Highlands Sunday 11^th June 2006

Paul Southwell (leader)	Honda CBR1000	Lyn Duncan	Suzuki GSXR1000
Ben Warden	Honda CBR929	Ern Reeder	Triumph 955i
Ian Payne	Honda CBR1000	Cameron Stevens	Kawasaki ZX10R
Renzo Cunico (rear rider)	Honda VFR750	Tony Raditsis	Yamaha TRX850
Marty Thompson	Honda Hornet 900

The bureau had predicted scattered showers and a top temp of 13 degrees. Brrrr. It was looking like a chilly Sunday ride. I arrived at the Whittlesea meeting point a few minutes early in order to attack a latte before we got under way. Ern, Paul, Cameron and the rest filtered in before the departure time.

Cameron arrived on a rather new looking ZX10R! We naturally jumped to the obvious conclusion that he had bought a new bike. Not so, apparently, with the ZX10R being the loan bike from Brighton Kawasaki. Remind me to take a day off work and have my Hornet serviced there.

Ian arrived after starting the day off with the plod having pulled him over in Doreen for a random license and registration check. Both officers were surprised and amused to find that not only was Ian licensed, but they could actually read his number plate!

After the usual protocols, Paul led us off towards Kinglake West. The first part of this road up the hill was still wet, and memories of bars opposite locking on my last journey through here, kept things fairly sedate. The roads started to dry once over the hill, and down through to Flowerdale it was reasonably dry, a theme that thankfully remained for the rest of the day.

Just before Flowerdale I started catching up to Ian on his CBR. He was riding at a similarly sedate pace as me, and then started to slow, eventually pulling over. Old age and low temps had conspired with summer weight gloves to numb Ian’s hands and fingers to the point of not being able to operate the controls. Being such a dire situation, Renzo and I pulled over to see what was up. A five minute hand warm up and some winter gloves soon had Ian on the road again. But rather than hold the group up, Ian elected to ride to Seymour directly, and meet us there.

Renzo and I continued on through Flowerdale and over Junction Hill to Yea to meet the others. The road over Junction Hill was deceptive, with some corner entrances nice and dry, and some err… interesting damp patches at various points through the turn, making it tricky to maintain a pace, but fun all the same.

We turned left along the highway from Yea to the Highlands turnoff. Up to Highlands, then left and on to Seymour. We stopped for lunch, with a little confusion as to where to fuel and where to eat. It was here, in the balmy 8 degree conditions of the day, that Lynn, once again defied logic and purchased her perennial favourite, a cup of coffee with a chocolate paddle pop to dunk in it. Yes, you heard right folks. Duncan Dunking a Paddle Pop in coffee in 8 degree temps.

We were all huddled together chatting and just starting to thaw out when Paul sounded the one minute bell and we were off again. We made for Pyalong and then Emu Flat. Along here I witnessed the might of the TRX as it ripped by, puffing little billows of smoke out the zorst as Tony … err… cleaned the carbies of carbon. Cameron also took this opportunity to see how much the little 10R would scare him. Although cold, the sun had now come out to warm us a little, and the pace had increased accordingly.

We then headed across the 1.3 kms of dirt and onto the Burke and Wills track into Lancefield. Paul had warned us about this road at the riders briefing, with mention of green stuff in the middle of the road. And right he was. The Hornet certainly slithered about a bit through here. Tony, on his immaculate TRX, reported a big both-tyres-letting-go moment through here. Being patchy damp, wet, dry, also made it trying.

Once again the group split into two with those requiring more suitable culinary delights slinking off to the bakery, and the other half having lunch at the traditional sandwich shop on the corner. I personally believe a good quality latte should be a part of the pre-ride process. LOL

After enough time to chisel the icicles off our noses, we were soon off again. Back tracking a little to Pyalong and then around to Broadford. It was at Broadford where I unfortunately had to depart the ride (Split Enz was awesome, Paul. It was worth leaving the ride early.) to make it home in time to have a shower (there had been some complaints, apparently) and get dressed for Split Enz.

Ben and Renzo departed here too. We took the boring commuter route to make it home in time, with the remainder, I am lead to believe, back tracking to Flowerdale and then Kinglake West with a run down the St Andrews Road to finish it off.

300 kms approximately and no incidents. Thanks to Renzo for rear rider duties and thanks for Paul taking us on yet another great ride.

Marty Thompson