Melbourne Cup Weekend 30th Oct – 2nd
Nov 2010
Ben Warden (leader) Honda CBR954RR Ian Payne Honda CBR1000RR
Paul Southwell Honda CBR1000RR Peter Jones Honda CBR1000RR
Boyd Witzerman Honda CBR1000RR Misho Zrakic Honda CBR1000RR
John Rousseaux (rear) Honda CBR1000RR Ron Johnston Honda CBF1000
Kurt McEnaney Honda VTR1000 Pina Garasi Honda CBR600RR
Ha Du Honda CBR600 Ben Fuller Suzuki GSXR1000
Rob Jones Suzuki GSXR1000 Cliff Peters Kawasaki ZX10
Dave Ward Kawasaki ZX6 Rob Langer KTM 950 SE
Henry Wright Triumph 675 Kate Stewart 4WD
Barb Peters Car 18 people, 17 bikes, 1 car, 1 4WD
Day 1: I had been hanging out for this
weekend for a while. Had gone over the bike through the week to make sure
everything was okay. Also, I had a new front tyre fitted a couple of weeks
earlier, but hadn’t ridden the bike with it on.
The tyres I have on the bike are Avon Storm, like Michelin Pilot Road 2s. They are dual compound tyres, but are stiffer in the side walls. I have done a couple of rides on the rear tyre and am impressed. They grip every bit as good as the Road 2s without the flex in the sidewall. Point and steer, just like being on a rail.
Saturday morning arrives. I intend to leave about 7am but it didn’t happen. Was undecided about my wet weather gear but put it on anyway. Ended up leaving at 7.30am but still arrived at Yarck in good time. I took the long way to Yarck so I could try out the front tyre on the way. See how they work as a pair.
From home I went via Yarra Glen, Healesville, Black Spur, Marysville, Buxton and Acheron. I was going to go in and out of Alexandra, but decided not to because of the time. But it wouldn’t have made much difference. Do the Molesworth road and on to Yarck. Arrived with half an hour up my sleeve. Peter Jones and John Rousseaux were there already.
Slowly, one by one, they trickled in. When Barb arrived, some of us put our gear into her car to lighten the load on our bikes. Cliff had collected Boyd from the Spirit of Tasmania that morning. Boyd tagged along with Dave, but Dave was in his ute with bike in the back and would see us up there. Poor Boyd. He must have been wondering what he was in for. Ben was last to arrive.
After all the formalities, it was time to mount up, and ride into the sunrise.
From Yarck it’s the usual trek down the highway: Merton, Bonnie Doon. I think the tide was in a little; there was water under the bridge and there is more water there now. At Mansfield they had the usual Mt Buller Hill Climb event and the main street was half closed. We had to do our usual detour around the back streets along with everyone else. People everywhere. At the first corner there was some confusion. One or two riders went a different way and someone had to chase and catch them, but we still ended up together, even if we were spaced out.
Boring trip out of town until you hit Bridge Creek, then dial it on. And so we did. Now the weather had been pretty good until shortly, when it clouded over and started to rain. The further up we went the poorer the visibility became and we had to slow right down, 60 kms an hour in places. It’s not always nice going over the Tolmie/Whitfield road when it’s like that. We finally arrived in Whitfield and it is raining. There were a lot of other motorcyclists in Whitfield, so there is a queue waiting for petrol. Most of us were able to get fuel.
I was fed up with waiting and decided not to get any fuel after speaking to Cliff and asking him how far it was to Myrtleford. I thought I would take a punt because we had had a quiet ride across the top.
Off we went again, King Valley, Moyhu, Oxley and Milawa, where we came across a person on a GS1150 sitting on $1.10. I was following him for a while but he turned off at Markwood. Someone reckoned he was a cop. If he was, I was oblivious to the fact.
By now I was starting to watch my fuel gauge. Can’t imagine WHY…Maybe it had something to do with not filling up at Whitfield. I backed off a bit in order to save fuel…boring ‘cos we are still on the straight road. Gapsted, corner mark, get off the bike and try and restore some movement in my limbs. Fuel gauge did not look too encouraging. Rear rider arrives, and I get back on the bike. The motor fired and died. It did this a few times. Not good. Tip bike from side to side quickly in order to get some fuel around the pump. It worked.
