TribalMoto Travels: Day 5 - bits, bumps and breaks - Batemans Bay to Bathurst

Batemans Bay, Braidwood, Goulburn and Bathurst

Oh if only I'd known what today would bring.....every emotion under the sun, and a couple more I didn't know existed lol

We set off early - super organised and pumped to ride over the Clyde Mountain, which we'd both done before in cars, but never on motorbikes. 

As we pottered around Batemans Bay looking at old haunts, stopping for obligatory pics then over the new bridge, we realised this morning was a tad 'crisp'.

Off we headed up over the Clyde. This trip felt a lot quicker than we remembered. So quick that we almost missed Pooh Corner! So many overtaking lanes, lovely new roads and twisties..

...but after my peg scrape a couple of days ago, I took these hairpin turns like a nanna sipping tea.    

Having not had brekky, we stopped at a cute cafe at Braidwood and took a little  time to thaw out after a chilly ride over the Mountain, before gearing up again for what was to be a very chilly leg to Goulburn.

I thought I'd known cold while riding, until this little leg.... which felt like we were in a never ending valley of Nordic blasts. It was at this moment that I realised the new Air Hawk seat had raised my nether regions into the path of those artic winds, which made the decision to stop for a coffee and a sneaky caramel slice in Goulburn a no brainer. 

My toes were cold, my hands were cold, and my bits were freezing! I couldn't possibly go another kilometre without some warmth, so drastic action was needed. It was time to pull out my secret weapon. The big guns.... ENTER THE HAND WARMERS. After today, I these will be seen as the warmers, formally known as hand.
Sipping my coffee, I gently tore open the plastic, giving these babies the air they need to heat up. I started warming my hands, then sandwiched my toe beans in between them, before popping them in as chest warmers. BLISS. 
I'd actually brought two packets, but the OH didn't seem to be as cold (ok maybe I didn't ask hee hee), sooooo...
I let the second pair breathe as my mind wandered to my freezing nether region. Could I continue with a freezing fanny? I think not! I placed them gently in the front pockets of my riding jeans smiling. Super chuffed with myself as we headed out into the cold.
As we started riding, these little packets of warmy goodness started to heat up..... A LOT! I then found myself grabbing at my crotch for most of the trip, trying to move them around to give me some relief. Must have looked hilarious to riders and drivers coming the other way, but better than stuffing a snood down there, right? Chuckle.
Hint: put the warmers anywhere you like.. but consider that they become quite hot after a while and may require regular adjustment! LOL
Heading north, this next leg was amazing! Long open roads, beautiful scenery and the occasional mountain range to conquer, which included some awesome  twisties. Traffic was minimal with only the odd grey nomad or ute about. Unfortunately, joining the amazingness, was some pretty cruddy potholes. Most of this route had fairly new roads, but some areas were riddled with potholes ranging from small and deep, to taking up most of the road surface. I was starting to cringe every time we came to a 'Rough surface' sign, but was thankful for them.
Thirty minutes from our destination, and with the late afternoon sun and winds  making the shadows dance on the bitumen, I hit the mother of all divets.
I didn't see it coming. In fact, didn't see it at all!!! My phone seemed also to be ill prepared as it bounced with total confidence out of its normally sturdy holder.
The music stopped (literally and figuratively) and there was silence from Google Maps as I watched my phone bounce erratically in the sunlight behind me. I slowed down and yelled to Andy, who of course already knew my phone was exiting stage left as he watched it bounce past him, to the other side of the road and in front of an oncoming car, who managed to avoid it.
We picked her up, not knowing the damage... And limped the last bit to Bathurst, feeling empty. Lost. All Andy would have heard over the comms was my breathing and the occasional long sigh of disbelief. I could do nothing.
Like I knew what the day was going to hold, I had decided when we stopped in Goulburn, that I needed. No deserved, to have a massage. I called around using my nicest telephone voice, and managed a time for later that day. OH is made of steel and did not require one. This was lucky for me, as he spent the hour I was 'busy', looking for a place to fix my phone, oh and drinking at our accommodation for the night, the Knickerbocker Hotel (which I don't really recommend ladies).
I REALLY needed this as I had a sore neck the week prior. But nothing really prepares you for the pain when you say 'hard pressure is good, thank you', then try to relax, and not yelp in pain (that YOU asked for)......
This was what I needed but as I tried to distract myself from the pain, recalling the days events in my mind, I did wonder what the masseur thought of the red welts on my chest from the little warm packets of goodness.

I joined Andy for a drink at the Bocker of Knickers, before heading next door to this cute little Indian restaurant, the Jewel. What a day!!!!!!!!!!

 

 

Look out for Day 6 Blog, where we do a lap of Bathurst and gate crash the Tamworth Country Music Festival on our way to Armidale.

DAILY SCARE-O-METER:

Scare factor: the potholes today were challenging and I felt exhausted from riding in the cold, but nothing super scary thankfully.

I took the hairpins turns very slowly this morning on the mountain, so stayed upright like a boss.

Hitting the pothole didn't damage the bike, or me, but I think my phone needs a change of pants. We couldn't find anywhere to fix it so will find out tomorrow what the damage is. 

Butt factor: weirdly, my but was fine for the most part today. It must be how I'm holding my nose. AirHawk did it's job, but I have noted that I must take a fanny warmer next time. 

KMS: 500kms ish again today.... amazing long roads, no animals to be seen apart from the odd dead fox or roo.   

Thanks for reading and watching.

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