Gembrook Sunday 1^st June, 2008

Ian Payne (leader)	Honda CBR1000	Mick Canny	Kawasaki ZX9
Paul Southwell	Honda CBR1000	Randal Leacock	Kawasaki ZX9
Ken Goederee	Honda CBR1000	Bronwyn Manifold	Kawasaki Z750
Rob Jones	Honda CBR1000	Dan Francome (1^st ride)	Kawasaki GPx250
Ben Warden	Honda CBR954	Mark Rigsby (rear)	Suzuki GSXR1000
Willem Vandeveld	Honda ST1300	Chris Pointon	Suzuki GSXR1000
Nic Jacka	Honda CBR600	Misho Zrakic	Suzuki GSXR750
Dave Ward	Honda CBR600	Clint Prytula (2^nd ride)	Suzuki SV1000
Ron Johnston	Honda CB400F	Tim Emons	Suzuki SV650
Richard Buck (1^st ride)	Yamaha FZ1	Jim Mastrandonakis (1^st ride)	Aprilia Falco 1000
Cameron Stevens	Yamaha FZ6	Darryn Webster	Triumph 675
Pina Garasi	Yamaha R6		23 bikes, 23 people

By the time you have written down all the names it feels like you have written half the article. Yes, it was a brilliant turnout despite glorious fog and cool temperatures. Three new riders and one second time rider shows the web page/weather/moons have all aligned strategically well for this ride.

ICE names and numbers gathered, time marching on, Ian called us together for the safety aspect of the ride. The plan for the day was outlined, the route identified and then we were off. But not the usual way up Clyde Road to the lights and on to Harkaway, but immediately left around Kangan Road with wide 60 km/h sweepers meandering its way through the roundabouts and past Haileybury College and back to the Princes Highway. Then on to the Beaconsfield Emerald Road. A nasty, get-across-three-lanes-of-traffic right hand turn saw half of us get through on the first set of lights, the rest not.

On to Upper Beaconsfield with the road getting wider and more pleasant, then a right turn at Salisbury Road and all the way back down to Toomuc Road to Pakenham before heading back up into the hills along the Pakenham Gembrook Road picking up Army road and back down to the Princes Highway. A few more kilometres saw us pick up the expansive double roundabout and overpass over the freeway and heading for Nar Nar Goon.

Having more time to ponder the meaning of life when not leading, I noted our average speed was 65 km/h up until this point – 30 minutes or so. Is it better to zigzag up and down hills and suburbia or head down, bum up along the highway at 110 km/h? And get to the good stuff as fast as you can? Pros and cons for each side of the argument. And with different leaders and routes, we get to evaluate both.

At Longwarry North we recrossed the highway and headed for Jindivick. For me, this is where the ride really started – but so did the fog. It was interesting heading up towards Jindivick a notch or two slower than usual, the roads wet with heavy dew and visibility restricted. Again pondering, I considered the egress of say, a white farmer’s ute, onto the road into my path which would be both very difficult to see and leave little time to react. Best not to dwell.

As we approached the “summit” an almost blinding white fog gave way to crystal clear blue skies and strong sunlight. It was immediately psychologically warmer as well and the heart rate quickened as I set about determined to press hard, bike feeling good with new head stem bearings, race rear and meaty front, suspension refurbished front and back. As good as it gets at 120,000 km.

Through Jindivick and on to Neerim South where I half expected us to regroup after 90 km with the readily available fuel and food. But Ian had said 120 km to Hill End, so no. On through my favourite fast Crossover twisties up to the Old Sale Road and then into the various open sections followed by tighter corners. Left at the Trafalgar Road and on to Hill End for morning tea.

Rob Jones committed his hard earned readies to the Club cause and we struck a deal on his standard exhaust system from his previous bike, an identically coloured 954. Ken and Paul also exchanged footpeg mounting brackets and a green one. Now to find four 8mm bolts – which reminds me, I should check the bolts box. Dave produced a very impressive sample Club advertising cards for comment. I was all for ordering there and then but the temperate one convinced me otherwise. The new riders were surviving and all was well with the world in the brilliant sunshine. Out with the sunscreen but Paul was already ahead of me.

Service was slow at the local milkbar, Pina preferring to wait until the crowd thinned. I feasted on home made bread and grandma’s home made plum (Satsuma (blood plum), for you really old people). Julie has discovered the joy of a bread maker, making a different style of loaf every night, hot and ready for breakfast – ah, the wonders of modern timers. Luckily the flour shop is right next door to Redwing.