I am off, but quietly. It’s only 6 kms to Myrtleford but would the bike make it? As I get into Myrtleford, cross the bridge a couple of hundred yards on my right are three Silver VE Commodores. Cop cars. There were four coppers on the right and a TV crew on the left. I wondered what was going on. I was asking myself, would I get to the servo further down the street on the left or the one on my right? The bike ran out of fuel in the street, so the one on the right was it. Clutch in and coast into the forecourt. The bike did only 10 kms more to the tank than when I first ran it in, about 25,000 km ago. So after filling up it was round to our favourite bakery for food and drink. One of the highlights of our trip.
After lunch we took the back road to Mudgegonga, Carrolls Road to Rosewhite, and on to the Happy Valley road. (It really does make you happy). Left onto the Kiewa Valley Highway, Keegans Lane to Gundowring Upper. From here to the other end (Tangambalanga) it’s bloody BORING. Every time we travel the road it gives me the shits!!! I HATE IT. Having said that, I don’t think we have too many options. Stop at the end for the usual visor clean and a bit of a chat. The Mitta Mitta section of the proposed route has been cancelled due to the wet weather, and so we move on to Tallangatta.
We are still mixed up with another group of motorcyclists. Having barely travelled a couple of kilometres, and crossing the causeway at Lake Hume, Pina, who was nearly around the curve, has had the bike go from underneath her. It slid off the road and dropped down the embankment. Bike, a little worse for wear: fairing, blinkers, damaged throttle which made it a non-rider. Pina did ride the bike to Tallangatta, but had to use her hand to throttle off as well as on. Quite a few of us stopped and we got the bike out from down the embankment. The young lady was bit battered and bruised (pissed off) but otherwise okay.
Henry, who was behind her at the time, nearly did the same, but managed to stay upright. We talked to a few other riders the next day and they had the same problem with that piece of road.
At Tallangatta, Pina organised to leave the bike at the garage to be picked up at a later date. So Misho is two-up for the weekend. We stopped at the bakery. After a while it’s back on the bikes and we head for Granya Gap. Who can forget this road? BLOODY BRILLIANT One must exercise extreme caution, or else! Still raining…
After The Gap I decided to up the ante. I was following someone on a Triumph 675 Triple. We were passing the odd bike here and there, going like the clappers. Every now and then I had the impulse to pass him, but upon looking at the speedo, we were sitting on a $1.50, I decided I would sit in behind him all the way to Walwa where we regrouped again. Brilliant run, even if it was still raining.
Eventually we got to Towong. It was a blessing to get off the bike, get out of the wet weather gear, have a shower and change into some warm clothes and have a meal and a reasonable night’s sleep.
Day 2: We left Towong for Khancoban, where we would get fuel and catch up with the others. Rob Jones, Ben Fuller and Kurt McEaney weren’t coming with us today because they were scared of getting wet. Bloody sooks. They ended up going riding anyway. At Khancoban more motorcyclists (different group) were doing their own thing. I think some of them might have been part of the group we rode up with on Saturday.
Everyone gone and I am last to get going as usual. Take it easy out of Khancoban, cross the bridge, Cabramurra road is damp. I passed a couple of vehicles. We only got 34 kms in when we had to stop because a large tree had fallen across the road. Nobody was going anywhere. A few people tried to shift it without success. You guessed it, we had to turn around and go back the way we came in. Towong to Tintaldra.
There had been some flooding prior and the roads were a bit washed out in places. Large sections of bitumen had been picked up by the water, and put aside, like a large piece of carpet. You need to see it to believe it! On to Walwa for our first stop. It was a bit longer than expected because a few of the members ordered breakfast, which threw a spanner in the works. Eventually it was time to leave.
Five kilometres down the road we cross the Murray and into Jinjellic, NSW. From here we put the hammer down and go for it. The river had suffered a lot of damage from flood water; there were a couple of bridges that had been washed out, trees and debris everywhere. There was a dozer and a couple of excavators down by the river that had been used to tidy things up a bit, as well as giving access to the properties.
