We plan to meet our Sturgis 2008 friends. Overnight and the return trip.

We arrived to met our friends and most were there, except for the member flying down from Cairns. Normally he would have ridden but time was against him.

The venue is one of the group's house in Cabarita Beach. Its more like a resort with an elevator from the garage to the top of the house.

Can you see me? I can see you. It looks like Gollum!

Nix buying or selling, one can only guess.

Wasn't our room but some of the group felt right at home.

It's June in  Australia so its winter, so the pool stays as a backdrop to our gathering.

Who are we?

Night falls as the moon rises in the east over the Pacific Ocean.

Looking North at Sunset. Up there is Surfers Paradise

Nix considers, do I have to travel with him?

On the wagon as we are on the road. It's Ginger Beer.

Time to say the farewells and return to the road.

Don't be fooled by the innocent wave. He will soon be involved in the making V twin noise.

The Fat Boy on the Deluxe 'Show Pony' leads the charge.

The next part of this journey takes us into Queensland and on to the capital city, Brisbane. Sorry I have no photos of this part, It was a little excursion for Nix to check out rental bikes in Brisbane for the northern based tours of his dTour.biz tours. www,dTour.biz . We also get to met one of his old work colleagues and his partner.

Nice restaurant at Breakfast Creek, Seems a strange location for a dinner but the work colleague is local and knows the area and definitely gets it right..

The next morning we fill the bikes and start to return trip via the inland route to Sydney.

First stop Warwick for a pie and we stop at the one advertising they are the best in town. They definitely put forward a good case for the claim as you can see below.

In the parking area outside the Pie Shop in Warwick.

Lunch is served. 3 food groups, Coffee, Potato Pie and Vanilla Slice.

I thought the potato sat on the pie but not here. It lives protected by the pie lid,

We go through Tenterfield in search of the Saddler of Peter Allen's song fame. Instead we find the fuel stop and just the Information Centre, realising we are on a mission of going home, there is no time to search him out.

Having filled the tank we could have been time to search for the saddler.

Passing Glen Innes, NSW, my hands start to really feel the cold even with the winter gloves. I try to warm / cook them on the engine but it doesn't work. Tomorrow will be double layer day.

We arrive in Armidale and head for my favorite family owned motel, Alluna Motel, 180 Dangar Street Armidale NSW 2350 www.allunamotel.com.au. The owner suggests we park the motorcycles around the back out of view from the road, in case someone takes an interest in becoming their new owners.

Safely hidden from prying eyes,

We go to our room and crank the air condition to as hot as we can and start to thaw out. Dinner arrives and it is a homemade in style and taste. Yum yum. Will I still have room for desert?

Just like home cooking.

The last day on the road together but we are not taking the highway, New England Highway that is. We turn left and pick up Thunderbolt's Way which is named after a local Bushranger (Highwayman / Outlaw) we travel through Walcha and then on to Gloucester. Great road for most of the way until we reach the roadworks. These are major as the recent rains have caused mud slides. I discover the advantage of 'Show Pony's' weight distribution and the road is not as bad as it could have been as our combined weight almost gets us to the road base.

A lookout along Thunderbolt's Way.

Dirty and no pots or washing liquid in sight!

Next food stop Gloucester, I have since found out we went to the wrong food house but where we ate was fine. Gloucester has 2 motorcycle event a year so we will have to come and investigate when they are on.

Main street of Gloucester. Arriving on a working day helps with parking.

From Gloucester we return to Highway 1, well north of Newcastle, New South Wales and we return to freeway riding.

At the Hawkesbury River we take 'The Old Road' passing Brookland and stop at the Pie in the Sky. Our last stop before home.

This is why they call it the Pie in The Sky!

The journey was fantastic, especially when you travel with a mate. The Sturgis 2008 Group are brilliant and were as much fun as we caught up as when we were travelling in the USA together.

I have added a map Google direction if you want to see where Nix and I travelled.

The Google Maps link is http://goo.gl/maps/xEhTo

Equipment
2005 Harley Davidson Softail Deluxe
2011 Harley Davidson Electra Glide Standard
Kodak action camera
Samsung Galaxy S3
Our friend Storms camera as we couldn't be in two places at once.