Puddles

Just 6 days to go, and the excitement is definitely starting to build! I think I'm through the paranoia stage that the Adventure Motorcycling Handbook refers to - I've been rushing around like an idiot for the past 3 weeks planning for the trip, and also an international move. So much for a month of rest and relaxation in the botanical gardens!

Since booking removalists and packing boxes does not make for rivetting reading, I've been holding off updating the blog. However, Saturday was a bit of a landmark because I finally put all the luggage on the bike and rode to Healesville to make sure there were no unforeseen complications (such as the subframe collapsing under the weight). Someone asked me the other day if I would be able to ride with all that extra weight on the bike. When I told her that I managed OK with her on the back, I got a very dirty look... (Kathryn - I was only suggesting that I travel light...)

Highlight of the last few weeks was certainly my second trip out to the Mystic Mountains with Stookie. Victoria got a month's worth of rain last weekend, so the trails were extremely wet which just added to the fun. The Transalp took everything in its stride, including steep muddy slopes and puddles that came above the wheels - and all that on an old set of road tyres. Unfortunately the waterproof boots are not quite so waterproof in anything that's deeper than the boot. So I'm now feeling much more confident and I have a better understanding of exactly what the bike can do (and I certainly won't tackle anything as hard-core when the bike's fully loaded!). Massive thanks to Stookie, who's a great guy and a great coach - he's thinking of setting up an off-road school next year. He takes awesome photographs too - you can find out more about the fantastic rides he does at http://web.me.com/stookieandlil. And I'm sure that Pete's relieved that the bike came back in one piece - I don't think he wanted to spend Christmas Day rebuilding a wrecked Transalp.

So what's left to do? The engine bars and centre stand that were ordered from Hepco & Becker on 11 November are still somewhere between Queensland and Melbourne. The bike still needs a final going over at Everything Two Wheels - locks on the panniers, a new set of tyres and an oil change. And the movers are coming on Wednesday and so I've still got a huge amount of packing. Then it's the Boxing Day Test, and 27 December will be the first day on the road!