Mirboo East, Grandridge Road Sunday 14^th November, 2010

Ben Warden	Honda CBR954	Cliff Peters (Lead)	Kawasaki ZX10R
Paul Southwell	Honda CBR1000	Jason Wilson (rear)	Kawasaki ZX9R
Misho Zrakic/Pina Garasi	Honda CBR1000	Geoff Shugg	Suzuki DL 650
John Willis	Honda XL1000	7 bikes/8 people	355kms

I left home in light rain, decked out in full wets. It had rained most of Saturday and Friday night, which I was unlucky enough to be out in for a couple of hours after heading home from my nephew Danny’s place at Condah (between Heywood and Hamilton).

By Little River the drizzle had stopped. Hmm. You never know. I thought to myself it might not be a bad day after all. (Maybe!)

Jason and Geoff were already at Berwick, Jason in full wets. He must have remembered my last attempt to lead down this way in the rain mid-winter. “Drowned rats” springs to mind J I said to him, “I might take my wets off at Loch if it hasn’t rained before then”. It’s quite warm when you aren’t actually riding, with no airflow to cool you. He didn't look too sure as the sky didn't look too promising.

Paul, Misho and Pina (two up), Ben and John arrive. Looks like that’s going to be it for today? I tell them where we are going and we are off, left off the Freeway to Nar Nar Goon, on to Tynong, Garfield, Bunyip, Longwarry and Drouin. Roads are dry.

We continue on across to the Warragul Korumburra Road where we turn right. There seems to be more traffic than normal. I get held up a little. Here’s a chance: out and around. I get a flash from behind and give them a wave. Sorry mate.

I’m watching for damp spots in the shadows around some of the corners. There is quite a lot of leaf litter as well.

About half way along, there’s a church or hall on the right hand side. They must have pulled out some pines and had them heaped up. It was well alight as we went past. There were plenty of people in attendance to keep an eye on it. Thought to myself, “Pity I hadn’t brought a bag of marsh mallows along - could have scorched a few on a long stick.” It’s the only way to eat them. Yum!

Whoops, something dead mid-corner. Possum or fox. Alter my line a little to avoid it.

There is a corner or two you have to look out for where the road surface is getting quite rippled. If you stay wide it’s okay; you can miss the bumps.

At Ranceby we take the Poowong turnoff. I leave two corner markers, only one bike behind me. The others may have got held up behind a car, the animal carcass in the middle of the corner sprang to mind. I hope not.

I continue through Poowong towards Nyora, then corner mark on the back road into Loch. Waiting. worrying, stress going up notches. I hope no one hit the dead animal – it was in a bad spot. Here they come, count heads. Cool. All there. Do the last four or so kilometres to Loch for morning tea.

I ate my home made sandwiches and had a cuppa from my thermos. John’s having a late breakfast or an early lunch. Everyone seems to be eyeing it off J

There’s a damaged late model Ford or Holden ute outside the fire station with a plaque explaining what happened to it. Some young feller had wrapped it around a tree, severely injuring himself. Paralysed, apparently. A sobering reminder.

Next stop Mirboo North, 70 odd kilometres before lunch and fuel. We head back to Poowong and Ranceby, turn right towards Korumburra, and then turn left to Arawata. We do the three kilometres of dirt (good dirt, mind you) up to Wooreen. Then great twisty bitumen through Hallston, Allambie South and into Mirboo North. A short hop, but fun.

Pies, rolls, tea and coffee, and cakes were consumed with good natured chit chat. Somehow the talk got around to bleaching of certain body parts, which I won’t go into here J

Next stop Grand Ridge Road to Mirboo East. We head west out of Mirboo North, turn left, right, and left in quick succession. Then follow the road almost to Marden South before turning left down a nice section of road to the next left and on to Dumbalk North. We continued on through Mirboo and into the grouse, as Ronnie would say, twisty section to the Limonite intersection, where we turn right onto the Grand Ridge Road to Boolarra South, watching out for the lady waving her arms. There are unsignposted cattle on the road. We turn right and follow the Grand Ridge Road to Mirboo East and to the end of the bitumen where we stop for a spell and some photos.

Paul says he hasn’t been here for a while. There have been no rides this way for a bit. Last time I was here was with Cameron back before the winter, I think.

I must remember to pack my hat next ride as the sun is burning my “bald” head. The day has turned out to be a corker. No rain at all for the ride, and virtually dry roads all day. Awesome!

We head back the way we came and on to Boolarra where we turn left onto the great 14 km of twisty road back to Mirboo North. Did you see the dude running up the road with a little torch, Olympic style? Not sure what that was about, but I guess he knew.

Right towards Thorpdale through the esses at steady speed as I was flashed by an oncoming car a few kilometres back. It turned out to be nothing.

Through Thorpdale and then onto the downhill twisty section into Trafalgar for a spell.

Talk turned to tyres and tyre wear. I was looking at Jason’s Pirellis. His rear tyre is just as worn out as the front. Both were replaced at the same time. Not sure how he has managed that. I usually get two rears to one front. He is certainly hard on the fronts.

Misho is using a rear Continental Road Attack-2 and he seems very pleased with the wear, especially since he has been riding two-up since putting it on. Good grip as well. Plus I think he said the bike turns in better, probably because the Continental Road-2 has a sharper profile. It certainly looks a little pointier than the Michelin Pilot Road 2.

Homeward bound via the Old Sale Road. The bit of highway to the turnoff is boring. Sorry fellas/Pina. I wanted to pick up all the twisty bits back to Crossover. I like this section heaps. On to Crossover, Neerim South, Jindivick, and final blast to Longwarry North and break-up.

Thanks, boys and girl, for joining me for the day. Sunday’s forecast must have put some people off. I can’t believe how good the day turned out to be. Thanks Jason for rear riding duties. About 360 kilometres for the day

Cliffy Peters