Mount Donna Buang Sunday 31^st January, 2011

Ian Payne (leader)	Honda CBR1000RR	Jason Duff	BMW S1000R
John Willis	Honda XL1000V	Rob Langer (rear)	KTM990
Marc Marais	Triumph 675	Joe Klopfer (1^st ride)	ZRX1200
Tony Grande	Ducati Hypermotard

This ride was originally to be led by Geoff Shugg and with the predicted 40° plus temperatures, I was wishing he still would! But remarkably another six hardy souls were at Berwick ready for a ride. I had not expected Rob Langer and John Willis to be in attendance as they both where going to Jindabyne. But John had to bail out after one of the Varadero’s radiators sprung a leak, fortunately a warranty issue. As for Rob, he had started the trip but an incident with another vehicle had rendered his BMW unrideable. Fortunately, Rob was OK and Tony had kindly offered his KTM for today’s ride. We also welcomed Joe, who had been a member of the Club from 1972 to 1975.

With extreme temperatures predicted I was keen to keep the ride short and in the treed areas where the temperatures would be lower! We left Berwick for Narre Warren East where we picked up the back roads to Upper Beaconsfield. Then continued on to Toomuc Valley, Pakenham Upper and Gembrook. So far it had been very pleasant riding in these cool areas with not too much other traffic to contend with.

Just before Launching Place I cut across to the Noojee road and went looking for Tarrango Road but I chose the wrong road, a dead end track in fact. As it was too hot to go searching, I took the easy option back to Riversdale Road and the Warburton Highway where we picked up the Old Warburton Road and followed it all the way to Warburton where we stopped for a bite to eat. In the ‘relatively’ cool of the cafe, who should appear but our original leader Geoff who had been out on an early morning ride and, although revelling in the freedom of having his license back. No, he wouldn’t join us for the rest of the ride!

After the break it was up the superb road to the top of Mount Donna Buang and, as there were no-takers for a walk up the tower, it was straight back down again. John left here to tackle the dirt road back home to Healesville. As for the rest of us, it would be over the Reefton Spur as Geoff had given it the all clear except for a fresh layer of gravel and tar laid on the far end. The other option would have been to head for Noojee and Jindivick but that would have meant a 40 kilometre return run down the hot freeway to Berwick. Staying in the cool mountains was more sensible.

With the entire Reefton road now rezoned to 80 km/h, it was a cautious ride to the Spur, especially with a large flashing signs advertising ‘Police Targeting Speeding’ and a camera car parked outside the Reefton CFA. But with the road being in excellent condition, we threw-caution-to-the-wind until the ‘flashing’ oncoming cars warned us of Mr Plod hiding in the bushes near the straight section. Marc decided against continuing so the rest of us tackled the now gooey tar section, then down to Marysville for a late lunch.

After a leisurely stop it was decided to head back to Healesville and home. The run down to Narbethong was in close company but with nearly the whole section of the Maroondah Highway also rezoned to 80 km/h, it was a relatively boring ride over the Black Spur, especially with another large signs advertising ‘Police Targeting Speeding’. Fortunately, all the police action was at the end in the lookout car park and only targeting vehicles coming from Healesville.

We stopped at the servo for fuel and a last drink before going our separate ways home. Only 220 kays for the day but in this extreme heat, it was enough!

Thanks to Rob for the rear riding duties and the others for coming out on such a hot day.

Ian Payne