It's been a quiet month here at Strapz HQ, head down, bum up. Our canvas fabric finally turned up on the 11th, so we've been madly catching up with production. The team went from scratching around for work to lizard drinking pace in the space of an hour.

Geez, it's a weird game. Thousands of bucks of fabric turn up and the first thing we do it cut it into hundreds of small bits!
As the long awaited canvas arrives we get news that the roll of Thermalz fabric due around the middle of the month, is due early July now. Grrrr, the worst bit is that no-one bothered to give a heads up.

One has to wonder at the level of management that allows a winter fabric to be out of stock for a month at the peak season it's required. What was that about soaring with eagles?

While We Waited

One of the upsides of the latest downside was providing us with a window to have a crack at a new design. 

Ubdashroo riders everywhere punt around our cities on various two wheel contraptions with cheap hand guard mits come winter. As I sat beside one at a red light, "Why don't we have one that will fit over Barkbuster Frames?" thunk I.

It rapidly dawned that we'd bitten off a pretty complex job, the main issue will be the sizes of switch blocks on bigger bikes. Access to a wide range of bikes is what will take the time during development.

We've ironed out the first few hurdles but still have a fair bit of finessing to do. Even on single figure mornings, my pinkies are snuggly warm in my Bark Mits with heated grips, so we have the concept proven and yes, I can ride standing with them. Not that they'd suit 'goat track' work – but that's not the brief.

Good Routes – A Long Cut

This time let's have a peek at a different way to get around the sh1t fight that Melbourne city traffic can present. 

There's lots of deviations on this trip but I'll concentrate on the two main ways I know best. We'll head south to north.
Heading from the city or the Island you'll probably approach it from either Moe or Drouin. I cut through from behind the servo at Longwarry via Jindavick for a bit more interest.

From Neerim South, head to Noojee, stopping off at the Trestle Bridge a few klicks south, for a gander if you have time. 

After a coffee at the Little Red Duck Cafe, head either east to a well-curated gravel road or get some mountain twisties in ya and head east up the hill toward Mt Baw Baw, turning north at Tanjil.

 
Out of Moe, head for Fumina and Icy Creek. This is a gem of a tight, technical, twisty and stunningly beautiful sealed road. At the Icy Creek T-junction, head left to Noojee or right to Tanjil.

Turning north off the sealed mountain road at Tanjil (Bren) you'll punt along another well cared for (each time I've ridden it) dirt road and eventually pop out at The Triangle on the famous Woods Point Road. 

From there it's Matlock then either Jamieson via Woods Point or the quaint old mining town of Walhalla via Arbuckle Junction. Connecting Walhalla to Jameison is an option but last time Tomaselli and I rode it, it was frustratingly, uncomfortably rocky. Not difficult just sh1thouse.
This an area frequented by 4x4 knobs and timber trucks so: Can't see – Can't Go!

There's lots of places to pitch a tent in the bush, formal camp grounds along C418, a pub at Noojee. An alternative is to turn left at The Triangle and head west into Marysville for even more choice and access to the Doom Highway if you need to make time. 

Cardo Packtalk Pro On Board

We've just taken delivery of Cardo's Packtalk Pro. The big advantage of this update is that it has a crash-detection function. You get to set a contact to get a notification if you come off.

The system works by detecting abrupt changes in orientation and sets an alarm that you have 30 seconds to countermand. Either send it immediately or cancel. The downside is that it's only set up for road use currently.
Here's a really useful look into the whole shootin' match
I'm a Cardo convert, they are guaranteed waterproof and dustproof and my Edge unit has been very reliable.

Every one who buys one gets one of our Aussie made Helmet Liners free.
MORE INFO HERE

Aye Eye

To spare you from Andy Idiocy for a moment or two, I asked the other AI 
"Compose a humorous, 300 word story about an adventure rider running out of fuel in a remote location, late at night".

Here's what came back:

"No, no, no!" he groaned, peering at the utterly useless fuel gauge. "Brenda was right. Again." His partner, Brenda, had a terrifying habit of being right, especially about Baz's "optimistic" interpretations of fuel consumption figures. He'd scoffed at her suggestion of a jerry can, declaring, "The spirit of adventure needs no such shackles!" The shackles, it seemed, were currently made of a distinct lack of petrol.

He pulled out his phone. One bar. Then none. "Fantastic," he muttered, kicking a loose rock. The only sounds were the chirping of crickets and the distant, unsettling hoot of an owl that sounded suspiciously like it was laughing at him.

Spotting a faint light in the distance, Baz, ever the intrepid explorer (even when pushing a 200kg motorcycle), began the long, ignominious walk. Each step was a testament to his sheer stupidity and Brenda’s unwavering foresight. The Wanderer, usually a symbol of freedom, felt more like a very heavy, very silent judgment.

An hour later, soaked in sweat and smelling faintly of desperation, he stumbled into a clearing. There, bathed in the glow of a single flickering lightbulb, was a ramshackle hut. A figure emerged, silhouetted against the dim light, holding what looked suspiciously like a banjo.

"Evening, mate," a voice rasped, the banjo's melody suddenly silenced. "Lost your way, or just run out of go-go juice?"

Baz just slumped against The Wanderer. He spent the rest of the night sharing lukewarm tea with a surprisingly philosophical banjo-player named Kev, listening to tales of local wildlife and regretting every single one of Brenda's unheeded warnings. He learned that night that the greatest adventure isn't always finding a new path, but sometimes, just finding a petrol station.

Geez, that's all bit cliche and naff. Jurnos are safe for the time being.

I long ago adopted my mate Kel's approach – "Better off lookin' at it than lookin' for it"
Or is that Bum Aglow?
I'm a St Kilda supporter, I know how it feels!

Darwin Winners

At smoko the other day, office stalwart Rach made a very lucid and sensible suggestion.

At the height of a rant regarding a dumb Fk the news was reporting, she set out a solution for the world that seems to be becoming stupider by the week. "Get rid of all the warnings on products and places, Let Darwinism work properly".

It's long been demonstrated that if you want a knob to put paw prints on your freshly painted door, the best thing you can do is post a 'Wet Paint' sign.

As the world around us descends into moronity, we find the pace of the fall seems to accelerate as bureaucrat nannies strive to show they give a sh1t. Bloody jobs-worths...

CAUTION HOT on a heater, DANGER OF FALLS on ladders, ELECTROCUTION HAZARD warning on sub station fence, DO NOT CLIMB on a fence at a cliff. Seriously, maybe the plonker who needs such a heads up, might not be the best contributor to society.

Socks Out

A quick heads up.

Our new batch of our popular long socks will be made for us mid July. If you had a mind to grab some, order when you're ready and they'll hit the post ways as soon as they lob at Strapz HQ. 
End of Financial Year is a bit like New Years - time to peer into the future and make a few vague plans. Mine is to ride more.
 
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