Reefton Spur via Lake Mountain Sunday 3^rd October, 2010

Misho Zrakic	Honda CBR1000	Rob Jones	Suzuki GSXR1000
John Willis	Honda XL1000	Mark Rigsby	Suzuki GSXR1000
Ben Warden (leader)	Honda CBR954	Ben Fuller	Suzuki GSXR1000
Mark Rhodes	Honda CBR954	Darryn `Bart’ Hutchinson	Suzuki GSXR1000
Justin Rhodes	Honda CBR919	Craig Davison	Suzuki GSXR750
Jean Eldridge	Honda CBR600	Paul Sorenson	Suzuki SV650
Pina Garasi	Honda CBR600	Geoff Shugg	Suzuki DL650
Ron Johnston (rear)	Honda CB400F	Pierre Ong	Ducati 1098
Paul Walkley	Kawasaki Z1000	Ken Goederee	Ducati 999
Paul Trice (1^st ride)	Kawasaki ZX6	Graeme Tattersall	Yamaha R1
Jason Wilson	Kawasaki ZX9	Theo Kalkandis	Yamaha R1

A guy called Peter Ng on holiday from Malaysia emailed me late Saturday night indicating he wanted to join us at Berwick for the ride. Berwick? I thought it was Yarra Glen. Maybe it is wrong on the web? It was past midnight when I had checked the web and the magazine – both Yarra Glen. I emailed him a cut and paste job from the web and suggested he would have better luck catching us at Yarra Glen. But I forgot to mention it was the start of daylight savings and we would be leaving effectively an hour earlier. Suffice to say he wasn’t there next morning. But 22 other people were!

The weather was brilliant with a forecast of - well it turned out to be 24 degrees and hot and sticky. Dressing in auto after a very poor night’s sleep and getting up an hour earlier has its draw backs. The two thermals, leather jacket and waterproof jacket were clearly excessive and I was already hot and sticky in this first-for-the-year muggy day. The winter waterproof flannel lined overpants – over my leathers – weren’t helping either. Next stop I would start peeling off layers.

Collingwood had won the Grand Final Replay the day before and the roads were strangely devoid of cars. Lots of footy BBQs probably meant that a day in the Yarra Valley winery region was out of the question – which was good for us.

The Jones Clan was in attendance – and in abundance, with five members fronting up, though a sixth, Craig Davison was running a bit late and the Clan decided to wait for him, then catch us at Warburton or en-route. I saw Graeme “Pommy” Tattersall flinch when I suggested the Badger Creek Road bypassing Healesville township and the set of lights could have a smidge of dirt right at the end. It didn’t, of course, but the mere thought may have prompted Pommy to look for any excuse to avoid.

There is a fair bit of information to convey at the best of times when leading such as who is the rear rider (Ron on the mighty CB400 noise machine), call for the article scribe (failed to elicit a response), call for first aid experience (thanks Jason), run through the corner marking – specifically aimed at the old experienced members who have been being “inventive” with their interpretations along the lines of “we waited for five minutes, no one came, so we left” (see Tara Bulga writeup.) Then I ran through the upcoming events – Towong Melb Cup Weekend, Dargo 4/5 Dec, Xmas Camp Porepunkah, Australia Day Jindabyne and of course Tassy, trying to encourage people to commit so that the Committee can purchase accommodation, ferry tickets etc. Rob Jones suggested he preferred the ABC – no ads.

We left Yarra Glen close on 10.15 am, noting 4WD Mr Plod going around and around the block. There he was, waiting for us (me) on the outskirts of town in the 60 zone.

Across to Healesville, up Chum Creek Road to Toolangi. A familiar form loomed in my rear vision mirror who I waved on with a leg motion. I hadn’t recognised him at the start – sitting with white helmet and dark visor down riding a Z1000, looking for all the world like Stig. But the smooth, precise, effortless style meant only one person: Paul Walkley. Good to see you after 18 months or so. We came up on a slower group of riders, the first such group of many for the day, the sensational weather encouraging every fair weather rider to don the helmet and gloves.

Back down to Healesville, through town only as far as the Healesville Sanctuary left hand turn and up Badger Creek Road. I had checked the map the night before and memorised the route: left at the roundabout and then right and another right. Why bother – it was sign posted brilliantly all the way. I reckon this is a better route rather than riding down Healesville Main street with all the slow cars and lights – and it cuts off a section of “dangerous” highway.

