Noojee Tool Shed – Sunday 22^nd October, 2006

Ron Johnston (leader)	Suzuki Bandit GF1200	Clint Vertigan	Suzuki GSXR750
Breht Emmerson	Honda CBR954R	Chris Pointon	Suzuki GSXR1000
Dave Ward	MV Augusta SPR750	Darryn Webster	MV Augusta 750S
Ian Payne (Rear)	Honda CBR1000RR	Ern Reeders	Honda CBR954RR

I had a call the day before from Dave Ward to check if I was going on the ride. I was, so we agreed to meet early at Maccas for a coffee so Dave could tell me all about his and Bron’s recent trip to Europe. By all accounts, a great trip with the highlight being a lap of “The Nurburgring” and the lowlight dropping the hired BMW 1150GS.

After nearly forgetting the time, we finally headed off to Yarra Glen to meet up with the rest of the group. Ron gave a very precise account of the route:-

“First the Old Healesville Rd, then up Chum Creek and down Myers Creek roads, then some dirt. Hmm. No, I guess you lot wont like that. So, the Healesville–KooWeeRup Rd, left at Alsops Rd, right at the Warby Highway, then left at Lusatia Park Rd, left at Gembrook Rd, then right at Milners Rd to the main Noojee Road”.

By this stage we were eager to get going but there was some concern that Dave Moore still hadn’t arrived. “Perhaps he was worried that the rain in Adelaide could reach here during the day” someone quipped! But we couldn’t wait any longer so off we went with the first part of the route taken at a good pace, although I noticed Dave and Breht did a ‘disappearing act’ up Chum Creek Road!

On the Powelltown road the pace picked up a notch or two to the extent we were so early at Noojee that Ron contemplated a quick run to Icy Creek and back to fill in time!

Noojee was awash with bikes. From their midst appeared Marty Thompson, (now ZX9 mounted) who stated that they were all heading up Mt Baw Baw and he would catch us later at the Tool Shed. With the thought of all those bikes on the road we quickly abandoned our plans and headed directly to lunch – perhaps just as well, for as we were leaving, an ambulance with lights and sirens blazing came storming down the road!

Ern and Chris had other matters to attend to so they left for home. The rest of us proceeded to the Tool Shed which now sports a bitumen driveway. This was good for Dave because while away overseas the MV’s battery had gone flat and now wouldn’t hold a charge, requiring a push-start every time we stopped.

It was very pleasant sitting in the sun listening to Dave and Darryn talk about their trip. Both had hired BM’s and, with their pillion partners, ridden around Italy and Austria. Although the roads were sensational, they suffered from too many vehicles to be enjoyable. Also most towns imposed a 50 kph speed limit. Darryn was still in shock at being passed by a Honda Jazz as he rode along the autobahn at 140kph and Dave was wishing he had the MV when he tackled the Nurburgring, although with one death a week, it is still a place to treat with caution!

A few more bike riders arrived with a couple from the Front Line Tourers knowing Clint. They were pre-planning a ride to Dargo for their club. They also knew ‘wee Bill’ (Bill Wee). Former member, Dave Hives, stopped in for his usual pot and a chat!

All too soon it was time to go. Ron explained the route;

“Home would be via some ‘Tim Walker roads’ - that’s Neerim North Rd to Neerim Junction, Neerim East Rd to Neerim South then back to Neerim Junction for petrol, then on to the Nayook-Powelltown Rd to the main Noojee Rd for the run to Launching Place where the ride will finish”.

Dave, Clint and Darryn decided to head straight home to catch some of the Indy 300 so that left just the 3 of us to complete the ride.

Thanks to Ron for an interesting run on some roads we haven’t traveled on for some time.

Ian Payne