hit the entrance of the dirt road.

The Moki Dugway was constructed in 1958 and “is a staggering, graded dirt switchback road carved into the face of the cliff edge of Cedar Mesa. It consists of 3 miles of steep unpaved, but well graded switchbacks at 11%, which wind 1,200ft from Cedar Mesa to the valley floor near Valley of the Gods… The state of Utah recommends that only vehicles less than 28ft in length and 10,000 pounds in weight attempt to negotiate this steep, narrow, and winding road… The term ‘mokee’ is derived from the Spanish word Moqui, which was a general term used by the 18th century Spanish explorers and settlers in this region to describe the Pueblo Indians they encountered, and the vanished culture that had left behind the numerous ruins they discovered during their travels… The dugway was constructed in the 50’s to provide a way to haul ore from the Happy Jack Mine on Cedar Mesa to the mill in Halchita, near Mexican Hat.” (www.dangerousroads.org). Checking weather on or before hitting the Dugway is highly recommended as conditions may be treacherous.

It was a beautiful day and had been so for the week, so we had no worries traversing the Dugway. The sheer cliff right along the roadside was quite intimidating but with the width of the road being a bit generous, and with light traffic in both directions, it was a breeze. We were worried about Cris’s Dodge Yacht Wagon but of course he showed us how to drive properly in such a large vehicle without dying.

The convoy rallied at the base of the Dugway, just at the entrance to the Valley of the Gods. The sun was beginning to set as we entered the Valley so we decided to find a place along the dirt road to call it for the day. We found a perfect site just off the main road with rock monuments entirely surrounding us. We were definitely in quite a spot and picked up quickly why this place has such a name. As usual, we setup quickly and hunkered down for the night.

Continued in Part III HERE

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