Appetites sated, thirsts quenched, coffee dependency temporary warded off, we set off towards Icy Creek and the challenging twisties. I was near last to leave, wearing a second jacket and multiple layers taking more time than usual to complete the dressing sequence. Twenty three bikes is a lot to pass in the twisties. Rob Jones went sailing by on the open section and I thought I wouldn’t see him again. But later I could see I was reeling him in, and I sat on his tail as we worked our way safely past a large group of riders.

We pressed on before coming up behind Chris Pointon, the grunt of the Suzuki requiring a determined effort to get past. Then it was clear and great. Rob was a bit rusty, running wide a couple of times. And then it was over. Dave was corner marking with Cameron. On and up the hill, Rob waving me on. Careful at Nic’s corner, some gravel where new bitumen has been laid, the odd washout coming into Noojee, and then Paul Southwell corner marking the road heading up the goat track towards Neerim South. It was pretty hairy when pushing with more washouts, a few slides, and sticks on the road. I thought these conditions didn’t bode well and the odds of all surviving were getting slimmer. I sent Rob on to the next corner to relieve Ian so that he could head into Neerim South for petrol and lunch.

Eventually Misho came through and corner marked with me, and then no-one. Finally Bronwyn came along to report two crashes back on the Icy Creek twisties. Chris Pointon and first time rider Richard on the FZ1 were the unlucky riders. Both bikes and riders were okay, other than the bikes being a long way down embankments requiring mass efforts to recover.

With bikes strewn on corners everywhere and the wait likely to be long, I figured I would head back down and release the corner markers, and by-pass the goat track and save time (and risk). I rode back to the Icy Creek junction, in the zone, remembering passing Chris and wondering if I had somehow caused the accident. He assured me later that he had attempted to follow me and …failed. Very flattering, thanks Chris, but more likely a tightening corner got you. It was his first Club crash so he no longer felt a “virgin”. At least the soft soil had prevented any serious damage.

By this time one bike had been hauled back up onto the road with the assistance of a 4WD and winch while 6 blokes manhandled the other back to terra firma. Pina had harassed the driver half jokingly saying what took him so long? He said he had been fishing another bike out of the mud. What sort? A Suzuki, he replied. She immediately panicked, thinking of Misho. “What colour?” she queried. “Blue.” “Ah, that’s all right then.” Everyone laughed.

Bikes were already coming back towards me. I caught up with rear rider Mark at the intersection and confirmed all was well. By this time riders were already having lunch in Noojee, the corner markers gone missing and reappearing at the Powelltown turnoff where they weren’t required! I swept them up, enjoyed the 8 km ride up the hill to Neerim South. The plan was to all regroup at Neerim South.

Noojee now has fuel again: distillate and unleaded. No Premium. Neerim South does have Premium. The Noojee shop woman is still fighting the previous owners who sold the fuel tanks knowing they were leaking and would not pass the next EPA inspection where three tanks were discovered, not two. $12,500 to make good. Suing to recover. She is also battling the fuel distributor who claims the tanks are theirs – but not the cleanup bill. But she is determined and willing to fight the battles one at a time. More power to her. She just wants all the bikies to come back!

Now all together except for a few riders (Mick, Jim and Dan) who had departed with prior engagements, it was time for a group photo. Even taken in the shade the photos all had sun flare on the lens. The woman proprietor assisted as best she could getting me in the photo, thankful for my assistance at the pumps, speeding up the process.

Then back on the bikes and down through Nayook. I overshot the first tight right hander and went straight down the skinny bitumen road, brain not in gear. On to the wet Powelltown sweepers – mainly dry except mid corner! It was getting cold and dark, the sun very low, despite the hour. It was around 2.30 pm and we had 100 km to go.

Through Powelltown and on to Yarra Junction picking up the brilliant Gembrook Road. I am convinced it is much better in this direction as you generally climb towards Gembrook. Over and down towards Pakenham to the big roundabout then back up to Cockatoo picking up the tricky yet scenic Paternoster Road to Upper Beaconsfield, then around Ian’s normal twisties through to Harkaway (now I know why he didn’t do them in the morning) picking up Heatherton Road, finally stopping at a large servo a kilometre or so short of the Monash Freeway.

It was around 4 pm and 16 riders remained. Nic had peeled off at Gembrook to visit his brother, Chris Pointon had headed home also from Gembrook. Everyone was pretty buzzed up but a date with my 80 year old mother-in-law at her surprise party with 5 o’clock deadline saw me unable to share the euphoria for too long. Just a long haul into now the painfully low sun, sunset at 5.08 pm I noted on the news.

Thanks to Ian for his well planned ride and all those who attended, making it the fun day it was.

Ben Warden