August 16: Boots On The Ground From Start To Finish
One of the huge benefits of traveling alone by motorcycle in a foreign country is interacting one-on-one with friendly locals and discovering more about different customs and practices. This summer being greeted with “G’day Mate,” driving on the left side of the road, and learning that “pie” on the menu doesn’t usually mean dessert helped make every day an adventure. Australian and motorcyclist Rhys Rogers took things to the next level by offering to be my “boots on the ground,” seamlessly facilitating my entry and exit from the country.
I met Rhys a year ago on an Australian motorcycle Facebook page. When I arranged for my bike to enter the country in March, Rhys suggested he store it for me until I arrived mid-June. After Adventure Baby was delayed, Rhys offered to still greet me at the airport and help me with logistics the first day.
He graciously picked me and my bags up outside of customs just after the crack of dawn and then took me to the VicRoads office to get my mandatory insurance, to the train station to get my pass, to the phone store to get my local SIM card, and to my host’s home to spend the night. The driving tips he imparted to me at the time helped me to stay safe on the road throughout my trip.
I kept in touch with Rhys periodically during my adventure and headed several hours north of Melbourne to his home after completing my lap so that he and I could set Adventure Baby up for the next journey. When I arrived at Rhys’s place yesterday, I did some work on the bike and Rhys got out his power washer so that we could get some of the grime off.
Today we dropped off Adventure Baby at a trustworthy local repair shop and arranged for a new battery, tires, chain and sprockets to be installed before the bike is shipped to South America. I enjoyed chatting with the mechanic Phil, his wife Kim, and his son Phil Junior and am confident my baby is in good hands.
On our way back from the shop, Rhys and I popped into the Berrigan Bakehouse to sample their “Breaky” pie, a delicious buttery flaky concoction filled with minced spiced meat, egg, Canadian bacon, and “tasty” cheese, an Australian term for a sharp cheese that has been aged for an extended period.
Although I’ve arranged international motorcycle travel in the past to areas where I had no local contacts, it has been such a blessing to have Rhys’s support on this summer’s adventure. I have learned so much from him and have especially appreciated his kind and helpful suggestions. He has gone above and beyond to show me the friendliness that Australians are so well known for. Thanks Mate!
