Hey Guys,
Was just reading your replies. Yes Troy I can see how you would feel bogged down in NJ, I worked there for a while in 2004 but I was out in the Harbour so it wasn't too bad.
Brett, Are you from the tablelands? I am from Atherton originally and yes your right there is some amazing riding country there if you know where to go and look. I have ridden most of it from when I joined the first Atherton bike club in 1976 the same year as the Cairns centenery 2 day Enduro where Hans Appelgrun (Husqvarna factory team)won it. A friend of mine rode one of the forst IT400C there and did pretty bloody good against some of the worlds best at that time.
By the way mate, are you in Dubai? I am on Sohar, Oman right now and have just finished a ride along the mountains here on a R1200GS I have bought. Unreal sights!! Bit different than the tropics of Nth QLD tho! No waitawhile for one thing!!
Yes your right I have rode from Cairns to Brissy many times and up to Cooktown once of twice. First time when I was 15, whoops no licence! Was easy those days to get away with things like that!
Yes troy, July would be the best month to do it. Heart of Winter! About 4 degrees in the morning and gets to about 15. Depends where you are tho. Warmer on the coast, if your up on the table lands it can get to the minus in the mornings especially around a place caller Herberton, Irvinebank etc. I have know it to get to -13 in Herberton, but that was yrs ago when I was still at school when we used to ride around there.
What I would do is head west from Brissy, and get out of the rat race. Just pack enough clothes that you can carry comfortably and stay in the local pubs. (much cheaper too) And they have those old beds that curve like a banana when you lay in them. great for the back after a day of riding. There you will meet the locals and don't worry if they call you a yank, or septic, it's normal for us!
Stay west and head north and don't hit the coast until Mackay. come in from Peake Downs, Moranbar way. Have a few days around Mackay, if you like fishing then that's even better, Great fishing there and nothing like the 2 headed things you pull out of the water in NJ.
From Mackay head up the coast bit watch out for the F****n coppers, they have no sense of humour at all and don't even drink a
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and ride there they throw the book at you. Anyway they will be burning cane at that time of the year so you will get the sweet smell of sugar cane burning. There is a lot to see from Mackay up to cairns but you will have to get a map and study that. You can get good ones from AAA in Oz for a good price.
Once in Cairns, You can visit a bike shop called Wayne Leonards Bits for Bikes. They should be able to help you out on a few things etc.
Leave Cairns and head north up the coast and don't stop until your past Port Douglas, visit Mossman Gorge for a swim, beware it is cold tho! Then ride up the coast to cooktown and don't forget to stop at the Lion's Den Hotel!! You will enjoy it, and for sure you will be called a yank again.....haha. You can camp here too if you have a swag or sleeping bag or just get drunk enough and fall down like most do there!
Then next day up to Cooktown, stay a while and do some side trips around the place and be sure you don't miss the Museum, it shows a lot about the history of the place especialy the Chinese who came for the gold rush. On the way back down go the inland route and head toward Mount Molloy (Another pub)! and stop there as well. See you'll turn into a total drunk before you return home! Head east then to Mareeba and turn off here and head toward Chillagoe. They have limestone caves here which are worth a look, and you guessed it 2 bloody pubs! Don't get caught in a Goanna pulling competition unless your a big bastard and can fight. Other than that you will have a ball.
Head back to Mareeba and to Atherton, ( I can get you a place to stay there no probs) then don't forget Herberton, Ravenshoe, You can even go back down the inland route and come out at Charters Towers, even more pubs here, something like 10 I think?
Head back toward the coast and come out at Townsville then ether back down the coast or head inland again. You should try to get over to Magnetic Island for a look if u have time too.
Ok I hope I have rambled on enough now. So now you should just Do it!
Cheers
Ivan