MSTCV Porepunkah Christmas Camp

26^th Decenber 2006 to 1^st January 2007

With the recent bushfires around the area we were unsure whether this year’s camp would be on but a phone call to the Mount Buffalo Caravan Park confirmed that, although a bit smokey due to ‘back-burning’ it was business as usual!

Tuesday 26^th Ben, Julie, Fiona and Emma, Ian and Kerrie, Ron, Julie, Cliff, Danny and Vanessa, Pete, Liz and Danielle all arrived today. Although a bit of smoke was hanging around, not much had changed since last year. Unfortunately, due to the bushfires, many holiday makers had stayed away. This was good from our perspective as getting accommodation wasn’t a problem with cabins and rooms at the pub all available to those who chose to come at the last minute.

With back-burning continuing on Mt. Buffalo the road to the Chalet was closed to all traffic. Therefore our nightly run up Buffalo did not happen. Nevertheless, a few hardy souls decided that Tawonga Gap was a good substitute and from there-after it became the nightly adrenalin rush.

Wednesday 27^th Today we would head over Tawonga Gap to Mount Beauty. Then, if the road was open, up to Falls Creek. Evidence of the recent fires was all around with large areas of blackened trees and ground. This was more so on Tawonga Gap where even the wooden lookout platform had been damaged! Although the Falls Creek road was for ‘Local Traffic Only’ we couldn’t resist the run up to the top. In fact the shop owner was more that happy to see us and even asked us to turn off the sign to prompt more tourists coming up!

Ern Reeders and Helen arrived today. Also Paul Southwell who was staying in Tawonga South came over for a visit.

Thursday 28^th Today’s ride would be to Omeo and then on to Anglers Rest. I didn’t go as the constant overnight smoke had played havoc with my respiratory system; instead Kerrie and I would walk into Bright and check out the new brewery.

(We went 25 km past Anglers Rest till the end of the bitumen. Fantastic road if you like never ending tight twisties. Extreme tyre wear was the order of the day. …Ed.)

Friday 29^th Most of the group did family type stuff today, with Ron, Julie, Danny and Vanessa driving to Anglers Rest for a meal at the Blue Duck pub.

Ben and family headed for Mt Hotham and Dinner Plain to check out the fire fighting helicopters draining the snow making dam. Then caught a few trout at Smoko for tea. Ern and I rode to Mitta Mitta. Cliff also came a bit later. The roads were in sensational condition so we enjoyed a great ride.

Les, Lyn, John, Bruce and Bevan arrived today. Also Darryn, Dave and Bron who were staying at the Porpunkah pub.

Saturday 30^th With our numbers swollen by Dave, Darryn and Renzo, a good ride was called for so today we would do Tawonga Gap (twice), Falls Creek then on to Hotham and Omeo. The run up to Falls was without incident but coming down I was rear rider and following Lyn at a fair pace when some movement up to the left caught my eye. It was a fire ravaged tree that had suddenly chosen to fall. From my perspective it looked like it would fall right on Lyn Phew! Just missed her with only some flying debris hitting her.

BUT NOW THERE WAS A PROBLEM The 10 metre tree had fallen onto the road and into my path! With a wildly braking oncoming car blocking any escape onto the other side of the road it looked like I had no option but to brake hard and then try to jump it! Fortunately the trunk broke into several smaller pieces which I cleared with a thump. I stopped to calm my nerves and look for any damage. Happily, a few scratches on the belly pan the only evidence of what could have been a serious incident!

We continued on to Hotham which was full of activity with continued back-burning and repairs to signs and road markers. Once in Omeo the smoke haze was quite thick with a sign asking all motorists to drive with their car headlights on! On the way back we stopped at Hotham to watch the helicopters collecting water and bombing the hot-spots; fascinating!

Peter, Chris and Sally arrived today. Most of us were intrigued with Peter’s bike. This top-of-the-range KTM had a host of features and is the type of bike you would use for the ‘Paris to Dakar’ event. The BMW outfits were also unusual in that they had been constructed to go almost anywhere. In fact they had arrived here by going in the most circuitous route that contained very little bitumen road and with Les accompanying them on the ZZR250. This little bike had also been subjected to conditions way out of its design parameters.

Sunday 31^st An epic ride was planned for today with Tumbarumba in NSW the destination. With a well worn rear tyre Granya Gap would be as far as I would go. Again the roads were in great condition so a good time was had by all, the only thing to dampen our mood was the Tallangatta local who warned us about the ‘nasty’ local cop! (After Granya we rode on to Walwa for fuel and food, then back to Jingellic and up to Tumbarumba where it started to rain! It got heavier on the return journey making the conditions quite slippery. But as we descended from the clouds the conditions cleared and the temperature rapidly returned to the standard 30 degrees, the cooling respite only lasting about 30 minutes. Back to Jingellic, around to Granya and back to Tallangatta for fuel. Only 110 km back to camp making for over a 538 km day. Brilliant roads, excellent ride. …Ed.)

Monday 1^st Most headed home today leaving the Warden’s, Lyn, John, Bruce, Cliff, Danny & Vanessa.

Tuesday 2^nd Wardens left at about 11 am suffering a blown trailer tyre near Glenrowan. Replaced with spare wheel after hammering trailer guard back into shape after delaminated tyre smashed into guard, bending it under itself. Picture: heat, flies, flat spare, scissor jack well packed at bottom of everything, holiday piled up on side of road, 3 women with mobiles calling their Mums. …Ed.)

Who Went: (29 people, 2 dogs, 19 bikes, 11 cars)

Ben, Julie, Fiona Warden & Emma Love (cousin) – car x2, trailer, bicycles x3, CBR954; powered tent site

Ron and Julie Johnston – car, trailer and Bandit 1200; powered tent site

Cliff Peters - Holden ute, trailer ZX-10R, GSXR750 and GSXR1000; powered tent site

Danny Hawker, Vanessa and Ally (dog) – car; powered tent site

Dave Ward and Bronwyn Manifold– XR8 ute, GSXR600 and bicycle; cabin

Darryn Webster – ZX-6R; Bright Pub

Paul Southwell – CBR1000RR; friends at Tawonga South

Ian Payne and Kerrie Gooding – car and CBR1000RR; cabin

Ern Reeders and Helen – car, trailer and CBR954RR; cabin

Pete Weyermayr, Liz and Danielle – car, trailer, CBR929RR and bicycles; cabin

Lyn Duncan – car, trailer, GSXR1000 and Thor (dog); unpowered tent site

John Cecil – BMW K100 outfit; unpowered tent site

Bruce Guilmartin – BMW R90; unpowered tent site

Peter Hill– KTM 990 Ralley; unpowered tent site

Chris & Sally McArdle – K100 outfit; unpowered tent site

Les Leahy – ZZR250; unpowered tent site

Bevan Roberts GSXR750; unpowered tent site

Renzo Cunico– VFR750;sister in Myrtleford

Thanks to the Johnson clan for the tyre changing facilities they provided. (Danny – wheel balancer and skill set; Cliff bead breaker and skill set and enthusiasm; Ron – compressor and premises). I know the boys changed three of my tyres over the week and one of Lyn’s and a few of theirs. It makes a big difference. …Ed.)

Ian Payne