Kyabram’s Warren and Lisa Ratcliffe recently completed an interesting journey from Busselton in Western Australia to Merimbula on the south coast of NSW.
They were the back-up crew for four motorcyclists competing in the inaugural Indian Pacific Cannonball Classic, which had been three years in the planning because of COVID-19 interruptions.
Lisa and Warren decided to join the journey at the last minute after the planned back-up driver suffered a heart attack.
‘‘We were going to take some holidays anyway and when this chance came up we said why not,’’ Warren said.
The riders they supported were Garry Stewart from Toolamba, former Merrigumite Geoff Cooper, now of Shepparton, along with Bruce Taylor (Tasmania) and Cliffe Clayton (Queensland). Greg Rees from Tatura also participated and was supported by his partner Elaine.
The motorcycles were all pre-1949 models and there were 81 participants from across Australia.
‘‘Most of the riders on the run were in their 50s and 60s, with some in their 70s and just a few younger riders,“ Warren said.
“Across various stages, around 20 riders had to drop out due to mechanical problems.”
There were pre-planned nightly stopovers on the route, but most riders were on their machines from 7.30am to 3.30pm each day.
The riders left Busselton on October 14 and arrived in Merimbula on October 27.
Warren said it was not all plain sailing — or riding — for the competitors, who had to cope with torrential rain and wind in stretches, particularly across the Nullarbor.
And the journey wasn’t without a tragedy towards the end of the run with a Melbourne man killed when his machine collided with a kangaroo near Deniliquin.
‘‘This news hit everybody hard, but overall it was a great experience and we’d do it again,’’ Warren said.