Eildon Sunday 17^th June, 2007

Dave Ward	Ducati 1098	Ben Warden (leader)	Honda CBR954
Geoff Jones	Yamaha R1	Mark Rigsby (rear rider)	Suzuki GSXR1000
Steve Cowburn	Honda CBR954	Cameron Stevens	Suzuki GSXR1000
Ron Johnson	Suzuki GSF1200	Robert Langer	BMW R1200 GS
Mal Standish (1^st ride)	Kawasaki ZX9	Peter Jones (1^st ride)	Yamaha R1

Winter riding has arrived, inner lining zipped into the Dry Rider and apply the anti-fog snake oil to the visor. Zip up to keep out the cold and trundle off to Yarra Glen. Remember to fill up this time to avoid the dreaded R1 out of fuel again blues. Patches of damp road setting the tone for the day. Top up and join the group.

No Breht available as work calls. Ben steps up to the leader plate with some interesting variations on the advertised route which include two dirt sections. Some rumbling in the ranks about having to clean bikes with Cameron noting that car wash places of the "hand wash" variety will not clean bikes due to OH&S concerns for the operators. I must admit to the odd cut when sharp plastic or metal comes into contact with water softened hands.

Out or Yarra Glen to the Old Healesville Road, left at Chum Creek Road and into the mist and fog to Toolangi. Not running wet, but not dry, grip a bit of a lottery requiring smooth applications of go and stop to remain right side up. Vision not good despite the anti-fog. Anyone with a fix please email the editor.

Right at the Melba Highway and flashing lights on oncoming cars meant 13 km of at-the-speed-limit cruising, watching for the camera car. No camera car but a gaggle of TOG units at Glenburn who checked all the group's credentials. Not quite all as Cameron had punctured a new rear tyre a few kays before the Police road block. Mark remained with the stricken GSXR and Ron brought the news to Ben as we cleared the licence check and were heading for Break O Day. U turn, back past the police and a quick sticky plug and CO2 bottle repair sees the tyre round again. Cameron is sent home in case the repair fails later.

All past the police check again, after Ben let them know it was us again, and onto a drying run to the Junction Hill sweepers. The run to Yea, north of Junction Hill, is prone to Police presence so around 7 km south of Yea Ben diverts onto Dairy Creek Road to pick up the Goulburn Valley Highway at Homewood. Some dirt (~4 km …Ed.) of the smooth variety, still dusty despite the recent rain but a variation on the norm. Into Yea for fuel (for some) and food.

Rob adjusting the handlebars on the Beemer after doing the rounds to find a 6mm Allen key. Even some sunshine to brighten the outlook for the swoopy run up to Highlands. On to Caveat, Gobur and through a herd of cows grazing on the "long paddock" under the care of a rather irate cowgirl. The cows became rather agitated as nine bikes moved through the herd.

Merton comes and goes and we settle in for the highway cruise to Bonnie Doon, second fuel and food stop. Not a place the club frequents on Sunday rides but the beginning of Ben's second "variation" of the ride, “about 15km of good dirt."

Lake Eildon used to extend to Bonnie Doon and beyond and there is a mini Great Ocean Road that used to follow the water line south, servicing the holiday homes and businesses at this end of the Lake. It is now dry but the road is rather tasty, the corners banked and the surface good. Then it climbs up from the old water line and becomes Skyline Road: dirt, ruts, dust but great views as it climbs to around 700m. My odo, which is an American unit, showing more like 17 miles before the bitumen. (20 km according to mine …Ed.)

We did the photo shoot at a lookout just before the dirt finished. Talk of Pazzo Racing billet levers, which I have ordered via the web from the USA, brought comments of "Too much bling" from Dave. Dave, of course, standing next to the biggest piece of "bling" to come out of the Ducati factory in quite some time.

The levers have arrived, CNC'd from billet and anodised black with blue adjusters that match the preload adjusters. Part of my 60^th birthday haul. Extra costly as they do not make clutch levers for the ‘98 model R1 so I had to cough another $178 for a later model clutch lever perch that of course comes with a lever. Used only on this ride and replaced with the Pazzo levers the day after. I first noticed these levers on Tony's TRX while wrenching the forks into shape after one of Tony's "offs" in Gippsland some moons ago. Go to www.pazzoracing.com for a look. Also check out CRG levers on Google for another tasty option in the "bling" stakes.

Off the dirt and onto the more familiar part of Skyline Road to Alexandra where lurking in the bushes at the servo is Paul CBR1000 Southwell who apparently was trying to make contact with the ride based on a voice mail message sent by Ben from Bonnie Doon. The group turned left in the centre of Alexandra and picked up the road to Acheron. Paul, a little slow on mounting up, missed the corner markers. (And headed straight for Molesworth, etc. …Ed.) Down the road and all stop as Ben has the day's second puncture.

Return to the Servo, insert another sticky patch, blow up using the air and off again, puncture repairs done good and fast. Steve had had a moment on the wooden bridge before the Maroondah Highway. As he took the lower centre section of the bridge, he hit a step at the bridge end, throwing the CBR and Steve suddenly upward, landing okay, as it turned out. So to the Molesworth Road; think Isle of Man speeds and you should get the picture.

Sedate running to Yea for last stop. Then back to Junction Hill and take no prisoners to the ride end at Kinglake West, weather turning cold and starting to rain as we pulled in at the Store. First time rider, Peter Jones, on a late model R1, summed up his day as “The best ride he has had since coming to Victoria,” despite feeling the cold a little.

Thanks for the ride Ben; the variations were a treat. And thanks to Mark for rear riding. Around 350 km for the day.

I am off to the UK and Ireland for a month on the 23/6/7 and hope get to the Skerries 100 Road race near Dublin on the 6^th and 7^th of July. Closed Public roads and crazy Irish road racers on tuned litre bikes. Spectating from the hedge rows or the local pub or front gardens; should be a blast. There is a similar race on at other Ireland locations on every weekend through July but it might stretch the relationship if the holiday becomes a road race fest.

Geoff Jones

Washing bike at home noticed hissing noise: puncture #3 – self tapper screw smiling sweetly at me. Changed wheel with hot spare! One I had prepared earlier, as they say. …Ed.