Marysville Bakery  Sunday 15th December 2002

 

Derek Atkinson            Yahama FZR1000                                Clint Vertigan               Suzuki GSXR750        

Ron Johnston                Suzuki GSF1200                                  Mario Ibeas                  Yamaha R1

Ben Warden                 Honda CBR929                                   Ian Payne                     Honda CBR929

Darryl Chivers              BMWR1100S                                      Liz Oliver                     Honda CBR919

Darryn Webster            Suzuki TLR1000                                  Tony Grande                Yamaha 1

Bruce Saville    (rear)    Honda VFR800                                   Dave Ward                  Ducati 996 (lead)

Mark Easterbrook        Ducati 750SS                                       Victor Soussan (2nd)     Honda CBR929

Ray Walker                  Suzuki GSXR1000                               Jeremy Raudys (1st)      Suzuki GSXR600

Dave Skitt                    Suzuki TL1000S                                  Zac Richmond (2nd)      Yamaha R1

Andrew Symes             Suzuki RF900                                      Tim James (1st) Yamaha R1

Stuart Lens                   Suzuki GSF1200                                  Dale Clayton (1st)         Yamaha R1

Trevor Harris                Yamaha FJ1200                                   Pete ? (1st)                   Yamaha R1

Tim Walker                  Kawasaki ZX7R                                  John Homann (1st)        Kawasaki ZX9

Craig Morley                Honda CBR929                                   Rob Langer                  BMW R1150GS

Robert Swan                Suzuki GSXR750 (1st)              Enzo Cunico                 Yamaha R1     

Martin Hastie/Carmen de Bono Honda CBR1100XX   31 bikes, 32 people     

 

A glorious day produced the biggest ride for the year. Everyone was there including a massive brigade of R1 riders, most of them on their first ride. So much for disguising a Reefton and Black Spurs ride as “Marysville Bakery”. With so much fluorescent leather, knee pads and horsepower to burn, you got the feeling this ride had a lot of potential – for disaster. A battle ensued for the rear riding position and Bruce won. I tried to get to most of the new riders and explain the corner marking system, as well as grab their contact details to send info to during the following week. Dave outlined the route, then we were away.

 

Out the back way to Healesville, up Chum Creek Road and down Myers Creek Road saw some sort of pecking order established, some of the newer riders running hot, then very cold. Leader Dave had his hands full on his relatively under-powered Duke, doing his best to keep the hounds at bay, nevertheless feeling the pressure. We all ended up in Warburton for morning tea, relatively unscathed.

 

Now heading for Reefton and the Spur, a major crash occurred about 10 km out of Warburton. The R1s had just blitzed past me down a long straight, first timer Rob Swan on his GSXR750 hanging on to the tail of his mates. Immediately following the straight is a right hand corner, and 100 metres later another tighter, right hand corner, dropping away. I rounded up Rob around the first corner and then watched as he ran wide on the second, crossing up with all back brake and running through a conveniently sighted car park and into the shrubbery. He stopped some 10 metres short of where his bike finally finished, after hitting a tree. The bike sustained minor cosmetic damage – blinker, mirror, gear change lever, and minor scratches. Ray started and rode it back up the track to park it in the car park. Rob did not fare as well.

 

Mark Easterbrook was immediately behind me and together we stopped and rendered assistance. I noted Rob was clearly in pain and not movable. As I had the only mobile with reception (Telstra) I made the call at 11.58 am and gave exact instructions. We were at an official park according to the signpost. The condition of the rider was conveyed and the severity of the trauma ascertained. Mark suggested concussion and leg damage as a minimum. An ambulance and police helicopter rescue were despatched, the ambulance arriving 27 minutes later. CES also attended to verify the severity of the accident and to set up road blocks for traffic management. The police, towies and fire brigade also attended. Eventually I was called to provide witness details.

 

Mark’s help was invaluable once again. He assisted the ambos taking blood pressure readings and getting the oxygen machine to work. It was all hands on deck when it came to lifting and holding bags of fluid and swatting flies. It got pretty gruesome and noisy when his leg was stretched and mechanically braced without the benefit of pain relief; I won’t go into further details. Suffice to say that Mark worked pretty much full time while he was there, and Rob was lucky to have someone as skilled and dedicated only two bikes behind him.  We wish Rob a speedy and full recovery.

 

While waiting for the ambulance I waved the rest of the bikes along, including rear rider Bruce (who took some persuading that his rightful place was with the ride).  The ambulance left the site at 1 pm and I caught the remnants of the ride in Marysville (via the Reefton Spur of course) around 2 pm.  I even managed to sign up Tony Grande, mono-king of the hills, on his R1, despite the day’s excitement.

 

I believe the rest of the ride went relatively well. Thanks Dave for leading and Bruce for rear riding and providing a status report to the rest of the group.

 

Ben Warden (Honda CBR929)

 

p.s. Rob’s mate Tim eventually returned about 50 minutes later to organise the bike removal to Warburton. And that is the last I have heard.