2024 Glacial Lakes MC Grand Tour

The Western Loop click on image to enlarge The plan for this ride was fairly simple as it was more about getting out of the house for a few days than it was about collecting a bag full of bonus photos. After getting up at first light last Wednesday ,  I made my way along Mona Vale Rd and onto the M2 / M7.  As it is late Autumn here in Oz, it was not unexpected that the air temperature was a chilly 2*C / 34*F.   After taking the Richmond Road exit I made my way to Richmond and onto the Bells Line of Road. The Bells Line of Road used to be a quiet 2 lane country road that wound its way over the Blue Mountains.  It used to be in reasonable condition and was an enjoyable ride, even if it was longer / slower than the nearby Great Western Hwy.  It is still a 2 lane road but with increased traffic, and as a result of the abnormally high rainfalls we received in 2023 and early 2024, it now has significant road damage and even some landslides. So much so that t...

 The French Connection It has been some time since I last updated my Blog, so for those of you who may have been eagerly waiting, here it is. They say that life is a journey, where we get to choose some of the destinations along the way, while factors outside our control decide the other destinations. In 1916, two French neurologists, Georges Guillain and Jean Barré, together with French physician André Strohl, described a condition where a person's immune system attacks and destroys parts of their peripheral nervous system. These peripheral nerves control muscle movement, as well as transmitting pain, temperature and touch sensations.  This nerve damage results in muscle weakness including paralysis, loss of sensation (numbness) in the legs and/or arms, and problems swallowing or breathing.   None of these are desirable attributes while riding a motorcycle. Today, this condition is known as Guillain - Barré Syndrome (GBS) and it was my "destination" in early Februar...

 2024  Glacial Lakes MC “ Which Way Do We Go ” Grand Tour Introduction There was a time during last October and November when it looked like there would not be a 2024 Glacial Lakes MC Grand Tour. The Rally Master of the previous two Grand Tours had indicated that he wished to step down from the role, and there did not appear to be a stampede of volunteers to take up the reins. However, in mid-December, Lee Blauvelt, a competitor from last year's event, put his hand up  and assumed the responsibilities of 2024 Rally Master.   Thank you, Lee. As was the case last year, there had been some discussion on what would be this year’s theme.   Some suggestions were :- Compass headings, towns with N/S/E/W in it. Capitols, different point values for township meeting halls, county courthouses, state capitols and nation's capitol. Geology, town names with geological features like hill, mound, valley, island, etc. In the end, the new Rally Master announced that the ...