GS500 relay around Australia!

[mister]

The Baton: Top right, a key ID tag. Has "The GS500 Around Australia Relay written on it" on one side. The other will have a URL on it which will link to a message in this thread. The other end has a Motorcycle Charm. Pull the tube apart to get to the scroll. Scroll has spaces for your name, leg from/to, date and room for a message or note.

Baton Ready. Rider ready. Launch date TBA once rendezvous is arranged with rider receiving the handoff.

Michael

[the mole]

 

[dread_au]

Good work

[pave_spectre]

 

[Clancy]

 

[JonM1211]

This is a very cool idea, I wish you all luck!

[Shaddow]

 

[mister]

Update:

I'll be adding a post to the thread so I can link to it like I link to the Picture Game in my sig file. I'll post That post after this update.

As you know, the Baton is ready. I've worked out a route for the first leg to get it to the next rider. The Baton has already come for a ride in the tank bag so I consider that part of its journey and will add it to the progress map once I've passed the baton on.

All we are waiting for now is some clear weather and a mutually free schedule.

At the moment, the three next available Sunday's are Sep 12, 19 and 26. The 12th sees the Motorcycle Memorial Ride to Somerset Dam Memorial Garden. The space for the garden was donated by the Somerset Dam to be used by the Ulysses Club for a yearly memorial gathering. But really, any motorcycle rider from anywhere can come as a gesture of motorcycle rider unity. I went last year and got these shots...


This next one shows about Half the bikes. About just as many were behind me. But not so easy to get in shot. I sent this photo to the Ulysses club and they printed it in their National Magazine.


I'm thinking, maybe ride to the memorial with Baton in tow so it has a Motorcyclist Memorial as part of its journey. Then make the baton-pass ride for the 19th or 26th - weather permitting. Need to confirm with The Mole.

Michael

[mister]

The GS500 Around Australia Relay

The Concept: Get an object (in this case a "baton") around Australia by relay from one GS500 rider to another.

The Baton: A toothbrush holder with a keytag on one side and a motorcycle charm on the other. Inside is a scroll with the names and route leg details of those who have participated in the relay.


Start Date: 12-Sep-2010
Completion Date: xx-xxx-201x

Starting location: BP Blacksoil.
Current Location: The baton is currently in the hands of Shaddow (down Newcastle way) and awaiting the next part of the journey after the Baton exchange at Denman on Nov 28, 2010.

Google Map of the Baton's Journey down to Eltham see here: http://tinyurl.com/369wt6k



From Eltham, the journey south can be viewed on this map (map above unable to add more destinations to):  http://tinyurl.com/2fujumt




Links to legs (ride report and pics of the ride and handoff) of its journey...

Motorcycle Memorial Visit - Sep 12, 2010

Tooloom Falls Run - Sep 26, 2010

Baton Handoff - Eltham Ride - Oct 17, 2010

Baton Handoff - Tyringham ride - Oct 31, 2010

Baton Handoff - Denman ride - Nov 28, 2010 also More pics, report


Link to this post: http://tinyurl.com/GS500RoundAustRelay

Michael

[mister]

The weather was good for the Memorial Ride so, that's where the Baton went...

At the starting point - BP Blacksoil


Regroup on the side of the road - I am second from the right (from the front - I went right to the back after marking the next corner). This shows only the bikes which left from the BP at Blacksoil.


At the Memorial Gardens


While standing chatting at the Memorial Gathering, I see a GS pull in. Didn't recognize it at first with the Dominator Headlights. Saw it again a few minutes later. Figured I just might know who this is. Approached. Asked. It was. So we rode the rest of the day together. Not yet a GSTwinner - seems the manual registration has taken over a week... is this normal? (Note the bar end mirrors, turn signals, handlebar itself, exhaust. Looks nice. Sounds good too  )


Okay. Now to get in touch with The Mole to arrange the next leg.

Michael

[Twisted]

That is some sexy looking bikes   

[mister]

Went for a ride today. Took the baton. Why shouldn't it get to see a bit of the country before the next leg of its journey....