This road has had some work done on it since we were here last, and is a vast improvement. All the way from here to Tumbarumba and beyond, I was on fire. Sort of back to my old self. “In the zone”, as they say. I even passed Peter Jones at one stage. Tumbarumba for fuel.
From
Tumbarumba we head out of town to Glenroy, and travel down a narrow and twisty
road through
Tumut, Bondo, Wee Jasper, another sensational road, (where does it all end?) Same stuff: good visibility, nice radius corners, grip, etc, etc. We stop at the end of the sealed road, clean visors, talk about the ride in. Boyd had a smile from ear to ear. I doubt if you could ever wipe the smile off his face. It will be a ride he will remember for a very long time. Photo shoot.
Time to leave. Back through Bondo and don’t overshoot the Billapaloola Road. You know the one, halfway down on the right. I don’t think anybody missed it. I remember once on the Bandit, we were coming back. I was doing the big numbers and the bike ran on to reserve as I’ve tipped it into the corner. It suddenly wanted to stand up. Talk about crap yourself. Heart racing. Just had to keep on the throttle until I got around the corner and straighten up so I could put it on reserve. I certainly don’t want that to happen again. The bike wanted to stand up and I had to keep it tipped over. SCARY! Back to the ride.
The road is sealed, and then we have gravel, a little more seal, more gravel and back to bitumen again where we stop under the tree. Usual stuff: visor clean, talk about the ride so far. There was even a mention of Patersons Curse – it looks very nice. Everything is purple. Adds a bit of colour to the scenery. Tumorrama, Adjungbilly, more narrow and twisty roads.
You could see where the water had been across the road in various places. We went past the turn off to Gundagai. The water under the bridge was quite high. A few years ago when we came through here it was like a moonscape, dry and brown. No feed, hardly any stock. What you did see looked terrible. The last year has been kind and the grass is knee high. Everything looks green and very prosperous.
The road following the river was a treat. It included a couple of cattle grids, was very tight and twisty with some humps to catch you unaware, like going over jumps on a motor crosser. Not practical on a road bike but certainly wake you up.
Tumut
for a fuel stop which seems like that is all we do. Back to
Tumbarumba via the Rosewood road. At Tumbarumba the group splits up. Ha,
Henry, Ian and Paul, head back to Corryong, while the hard core lot do the
When riding across the top I noticed there was flooding at McPhersons Plain with water flowing across the ground at the side of the road. Most unusual, I thought. I don’t know where it was coming from but there was plenty of it. After Sue City we followed along the river before heading up to Cabramurra, the highest town in Australia. When I lived in NZ at Lake Tekapo, we used to have Lupins growing everywhere. The only places I have seen them in Australia is Cabramurra and at Mt Buffalo Chalet. You only see them growing at high altitudes. I bought a T-shirt for Julie with Lupins on it.
Just out of Cabramurra we stopped for another photo shoot overlooking a near empty dam. After the photos it’s back on the bikes as we head down towards Khancoban. The tree that had been across the road this morning had been cut up and moved off the road.
You had to watch the gravel that had been washed across the road in places. Finally we make it back to Towong. It had been a long hard day with 630 kms covered. After everyone had got cleaned up it was off to the pub for tea. There were lots of people there. I didn’t have much to say. I was just pleased with myself that I had had a good day.
Day 3: We left Towong for Khancoban via
the back road. Usual stuff at Khancoban: fuel, visor clean, etc, etc. Misho and
Pina went ahead up the Alpine Way towards Thredbo and Jindabyne. Everyone is
heading out the drive and I am still wrestling with my helmet strap. Eventually
I get it right and hit the road. Just across the bridge I see Misho and Pina
parked on the side of the road and so I pull over to see what was happening,
but they wave me on. So, I am on my own, with nobody in sight. Twist the wrist
and I am outa here. You gotta love this road. Bloody
brilliant! I rode the CBF for all it was worth, no holds barred.
It took me a while to catch the rear rider, and then I eventually run a few more of them down. I remember a VTR, then Henry somewhere, plus others. The first stop was at Tom Groggin. A few bikes went past. From Tom Groggin to Dead Horse Gap you have to be careful because some of the corners are very unforgiving.
