Glen Forbes Sunday 30^th May 2010

Henry Wright (leader)	Triumph 675	Ben Warden	Honda CBR954RR
Misho Zrakic & Pina Garasi	Honda CBR1000RR	Cliff Peters	Kawasaki ZX10
Geoff Shugg (rear rider)	Suzuki DL 650	Ron Johnston	Honda CBF1000
Jon Low (1^stride)	Ducati Monster 400		8 bikes 7 people

Today was most unusual, weatherwise. The big question was whether it was going to rain or not. One can never be sure down Gippsland way, so I dress accordingly. It was blowing a gale when I got up but the temperature was quite mild. I don’t mind the wind so long as it doesn’t rain.

Not many turned up today. Pina was on her bike, but left it at the servo because she had had enough of the hard suspension and was planning to leave it at Krooz Tune after the ride. We had a new first time rider, Jon, on a Ducati 400 Learner Approved Motorcycle. Ben had explained the Corner Marking System to Jon and Henry explained the ins and outs of the ride to us.

We were in for a bit of a treat today travelling down roads that we hadn’t been on before, (though Ben may have) with lots of different things to look at. We set off down the freeway taking the first exit on to Cardinia Road and then wove our way through the market gardens to reach the South Gippsland Highway at Tooradin. We continued down the highway for about 15 km before turning left at the Lang Lang servo, into Lang Lang proper, continuing along McDonalds Track to Nyora, entering the opposite way to normal. On to Poowong before cutting back to Loch for the first break after 73 km. I heard later that Jon had dropped his bike while corner marking at the Lang Lang servo intersection, locking up in the mud at the side of the road at low speed, pride the biggest casualty.

Last month, Cliff, Barb, Julie and I visited Nyora for a ride on the Railcar. It runs from Nyora to Leongatha and back. It was an interesting way to spend six hours viewing Gippsland from the steel road through the countryside.

When we stopped at Loch a few people looked at Jon’s bike, surveying the very minor damage. The ride, so far, had been at quite a sedate pace and very relaxed. Our stop at Loch involved conversation about suspension on Pina’s bike. Poor woman is not happy, but soon will be when the suspension is fixed.

From Loch, it’s back on to the South Gippsland Highway heading towards Melbourne for a few kilometres before turning left towards Woodleigh. The road is straight with a few sharp right angle bends. As I am riding down the road, I spot a bike in the distance parked up from a right hand intersection. It was Henry. Ben passes me at speed, missed seeing Henry, overshoots the corner, does a U turn and returns.

Throughout the morning we have had to contend with the wind blowing quite hard at times, making riding awkward, especially in the corners. One minute you are on line, and next thing you are being blown off course.

On the Woodleigh St Hellier Road, amongst the twisties, we ride past a farm house. The farmer comes running out, yelling at us. “Why is he yelling at us?” I ponder. Maybe we are disturbing the peace. Four of us stop and look at each other. After a couple of minutes I turn around and go back to see what has happened.

Shock! Horror! I see a bike and some people in the paddock. I run down to see what has happened. It didn’t look good. Jon is lying on the ground, his bike all smashed up. I told Pina that I would get Ben. The others stayed there. I found Ben just up the road corner marking. He got Henry from the next corner and they came back to the crash site.

None of us knew what had happened because we were all spread out and didn’t see the crash, though Misho suspected the worst when Jon disappeared from view after the third corner. Steve, the farmer, had seen the crash and was yelling at us to stop. Just as well. Jon had come off on a sweeping, up hill, left hand corner. The bike was in the paddock having smashed its way through the barb wire fence, bits and pieces everywhere. Jon was knocked out, laying six metres off to the left of the bike. Steve had brought a blanket down to keep him warm. Misho, Pina and Cliff were there first, followed by Geoff, myself, Ben and Henry. An ambulance was organised.

Now Jon was sitting up trying to remember what had happened. He was okay otherwise. He is a second year international medical student at Monash University, his Singaporean parents holidaying in Washington DC. His ICE number was a fellow motorcyclist medical student.

Farmer Steve was a bit of a character. He had been riding bikes since he was 4 years old, and had raced in the Super Sport class, since giving it away. Steve said he rolled his Massey Fergusson 4WD tractor, with a bucket on the front, about 8 months ago. It looked only a couple of years old. Driving down the road, he lost power to everything including the rear brakes which have individual peddles, but the cross bar that holds the peddles together wasn’t on. He rolled his tractor off the road and into a paddock. I told him the ROPS canopy probably saved him from serious injury or worse. The crash smashed all the windows, except the back one. Uninsured, he spent 8 grand on parts to fix it.

Steve was riding a Pee Wee 50 from the house to the paddock and back; talk about knees around your chin. He brought the tractor down and we loaded the bike into the bucket. See the photos. Then he took it back up to the house with Jon in the cabin to wait for the ambulance and RACV. Ben had collected phone numbers, so we said our goodbyes and went on our way again.

About one kilometre down the road Cliff was standing beside his bike, motioning with his hand to slow down, a cow on the side of the road. Further on we come to a T intersection, a blue candy car strategically parked, obviously on his way to the crash site. Henry was engaged in conversation, providing directions and a summary of the situation.

On to Almurta, Glen Forbes, and a loop down through Woolamai, around Archies Creek and back up to Glen Forbes and Almurta, then south east to Glen Alvie and Kongwak. They have widened and resurfaced the road running down into Kongwak. Excellent. On to Wonthaggi for lunch.

We did lots of twists and turns and loops, travelling on some more new roads. For those who didn’t ride today, you missed out on a great ride.

At Wonthaggi we stop for fuel, then head round to the main street, parking almost impossible, the Bakery disappointingly closed. We sat outside the hamburger shop at tables for a relaxing break. Just before leaving, the same officer in the blue candy car pulled up and told us that Jon was in the Wonthaggi Hospital. As we hardly knew Jon, the policeman soon departed.

Last leg Wonthaggi to Kongwak, up to Jethro and back to Loch. We continue on to Poowong taking the Main South Road towards Drouin. At Drouin South we turn left at the Lang Lang Road before turning right heading for the straight roads around Modella, Catani and Bayles, following the canals to Koo Wee Rup where the ride finishes outside the servo. Ben takes a group photo across the road.

Official ride length was 275 kilometres, 375 kilometres door to door. The servo was selling 20 litre drums of bar and chain oil. It was on special but I didn’t ask how much. The label said very sticky contact, providing me with food for thought. It would last forever. A Scott Oiler comes to mind. I digress.

Thanks to Henry for leading a brilliant ride. Well done in finding some more good roads for us to ride on. It was a nice, casual day. No hurry; just enjoy it. The weather was reasonable with no rain but windy in places. Thanks to Geoff for rear rider duties and everyone else who participated. May your lid never skid.

Ron Johnston