Tooborac Trials II Sunday 2^nd May, 2010

Geoff Shugg (leader)	Suzuki 650 V Strom	Paul Southwell	Honda CBR1000RR
Ray Weston	KTM 990	Tim Emons	Honda CBR1000RR
Shane Byrne (2^ndride)	Hyosung 650	Misho Zrakic	Honda CBR1000RR
Ron Johnston (rear rider)	Honda CBF1000	Ben Warden	Honda CBR954RR
Ian Payne	Honda CBR1000RR	Pina Garasi	Honda CBR600RR

I knew this ride report would be an arduous one… Misho was assigned the task (against his basic instinct) and I knew that I would be dragged in to pick up the pieces. This is as far as Misho got in the report:

“Geoff Shugg graciously nominated me to do the ride report, but I’m not that kind of guy.”

After dictating this solitary sentence, Misho escaped to the shower. I pursued him with paper and pen and requested him to keep the words flowing. Alas, the water flowed faster. This is what he added:

“Seeing policemen early morning gives me great pleasure – NOT! Nor does it make my day. Now I have to have subsided fun for the day. Before we even reach our meeting point, we witnessed our ‘brothers in blue’ lecturing us on ‘how to suck eggs’. The sorrowful faces of fellow riders ‘copping’ it, gave them no incentive at all.”

This is where Misho’s report ends, and where mine commences:

We had a very subdued ride to Tooborac from Whittlesea due to the fact that the police were out in numbers educating motorcycle riders on the benefits of safe riding. We listened when spoken to and nodded compliantly… as one does. I’ve watched Ben and have employed that strategy several times with a better than expected outcome.

Once at Tooborac we are greeted by the effervescent Craig Morley – always a big smile and happy to see us. We park our bikes quite gingerly on the thick, wet, grassy slope and walk over to watch the Trials – which to me, translates as very skilful dirt-bike riders climbing up and over rocks. It was quite astounding to see the dexterity and amazing co-ordination required to negotiate these rugged and seemingly insurmountable obstacles. It makes the road bike riding feel weak and insignificant, particularly when it looked like it was going to rain on us – at which point we all hurried back to our bikes.

Luckily, we made it back to the bikes before the rain set in which would render them very difficult to ride on this grassy terrain. Off we went for some fun stuff: Flowerdale, Kinglake, and Chum Creek. It felt good to be on the road again. The day ended nicely.

Thanks to Geoff for exposing us first hand to an alternative motorcycling experience. It was an interesting addition to the normal Sunday ride.

Pina Garasi