There’s something about leaving home on a motorcycle before the day has properly woken up.
The roads are quiet. The air is cool. And for the next few days, everything you need is packed onto the bike behind you.
That was how our three-day road trip began — on a foggy morning at Tractor 828 in Ebenezer, with hot coffee, breakfast and around 1,000 kilometres of riding ahead of us.
No flights. No elaborate itinerary. Just three days, a bunch of mates on their motorcycles and some of the best riding roads in New South Wales.
Day One — Into the Fog
The fog had settled heavily around Ebenezer when we rolled into Tractor 828.
It was exactly the sort of morning that makes you appreciate that first coffee.
We weren't in any hurry. That's one of the pleasures of a motorcycle road trip. Once you're on the bike, the trip has already started. There's no need to rush to the destination.
After breakfast, we geared up and headed north towards one of NSW's great motorcycle roads — the Putty Road.
As the morning fog began to lift, the road opened up ahead of us.
Long stretches of bushland. Sweeping corners. Very little around you except trees, road and the sound of the bike underneath you.
This is where travelling by motorcycle makes sense.
In a car, the road is often just the bit between destinations. On a motorcycle, the road is the destination.
We followed the Putty Road north towards Singleton, eventually pulling up at Wynyard St Kitchen for a well-earned break and some refreshments.
Coffee stops become part of the rhythm on trips like this.
Ride.
Stop.
Take the helmet off.
Stretch the legs.
Talk about the section of road you've just ridden.
Then get back on and do it all again.
From Singleton, we continued north towards Tamworth, eventually rolling into town and checking into the Golden Guitar Motor Inn.
The bikes were parked, the gear came off and day one was done.
That feeling at the end of a long day's ride is hard to beat.
Tired enough to know you've been somewhere, but already looking forward to doing it again tomorrow.
Day Two — Walcha and the Oxley Highway
Day two was the one we'd really been looking forward to.
We left Tamworth and pointed the bikes towards Walcha.
Our first priority wasn't petrol.
It was breakfast.
We pulled into the Walcha Royal Cafe, where a proper breakfast and coffee provided exactly what was needed before another big day on the road.
Fed and caffeinated, we refuelled the bikes and headed east towards Port Macquarie.
And this is where the trip really delivered.
The country begins to change as you leave the New England region and head towards the coast. Open farmland gradually gives way to thick forest, cooler air and twisting mountain roads.
We stopped at Apsley Falls along the way.
One of the things I love about travelling by motorcycle is that you're far more inclined to stop.
You notice the temperature change.
You smell the bush.
You see a sign pointing towards a lookout and think, why not?
There's no sealed cabin separating you from where you're travelling.
You're in it.
From there we continued towards Ginger's Creek, stopping for lunch before tackling one of the highlights of the entire trip.
The Oxley Highway.
If you ride motorcycles in Australia, you've probably heard about it.
And there's a reason.
Corner after corner winds its way through magnificent forest as the road drops towards the coast. It's the kind of riding where everything else disappears for a while.
You're not thinking about work.
You're not checking your phone.
You're not worrying about what needs to be done next week.
You're simply looking through the next corner.
For me, that's one of the great things about riding.
It forces you to be present.
We followed the Oxley all the way into Port Macquarie, checked into Le George Motel and parked the bikes for the evening.
Dinner was uncomplicated — a meal at the local pub, a couple of stories from the day's riding and the satisfaction of knowing we'd just ridden one of Australia's great motorcycle roads.
Sometimes that's all you need.
Day Three — The Wet Way Home
The final morning of a road trip always feels slightly different.
Home is now the destination.
But there was still time for one more stop.
We headed south and pulled into The Artisan Farmer at Nabiac for breakfast and coffee before the final run towards Sydney.
And then the weather arrived.
Properly.
What followed was a very wet and wild ride home.
Rain on a motorcycle changes everything.
Visibility drops. The road surface changes. Water finds its way into places you were convinced were waterproof.
The relaxed cruising of the previous two days was replaced with concentration and respect for the conditions.
It wasn't exactly the glorious final chapter we might have ordered.
But strangely, it became part of what made the trip memorable.
Anyone can remember the perfect sunny ride.
You definitely remember the one where you arrive home soaked.
Three Days Was Enough
Not every adventure needs to involve weeks away, international flights or months of planning.
Sometimes you just need three days.
A motorcycle.
A few good roads.
Some country cafes.
A motel room each night.
And someone to share the experience with.
In three days we'd ridden the Putty Road, crossed the New England region, stopped at waterfalls, ridden the magnificent Oxley Highway, reached the coast and battled our way home through pouring rain.
It wasn't an epic expedition.
It didn't need to be.
That's something I'm increasingly appreciating.
Adventure doesn't always have to be huge.
Sometimes it's sitting in a country cafe with your riding gear piled beside you, drinking coffee and looking at the map to see where the road takes you next.
There are plenty more roads out there.
And thankfully, there's Plenty Left.
