Strathbogie  Sunday 25th September, 2005

 

 

Honda CBR929           Simon Trubiano                        Yamaha TRX850         Tony Raditsis

Honda CBR929           Ben Warden                             Kawasaki ZX12R        Greg Jeffrey  (1st ride)

Honda CBR1000         Paul Southwell                          Yamaha YZF1000       Cameron Burgess (1st ride for years)

Honda CBR1000F       Paul Punicki                              Yamaha R1                  Geoff Jones (rear rider)

Suzuki GSXR1000       Lyn Duncan                              Triumph 955                 Ern Reeders (leader)

Yamaha R6                  Joel Haley                                11 bikes, 11 people

 

Good turnout, Geoff offers to rear ride - some one has to do it, just like the write-up.

 

Greg was filling up when I asked if he was joining us. He was heading to Winton to watch a club day and thought he would join in for a while. Lots of bikes going through Whittlesea today; I passed a group of about 30 on my way to the Eden Park twisties. Joel had already been pulled over for license check by an unmarked bike cop - near Dixons Creek, I think he said.

 

Up the Great Diving Range through Flowerdale, left to Strath Creek, (no stopping to look for snakes), right at Goulburn Valley Highway, then left to Ghin Ghin, Highlands, Caveat and Gobur. What a great little cruise that brings us out on the Maroondah Highway at Yarck.

 

Geoff is on his Sunday quest to find the best pie in Victoria. A few photos are taken by Ern and Ben.

 

We head 15 km north on the highway and turn left at Merton. Greg looks like he is getting sucked along with the rest of us, Winton idea fading fast. This next 15 km section I remember as being terribly bumpy, with potholes and gravel everywhere. But that was quite a while ago. It is a magic piece of road now, as Tony will confirm.

 

We turned right heading for Strathbogie. I’m lucky to be sitting behind Ern who seems to have memorised where all the dangerous gravel is, which felt like on every bend along this section. I had faith in Ern doing a great job as my early warning system. Tootled through Strathbogie and on to Euroa for lunch.

 

Strathbogie really appealed to me: it has fuel, food, and amenities all close together and a creek running through town, perfect for a swim. I must remember it for a summer destination, I thought. Geoff and I were talking about finding stopping places that have everything we require. But after talking to Ern who had checked it out Strathbogie on his pre-ride discovering that the petrol bowsers were empty, and we agreed that the creek would probably be dry by summer, killing off the idea completely.

 

Ben left us for daddy duties while we are lunching. Ern gave us a rundown on the afternoon activities, which included retracing a couple of sections. Yipee! Cameron now also heads south as we head north, parallel to the Hume for 20 km to Violet Town. We are back onto the good stuff, through Harry’s Creek, a left, a right and we enter Strathbogie from the north.

 

Geoff had mentioned another swimming hole, Polly McQuinns, that has a concrete spillway with big rocks to sit on while the water flows over the top of you. He mentioned it because we’d gone past it earlier. Just 30 metres off the road. I saw it this time, approaching from a different angle, (and this time not being  intimidated by the hungry looking wooden bridge that was going to gobble up my wheels). I had a chance to have a quick look at this great swimming spot. But there is nothing else there.

 

I am behind Ern again on this section with all the gravel corners. Then I corner mark with Paul on the left turn, directing the group back through that grouse section to Merton. I had Tony in sight through here but didn’t gain on him. What a blast!

 

The adrenaline has long subsided after the sleepy roll down the highway to Yea. There were about 30 BMW’s lined up on the other side of the median strip.

Another careful transport section out of town. Joel points over to the sale yards as we roll past. There is a marked 4x4 camouflaged in the shadows. I had to look twice, but I’ve never been good at spot-the-cop.

 

Bottom of Junction Hill, that’s it, Joel, Paul and I have been holding back long enough. This fantastic bit of road seems to get shorter each time, catching up to Ern on the other side who kept setting a brave pace through Flowerdale to Tommy’s Hut (Kinglake West).

 

The British shop across the road is open, the guys working on a vintage bike out the front. We take the opportunity to have a squiz. It’s a pedal-assisted Norton. Also poke our heads inside. A Norton Commando in really original condition is for sale just inside the door. Lots more to see, but we must say our goodbyes.

 

Paul has a nice ride ahead of him, down the St Andrews road, Joel joining him. Ern suggests we at least throw in the Eden Park twisties, Geoff coming along too. Ern and I had both ridden this way that morning and the surface was good, not even damp as it has been some mornings through winter. And I hadn’t noticed the gravel on westbound side. I was following Ern again, thankfully, alerting me of the danger ahead. So we didn’t quite get our last little squirt. Waved goodbye to Ern at Donnybrook Road roundabout. Thanks heaps for a great day.

 

Hume Highway and wave bye to Geoff. Thanks for fun day and full day of rear riding duties.

 

Lyn Duncan (Suzuki GSXR1000)