Sorry folks - this is going to hurt

Steve T

Well-Known Member
Excellent - thanks for sharing.

Out of interest, how long in Km or miles, was that section you showed in the vid? I remember Austin saying the maps really don't give the true scale of the country.

And I have to say, despite your little shrubbery expedition, you appeared to choose the correct route on that bit of track, to my eyes anyway, cos the other side was a really deep looking wash-out.

Steve T

:cool:
 

nick949

Well-Known Member
Excellent - thanks for sharing.
Out of interest, how long in Km or miles, was that section you showed in the vid? I remember Austin saying the maps really don't give the true scale of the country. And I have to say, despite your little shrubbery expedition, you appeared to choose the correct route on that bit of track, to my eyes anyway, cos the other side was a really deep looking wash-out.
Steve T
:cool:
Hi Steve, the map I included shows the second half of my 'unpaved' trip, with about 3kms of paved in between for about 36kms total. If you can see the little blue squares, each is a kilometre. Well spotted on the washout. Yes, it was deeper than it looks but I ended up jumping in to the four-wheeler track which had a muddy base and, well, you saw the result. One would be hard pressed to come off at a slower speed, and with the bank to catch me it was merely amusing. Astonishingly, I don't fall off much, but then, I ride like an old geezer.

There is an infinity of these old roads. Most just end up at a lakeshore or in an old logging area. The danger is that it might be many days before the next person is along, and there's no cell service. You just have to take your chances - but it's worth it too me. I didn't show much of it on the video but the Little White River Road (the first part) is a peach. It follows the river for most of its 64kms and there's almost never other vehicles. Spectacular.

Stay well

Nick
(pic from an earlier trip on the behemoth)
DSCN7991.JPG
 

Lutin

Administrator
Staff member
Forum Supporter
Another great video there Nick. Lots of great scenery, tricky and rutted roads (or should that be "roads"?), an inappropriate "adventure" bike and the chance of being eaten by a bear.

Great stuff. :thumbsup:
 

nick949

Well-Known Member
...........an inappropriate "adventure" bike and the chance of being eaten by a bear.
Great stuff. :thumbsup:

Therein lies a funny story. The previous night.......... well, here's a small sample from a chapter I'm writing about this trip:

"I sleep naked. It was a warm night and I wasn’t even covered by my sleeping bag when the crash of my heavy tool bag falling to the ground not twenty feet away awoke me. Something large and strong was messing with my bike – and it wasn’t a human.

I had ridden the Eldorado the four hundred and seventy five miles from home to Mississagi Provincial Park that day. It had been a long, uneventful ride but after a five-thirty start and eleven hours in the saddle, I was tired and fell asleep before it was fully dark. My tiny, one-person tent was in a small clearing in the forest, just back from the lake shore. Other campers in RVs were discretely parked on their own sites – the closest about fifty metres away and well screened by trees. I was probably snoring merrily.

Before lying down I had closed the panniers, set my phone to charge inside my tank bag and placed the bag containing my few scraps of food – some peanuts, some leftover crisps and some biscuits – on the seat, weighed down by my tool bag. I should have hung it from a tree. I know better than to leave food accessible in bear country.

Suddenly wide awake, I could hear the sound of something large and noisy over at the bike. My flashlight was in the tank bag. My knife – as if a knife would have done anything other than provide me with an opportunity to cut myself – was sitting on my desk at home. I had no way to see what was going on and no way to protect myself. Naked in the dark, I felt uniquely vulnerable.

It took me ages to find the tent zipper while outside, the sound of snuffling, scuffling, dragging and grunting made me wonder what was happening to my poor bike. Eventually I got the zipper open and leaned my head outside. I could see absolutely nothing. I couldn’t even see the bike, let alone whatever it was that was making all the noise. I shouted ‘Oi’, then ducked back inside.

Deep inside, we know we are just weak, scared little monkeys, and no match for the predatory beasts that inhabit our nightmares. If a predator had decided that it wanted to tear my bike apart, who was I to argue? I certainly wasn’t about to clamber out of the tent, stark naked, to confront whatever it was. I zipped the tent and lay, listening to the grumbling, bumping and scraping going on not twenty feet from my head........."
 

Rubberchicken

Well-Known Member
Lovely road. Slightly unsuitable bike, though you seem to manage it just fine. The tip over doesn't seem to have done much damage?
 

austin

Well-Known Member
Great video Nick and glad to see you still haven’t come to your senses. Shame about the “off” although it looked like you and the bike just went for a little lie down. Relieved that all’s ok.

ps I’ve read and reviewed your ghost stories. Loved them. A couple of friends have bought kindle versions too.
 

nick949

Well-Known Member
Great video Nick and glad to see you still haven’t come to your senses. Shame about the “off” although it looked like you and the bike just went for a little lie down. Relieved that all’s ok.

ps I’ve read and reviewed your ghost stories. Loved them. A couple of friends have bought kindle versions too.


Yep, no danger about common sense here Austin, it was the slowest, easiest off imaginable. And many thanks for enjoying the stories. That's what really counts. Well, that and the millions of dollars in royalties :lol::lol::lol:.
 

nick949

Well-Known Member
...and for shut ins, or anyone else that likes to pretend they're riding along, here's 20 minutes of riding some more of the same back road.
Spoiler alert. Nothing much happens. No wildlife, no crashes, no breakdowns - just lots of puddles and rocks.


Nick
 
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