Yea   Sunday 13th June, 2004

 

Honda CBR954           Paul Southwell (leader)             Buell                             Nigel Hellyer

Honda CBR954           Liz Oliver                                             Suzuki GSXR750         Matt Clark

Honda CBR929           Ben Warden (rear rider)                       Kawasaki ZX12R        Paul Grosser

Honda CBR929           Pete Weyermayr                                   Honda CBR929           Damien Czarnecki

 

The forecast was atrocious, according to Paul, and hence the relatively subdued turnout given the popularity of the proposed ride. But it was good to see occasional rider Damien out for a gallop, making an appearance at Berwick last week with his young son, farewelling his mate off on the Ducati 748.

 

All fuelled up and ready to go, we gathered around Paul for a description of the day’s activities. I nominated myself as rear rider, an easy job in this company. A call for a scribe was met with agitated stony silence, and, as predicted by Paul, this fact would be noted in the magazine.

 

We left Whittlesea a few minutes after the scheduled departure time of 10 am and headed for Kinglake. It was pretty blustery but no actual rain. As we climbed, the road surface showed the signs of recent showers and was effectively wet and relatively slippery all the way to Flowerdale.

 

At the top of the first set of sweepers we passed a group of bikes at the side of the road. Just out of Kinglake West a set of lights appeared in my mirrors, approaching rapidly. Rob Jones, number plate GRRR, pulled up alongside on his new blue 954, queried whether I was rear rider, indicated there were two more mates following, and then continued on to pass Pete, Liz and Damien, slotting in behind Paul Grosser, probably thinking he was leader.  Within a kilometre or so, his two mates riding an older R1 and a new GSXR1000 mozied on by. The traffic was heavy as we slowly worked our way past a group of six or so cars and onto more open roads. We travelled in convoy until catching up to Nigel and Matt marking the Flowerdale turnoff to Strath Creek. The speeds picked up considerably and I was left to cruise along by myself at a none-too-sedate speed.

 

I started thinking about all the stuff I need to remember to take on a ride – it is getting to the point of needing a list. Chain lube, tools, spare ear plugs, and packaging tape live permanently on the bike and a puncture repair kit lives in the black seat bag, so they don’t need to be accounted for. But it is the millions of little things that take the remembering: itineraries, a can of Mr Sheen, two yellow cleaning rags – one for me, one for Kate, sun screen, water bottle, tyre pressure gauge, emergency rations -  muesli bars mainly, wallet, phone, camera, note book, pens (thanks Geoff), Club First Aid kit sometimes.  Good, now I have a list!

 

At Strath Creek we turned left for Broadford, now all bunched up together. The weather had turned nasty and a cold north wind was now accompanied by persistent drizzle. Pete’s new blue waterproof pants were flapping horribly and I felt vindicated in taping up my lower legs with wide silver packaging tape, even if the appearance is somewhat aesthetically challenged.  Peter later noted that his pants were in fact “disposable” and he had rescued them from work, knowing they were only shower proof but impregnated with some heavy cooking oil which might theoretically improve their water resistance. Alas, no. Within minutes he was most undeniably wet and cold, the water trickling most unpleasantly to the groin area.

 

At Broadford, Rob Jones and his two mates called it quits, waving me through. We were back to our original 8 starters again. Just out of Broadford we turned left and made our way through good back roads eventually picking up the Pyalong Road. Much of the time we hovered around the speed limit, leader Paul cautious in the wet and blowy conditions. Mind you, the locals don’t seem too bothered by the wet roads, positively flying along, leaving you with the impression that there was no margin for error on their part.

 

The rain got heavier. Liz pulled over to change, belatedly, into her wet weather pants in the main street of Pyalong, Pete joining her. Unbeknownst to us, Paul Southwell had hauled over the group 300 metres up the road around the corner near the public facilities, sheltering under the Information Kiosk. Damien and Paul were itching to head home, and took the highway and direct route back to Melbourne a few minutes later. We had done 96 km, stopping short of our scheduled Lancefield first break for a rethink.  Matt and Nigel, almost home, did just that, and headed home. Matt didn’t have any water proofs and was starting to freeze. I think the same applied to Damien.

 

That left the four of us – Paul, Ben, Pete and Liz. We decided to shorten the ride and head back to Whittlesea exactly the way we had come. We did, making good time, the weather not improving. Pete and Liz diverged at Kinglake West and Paul and I went our own ways shortly after Whittlesea. A good, short ride; shame about the weather. Thanks to Paul who sacrificed half his Saturday pre-riding the route and hence was noticeably confident at every turn. We will revisit this ride on the next itinerary so as not to waste all that good planning.

 

Home by 1 pm after battling the fierce cross winds along the Donny Brook Road, with sustained gusts driving me across nearly a lane width. This resulted in my hugging the centre line in anticipation of the next wind attack. A bit scary.

 

A round trip of just under 300 km home to home, or officially 180 km from Whittlesea to Kinglake West. The bike clocked over 116,500 km and is running well. A 30,000 km rear shock rebuild is the next item on the maintenance schedule.

 

Ben Warden (Honda CBR929)