Hi there.
Welcome to Andromeda, a blog about motorcycles, philosophy, a roadtrip along the Australian coast, and solar physics.
Some of you reading this undoubtedly know the circumstances that led to my being here. If you don't and want to know more, or want to make a comment or ask a question, shoot me an email at parker@plamb.com, and I'll get back to you.
For now, though, all you need to know is that I'm looking to answer three questions:
So, let's get started.
This journal is where I'm going to be writing about my travels on my motorcycle in Australia, reading philosophy along the way and trying to learn how to live.
Throughout this, I'll be working on my solar physics project under the guidance of my mentors with LASP - so expect to see some fun technical bits soon.
Disclaimer: I'm going to be maintaining a policy of honesty here - in writing and in spirit. This is going to be a journal as much as a story. So please bear with me for it - as much as I might want to tell you only good things for the next few months, I am certain it won't be so easy.
This journal will get boring. It will get depressed. It will get happy and exciting. It will have some lame pictures and some beautiful ones, bad stories and amazing ones.
Throughout it, remember that this journal is a reflection of my life as a human, and I'm being as honest as I can. It's not perfect, and though I was initially hesitant to use an online medium to record this, everything I write here will be as earnest as I can make it.
Let's start off with the coolest part: the motorcycle!
About two weeks into my stay in Melbourne, I found an online posting of a motorcycle on Gumtree, a local used goods service. Initially, I didn't pay it much mind - up until this point I'd been intending on finding a rental in Melbourne, getting a job and working locally. Later that night, however, it came back to mind, and I decided to take another look at it.
The post wasn't that special, all things considered - two grainy photos of a motorcycle-shaped object and a brief description were all that it comprised. However, it was listed as a 2007 Honda Shadow 750 - a particularly epic variety of motorcycle. What's more, it was listed for only $2500 AUD.
Your average 250 CC cycle on Gumtree was priced around $3000 AUD, scooters around $1000-1500 AUD (CC stands for "cubic centimeters", and generally indicates how powerful the engine is). So finding a 750 CC classic motorbike for only $2500 AUD? Either a beyond-fantastic deal, or a suspicious one. But I asked to inspect it regardless. Turns out, the guy selling it had bought a new cycle - and wanted the old one off his hands.
"Loved the bike", he said as he showed me his colossal Harley Davidson next to it, "But got myself another one of these so don't have the use for it anymore."
I did a brief inspection of it, but didn't really know what I was looking for. I had a checklist on me that was supposed to help, but all it gave was some basic guidance - check the brake pads. Oil stick. Battery. Alternator. He started it up, drove it around a bit. Accelerated. Sounded good, looked good. And so ...
I give him $2500. Cash. Committed. Whoops. Oh god. Did I make a mistake? God what if I did! Oh man I'm such an idiot. Stupid. It probably doesn't work and you got scammed.
A bit panicked, but working hard not to show it, we signed the transfer papers. I hopped on. Started it up. It coughed to life, a deep melancholy grumble. Put it into first gear. Gently let up on the clutch.
Drove.
Drove some more. Parked it in the bottom of a local IMAX theater, came upstairs, walked over to a library, exhilarated and panicked and feeling too nervous to be nervous and a bit dizzy.
At the library, I sat down and did some more research on the bike's VIN. It was a 2007 Honda Shadow VT 750 - 22750 kilometers on the odometer. "A classic", with a dedicated fanbase composed of several online forums and a cult following to rival that of Pulp Fiction.
I've acquired a service manual for it, and started to do some basic maintenance on it - starting off with the oil filter + oil. Tomorrow, I hope to look at some critical components described in the service manual - checking the carb, tubes, cleaning the air filters, making sure everything is tight and sealed, noting problem points and replacing spark plugs, checking the air inlet tubes and making sure all the nuts and bolts are present.
I also need to set it up for a journey. Get a luggage rack set up and saddle bags attached to the sides. Get it insured and roadworthy-tested and registered in Victoria.
Yeah. A lot. Hopefully it turns out okay.
Next? The journey - or, at least my initial plan for it.
I'm planning now on driving north up the eastern coast of Australia - starting off in Melbourne, following the A1 Princes Highway through Eden into Sydney, then continuing up through the Gold Coast into Brisbane and then continuing into Cairns, the mantle of the Great Barrier Reef.
This isn't, by any means, a definite plan. While Cairns is an ultimate destination, I intend on playing things by ear. I'd like to explore the places that look interesting and visit routes that are recommended - stay in cities and situations that feel good and work when I'm low on cash.
Once I'm outside of Melbourne, the world seems an enigma. A total event horizon.
After spending so long in the city, watching people go about normal lives and work day jobs I'm ... sort of beyond excited. It's been a long time since I've spent time in nature.
Beyond excited. Hmm. Worry and excitement in equal parts. Fear about the newness of the cycle, of the torrential rains of the north and incoming chill to the south. I'm scared. But certain of my direction - moreso than I've been in a long time.
Along the way, I'll be camping in tents where I can, sleeping in hostels in the larger cities. Food ... I'm not sure how to deal with. I don't know what the density of cities and stops along the way will be like, nor am I certain on the mileage on the motorcycle.
For a base estimation, the cycle has an efficiency listed at ~60 miles per gallon, equivalent to 25.5 kilometers per liter. It has a 14 liter tank, 3.4 of which are for "reserve", so for a single trip I'll limit myself to 10.6 L - at 25.5 kilometers per liter, this is a range of 270 km (165 miles) between refills.
Definitely worth testing in reality. The mileage of the cycle may differ significantly, so, let's verify on the trip.
I'll be starting off by reading Aristotle's Nicomachean Ethics. This is a book I've heard of from some time - and is one of the foundationary books of Western philosophy.
Much of the book revolves around this idea of "Good" and "Virtue", and around the idea of what allows one to lead a good life. It sounds like a good first approach, so I'll be reading and discussing it here as we go.
Later books may include Plato's Republic and Aurelius's Meditations - but I'll cross that literary bridge once we get there.
There's much to do in the coming days. I'll write once more just on or just the day before of my departure.
To all of my friends and family and favorite people in the world, thanks for being part of my life. I love and adore you so much.
