Redesdale for kicks

Em likes to ride my bikes:

A fortnight ago she legitimated this new hobby by gaining her motorcycle learner's license.  See her blog.  And here she is taking her first ride on the road:

We went for a semi-sunny ride on Saturday, out to Redesdale via the Burke and Wills Track.  Such a wonderful road.  It was mostly empty.  We stopped at the usual monument near Mia Mia.

And then rode on to Redesdale.  Beyond the junction where I always turn north (only once in all these years have I gone straight through Redesdale) is a service station.  Because I never venture the distance I do not know how long it has been there, but it sells food and coffee.  It's so much fun when riding to come across such little places.  We were able to sit in the window drinking coffee and looking out over the fields.  On the buildings there were murals.

On the return journey we travelled for twenty kilometers down a beautiful farm road - a personal favourite - which is not on the map.  The sky ahead was a polyphony of soft hues - pink, blue - and the fields were scattered with ancient boulders and details that insisted on themselves: mossy creeks, weeping willows.  Great gums tortured the sky and masses of white cockatoos arched ahead.  We rode at 30kph and chatted.  Back on the sealed road, after dodging some large kangaroos, we rode slowly through the dusk and on to dinner at a Lancefield pub.  Motorcycling is truly soul-refreshing.