Admiring The View



A top Tooloom Falls



River level Tooloom Falls



Michael

[Twisted]

Was a good ride, except for the wanker in the pickup truck that was swerving to the wrong side of the road on blind bends through the twisties and speeding up to 140km's an hour in an effort not to let me pass. Thank god no motorcycles were coming the other way or it would have been fatal. Wound the GS up and flipped the bird as I cruised past. Thing is he had motorbikes in the back of his pick up. Think he would know better.

[yooblonder]

Wow, this sounds a great idea and a massive challenge in Australia.  Reminds me of last summer's holidays: Perth > Sydney > Brisbane > Cairns > Brisbane... then back to Scotland via Singapore.  Ah, just memories now.

Anyway, some thoughts
1) Make sure the baton is waterproof or the detailed records of handovers and locations could be damaged... oh, forgot you're not doing this round the UK!
2) Perhaps this topic could show who has the baton, not just where it is.
3) In between handovers, could the current holder take the baton everywhere they ride, and track these routes on the map somehow?
4) Has the map been started and is there a link to the map?
5) I do a bit of riding around Scotland with work.  Anyone in UK fancy this idea?  Ok, for the pedants out there, I really mean Great Britain primarily i.e. the biggest single land mass in the British Isles.  Should be fairly easy to include other parts such as Isle Of Man, Ireland (both countries), Inner and Outer Hebrides, Arran, Cumbrae, etc etc.

Enjoy!

[mister]

The map is done - but - it will only be put up once the next handover has taken place. Which, weather permitting, will be the 17th. That way the map is more extensive.

And, once the handover has taken place, yes, then Where it is and on the map will also be shown. Who has it will also be known as that is part of the handover process.

Taking the baton everywhere between handovers is possible. As long as Everywhere is not too crazy - shops, work, friend's place, back home, work, different shops, etc. main weekend excursions a definite yes. And some photos of such too. Nice.  And I'm think a small online list of places would be cool too. Such as... Ulysses memorial, Tooloom Falls, etc., as kinda of landmarks of its journey.

I have been asked about taking the baton global. I'm good with that. BUT, let's get it around Aust first. Or...instead... start such a baton in each continent instead.

Michael

[Twisted]

So weather permitting how many are coming for this ride? My mate gets back from Samoa tomorrow and I told him about it. He lives on the Sunny Coast and will let me know if he is up for it. He rides a CB400 but we wont hold that against him 

[pave_spectre]

Let's get this show on the road!!! 

[Twisted]

You coming with Pave?

[the mole]

Is it still Nerang Maccas at 9:00 on the 17th? Is that hard to find, is it on the highway?
Rode my bike for the first time in a month yesterday, after work, holidays, rain, work, rain and more rain. I thought I'd have to trade it in on a jetski!

[mister]

Is it still Nerang Maccas at 9:00 on the 17th? Is that hard to find, is it on the highway?
Rode my bike for the first time in a month yesterday, after work, holidays, rain, work, rain and more rain. I thought I'd have to trade it in on a jetski!

Twisted, Pave is in Darwin. So unless he's Real keen, he won't be on this part of the journey  

Maccas at Nerang is Easy to find. As you come UP the highway, take exit 73. At the roundabout you'll have the choice to get back onto the highway (no, don't do this) or take the service road called Hinkler Drive (yes, take this exit). A click or so further along this road you'll see Maccas on the left. Left at the lights and then Left into Maccas. Pull up somewhere on the left in the carpark just after the driveway - opposite the drive thru windows and overlooking the Caltex servo - and you'll be able to see us come in easier. Here's a Google Map http://tinyurl.com/2fdqlbh

Around 9 will do nicely. We'll be leaving our end 8am and it takes around an hour to get there. We'll have a cuppa there before heading off around 9:30-ish - or a tad after 9:30-ish, however long it takes to have a cuppa  

Mole, you've got my number. So if you get hopelessly lost there - like you miss Exit 73 and need to take exit 71 and end up at the BP - give me a yell and I'll come get you once we get down there. But you'll be right.

As you come up the highway and get into South Tweed take it easy. There is a Traffic Monitoring gantry over the road - maybe speed cameras - and after it turns to 70 and you get through the lights, there is some speed cameras as well. So take it easy until the limit goes back up again. And do take it easy in the Qld side. There are favourite speed camera places - such as just before Mudgeeraba - but unless you know them you won't see them until it's too late.

Michael