Eildon Sunday October 2^nd, 2005

Yamaha R6	Joel Haley	Suzuki GSXR1000	Lyn Duncan
Honda CBR929	Ben Warden	Honda CBR1000	Paul Southwell
Honda CBR929	Simon Trubiano	Honda CBR900	Shane Hindle
Suzuki GSXR1000	Michael Albanese	Honda CBR1100XX	Peter Feistl
Suzuki Bandit 1200	Ron Johnston	Suzuki GSXR1000	Brett Stewart (1^st ride)
Yamaha R1	Steve Fenech	Suzuki SV1000S	Orlando Iluffi
Yamaha R6	Rachael Alexander (2^nd)	Triumph Sprint	Ern Reeders

The morning dawned sunny and cloudless and a mild day was forecast for North Central. Fourteen bikes looking as immaculate as the day gathered at the Whittlesea Caltex. Even Ronnie’s bike was in good fettle. Paul’s tyres, on the other hand, looked like they’d been shredded on a track, which is exactly what he’d done to them at the Island the day before. Steve was welcomed back after a long absence.

Joel’s plan for the day had stitched together a network of A, B and C grade roads starting with the twisties up to Kinglake West. For once he didn’t have to hold back and he set the pace for the day. Ben gave us warning of water on the road before Flowerdale. He’d sampled it the day before and found it bracing.

The rolling road to Strath Creek soon gave way to the bumpy roller coaster to Broadford followed by a back loop to Seymour. On to Highlands with fast and rough turns testing the nerve. Potholes, free lumps of bitumen and gravel patches kept us on our toes until we proceeded quietly into Yea under the watchful eye of a boy in blue. Ronnie’s back was playing up so headed back to town, as did Paul who was called to higher things. Several of us sampled the fare at Marmalades which is now owned by a couple of riders.

We fuelled the bikes and headed off to Molesworth and the W. road (no, I can’t spell it let alone pronounce it). This was its usual mix of goat track and fast bends with some dirt and gravel thrown in to spice the route to Alexandra. From there we took the Skyline road which is still afflicted by fine gravel from resurfacing some time ago. The Eildon back road took us to Thornton, then through some fine sweepers onto Taggerty and the straights to Buxton. The pace picked up to Marysville which we found had more two-wheelers parked than a bike show. Time for some photos, chat and tech talk and then over to Narbethong, the Black Spur and Healesville.

The Spur was slice and dice as you’d expect on a fine spring afternoon. The surface was good and some spirited riding was had. At one point a helmet was seen plonked on a shoulder with a couple of guys staring down the gully. Lemming-like an unknown rider braked hard and pulled off onto the dirt. His front end lost traction and he laid the bike down, fortunately at slow speed. Further on a ‘Busa with trashed fairing marked another turn that had been entered into in too-high spirits.

Healesville marked the formal end of the ride and there were debates about to power on or cruise home. Lyn, Shane, Brett and I headed up Myers Creek road for another suspension workout, continuing to Kinglake West. A motorcycle cop was seen coming the other way at the end of a conga line of cautious riders, demonstrating best-practice riding in a short-sleeved shirt. Dropping down the bends to Whittlesea motorists flashing their lights signalled the need for caution there too.

After playing slalom with a pedestrian we pushed on to the Eden Park twisties that still had a scattering of gravel but not enough to rain on the diminishing parade. Lyn and Brett peeled off at the Donnybrook road. My last stretch was enlivened by witnessing a Suzy 600 rider dropping a mono outside the Epping police station.

Conscious of the need for fresh tyres for the upcoming Snowy ride, I gave the Sprint a solid workout and was perversly pleased to see that the wear rate would leave no ambiguity. New rubber definitely needed. The combo of a Michie Power on the front and a Road on the back has worked well and I might repeat it.

Thanks to Joel for an inspiring ride and to Peter for riding shotgun. There were no crashes, lost riders or false turns. Peter appropriately raised the unofficial Club mascot into the air for the Marysville photo shoot and Shane took a close interest in the mascot’s tail through the Spur. Something was said about a taste for black rubber … but then we all have that (don’t we?).

Ern Reeders (Triumph Sprint)