But I felt like I needed to go out and see something on my own and there was no other choice for me but to rent a 2008 Ducati Monster. The place to do it is Scoot and Toot. The owner, Danny Grofski, treated me real well. If you don't have an endorsement you can pick up a scooter -like so many of the "schoolies" do once they sober up. My rental came with clean and "newish" helmet, armored jacket, gloves, backpack and a map... although I forgot the map on the counter.I hired the bike (Aussie term for rental) for a 24-hour period but there are many different timing options. I did the loop up to Natural Bridge and down through Chillingham into New South Wales and back to Gold Coast, Queensland the first afternoon and then got early the next morning and did it again! It wasn't the desert outback experience that we all think of... for me, it was way better. I saw the rain forest of Southern Queensland in its Spring-blooming glory. It was what I pictured New Zealand to be like- green, lush and the twistiest of twisty motorcycle roads.
I do think it might be one of the best roads for motorcycling that I have yet experienced. I was constantly torn between taking in the scenery and seeing how far I could lean the bike over around the switch-back of blind corners. A huge purple tree in full bloom around one corner gave me no choice but to bring the twin to an idle for a picture. I think Ducati-Red goes perfectly with the backdrop but that's me.
Chillingham was just a dot of a borderline-anti-establishment community and one of the highlights of my stops along the way. I slowed down to a safe speed as I rolled through town, passing the two little "businesses". On my way out of town I saw my first Aussie roadsign that let me know there was no speed limit! I opened up the throttle through the first turn and then knowing that I wasn't probably going to stop again with no speed limit my heart told me to head back into town and see what I was about to miss.
I stopped at the "fruit, etc" stand for a cup of coffee and browse the baskets of fresh fruit grown behind the lean-to. I got a chuckle when I told the lady I had to come back because "I didn't read all of her signs my first time through". I bought some candy for my girls called "Chillingham Dog-Droppings" which were black licorice rings covered in chocolate- nicely twist-tied in a baggie with a home-printed name-tag inside. They were a hit when I got back home.
I also asked her for some advice on what to put on a bite that I recieved while swimming with the girls. I showed her the inflated wound and she handed me a small bottle of "Neem Seed Oil" for $4AU. I don't know if it worked but it smelled like sesame seed oil and helped the itching nonetheless.
As I left Chillingham for the "drive according to conditions" limitless rainforest road ahead I only stopped one other time. I was waved down by a girl in her twenties or so. Her brother, as I am told, was returning the neighbors cow that got loose on the highway around the next bend. They heard the bike screaming up the valley floor and so she ran down to stop me. It was the first time I was glad to see a girl in sweats and milking boots, however weird the situation was. I asked her to snap a pic before I roared out of there and headed back to Surfers Paradise.
Among the fleet of nice new scooters, Scoot and Toot had other full-size bikes for hire such as a late model Buell 1200, new Triumph cruiser and "Zed-750" Kawasaki, but the Ducati was pretty much a no-brainer and I could not have been happier. Thanks, Danny- maybe next time you'll let me go over the 250km/24hr odometer limit without a fuss.
1 comment:
good read buddy.
how much was the bike hire for 24 hours?
Do you recall what the 250cc honda cost?
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