On to Launching Place and then left parallel to the highway re-emerging just upstream of the Old Warburton Highway. I had warned the group of the risky nature of this road with the shadows and gravel in the corners. New rider Paul (ZX6) was having a tough time of it – to the point of raising concern with following riders, requiring a friendly chat with Paul soon afterwards. Where’s the Captains when you need them?

It seems Jason lost the front on his ZX9 banging his foot on the road and visibly limping for the rest of the day. I hope it isn’t too serious. Ken Goederee, on his beautiful Ducati 999, also had a lurid front end slide but saved it – or the bike saved him. Clear visors are the go on this road, giving you half a chance to see the patches of gravel.

The total ride distance was proposed to be 230 km - too much for one tank. Marysville would have been the logical filling point but with petrol more difficult to obtain (credit card and pin only) the sensible thing to do was fill at Warburton after 82 km. Then on to the motorcycle friendly coffee shop below the bakery. If it wasn’t packed with bikes before we got there, then it certainly was after we arrived.

Mark Rhodes (Jones Clan) signed up for membership after being on the fringes for a number of years. Even better, he rides a Honda CBR954! (That makes three in the Club now.) Better than better, he brought along his son for his first ride on a CBR919. Interestingly, there were almost as many Suzukis (7) as Hondas (8). Next most well represented manufacturer was Kawasaki with three bikes.

It is not often you see a dog perched on a donkey, but there it was. Two donkeys. Stay focused! Time to leave! Next stop Upper Yarra Dam.

Twenty one bikes stacked up in a line looked quite impressive. A photo in the shade to reduce the contrast got that job done, magazine cover pending. I noticed the fairing screen vibrating like crazy as I headed down. It has to be one of the worst maintained roads in the shire – always has been, complete with pot holes. The screen was shaking so badly that I thought the sub-frame was broken or a mirror mounting bolt missing. (It turned out to be the steering head titanium top nut was loose I discovered at the lights on the way home Monday night. Hopefully that’s all!)

The Reefton was in the best condition ever: no leaf litter, completely dry, and somehow smoother and wider than I remembered. A near new front tyre helps too. As time was marching on, so did I, not stopping for the traditional regroup at the top of the Spur but continuing on through Cambarville and up Lake Mountain. Again the road was in sensational condition: dry, clean and smooth. Something to do with all the road works done before the start of the snow season leaves the roads are in pristine condition, all the gravel washed off. I waved to an on-coming KTM rider, thinking it was Rob Langer, now back from America and remembering he was hoping to attend the ride. I thought daylight savings may have caught him out. It turned out to be email Peter chasing the ride, catching up with us eventually at Marysville.

John Willis was grinning from ear to ear. He couldn’t believe how good the ride was, and how much fun he must have missed in the ten years of non-riding.

Down to Marysville for lunch at the Bakery in the main street. Marty Thompson was there hanging with the Z-owners Club. Even the marked BMW police bike and rider, and later the unmarked TOG car couldn’t put a damper on everyone’s enthusiasm. Rob’s Clan headed to the pub for a few frothies, leaving the ride. And when someone mentioned the Japanese MotoGP at Montegi was being shown live on free-to-air TV mid-afternoon, we also set off.

At Narbethong we detoured up the Acheron Way. There is 20 km of relatively skinny bitumen running along the flat beside the Acheron River – which was running wide and full, the first time I have ever seen it! We regrouped at the end before returning back to Narbethong. Some of us got around the truck towing the trailer with the huge tractor tyre on it. He was using all of the road making it very difficult to pass – and wanted to have a chat about it when he caught up to me.

The Black Spur was busy, risky, and great fun. Your eyes work really hard along here.

At Healesville we regrouped, a couple of riders getting fuel, and then a few of us headed back to Yarra Glen and on to Lilydale for drinks and biscuits at John’s new abode. Fantastic model radio controlled planes on display in the large garage. There is a hobby I could get into.

The Moto2 (600s) were just finishing. In the break between races I figured I could get home and still catch the main race. Well, I saw the last six laps with some of the best Rossi fairing bashing passing manoeuvres seen in a long time. And Stoner won.

Thanks to all who participated in an (almost) incident free day.

Ben Warden