Seymour                                                   Sunday 17th February, 2008

Trevor Harris (Leader)

Yamaha YZF1000

Paul Walkley

Kawasaki Z1000

Paul Southwell

Honda CBR1000

Pina Garasi

Yamaha R6

Bruce Fleming

Kawasaki GPz900RA6

Ben Warden

Honda CBR954

Simon Trubiano

Honda CBR929

Kern

Honda CBR600

Rob Langer

BMW R1150GS

Ray Walker

Kawasaki ZX9

Willem Vandeveld

Honda ST1300       

Cameron Stevens

Yamaha FZ6

 

I was greeted on the way in from the Christmas Hills by an unmarked cop car sitting on the opposite side of the road in Yarra Glen. Most riders arrived on time and we departed slightly after 10.05am though Ray Walker took a detour via Whittlesea assuming this was the starting point for a Seymour ride.

I started off just in front of the rear rider and quickly found myself at the front as the rest of the group was waved into the licence check area that had grown from the single, unmarked car. I got to the first corner with Kern and it was already hot in the sun. I sweated out the contents of a can of V waiting for the rear rider and eventually we were off. By this point, Ben, who was stationed at the next corner had started to head back to find out what was going on.

As we rode down the Old Healesville Road and then Chum Creek Road our group grew with the addition of Paul Southwell. We cruised up toward Toolangi dodging bicycles on the left and cars on the right (who themselves were dodging bicycles on the way down).

From Toolangi we rode down the Melba Highway before turning left at Glenburn and heading towards Flowerdale and Strath Creek. Pina had a scare from an oncoming 4WD in the distance and in turn gave the rider behind her a scare with the sudden application of her brakes. From Strath Creek we headed up the twisties and over the hill to Broadford. Sadly, no dark blue Commodore spotted by the side of the road. A few bikes filled up at Broadford (the CBR is a bit thirsty and I didn’t want to risk running out).

From Broadford we cut up to the Seymour Pyalong road and headed towards Pyalong, Emu Flat, Baynton, and then looped down through Lancefield and back towards Pyalong. At Pyalong we took a left turn onto the highway followed shortly by a right hander which would turn out to be another long wait on a corner. The sun was out and warm!  I watched Kern head straight past on the highway, in search of fuel, I was informed by Willem as he relieved me of my corner marking duties.

En-route to Seymour I slowed down when I saw a couple of bikes pulled over on the side of the road. Paul Southwell waved me on and I continued up to the last turn before Seymour, manned by Ben and Cameron. I stopped for a chat with Ben to let him know about the rear couple of riders and continued on towards Seymour.

The group regrouped at the Shell servo outside of Seymour. Some bikes made it there running on vapours. We had a bit of a wait there before most of the remaining bikes turned up and Willem had gained a pillion, Ray. The battery on the ZX9 had gone flat while trying to restart it after fuel was transferred from Willem’s bike.

A rescue team was assembled: Ben on the back of Paul Walkley’s Z1000 (experience and know how) and myself (muscle and good looks) headed off to the stranded ZX9. Ben and Paul siphoned around 2 litres of fuel into the ZX9, I pulled the headlight plug, and with the combined effort of three pushed it down the road (Paul leapt on it at the appropriate moment). The rescue team headed back towards Seymour to reunite rider and ride before meeting up with the rest of the group from ‘lunch’. Pina disappeared for other commitments and the remainder of the group headed towards Highlands on our way towards Yea.

At Yea the group headed south towards Flowerdale. At the first set of twisties a number of people (including myself) slipped into racer mode, probably due to the effects of sunstroke. I found myself thinking on one corner, what’s this car doing on the racetrack? The group stopped in Kinglake West to break up. Paul Walkley had hit something sharp and hard on a corner. Both the front and rear rims had been seriously dented on the left hand side. Everyone was amazed they were holding the air.

All in all a fantastic ride, fantastic weather, great roads. Thanks Trevor!

         Nic Jacka