It’s been a busy couple of weeks with not much riding happening. Both Kiwi and I started new jobs at the end of January so since the last big ride we’ve both been fairly preoccupied with sorting out a new routine and getting our heads around the new roles. Kiwi is now based in Sydney three days a week which makes the weekends precious and means I need to get used to doing more of the ‘chores’ during the week. But a fortnight in things are starting to settle down.

Yesterday we both rode up to Goulburn to pick up the pillion seat for the K1600 from MJM. Mick took the fabric off it, replaced the block of wood that was apparently underneath with some foam, shaped it so that the edges are round rather than corners and then put it all back together again!

To be honest it’s hard to tell from looking at it what’s changed – but after a test ride out to Bungendore and back this morning I’m pretty happy with it! It doesn’t feel like I’m sitting on concrete any more and it has a butt-friendly shape. Clearly either BMW doesn’t expect anyone to actually sit on the pillion seat, or if they do, for no longer than about 5 minutes…

So we’re “all ready” for the big test next weekend – a 1000km ‘Far Ride’ to Dartmouth in Victoria. The plan at this stage is to the big miles in the morning – leaving here at about 4.30am and going via Wagga Wagga. Check in is 12 to 12.30pm and then we head home via the Alpine Way – back through the Snowies and Cooma and then home. My Far Rider number is 1035 – with luck by next Sunday I’ll have doubled the number of Far Rides I’ve successfully completed!! Hopefully we’ll remember to have the Spot on and you can follow the fun from the comfort of your couch! I’ll post a link later in the week.

And a quick shout out to Lisa Cover who saw my last post and sent through the rally rules re:pillions!! Turns out that I have to be in all the photos for our bonus points… Which means our well-honed routine for photo taking will need some modification. It also means y’all can enjoy the beauty that is me with helmet hair, me with the sun in my eyes, me with a big ol stick up my butt coz I’m hot/cold/tired/hungry/premenstrual… you get the picture. I may even manage a smile in a few of the photos but don’t hold your breath. For now, this is me post-brekkie this morning…

And this is us leaving Silverton after my first Far Ride check-in in September 2016… So you know what to look for on the road.

Aims for the coming week:

• Get some sleep (the more the better really)
• Buy some compression stockings to try to stop my lower legs swelling too badly on the ride – I find I get really puffy calves at the end of the day
• Set up all my gear for Saturday morning
• Keep up the abdominal strengthening exercises to support my back

Other than that, the no alcohol on school nights thing is going to plan (if you don’t count the serious amount of self-talk required to prevent the bottle being opened and drunk in its entirety on Monday night (because, you know, Mondays) and I’m feeling marginally less terrified than I was two weeks ago about the rally ahead.

Till next time!