A Solo Adventure Begins!

Nothing but rain for months, and more forecast, but my leave was booked and everything prepped, so off I went, more than ready to spend a couple of weeks alone out there, and face what ever came my way.
Bike: 2013 Honda CB500Xa now over 127000Km of Adventures!
Stock wheels and suspension - a few, off-road suitable & protective mods:
Evotech Performance Radiator Guard
Honda Centre Stand
Honda Hand Guards
Palmer Products Adjustable Screen Mount
Hepco & Becker Engine Guard
MOTEA Bash-plate (modified to keep Honda Centre Stand and to Mount off Crash Bars instead of sump lugs)
RHK 20mm Bar Risers
SW Motech On Road/Off Road Footpegs
Rally Raid ABS Kill Switch
Staintune Pipe
Helmet Hook
Omni-Cruise Cruise Control
Dri Rider ZXS2 Soft Panniers
Shinko 705 tyres 170 60 R17* 120 70 R17
****October 2019 changed rear to 150 70 R17****
Gear:
Airoh Commander Helmet
EVS Epic Knee Guards
DriRider Adventure Series Jacket
Shark Kevlar Jeans
Shark Xplorer Adventure Boots (Mid)
5 Sport City Gloves
Dri Rider Superfabric Wet/Cold Weather Gloves
Cameras:
Sony FDR-X3000
Drift HDGhost
Drift Ghost S
Drift 4K (2 of)
CanonSX740HS
Drone: DJI Mavic Pro
Recording set up explained here:
kzbin.info/www/bejne/bZu2fnmXoc54gas
Music by Captain Cranky ©urgentmusic productions - all rights reserved

[@paullee6663]

I know that anxiety feeling before you are about to leave. I needed the fork seals replaced last June, and found the guy I had been using for the last 30 odd years was no longer there as the 'joint occupancy' place he was using had been sold. Long story but it took the new place a month to sort it 🙁🙄 The forecast was for heavy rain during my whole trip. I figured someone was trying to tell me something, and cancelled a week before departure date. Cool campsite 👍 Kilkenny beer 🤣🤣🤣 You can take the boy out of Ireland...but.....you can't take....🙂

[@CaptainCrankyMotovlogger]

Yeah it seems by the comments here, and on that forum, that the pre-trip anxiety is pretty common! It sucks when a reliable source of service is suddenly gone, it's like a relationship and starting over... I almost caved on day 2 of this trip - weather was awful and things started to break down on me (mostly camera and luggage things), but kept going and the weather came good :) Oh yeah... next episode was on St Pat's day - so Guinness was had 😆

[@AfricaTwin-Stuff]

Arrr. Nice. We did those Grafton to Dorrigo roads a couple of weeks ago and it drizzled the whole way. Still enjoyable but could have been better. Love the camping area. Only stayed there once but the managers were very friendly and helpful. So good to be able to have a fire.

[@CaptainCrankyMotovlogger]

The Armidale Road is probably in the best condition I've known it to be in, so yeah, fun even if damp! I got a lovely welcome too at Dorrigo Mountain, for what it is - a surprisingly good place to camp. Camping without a fire just isn't right... We even have a bundle of orange fairy lights we throw in the fire pit if there's a fire ban - has never failed to attract everyone to sit around it!

[@allengraydon7822]

Over in old Blighty atm and loving the video. When im back in Oz I'm going to have to do a long weekend ride and camp a couple of nights so I can have a rest and re-set.

[@CaptainCrankyMotovlogger]

Yeah, I had a few stops on this trip that were 2 nights in the same camp - such a good feeling not having to pack up every day, and good chance to relax. Enjoy the holiday back home mate :)

[@LenScapoff]

Looked to be a promising start to the adventure!

[@CaptainCrankyMotovlogger]

It was Tony, a good beginning :)

[@in2ADV]

Awesome start my friend! Looking forward to the next episode 🙂

[@CaptainCrankyMotovlogger]

Thanks mate, was a good day ☺️

[@JustTex]

That section of armidale rd is so fun and even tyringham rd with the bonus scenery to boot, cheers 4 sharing sir.

[@CaptainCrankyMotovlogger]

Heaps of fun mate, and it's been fixed up a lot since the fire and flood damage. Good to hear someone else discovered Tyringham Road haha! Cheers Buddy.

[@JustTex]

@@CaptainCrankyMotovlogger Not quite as early as you , but in 2016 on my R1 was so fun.

