Alexandra Sunday 31^st August, 2003

Greg Hales (leader) Honda CBR929 Mark Easterbrook Triumph 955

Mario Ibeas (rear) Yamaha R6 Rob Langer BMW R1150GS

It was cold and wet and a giant struggle to get out of bed but I did. When I got to Yarra Glen there was Greg waiting patiently and fervently praying that no-one would turn up so that he could go home and back to bed. Then Mario arrived and finally Rob. So that was it, Greg was stuck; he now had to lead the ride. We did all, however, agree that the course should be shortened due the weather conditions and we would only do about half the course. (I hope Greg leads this ride at a latter date as the roads were great and the whole route deserves to be ridden.)

So we took off into the cold and wet, making our way through Toolangi forest via Healesville and Chum Creek. These early roads warned us just how treacherous the conditions would be for the day. And boy was it COLD.

We continued on the main road to Yea. At the Toolangi/Yarra Glen/Kinglake junction on the Melba Highway, with the rain pouring down, Greg questioned our sanity and asked if everyone wanted to continue. Rob and I said yes, and Mario didn’t mind either way, so we continued. So we headed for Yea on the Melba Highway, thinking that the law would be tucked up at home in bed on such a foul day. We were wrong. Greg, being at the front, was the first spotted by the copper in the black Commodore which did a Quick U-turn in front of me and fishtailed down the highway after Greg’s Honda. It was pretty obvious after that manoeuvre that it was the police. Sure enough the red and blue lights went on and Greg was pulled over. The rest of us stopped at the Glenburn Pub and waited for Greg.

Greg arrived duly and gave us the run down on what went down. The copper first said it was a license loss at 127 km/h but decided to have pity and made it 125 km/h. No loss of license but $200 and three points saw Greg wishing he had called it all off now. We stayed and had a coffee in front of the open fire, then decided the show must go on. Then some idiot (me) thought he had lost his key until Mario found it in one of my little-used pockets.

We carried on at a more leisurely pace to Flowerdale and Strath Creek and on towards Broadford. There were some steep curves on the way and I could certainly feel the back tire slipping and sliding. We rode to Broadford and then on to Seymour via Sugar Loaf Creek.

From Seymour it was onto Highlands through some roads which, on a nice day, would have been fabulous and were still very much a challenge in the cold and wet. We carried on through Ghin Ghin to Yea, where we filled up, had lunch and discoursed on track days….. and diets? It was just as well we stopped here as the rain decided to come down in buckets and we were all feeling pretty wet and cold.

So next we were off to West Kinglake, our final destination. When we arrived a chap walked over offering a free coffee at his new café, the GT café. He said that motorcyclists were particularly welcome. We declined as we were all ready to go home and get warm but perhaps next time we’ll drop in.

Well, it was cold and wet (did I mention that already) but otherwise would have been a good ride if it hadn’t been spoilt by the police. On the bright side, he did show some sympathy and no loss of license. When I got home it was time for a hot shower and a lazy night in front of the box. I was strangely satisfied after having braved the elements.

Thanks to Greg for leading and Mario for rear riding.

Mark Easterbrook