Snake Valley Friday 29^th March, 2002

Easter long weekend, Good Friday, a public holiday, and unusually, no trip away, just a couple of day rides – Friday and Sunday. The plan was to see if this format would attract more riders than the previous three Easter weekends away where attendances had been dismally low – to the point of trying something else. Alas, the weather conspired to thwart the best laid plans of mice and men and turned on an overcast, cold day with clearing showers promised. Not surprising for this fast-becoming fair weather riders Club, only a couple of old timers showed up. Geoff Jones (Yamaha R1), who had no choice as he was leading, and Ben Warden (Honda CBR929) who didn’t hear the weather forecast, or doesn’t care.

Geoff gave the corner marker spiel, nominated a rear rider, checked who had first aid experience, described the contents of the emergency kit, and called for a scribe to commit the day’s events to paper for posterity. Well, he would have if there had been more people, I’m sure.

We left between 5 and 10 minutes after the scheduled start time of 10.15 am from the West Gate Shell service station, depending on whose clock was the most accurate. The West Gate Bridge was its usual heavily trafficked self, as was the dreaded Geelong Road roadworks. At 80 km/h freeways are a real pain in the proverbial. At Werribee we exited and played traffic light drags with the locals until picking up the Bacchus Marsh Road. We both later confessed to having had a few top speed runs along here over the years. It is dead straight, no intersections, and visibility is good. I sensed today would be a fast ride when Geoff passed the old white Falcon and disappeared into the horizon. Inspired, the Falcon driver sunk the slipper in, I concluded, after I checked my speed after passing also. Surprisingly fast. This set the tone for the rest of the ride. Maybe I should have filled up – Geoff said the first stop would be 180 km away.

The further west we went, the colder it got. These banks of drizzle weren’t on Geoff’s Met Bureau web printout describing the weather at 9 am. Didn’t the Bureau predict the weather would clear up from the west? The forecast was not worth a pinch of salt we concluded later.

Past Anakie and the sign to the pottery. I wonder if ex-Club member John and his wife still run it? Seven kilometres south we turned right for a few interesting twisties heading for Maude and Meredith. I still remember the four-bike pile up at the corner when I was leading out this way. Barely a car on the road now. Probably home in front of the fire, drinking hot chocolates with marshmallows.

Heading west towards Dereel on seldom travelled but familiar roads we picked up the sandy road down over the bridge and Leigh River (a trickle). That course sand that jams up your radiator. Rhys bought one of those radiator guards (by RadGuard) at the AMCN Expo at the Supers. I wonder how effective it would be against such sand invaders? I think Geoff has one as well, now that I think of it.

The low fuel light had been blaring at me from the murk for some time now and that signpost said 29 km to Ballarat – and we went past it. Oops. No fuel at Dereel so we back tracked north heading for Buninyong, stopping at Enfield. The 18.15 litre tank accepted 17.85 litres. Close. I snacked on a chicken and salad roll and wild blackberries while we considered our options. The weather had certainly closed in, misty rain detracting from the excitement. On the up side there were no bugs.

Options such as heading to Snake Valley and more rain, or heading home were quickly evaluated. We made a beeline for Ballarat and the Freeway, picking up the Myrniong bypass for a quick blat to Bacchus Marsh (dry road) and then onto the Toolern Vale Road to wend our way back to Melton and hot cross buns. Doesn’t Geoff love that light-switch power of the R1! Yes, he does. And aren’t the houses creeping a long way north of Melton. Soon there will be a Melton North to match the Melton South.

Geoff’s daughter Melissa is building a house in Gisborne, and Geoff has bought land in Gisborne with a view to building in Spring. He will be busy project managing both for quite some time. He needed today’s ride. And so did I. Thanks Geoff. Maybe fourth time lucky we will get to Snake Valley.

Ben Warden (Honda CBR929)