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2002 Off Centre Rally - The Big U
Submitted by David Drummond, 3:640/305

Day 14 - Saturday 16th August (Mackay to The Causeway)

Had a leisurely breakfast with Tony and Michelle, then took our leave and headed for Sarina. At Sarina, we took the Clermont Road. This took us over a mountain range with some great twisties. I'd forgotten how to go around corners! It didn't take me long to get back into the hang of it, and get a bit of wear on the edge of my tyres for a change.

The road followed the railway line for quite some time, until we turned off to follow the old Highway No 1 down to Marlborough. Parts of it were straight, bumpy and fairly desolate, by coastal standards, but with the traffic almost non-existent, it was quite a pleasant ride.

Just as we were coming towards Marlborough, it started to rain - just a light shower. We stopped for fuel and lunch, and another motorcyclist and pillion travelling north said they had been riding through a bit of rain.

Fortunately, the rain stopped while we were stopped, and as we continued south, remained dry. Just before Rockhampton, we turned off to Yeppoon and Emu Park. My maternal grandmother's family came from that area, and I had a yen to stay there. Unfortunately, the caravan park at Emu Park looked full, and not particularly inviting, so we backtracked to an area called The Causeway and stayed in a Tourist Park there, with a resident emu wandering around.

Went for a walk along the beach, collected some shells including a couple of cowries, my favourite, then after a shower, walked over the bridge to the place that reputedly did the best fish and chips ... And they were as good (if not better) than we were led to believe. We even lashed out and had an icecream each for dessert. Lovely.