Torquay to Seventeen Seventy

20th April - Hervey Bay to 1770 287kms
I left the town of Torquay in Hervey Bay, after staying 2 nights at the campsite in my backpacker cabin, no-one else did arrive to share, so I had the place to myself :) With a full tank of gas I headed towards Bundaberg, where the rum guzzlin' polar bear resides. It wasn't as long a journey as the previous marathon and without too much of a hitch in the navigation either (I must be learning to read the map better) As I entered the town I headed straight for the nearest motorcycle shop, as I'd had an inclin that the steering head bearings weren't as they should be and possibly needed a tweek. The brummie spannerman had a look but all seemed fine, even after a little test ride down the road to make sure, I must be getting a wee bit paranoid, but I must admit after he put my mind to rest that its not really been an issue since. Anyway another thing I'd wanted to do was to gear the bike up a bit, no, I don't mean add more luggage! there's no more bloody room! the bike was a little too low geared, meaning that it could do with a "sixth gear" by changing the front drive sprocket to one with one more tooth would just give the bike slightly longer legs, the Honda/Suzuki dealers didn't have one but said that the Kawasaki place might, they didn't, but ordered one in for me with a plan to get it fitted on my way back down, sorted.

My plan was to ride to a little seaside place called Seventeen Seventy or 1770 as its called on the signs, so called because thats when Captain Cook set foot there. I saw my first Roo today, darting out from the side of the road, luckily he dashed straight back in again, maybe due to my "roo whistlers" I installed on the bike, little cone shape things that stick out on the front fairing that are supposed to help warn animals of your approach, I'm not trusting them alone, but maybe they did warn him?I rolled up to a campsite and pitched the tent, my first night under nylon :) I even cooked on my new stove too, instead of using the site facilities, oh and a nice cuppa tea. Tent went up a piece of cake, very sturdy, sleeping bag rolled out, but I had no sleeping mat, it was the most uncomfortable nights sleep in a very long time, must have woke up every hour to move position, not doin that again until I get a mat! I need a beer too, not had one in a few days, well off to somewhere else tomorrow.