Mick's Dream

Mick has had a dream since he was a kid.

He's always loved to travel and really wanted to travel around Australia.

Back in early 1983, he, his brother and two mates headed off on that adventure in an old school bus they had decked out, planning to work their way around this great land.

......Then I wrecked it.......

Mick came home for Christmas at the end of 1984, we met, he stayed, having only made it half way around.

Move forward to 2001 and we were doing most of our travelling on "Sophia" the Moto Guzzi with our camping gear in our little trailer.  We started talking about riding around Australia.

Mick ordered his ideal bike for the trip and I accrued my holidays.  We were planning to leave in August 2002.

......Then I wrecked it..........again........

I had the opportunity to change jobs, so we did lots of soul searching. In the end we gave up the trip and I moved to a new employer.

We didn't seem to dwell on it too much at the time, as we were busy with other things and it wasn't long until we started to plan to realise another of Mick's childhood dreams - go to the Isle of Man TT.

......I didn't wreck that one...... and we have been back three more times since.

Last year, now that we are now settled here, we planned two things - buy a caravan and have another go at travelling around Australia.

You see, I've just clocked up fifteen years at my "new job" and have some long service leave due.

...... I'm not going to wreck it again......

Are we going to take our lovely, new, plush caravan?  No way!

This has to be done on a motorcycle.  We are taking "Snubby", the bike Mick bought for the purpose, albeit she looks a little different and our trailer has grown somewhat.  We can take the van later.  We only have a relatively short time, so it will be a whistle stop tour, but we just want to say that we have done it.

The plan?  What plan?

Head north to Townsville, turn left, turn right at The Three Ways, go up to Darwin, then back across to the Kimberley and follow the coast all the rest of the way around.  Other than that, we'll make it up as we go along. We do know that we have to be about half way around half way into our holiday.  I suppose that is a start?

From Charters Towers to half way down the west coast will all be new to us.

We set out tomorrow.

The bike is as good as packed, the house minder organised and we are ready to go.

We can't wait.

See you on the road.