[@vetnumb1218]

Looks like a great day

[@CaptainCrankyMotovlogger]

Was a good start to the trip- cheers!

[@rlands5134fd]

Looks like a very nice camping setup.👌

[@CaptainCrankyMotovlogger]

Yeah it works really well, had it in hot weather and in a couple of storms and was always glad to have it! Cheers!

[@toby7504]

This is going to be great. What a luxus life buddy. 😊🇧🇻☕

[@CaptainCrankyMotovlogger]

Ha ha- thanks Tommy, it doesn't all go smoothly - but then that's Adventure for you :)

[@MrAusadventure]

It's not "A Bill" anymore as I rarely do it these days, and usually only when I'm with you! 🤣 I hope Armidale Road was smoother than our last trip? No broken screen this time at least! The Dorrigo camping ground looks pretty cool! I love the rustic cabins. There's nothing better than that first beer on the first night of a trip to help unwind and relax into holiday mode. Love the shelter mate! I'm looking forward to the rest of this trip!

[@CaptainCrankyMotovlogger]

Ha ha! Well I've stopped leaving the back-pack behind also 😄 Armidale Rd is probably the best it's ever been! Loving my shelter, been looking at them for a while - usually very pricey, got this tarp for $35 locally!

[@MrAusadventure]

​@@CaptainCrankyMotovloggerHow small do the poles fold down to?

[@CaptainCrankyMotovlogger]

@@MrAusadventure They're old fashioned, light hiking poles, slotting into each-other rather than folding. They just fit into my Rear Bag, with my blue tarp (used as tent footprint) - I think about 600-650mm.

[@MrAusadventure]

​@@CaptainCrankyMotovloggerAh, OK. Cool. That works! 👍

[@HippoDrones]

What a cracking spot to stop at. I wish more places over here allowed fire pits. Cheers 🍻🍻

[@CaptainCrankyMotovlogger]

Indeed, what is a camp without a fire?? Often there are total fire bans here, during which we put a bunched up string of fairy lights in the fireplace at a camp - it's amazing how it draws everyone to sit around it!!

[@HippoDrones]

@@CaptainCrankyMotovlogger ahh that is a great idea, we are like moths... drawn to the light! 😀

[@anthonylimpus7189]

Enjoyed your vid Dave. Excellent intro - filmed in "Captavision" no doubt.🤣 Looking forward to the future instalments...

[@CaptainCrankyMotovlogger]

Thank Tony - yeah the intro quality is good - sadly my Sony Cam died on day 2 so had to revert to the Drift for the helmet footage on the rest of the trip.

[@coobye]

I'm glad I'm not the only one who gets a bit anxious before a trip😂.

[@CaptainCrankyMotovlogger]

Seems that it's pretty common! Thanks for dropping by mate :)

[@in2ADV]

lol. No. Definitely not alone. No matter how many trips (for me at least), it doesn't seem to go away... Not completely, anyway. 🙂

[@coobye]

@@in2ADV It's crazy eh. I think for me it's where am I going to camp for the night. Seems to take me 3 months to pack as well even though I've been doing it for 40 plus years😂.

[@quentinjackson6015]

A nice relaxing start riding some scenic twisty roads set to some laid back music......excellent! Those feelings of excitement mixed with nervous anticipation before any trip is something most of us can relate to I'm sure. Neat camp set-up! Cheers.

[@CaptainCrankyMotovlogger]

Cheers Quentin, yeah it seems many relate to the pre trip anxiety. I really like my new tarp/shelter set up. Have wanted it for ages but hiking tarps that also block the sun are usually really pricey and found this locally for cheap :)

[@lesking4219]

Cheers mate an hopefully you got dry weather for the rest of the ride

[@CaptainCrankyMotovlogger]

Cheers Les - took a few days but it did clear up :)

[@CalmBiker]

No Thermos? Disaster! 😀 The twisties look excellent.

[@CaptainCrankyMotovlogger]

Indeed Richard, wasn't going to continue without me thermos!! That is a great, long set of twisties, it's been in a terrible state for many years and just been fixed up, so was a real joy!

[@OzADVRider]

Off to a good start.

[@CaptainCrankyMotovlogger]

Yessir! A very cruisy, enjoyable day one :)

[@dynamadnessadventures205]

Great video ride safe

[@CaptainCrankyMotovlogger]

Many thanks mate, you too 👍

[@TheRealMrCods]

Excellent 👍

[@CaptainCrankyMotovlogger]

Cheers Buddy ☺