Glorious day today. The only thing in the perfectly blue sky was the Moon low on the western horizon. I have been waiting for such a day for a while now. So having finally found one, I saddled up the hoss, smeared on a little SPF 30+, and away I went.

Ride 11 from the Australian Motorcycle Atlas was the order of the day. This ride covers Caboolture to Yandina via the Glass House Mountains, but seeing as I live up the northern end of the Sunshine Coast, I went the other way.

I left home at 9:00 am while the air was still crisp. As the actual ride started at Yandina, I had a nice trip through part of the Mary Valley and Sunshine Coast Hinterland to get there. Zipping through what is left of the sugar cane industry in the area, I soon arrived at Yandina. No time to stop, bike was sniffing fumes by this stage so next port of call was BP Bellbird for a fill-up.

Having filled the bike, I shot up the range to Montville where I had my first coffee for the day. A nice spot for a coffee is the Poet's Corner right on the main drag. The view from the Mayfield shopping complex out over the Sunshine Coast, is quite spectacular. The maples are starting to change colour with the onset of Autumn/Winter. It's worth the ride just to see them.

Landsborough is the next port of call. The temperature is starting to rise just a little so I dropped into the Shell servo for a cold drink. There was a Croc Explorer tour bus and there were quite a few envious stares when I pulled up and dismounted. I'm sure it was my bike, I doubt it was the Harley that roared in at the same time.

The ride from Landsborough to Caboolture is a little difficult to find, but basically I was following the Old Gympie Road. The road takes a winding route through and around the Glass House Mountains. Seeing the hills from the road isn't difficult but I was back-tracking here and there trying to find good vantage points for photos. I shouldn't have bothered. A little further along was the turnoff to the Glass House Mountains Lookout. Beautiful views all round. I was going to stop at the Outlook Cafe but the place was packed. The AMA calls this place the "Wander In" but I didn't see any signs with that name.

From the lookout it was gentle riding through the forestry plantations to Caboolture. The last kilometre or so was on the old highway that follows the railway line. This stretch of road is as rough as guts. I was glad to be off it onto the D'Aguilar highway.

This ended Ride 11.
However, I had noted that Ride 4 starts where 11 finishes so, what they hey... I continued on.

Flick over to the Ride 4 Complete blog entry.

Tags: motorcycles, road trips