Maldon Fire Tower              Sunday 27th October

 

Yamaha R1                  Geoff Jones (leader)                 BMWR1150 GS          Rob Langer (Rear rider)

Suzuki Bandit               Ron Johnston                            Honda CBR929           Ben Warden

Honda CBR600           Ruth Lindsay (1st )                    Suzuki TLR1000          Robert (1st)

 

The start of daylight saving may have caught a few out for the 10.15 am Whittlesea pickup – time will tell! But maybe six was a good turnout – it was raining and cold when I left home and bed looked like a good option, especially with the one less hour of sleep. First timers Ruth and Rob rolled up, courtesy of the internet and our home page, a sort of advertising that appeals to those who are hunting for like minded enthusiasts. As I was the only one there at that stage, Ruth introduced herself, while partner Rob attended to tyre pressures. Ruth was full of questions – a good sign – the Corner Marking System of immediate importance.

 

Before long the rest the participants had arrived and Geoff gathered us together to explain the day’s itinerary, while  Rob L. wandered off for a coffee as per usual, but volunteering to rear ride. Soon enough we were on our bikes and heading for Wallan via the Eden Park twisties, a pleasant wake up call first up. From Wallan we made our way west to Darraweit Guim and Romsey through the volcanic valleys. A strange road, sometimes bumpy and narrow, other times wide and smooth, sometimes straight and flat, other times plunging down steeply to shallow valleys, twist over a bridge and then ride steeply to rejoin the plain, as if nothing had happened.

 

Up to Lancefield along the highway turning left picking up the main drag to Kyneton. Geoff had bolted of course, but I chose to sit behind Ruth who was maintaining a reasonable clip. I somehow felt safer travelling behind the fairer sex, brandishing NSW plates. A couple of bikes chocked up behind me and we rode en-masse to meet the Calder. A few hundred metres up the road we ducked off it again, negotiating the road works across the new Kyneton by-pass being constructed, entering Kyneton from the south (at last, the wind was behind us), stopping at the BP for fuel after 90 km. Then back into town for what turned to be early lunch, cops everywhere. A local couple driving a well preserved HD Holden were pulled over but seemed to escape unscathed.

 

Abandoning our bikes around the corner we headed for a small sandwich bar/coffee shop. Rob was tucking in by the time we got there. Gourmet pies were the order of choice, arriving with a salad garnish. For something completely different we discussed tyres – always a hot topic, particularly as at the end of the day three rears and one front tyre needed replacing – all on different bikes. Ronny was sporting a nice new set of Pilot Races, looking almost exactly like Dunlop 208’s to the untrained eye – with considerably less tread than the old Pilot Races. Bugger.

 

Fuelled and fed, it was back to the bikes for an exciting ride to Maldon. The weather had warmed considerably and the threat of rain had subsided, thought the strong southerly was ever present, mainly at our backs. Which proved interesting at a sudden, barely signposted, sharp left hander followed by a T junction. Luckily there was an auxiliary run off dirt road for Rob (TL) to take advantage off, whereas Ron bent and manhandled his Bandit around the bend, the dirt a distinct option nevertheless. The roads had suddenly become more interesting (read dangerous) with the occasional gravel strips, mid-corner bumps, blind crests, and odd stray sheep. It was good to be alive and out riding again – and we knew it!

 

Rolling in to Maldom past the steam shovel and then the historic railway station having only done 80 km Geoff decided to skoot up Mt Tarrengower and check out the fire tower, as advertised on the itinerary. We were greeted by barriers and men collecting money for the, you guessed it, the annual historic hill climb. Maybe next time. After a quick “U” turn we regrouped back in town at usual servo. Ruth’s chain was touching the side stand, so out with the tools for some quick chain adjustment. Then we wandered up to the Bakery for a coffee scroll and a hedgehog, admiring all the historic cars. Geoff bumped into his mates from the Rootes (?) Car Club. And of course we bumped into a branch of the Ulysses Club, the third one for the day.

 

Around 1.30 pm we hit the road again taking the main road to Castlemaine and Chewton. We avoided the highway where possible, generally heading south. Again the roads were interesting, the ride pace picking up. We wee now in mineral springs country, passing Mt Franklin and Hepburn Springs. A little earlier we  passed through some town that claimed to be the home of the willow cricket bat, possibly Vaughan.

 

At Daylesford we turned left. The density of traffic had increased dramatically as we came closer, the Sunday market in full swing. Around to Trentham on familiar roads, the strong wind caught by surprise after flashing past a couple of cars and then tipping in hard on a bumpy, fast sweeper, the bike drifting wider than I had intended, snapping me out of cruise mode. Good fun!

 

I love those high speed sweepers after Trentham through the forest, followed by the off camber stuff just before Blackwood. Though the bike is so deceptively fast and well mannered, by the time you feel like you are pushing a little, and having fun, the speed is insane.

 

We regrouped at Blackwood after 100 km. Petrol was 100.9 cents per litre, 17 cents more per litre than our next stop at Bacchus Marsh. Ronny and Geoff were on reserve and took 15 litres, mine a couple less, Ruth and Rob didn’t fuel up since we had “only” done 190 km since the last stop. Sure enough enough they both hit reserve almost immediately we left Blackwood and so we stopped 30 km later at Bacchus Marsh for a splash, after a quick balst along the Myrniong road parallel to the highway, always a worry as you never know “who” might be watching as we duck and weave in and out of the Western Highway. Then onto Toolern Vale via the big dip over the bridge – a good suspension test if ever there was one – to break up at Diggers Rest.

 

Home to home, a round trip of about 380 km. Thanks Geoff, for leading, and Rob for rear riding. Top day. A set of rear pads and a Pilot Sport should see the bike ready for the long Melb Cup Weekend epic.

 

Ben Warden (Honda CBR929RR)