Our group.

We started with 11 riders and you always get a random mix of types which makes for an interesting and entertaining group dynamic. A number of us are connected around Ric; Rodger, Geoff and I friends flying single and the 2 couples - Peter and Fiona and Daryl and Daylene. Ric, Roger, Peter and I did the South America ride together, and Daryl and Daylene did a South American ride the following year. It is Fiona’s first major ride as pillion and she is doing great - there is always a huge smile when her helmet comes off. Daylene is a veteran pillion.

We did have our token American Eric until our terrible 3rd day when he and Geoff had their accidents.

The rest are Australian. The Tassie contingent is a farming family affair with Martin riding and his two sisters Karen and Lucille who is our chief photographer riding in the UN Nissan as passengers. The 2 ladies prefer holidays away from the crowd and enjoy the Compass tours as passengers. Ellis is having a bit too much fun positioning the UN truck for photo opportunities. I think Martin might have ridden every track in Tassie and has been exploring off to the sides on his KTM 450 and is often off on reconnaissance to find the best way, or mark a corner for us.

Then we have our solo blokes; Brad, John and Don. We think John and I have met as our girls went to the same Kindergarten and we live less than a km apart! John is also our resident yoga teacher. Both John and Don have come here ‘back to back’ after the Kazakhstan ride. He is only a small bloke on a big BMW and is still learning the ropes of dirt riding, but our resident lawyer loves it all and has managed all the mud and river crossings fantastically.

Don lives on the hill at San Remo looking out across Phillip Island and rides with a group of friends from there both on the roads and the Island track.

Brad is a geologist and ‘Mr mum’ with a leave pass to come on this ride. Always smiling and always ready with his helmet on before the stragglers have even got to their bike he has a BMW 1200 at home so is very comfortable on the BMW 800 and always up the front helping find the best way through. He, like Ric, is also the one standing by if a rescue is needed in a river crossing or bog hole.

I won’t guess the average age or any age-ranking, but we are certainly a ‘mature age’ group but with lots of energy.

There is a mix of styles and speeds, but riding is a mainly-solo sport so there is no problem going at your own pace. Roger likes to do it his way and is happy towards the rear. Sometimes you just keep blasting ahead but you always have to slow down or stop to take in the amazing vista. Don and Martin on the 450 KTM are happy to wait at an intersection but are also often seen off to the side enjoying the dirt bikes - a great reward after all the bitumen.

There is always lots of discussion about life, the universe and motorbikes at our rest breaks and meals, but mainly reliving the days adventures. I looked around the table at dinner last night to see what all the noise was about and it was just all the different discussion. You certainly build a bond and team spirit on a trip like this.