Highlands�������������������� Monday 14^th March 2011

Ern Reeders (leader)	Honda CBR954	Geoff Dick (rear)	BMW R850
Tony Stegmar	Honda CBR1000	Willem Vandeveld	Honda ST1300

Hi all, it�s Tony Stegmar. It�s good to be back!

I felt like a ride on the �Labour Day public holiday so I went to Whittlesea for the start of the ride. There are so many ways I can go from Belgrave but I nearly get lost each time. I didn�t think there would be much traffic on a public holiday so I took one of my main routes on the Eastern freeway   
from Ferntree Gully .

When I arrived at the Whittlesea start point, I saw a yellow Honda. It must be Ern's bike, I thought. No people though. So I fuelled up my new CBR Honda Fireblade 1000. It�s red and black with a touch of silver.

After fuelling I saw Ern by his bike so I went over to say �Hi, it�s been a long time!� Then we had a chit chat about busted bones. I noticed Willem on his Honda ST1300 and Geoff from Shepparton on a BMW R850R had arrived. And that's it. Time to go.

Ern gave his pre-ride talk and we�re off! Geoff went rear rider. We rode up the sweepers to Kinglake West with Willem and me in the middle.� Not much overtaking going to happen here, so it�s time to sit back and relax. Riding along together, we turn at Flowerdale to Strath Creek. No need for corner marking. At Strath Creek we turn right up King Parrot Creek Road. I have not been on this road much. It�s fun, with a couple of hilly twists.

We join the Goulburn Valley Highway where danger lurks. But soon we turn off at the Upper Goulburn Road, an interesting road to Tallarook. Then under the freeway and on to Pyalong and Lancefield for fuel and morning tea.

After a pleasant chat and a coffee, it�s off up the Bourke and Wills Track. Along here, an old camper van driver coming the other way pulled off the narrow road and almost stopped to let me pass safely. He was either a nice man, or really scared! He might have got a fright from someone else. Who knows!

On to Kyneton for lunch in the big bakery. It was so busy so I didn�t go in but instead went to the BP across the road and entertained myself in there for a while.

After lunch Willem left the ride, leaving just the three of us. I won't be �passing anyone now!

We continued over the Coliban River dam wall, on to Spring Hill and Trentham. Then across to Woodend, Wallan and Eden Park to end the ride.

We completed the entire ride without any corner marking. 

Thankyou Ern for leading a well planned ride and taking me on some excellent roads. Also thanks to Geoff for rear riding and Willem for joining me in the middle of the pack! I passed him at the start and he passed me at the end, before he went home.

Tony Stegmar