Introduction of new member---and a question!

[Deseret Duck]

Gentlemen,   Though I am a lifelong Motorcycle rider I am not personally acquainted with the Douglas Motorcycle and have never owned one.  Some years ago I read an article which impressed me that they must be wonderful machines.   This article recounted the story of a gentlemen who rode a Douglas across some parts of Australia in 1925.  I recall that he was forced to disassemble the machine and hand carry it across some major obstacles---and also solved many other problems in his successfull crossing.    I am sure that many of you Douglas guys know this story---and I am hoping you can locate it for me so that I can read it again.   If my information is correct the story was once located at;
ftp://ftp.cecm.sfu.ca/pub/RMR/Trip_Reports/Aust1925.txt
but I cannot get that address to work now.   Can anyone give me a better address or tell me how to find it?        It is one of the better motorcycling stories that I have ever read ----and probably well known to a number of your members.   I would appreciate any information.     
 

[alwyn]

Deseret Duck
Hi and welcome to the forum - the story of Grady's epic ride has been discussed in this forum - you will find the discussion HERE - there has been some skepticism about the total veracity of the story but it's a good read - you can read it HERE

Enjoy! Alwyn

PS The site you have attempted to connect is the site of The CECM "The Centre for Experimental and Constructive Mathematics (CECM), a Simon Fraser University research centre within the Departments of Mathematics and Statistics and Actuarial Science, was established in November 1993. CECM is located at SFU's Burnaby Campus in British Columbia (Canada)."
I tried a search on their site but the query Trip_Reports/Aust1925.txt was not recognised - it's a strange topic for the CECM - maybe it's an associated blog site.
A.

[Deseret Duck]

Alwyn,   I was most grateful to receive that information---and most impressed that you were able to deliver that information so quickly.     Thank you!   

Now----Since you did so well on that question I have another (actually two) ; 

"Cycle World" ---or perhaps it was "Cycle"--- magazine printed a story back in the late 60's or very early 70's about a pair of 'Yanks" that rode the circumference of Australia, claiming record time of ten days, ten hours, and ten minutes.   These two guys---related by marriage as I recall---- had earlier read a story about someone doing it in some time period---and so they accepted the implied 'challenge' ---departed for the Continent where they purchased bikes (Kawasaki's I think) and immediately set out to better the 'old record'.   At night, and on the last leg of their run up in the North West, the lead rider hit a Kangaroo---crashed--and was injured and bleeding, but implored his brother in law to leave him---not waste valuable time---just complete the run.   Charged with emotion (and probably some excess adreneline) the lad charged off into the night---completed the run ---and only then sent back help for the injured rider.  They then claimed the record time as above.   
1.  Have you heard this story ---and know where it might be accessed?
2.  Have you any idea whether anyone else has claimed better time for the same run?

Just curious---suspecting that most self respecting Aussies would take the bait and not allow a Yank to hold that record for long?  Ha  Ha.   (But also knowing full well that most Aussies are not so foolhardy as to go charging off on such a stunt----or maybe not?)