By the time I get to the top there are other motorcyclists there. A woman in Toyota Prado left the car park and decided to do a three point turn on the top of the hill, a blind corner. Peter Jones came up the hill on his Blade and almost had to do a stoppy because she blocked his path. Some people shouldn’t have licences. And they wonder why they have accidents. She should have backed up in the car park and driven out forward; it would have been the smarter move.
Some photos, and then we head off down the mountain through Thredbo. From here it was a bit of a freight train into Jindabyne. At the bottom of the hill we turn left to Charlotte Pass. More twist the wrist, pass everything in sight. From the junction to the toll booth and beyond, the high speed sweepers are BLOODY BRILLIANT.
We wait at the toll booth till most of the others catch up. I asked the lady if we could get a discount for bulk buying because there were a few of us, but she wouldn’t have any of it, spoil sport. We’re off again. Near the top where the road narrows, the road surface was broken up in places and there was gravel and pot holes all over the place. The road was like that all the way to the car park. Last time we were here the road was fine. We all park our bikes. With helmets off, you notice the temperature drop. I reckon it would have been around zero to one degree; not quite brass monkey weather. There was snow around the place, from the previous two weeks. About 30 foot from where the bikes were parked, the snow was about six foot deep. A few of the boys were up there throwing a bit of snow around and just having a good time. Ah memories.
Some of us left early. It had started to rain so we treat the wet road with respect. By the time we got to the top of the first rise it had cleared up and it was game on. We all stopped and got fuel at the servo at the Jindabyne Shell at the T junction. Henry went for a test ride on someone’s bike, can’t remember who it was. Then we lunched at the shops in town. More bikers there. Bikers everywhere. Can’t get away from them.
Back road to Dalgetty. They have put in a new bridge at the bottom of the hill just out of Jindabyne. Across to Berridale and on to Adaminaby where we stop again. From memory it was warm. Adaminaby to Kiandra started out as freight train but the group ended up getting spread out. Just before you get to Kiandra there is a right hand corner in the middle of nowhere. You come down the hill, over the rise, and there it is. It’s a wonder no one has been killed. I am sure there be would motor vehicles of all sorts that would have run off the road. They should take it out and straighten it up; make it user friendly.
It was good to get to Cabramurra: more good roads! I had a good ride back to Khancoban despite the roads having a bit of leaf litter and gravel that had washed across in a few places. Usual back roads to Towong. I think we had a meal at Ron and Sarah’s that night.
Day 4: We head home today. We stop at
Walwa, then follow the lake to Granya. It was hot and
dry. Granya Gap has to be the best short circuit in Victoria. The road is in
excellent condition, the best it has been for a long time. Coming down the
Bullioh side we came across the BMW Club. Someone had thrown their bike in
amongst trees. You cannot be too careful. That road has claimed a few scalps,
and will continue to do so. RIDER BEWARE.
Tallangatta for fuel. Near Gundowring, just before we turn into Boyd road, there were some road works outside a garage. There was a patch of gravel across the road. I, and others, hit the gravel and were thrown off the seats of our bikes. I didn’t see the BIG HOLE on the other side.
Happy Valley road. What can I say? I rode the wheels off the CBF going through here. Ben Fuller and Rob Jones were hard on my tail. I kept looking in my mirror to see if they will pass, but they didn’t. At Myrtleford I asked them why they didn’t pass? Ben Fuller replied that I was doing alright. You can’t get much better than that.
Rob Jones was taking care of the entertainment, as usual, people crying with laughter.
Next was the boring trip back to Whitfield. I think the group got spread out a little. I did some low flying across the top. Cliff and a couple of others caught me up on the other side. Mansfield then Yarck where we stopped and said our goodbyes and headed for home. I did the Molesworth road, Taggerty, Buxton (fuel) bypassed Marysville, and stopped at St Filians to put my wet weather gear on. The Black Spur looked decidedly black. One of those, will I or won’t I questions. Better to put them on now rather than have to stop later. Of course, it didn’t rain.
I got home in one piece, albeit a little worse for wear after 2400 kms in four days. Not bad going. Thanks to all that came along and made it the great weekend it was. See you next year.
Ron Johnston