A Blast from the Past:

 

Ben and Julie Warden asked if I wanted some old duplicate Club magazines. I sure did. My plan was to scan the ones that were not on the Club web site already and send to Ben to put up on the web. I jumped at the chance. But I wasn’t going to scan the really old ones as I could hardly read the faded print as it was. So I am typing the old magazines into Word and then emailing them to Ben.  (A very onerous and time consuming job. Thanks Barb. ...Ed.)

 

I have not previously read any of these magazines.  You know what? As I am reading them, I am transported back to that time.  Some of the write-ups are fantastic, with a lot of humour. Compared to the write-ups now, there were a lot more women riders who were members back then.  Family activities were very common, sometimes with entire families participating in rides/meetings or the social aspects of the Club.  A number of the rides stopped for BBQs where members played footy or threw Frisbees around, swam or engaged in other interactive activities. Riders would head to other member’s homes after a ride for coffee, etc. Oh well, those days have gone but you can all read about them on the Club web pages. 

 

I also liked reading write-ups telling how much petrol cost back then.  Today petrol is around $1.30c per litre and gas is around 60c per litre. So, if one of your great-great-great grandchildren reads this, they will be able to see how good we had it J...well I am guessing that either there won’t be any petrol left or it will cost triple the price what it is now.

 

Also mentioned a few times was the price of fish and chips. Boy, we sure ate a lot back then. I will leave it up to you to read the write-ups to see the difference in the prices J

 

Some familiar names have caught my eye. Just last week I came upon Ben Warden’s first write-up. See below. I will submit some old write-ups that take my fancy. Hopefully, they will tickle your fancies too. For more old write-ups, visit the Club web pages in the Member section.

 

Barb Peters

 

 

Daylesford                  Sunday 13th March 1983

(Editor’s comments in italics)

 

The morning was overcast and cool, a welcome change from the sticky conditions we had experienced over the previous weeks.  I arrived (at Kings Bridge Car Park, corner of Spencer and Flinders Streets ...Ed.) to hear Keith (Finlay, the President) give the corner-marker spiel for the benefit of a couple of newcomers – Vic with an oily boot,  (“barrel cracked for the second time”), on a rat Honda 750 “with 900 pistons” and ? on an XS250.  Keith also announced that number-plates were no-longer compulsory.  I missed seeing Dean topple over onto the bike parked next to him, (with Dean still sitting on it!!).  Result!  One broken GT550 mirror.   As no one volunteered to lead, it was left to Keith, with Ted (Honda 250RS) as back marker. (Where was Danny?) (Dalalana, the usual rear rider)

 

We survived the radar trap in Footscray, thanks to on coming vehicles warning lights.  Not far out of Melton the XS retired.  Ted and I stopped to offer assistance.  Puffs of blue smoke and “won’t go more than 90k” symptoms looked bad.  We assume he made it home.

 

Running down into the valley towards Bacchus Marsh we were greeted by a misty view across GREEN orchards studded with modern, becalmed windmills with brown mountains in the background.  Then we headed north via Mt Bullengarook to Gisborne.  This is a great stretch of road rushing along a ridge with views to either side.  (Was that the Lerderderg Gorge out to the left?)  Evidence of bushfires was clearly apparent.

 

At Gisborne I refuelled the bike (and myself), and then it was up the Calder Highway and through the Black Forest (ironic) to Woodend.  The fire had been right up to the roadside in places.  I travelled slowly, almost reverently, absorbing the smell, colour, and sights of destruction.  Piles of rubble and lone chimneys were tell-tale indicators of where once stood houses, pubs and sheds.  A distinct lack of life – animal, plant or human created an eerie silence, broken only by the hum of bikes.  These scenes left a lasting impression.

 

The railway crossing coming into Daylesford looked okay.  I was following Vic and he straightened the kink out.  I stayed on the correct side of the road and had to fight hard to stay ON the road.  Dips and bumps everywhere.  Dean and Chris (pillion) following immediately after didn’t fare much better either.  I remembered the crossing (only just in time) on the way back.

 

We lunched with members of the Ballarat Motor Cycle Touring Club (which included a woman on a fully faired CB1100R! She used to ride a hot Z900.) at Jubilee Lake, a few K’s outside of Daylesford.  Can a standard (Honda) CX500 really go 190km/h?

 

The weather was now perfect.  Bright and warm sunshine, but cool enough for riding.  The local police van did a patrol around the park and was gone.  Keith and Vic, in one hired canoe, and Dean and Chris in another, proceeded to drown each other, after ramming didn’t have the desired result.  Very amusing (camera, camera) but chilly without a change of clothes.  Keith was alright, even after surrendering one of the half dozen Tee shirts he was wearing.  Did Ted eventually go for a swim?

 

Heading back towards Woodend, I swapped bikes with Dean.  He pointed out that my (Kawasaki) GPz550 had a lower seat height.  My main impression of his (Kawasaki) GT550 was its smoothness due to the rubber mounted engine.  The shaft was un-noticeable except “power on” in corners.  The power figures are roughly equivalent (61 verses 56HP) and the GT’s three litre larger tank provides for an equal touring range of around 400km, depending on how hard ridden.

 

Throughout the ride many cattle and sheep along the roadside made riding apprehensive at times.  But the animals were unperturbed by vehicles and continued grazing unaware.  The fires were particularly efficient around Macedon, even burning paddocks.  In the more wooded areas you could see “through” the corners.

 

On to Romsey and down to Sunbury.  Speeds were up-up.  Back through Bulla to meet the Tullamarine Freeway.  Afternoon tea was being generously provided at Keith’s place (in Essendon), but I shot through to play squash at 5pm.

 

For those interested, I was picked up on the (Kew) Boulevard on the day of the Economy Ride, (126mpg), Nov. 82 and charged with:

 

(1)  Exceeding 260cc while holder of a Learner’s Permit;

(2)  Failing to display “L” plates;

(3)  Failing to display front number plates;

(4)  Failing to display registration sticker.  (I had it in my jacket.)

 

I appeared at Prahran (Magistrates) Court.  The outcome was a $100 fine ($60 1st charge and $40 second) with $15.60 court costs.  The 3rd and 4th charges were dropped because:-

(1)  The barrister ($250) plea-bargained with the policeman beforehand;

(2)  The police weren’t really out to “get” me.

 

Crash repairs after Welshpool drama:

(1) Tail frame section fractured in four places: re-welded at Cosway’s $30

(2) Mirrors, clip-ons, a blinker lens, rear foot pegs, front brake lever, gear change lever...$50 approx.

 

Ben Warden (Kawasaki GPz550)